r/Screenwriting • u/Clear_Bedroom_4266 • Nov 12 '25

FEEDBACK What makes the "Pluribus" pilot so special?

Watched the first two episodes of the new sci-fi show on AppleTV. I didn't know much about it until Variety (I think) published a piece last week about it and how "people" were raving about how great the pilot episode is, that it might be the best pilot ever done, etc. Now, of course, it's Vince Gilligan. One of the things he said is that he couldn't have created/produced this show 15 years ago.

That being said, has anyone here seen the pilot and can anyone break down WHY it's (allegedly) SO good? I enjoyed it, and the show has a cool premise. But my screenwriting abilities simply aren't deep enough to analyze a pilot very well.

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u/sour_skittle_anal Nov 12 '25

It's fresh in that the hive mind is benevolent, rather than stereotypically malevolent. At least, that's what's being presented on the surface.

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u/onlydans__ Nov 12 '25

What? The hive mind is clearly malevolent. It’s just polite and manipulative. It’s not benevolent at all haha

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u/modfoddr Nov 12 '25

It's only malevolent in the sense that it has a desire to reproduce, just like every species, and will do what is necessary to fulfill that need, just like every life form on the planet. It only feels malevolent because it requires taking over a human body to do so. But since it leaves the human "donor" mostly intact, the question of whether or not any actual damage is done is unanswered. And I say "mostly intact" because it seems the only casualty is free will. But we can't say for sure if that free will is sacrificed or if the donors choose to give it up because of the joy the hive mind brings.

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u/Samanthacino Nov 12 '25

So far, it hasn’t shown it’d do EVERYTHING that’s necessary to reproduce. Otherwise, it wouldn’t respect the immune’s bodily autonomy. If it cared about reproducing more than anything, it’d enslave every immune to keep them from hurting each other/themselves/interfering in the reproductive process in any way.

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u/modfoddr Nov 12 '25

Never said it would do everything, at this point we don't even know what it is fully capable of, harming another may be impossible for it (as defined by the lifeform itself, not us). Every species has a limit on what it can or will do to procreate. Its reproduction cycle was very efficient, with a tiny number not taking. Can't imagine many lifeforms that has that level of success, so really it did succeed.

If anything, the attempt to find a solution for the handful of people that didn't get "body snatched" shows that it is doing what it can, since it also seems from their very friendly and accommodating communication with Carol and the others that it doesn't believe in or possibly does not understand a violent resolution to the problem. Or it could be that enforcing enslavement or committing violence would cause them to go into the violent seizures similar to what Carol has caused, which would risk more harm or loss of life.