What Does Pluribus Mean and Is It a Breaking Bad Spin-off? What to Know About the New Apple TV Show

Apple TV just dropped the first two episodes of 'Pluribus', and it is already making headlines. Vince Gilligan, the creator of 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul', is behind the new show. Here's everything you need to know about the Rhea Seehorn-starrer.

What Does 'Pluribus' Mean?

The term 'pluribus' comes from Latin and translates to 'many,' 'from many,' or 'of many.' It is most commonly recognised as part of the phrase 'E pluribus unum,' which means 'out of many, one.'

This saying was once regarded as the unofficial motto of the United States of America and was used until 1956. 'E pluribus unum' reportedly symbolises the unity of one nation formed from 13 different colonies. After which, the country's motto was changed to 'In God We Trust.'

'Pluribus' Creator Explains Title Choice

While speaking with Tech Radar, Gilligan revealed that the title of his new show was a 'tip to the hat' to the unofficial motto of the United States. However, he stressed that 'Pluribus' is not intended to be just American.

'I really want this to be a show for the whole world. And I liked the idea of out of many, one, in reference to the democracy of the United States, but also out of many people from all around the world, one,' he said.

What Is 'Pluribus' About?

'Pluribus' centres on lead character Carol Sturka (Seehorn), who is suddenly forced to save the world from happiness. In the series, Carol works as a romance author, but she is also dubbed the most miserable person on Earth.

'She goes on a quest to the other side of the world trying to save it from a crisis that in her mind is apocalyptic. But perhaps it's not as bad as she thinks. We leave that to the audience: Is this dystopic or utopic?' Gilligan said (via People).

Is 'Pluribus' A 'Breaking Bad' Spinoff?

'Pluribus' is not a spinoff of the hit shows 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul'. However, it has direct ties to both Gilligan and Seehorn.

Gilligan was also the brain behind the two TV series, and Seehorn starred in 'Better Call Saul' as Kim Wexler.

The show creator revealed that he came up with the idea for 'Pluribus' while 'Better Call Saul' was still airing. And he immediately thought of giving the lead role to Seehorn.

'You just can't take your eyes off her. She's got a wonderful charisma. And she can do anything — make you laugh, make you cry,' he told Variety.

In 2022, Gilligan finally told Seehorn that he was writing something for her. However, it was only months later when he shared the initial script with the actress. Seehorn was immediately on board, and the rest was history.

When Will New 'Pluribus' Episodes Drop?

As mentioned, Apple TV already released the first two episodes of 'Pluribus' on Friday, 7 November. Fans of the TV show would unfortunately have to wait weekly to watch the new instalments.

The third episode of 'Pluribus' will be available on the streaming platform on 14 November. New episodes will be released every Friday until 26 December. 'Pluribus' is expected to have a total of 9 episodes.

'Pluribus' also stars Karolina Wydra as Ana, Carlos Manuel Vesga as Manusos, Miriam Shor as Helen, and more.