I admit it.

I’m one of those people who think Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad.

Before you come at me, I don’t dislike Breaking Bad. It's still one of my favourite shows, but it took me a little while to warm up to it. I’m also aware that Better Call Saul had the advantage of learning what worked from Breaking Bad and hit the ground running.

Pluribus has the same advantage.

The way everything unravels in Pluribus feels very Vince Gilligan. What I mean by that is the episodes go at their own pace. Nothing feels rushed, and the show reveals plot points deliberately, at exactly the right moment. It’s also filmed in a way that puts everything you need to know in plain sight, even if you don’t notice it straight away.

In the first episode, the show hides a key detail on a TV in the background. It wasn’t obvious. I could have easily missed it, but I caught it just as the character did. Pluribus also doesn’t mind being funny from time to time. There was a great cameo in episode six that made me laugh the moment they appeared.

Pluribus is hard to describe without spoiling it. The easiest way to explain it is this: a virus has spread across the planet, Rhea Seehorn (Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul) has survived, and shenanigans ensue. Every episode reveals another little tidbit about how this all happened. 

Some episodes are a little slower than others. A few reveal a lot of details while others focus on one specific piece of information. I noticed this more in the last few episodes. There was still a lot happening, but it didn’t seem like the overall story was progressing. For example, in episode 7, Rhea Seehorn’s character was going through a rollercoaster of emotions. It all felt relevant, but towards the end of the season, I was hoping for more of a ramp-up to a big finale.

Speaking of Rhea Seehorn, she’s definitely the best part of Pluribus. At the start of the first episode, I worried I’d only ever see her as her Better Call Saul character. Within minutes, she proved she was someone completely different. That held true throughout the series, even as I watched her in scenes where she was alone. Sometimes she didn’t even speak, but her face told you exactly what she was thinking and feeling.

I also picked up on some interesting themes. I’m curious if you did as well. Did I just break the fourth wall? Hi, Matt Cardona. I know at least one person will get that reference. Let’s get back to the themes. I wondered if there was a little bit of commentary on AI. In episodes 3 and 4, characters describe the infected as very agreeable. There are also a few discussions about theft and taking over things that don’t belong to the infected. I could be overthinking it or joining dots that don’t exist.

This is the part of the newsletter where I usually throw in a criticism or two, but I feel like I’ve covered that. You’ll either love or hate the pace of the season. Sometimes a single episode passes with just one thing playing out, which won't be for everyone. I even had a scroll through my phone during some of the slower episodes. Despite these lapses in attention, I still wanted to make it to the end of the season and see what happened.

That’s why I’m recommending Pluribus. The combination of comedy, drama and mystery kept me engaged from start to finish, with a few minor missteps here and there. You’ll know by the end of episode 1 if you want to keep going. I suggest you do.

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