Vince Gilligan, in his new twisty series Pluribus, dropped like a small, sharp, and immediately celebrated meteor. During the initial round of its coverage, the show earned a rare accomplishment of a 100% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was that glossy number that caused fans to watch Pluribus all the more.However, that ideal streak was partially short-lived. The Tomatometer score came down to 99 percent from 100 percent as critics continued to add reviews. For the record, Pluribus premiered on November 7, 2025, and the drop that was noted by Rotten Tomatoes is according to 99 positive critic reviews, and one negative.This is not a tragedy or a scandal, it is merely the way things work out. The larger the number of individuals weighing in, the higher the chances that one critic will not love the show as much as the others. However, Pluribus has some big names attached to it like Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn and hence that first less-than-perfect review was literally three weeks after its release.From perfect to almost-perfect: what the first negative review for Pluribus said View this post on Instagram Instagram PostWhat is dramatic and yet simple about Rotten Tomatoes is that their Tomatometer is a display of the percentage of critics who rated a review “Fresh” instead of “Rotten.” When a new series is released and only a few critics have shared their opinions on it, that number can be very volatile: it can be 100% one day, 99% the next, since each individual review holds a massive impact.Pluribus began well with an ideal score of 100% and that was enough to make the headlines. People adored the fact that Vince Gilligan had produced another sure hit with absolute confidence. But with increasing reviews, the score automatically levels off. It would only take one reviewer to say it did not quite work with me to lose the so-called perfect 100 to a still-great 99.This does not mean that Pluribus has suddenly started to decline, but it only indicates that the critic pool increased and one of them disagreed. That duality in opinions can already be seen with Pluribus, with some critics being fascinated by its ambition and the performance of Seehorn, and some feeling that the pacing is too slow or the tone too bumpy.Critic Hannah Brown from The Jerusalem Post, wrote on Rotten Tomatoes:“It's certainly a striking idea, but in practice, it isn't nearly as interesting as it is on paper. The show is incredibly slow-paced, with awkward dialogue that makes its points over and over. Pluribus wants to tell us that being anxious, doubtful, discontented, and selfish is what makes us human, and that taking it all away would destroy us. If you can understand that message already, you might want to skip the series.”In this instance, the not-so-positive note mentions that Pluribus feels a little dragged and repeats some concepts somewhat excessively. That is a typical problem of ambitious sci-fi shows, it is very easy to fall between the two extremes of being thoughtful and a drag. Nevertheless, even these critics acknowledge that the show has good aspects: Rhea Seehorn’s acting, striking visuals, and the ability of Vince Gilligan to create small but intimate moments.Why this won't affect the buzz View this post on Instagram Instagram PostTo be fair, even a drop in the Tomatometer is nearly free publicity. Pieces stating that a show has lost its flawless rating get the people talking, clicking and watching. In the case of Pluribus, which continues to sit at 99%, the buzz still remains positive: it signifies actual critical backing at a sufficiently high debate rate to keep social media busy.Moreover, one critical review will make the praise a more realistic one. There is no great show that remains at 100 percent indefinitely, and even the greatest ones, as a rule, endure a few disagreements. Pluribus will release new episodes each week, and the score will continuously change regardless, the initial drop is only one minor thread of an even larger discussion.For more such insights on Pluribus, keep following SoapCentral.