Award-Winning Creator Gilligan Himself Shares the Sci-Fi Influences Behind His Upcoming Show Pluribus
Following a long break away from the science fiction genre, the celebrated showrunner is making a return back to where he began. Launching his career on The Iconic X-Files, in which he wrote three dozen installments, and even writing the screenplay for Will Smith’s film Hancock, Gilligan has spent recent years immersed in the universe of Breaking Bad Universe. This fall, with his new streaming series Pluribus, he returns full circle to the genre that launched his career.
A Mysterious Plot and Cryptic Trailers
The storyline and premise for Pluribus are closely guarded. The trailers and teasers have all been intentionally ambiguous. In one, a brief scene shows a woman alone at work at night nonchalantly lifting pastries out of a container marked “Help yourself!” and licking them prior to placing them neatly back in its place. Reviewers cannot reveal to disclose details regarding the series’ thrilling first episode, except that the story kicks off when today’s society transforms dramatically.
The Creator’s Science Fiction Watchlist
Because specifics on the plot or development were off-limits, Gilligan was asked a simple inquiry: Which other sci-fi shows or movies should fans see to get ready for Pluribus?
“Both the original and the remake versions from Body Snatchers; that's a good reference point,” Gilligan explains. “Twilight Zone, that’s forever my go-to. The Thing, the John Carpenter version. I like each one, but I particularly love Carpenter’s take.”
An Homage for Sci-Fi Fans
For those who are a fan of science fiction or scary movies, you will probably recognize the stories inspiring Pluribus. Its inspirations are far from subtle — and that’s exactly the idea. Gilligan says his goal for the new show was to riff on the genre itself.
“My thought process involved of every science fiction trope and horror conventions I could incorporate into the series, and then flip each one onto their head,” he adds. “ That was what tickled me.”
In other words: Pluribus serves as a sci-fi show aimed at genre lovers. So if you approach the show being a Breaking Bad superfan who isn’t typically much for science fiction, you may want to do a bit of homework in advance. The showrunner just provided the essential watchlist.
Pluribus premieres November 7 via Apple TV.
