Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan reveals that naming the series was not an easy job

Pluribus, the new Apple TV science fiction series created by Vince Gilligan, premiered on November 7, 2025, and one of the most interesting things about the show, other than its plot, is its title. The word 'Pluribus' isn't exactly a commonly used word. It means "many" or "from many," and if you knew the meaning, the title of the word would make perfect sense to you, since Carol stands out from the many as someone who is immune to the virus in the show.

However, the title wasn't the first one that the creative team came up with. Vince Gilligan revealed in a conversation with Josh Horowitz that naming the series was not an easy job at all.

Vince Gilligan on naming Pluribus

Pluribus follows Carol Sturka, one of the 12 people who are immune to a virus outbreak. This virus isn't like other ones. It doesn't make you sick or turn you into zombies; it makes you happy. The people affected are connected through a hive mind, and they all want to make Carol happy, because she isn't like them. Since Carol is different from the many around her, the title Pluribus is perhaps the best choice.

But as Vince Gilligan revealed to Josh Horowitz on Happy Sad Confused, it took them quite some time to decide on a name for the show. Gilligan said,

"We were in a title desert for two or three years,"

While the show deals with extremely complex themes, some we probably don't even know yet, needing two to three years to decide on a title is surprising. It shows how much thought and consideration went into naming the show and how much a show's title really matters.

When asked if Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul were equally hard to name, Gilligan said that they weren't. Better Call Saul was rather an easy name to go for since it was the title of the episode that introduced Saul Goodman to the viewers. As for Breaking Bad, Gilligan felt that the Southern phrase was a popular one and a good fit. As for Pluribus, many other options were considered. For instance, as Gilligan said,

"The worst one of all, I can tell you, was 'Be Kind, Remind',"

In contrast to the final title that was decided, 'Be Kind, Remind' seems quite weak and something that doesn't really convey the message of the show. Thankfully, Pluribus, the final title, does convey what the show is about and is a fitting title.

In Episode 2, Pirate Lady, we saw how if any of the unaffected lash out at even one member of the hivemind, it leads to the death of millions of hivemind members. Despite knowing how much power Carol now holds, she is determined to fight back, and the episode ends with Carol trying to stop Air Force One from taking off with Zosia. The next episode will likely tell us why Carol did that and how successful she really is. It will also take us closer to Carol figuring out what is going on and how to fight the virus.

Pluribus Episode 3, Grenade, will be released on Apple TV on November 14, 2025. The first two seasons are available for streaming on Apple TV.

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