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Vince Gilligan's Pluribus has inspired a tide of interest around the social media sphere following Apple TV+'s release of its very first official trailer. With Rhea Seehorn appearing in a leading role again and Gilligan working in Albuquerque again, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fans automatically wondered if the show could be set in the same universe as either or both shows. It's a leap to make, given shared creative heritage and geography.
But the response is straightforward and the same across all the official releases: Pluribus stands alone. It is in no way connected to Breaking Bad or any of its offshoots. The series is a new venture for Vince Gilligan, a move away from crime and the moral shades into science fiction. Let's take a look at what has been officially established so far.
Project overview of Pluribus
Based on Apple TV+'s newsroom, Pluribus is a "genre-bending original" starring Emmy-nominated actress Rhea Seehorn. It's one of those shows about Carol Sturka, "the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness." That alone makes it something worth checking out as something new Gilligan has created.
The show will premiere exclusively on Apple TV+ on November 7, 2025, and the first two episodes will premiere together, with subsequent weekly releases. The release dates were locked in by Apple's July and October 2025 press announcements. Apple TV+ also commissioned it for two seasons, an indication of faith in the project's direction early on.
Developed by Vince Gilligan and Sony Pictures Television, Pluribus is his initial original series since Better Call Saul. Confirmed credits on Apple's "Originals" page guarantee Gilligan as writer, creator, and executive producer.
Setting and production of Pluribus
Pluribus was filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The series was supposedly filmed under the title "Wycaro 339". It is not to imply that the Albuquerque shoot is in the same universe as Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul. It is solidly in Gilligan's own creative comfort zone and provides the visual landscape he has made his career.
The general mood of the series, as hinted at in Apple TV+'s official trailer on their channel on YouTube, is that of a cheerful but unsettling world, one where seeming contentment hides the real societal issue. The contrast serves to strengthen the science-fiction base without any mixing with realism or crime.
Independence of theme and narrative
Despite fan gossip, every release announcement confirms that Pluribus is not a spin-off series of the Breaking Bad franchise. Vince Gilligan has personally confirmed through interviews following Better Call Saul that his new show will be an independent undertaking from his prior crime series.
Apple's representation makes it equally clear. It's an identity, emotion, and control software, not a crime or moral decay software. The bigger premise, a female heroine who must save humanity from the perils of mass euphoria, is more characteristic of speculative fiction than the realism of Gilligan's earlier work.
Tone-wise, Pluribus is more intellectual science fiction, like in The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror. It discusses how extremes in society are reframing what it means to be human and the inner conflict with being human, and not offensiveness as a crime.
Character and story details
As quoted in Apple TV+'s official summary, Rhea Seehorn's Carol Sturka is "the most miserable person on Earth," but she's humankind's best hope when happiness itself is deadly. Such a comedic and existential setup is the emotional core of Pluribus.
The character development appears to discuss how emotion and truth persist in a world dictated by created happiness. While the entire supporting cast is not currently available on Apple's newsroom as of October 2025, Gilligan is listed as creator, writer, and producer for the series on all credits.
The series has been described as meshing dark comedy and psychological suspense, a marked departure from style for Gilligan. However, his traditional storytelling, ordinary people in outlandish circumstances, reigns supreme on Pluribus.
Why fans suspected a shared universe
No wonder some enthusiasts initially thought Pluribus might be a Breaking Bad relation. Ingredients are familiar: Gilligan's inventive hand, Rhea Seehorn's inclusion, and Albuquerque's desert landscape. Since the trailer dropped on October 22, 2025, social media frenzy went wild with conspiracy theories combining the two worlds.
However, Apple's official press releases and trade reports by Deadline, MacRumors, and The Economic Times confirm there is no overlap. The domain of influence is visual and artistic, not narrative. Mood, tone, and genre of Pluribus are all different from Gilligan's work before.
Instead of an anecdote on moral decay, Pluribus develops Gilligan's fascination with the human condition and shapes it into a new, more ethereal form.
Anticipation and industry reception
Even before it premiered, Pluribus has captured attention from media outlets and industry commentators due to the involvement of Vince Gilligan. Deadline, MacRumors, and The Economic Times stories highlight the intrigue surrounding the hotly speculative idea of the series and the return of Rhea Seehorn to spearhead a high-concept series.
Early reactions to the trailer emphasize the show's unique visual style, the blend of dark humor and existential story, and its clear departure from the crime-oriented storytelling of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Fans naturally compare the work to Gilligan's previous work, but all coverage establishes that Pluribus is being sold as an original, self-contained series in a new category.
Pluribus, which will be released on November 7, 2025, is the new beginning of the creative life of Vince Gilligan. All the official information makes sure that the show is completely out of the universe of Breaking Bad. Although there may be familiar places and faces, which will make it old-fashioned, Pluribus is a standalone work, an exploratory examination of happiness, control, and individuality.
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Short of all that is the fact that the truth is obvious: Pluribus has no connection to Breaking Bad on any storytelling level. It's a new concept with new characters, one that feels right to Gilligan as a new creator. Viewers might catch the similarity of his prior style, but they'll be arriving at a completely different world, one where danger isn't meth or morality, but the deception of pure bliss.
Also read: Brand new trailer Pluribus by Vince Gilligan is released
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