Apple TV has been delivering some of the best television shows of the last decade, and just eight months after Severance Season 2 gained the title of having the streamer’s most-watched debut ever, one of the most inventive end-of-the-world shows has stolen the crown. That show is Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus, a show that has been called the “must-watch show of the year” by many critics.
Pluribus takes Gilligan away from his Breaking Bad universe, but not from Albuquerque, as the writer/director enlists Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn to play Carol, the most miserable woman in the world who finds herself as one of the only people with immunity to an alien invasion that has turned everyone in the world into a happy, helpful hivemind. The show debuted on November 7, dropping two episodes and gaining more than 6.4 million hours watched in its first week.
That record beats the Season 2 debut of Severance at the beginning of the year. The series remained at the top of the Apple TV chart for almost the full two weeks since its release, and has only recently been overtaken by The Morning Show. However, with only three episodes currently available, and the fourth coming on November 21, the level of viewership is quite impressive for a new series.
‘Pluribus’ Has Gained Incredible Reviews
After the success of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, some people would think that Vince Gilligan may have wanted to take things easy and continue to expand that universe of popular characters. Instead, he has created a series that has an incredibly unique premise, strong performances, and is nothing like his most famous creations.
Pluribus had managed to maintain a 100% Tomatometer score until today, when two “rotten” reviews saw a dip to a frustrating 99% score. The reviews, by The Spectator and the Jerusalem Post, have both taken issue with the slow-burn of the series and the “uncertain” tone. However, the other 100 reviews have thrown out words like “masterpiece,” “best ever,” and “must-watch,” and just like in the show, the many really do outweigh the few.
Pluribus was given a two-season order back in 2022, so everyone knows that the show will be getting at least one new season. With the record-breaking debut and strong reviews behind it, it would not be out of the question to expect it to continue even further in the future.
Audiences may have been watching the series in large numbers, but their reviews have not been quite as unanimously positive as those of critics. The audience score currently sits at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, but that could change as the series continues. With a weekly release schedule, the show is set to conclude its first season on December 26, by which time many more reviews could have been added into the mix.
Pluribus releases Episode 5 on Friday, November 21, and will continue to release new episodes weekly through December 26.
- Release Date
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November 6, 2025
- Network
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Apple TV
- Directors
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Adam Bernstein, Zetna Fuentes, Melissa Bernstein
- Writers
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Ariel Levine