Pluribus has become one of the most talked about new shows. It combines a strange sci fi idea with a very grounded and relatable human story. The show is about Carol Sturka. She is an author who doesn't really like writing romance novels, or at least the book series she is known for. Her partner, who is also her manager, keeps her going by reminding her of how much her fans love her work.However, things take a dark turn when her partner passes away under mysterious circumstances. And the world around Carol seems to be getting stranger by the minute. She is unable to understand why everyone suddenly starts speaking in "we" and acting in a really unsettling manner. Soon, she gets to know that the world has fallen under a shared hive mind. Except her, of course. She is somehow immune to the "happy virus" along with 11 others. The visual world of Pluribus cannot be ignored. The show opens with a desert scene. It pulls you in right away and sets the mood. The setting in Albuquerque adds a familiar touch. The show feels fresh but it still has the touch of something we have seen before, especially for Breaking Bad fans.Pluribus: The small but clear links View this post on Instagram Instagram PostPluribus introduces Carol Sturka as a tired and bitter romance author who comes home to Albuquerque with her partner, only to watch the world change overnight. Almost everyone slips into a single connected mind. Carol is the only one who stays separate. She is mourning her partner's death but also trying to understand what is happening while the people around her lose their individuality. Soon, she meets Zosia. She speaks for the unified world and she is pushed into a meeting with the last few unconnected people. Carol quickly learns that they are far more accepting of the new reality than she expected. She also realizes that her own emotions can cause real damage to the hive mind. This makes her feel even more trapped and conflicted about what her place in this new world is.Though Pluribus is a completely different story, it gives fans a sense of déjà vu. The first thing you see is a research base in a desert. Breaking Bad also begins in the desert. Both openings use the land to set the emotional tone. The desert feels like a character of its own in Gilligan's shows. The second big similarity is the setting. Albuquerque is the heart of the Breaking Bad universe. And fans know that landscape extremely well. The excitement picked up even more when they realized that Pluribus also takes place in Albuquerque. It feels strange but fun to see a new story set in a place that looks so familiar. The shared location creates a sort of bridge that audiences enjoy talking about even though the shows belong to completely different genres.Other than these two points, Pluribus and Breaking Bad could not be more different. Breaking Bad is a crime drama with themes of moral decay, choices, and consequences. Pluribus is an eerie sci fi story about identity, free will, and what it means to stay yourself when the world changes around you. The themes, tone, and goals of the shows do not overlap at all. The familiar desert and the Albuquerque backdrop are simply creative choices that come from the team’s history with the region. These small touches give fans something familiar to hold on to.Stay tuned to Soap Central for more updates and detailed coverage.