Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan explains how the show is lowkey a zombie apocalypse drama

Pluribus is one of the most fascinating arrivals to the pop culture sphere in 2025. It finally feels like there is a show bold enough, weird enough and excellently written enough to go toe to toe with Severance as truly event television. And magically enough, it’s all happening on Apple TV. Vince Gilligan has come back with a new show that’s ready to hit the heights of his big hits Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and he’s got the latter’s Rhea Seehorn in as the lead in the role of Carol – which Gilligan confirms he created just for her. Pluribus and its first two episodes have thus far got 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes and the entire concept is creating so much conversation – but here’s why the creator says this is his taken on a zombie apocalypse drama.

Without any zombies.

After watching the first two episodes, Pluribus feels VERY zombie apocalypse

Especially in the early moments of the pilot, those who’ve watched their fair share of zombie apocalypse fiction will see all the usual signs that make you think you know where the show is heading. Whilst the invaders are spreading their virus it feels like a classic b-movie – albeit with an elevated sheen of course. But the characters in Pluribus aren’t zombies, and it’s a post apocalyptic take on the situation without doing anything cliche.

Vince Gilligan explains how Pluribus links to zombie apocalypse drama

Speaking to Men’s Health as Pluribus debuted, Vince Gilligan spoke about how the show links to zombie apocalypse drama and how he was inspired by the genre.

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“Pluribus is my twist on a post-apocalyptic zombie tale,” Gilligan says.  “The big difference is these people are not zombies. They’re really, really happy people who still have all their faculties. They’re not robots, and they’re not aliens. When you watch The Walking Dead, as riveting as that show is, I don’t know if there’s anybody ever in the history of that show who’s watched that show, who said, ‘Man, I wish I could be a zombie.’ You don’t want to be a zombie. You want to be Darryl Dixon. I want people who watch Pluribus to be able to say, ‘I kind of would want to be another.'”

It’s a great twist, because if the zombies aren’t ripping you limb from limb and actually seem happy – why not just join in? That’s why Pluribus is so fascinating as a drama. Whilst the hive mind is unsettling and terrifying and feels like a zombie apocalypse that speaks collectively like ChatGPT – once you meet the other immune people in episode two you can really grasp the dual perspective of what makes this show’s central narrative so full of points to discuss.

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