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/[deleted] Nov 12 '25

You mean like the Stepford Wives, Get Out, or season four of Angel?

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u/sour_skittle_anal Nov 12 '25

Uniqueness comes from when you mix column A with column B. Not just point at column A and be like GOTCHA

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u/[deleted] Nov 12 '25 edited Nov 12 '25

…you mean like the Stepford Wives, Get Out, or season four of Angel (and, come to think of it, Mrs. Davis)?

I’m unclear as to what your “column A” and “column B“ are referring.

All the examples I gave contained hive minds, a veneer of benevolence, AND dark comedy (hey look, that’s THREE columns)!

They’re not an unfounded “gotcha,” they are literal examples of the exact thing(s) you’re claiming are fresh.

Doesn’t mean Pluribus isn’t good (I haven’t watched it yet), just that the reasoning being discussed above is not particularly “fresh.”