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The reviews for Pluribus have one thing in common. Well, two things, if you count a lot of hemming and hawing about what does or does not count as a spoiler. Vince Gilligan’s return to Albuquerque and reunion with Rhea Seehorn has a lofty sci-fi premise and a deliberate pace that works for some people, less so for others. But across the board, Seehorn is being praised for her singular talent and ability to juggle pain and jokes. As Linda Holmes of NPR puts it, Seehorn’s character, Carol, “may be experiencing existential despair, but boy, does Seehorn manage some deeply entertaining side-eye.”

The viewing public is in agreement. The show’s premiere seemingly crashed Apple TV, with around 13,000 reports on Downdetector after the first two episodes dropped on the streamer. It’s almost like there’s some sort of hive mind controlling all the Apple TV viewers, forcing them to watch the show en masse as soon as it’s out. Below, the collective praise for Pluribus.

“There’s a good chance Pluribus will alienate you with its deliberate pace and high-wire premise. There’s an equally good chance Pluribus will completely take over your life for the few weeks it runs on Apple TV … You owe it to yourself to give Pluribus a chance. Something glorious is gestating inside this entrancing piece of television, and to experience its full effect, you have to trust the process.” — Nicholas Quah, Vulture

“Heading into Pluribus, you already know why Gilligan would want to build an entire show around an actor of Seehorn’s caliber. But it’s only by watching Pluribus that you understand why this concept would basically only work with Seehorn at its forefront. She is the sine qua non of the entire enterprise — its center, its selling point, its load-bearing foundation. The show may be Gilligan’s blank-check moment, spending the proceeds of several hundred thousand iPhone sales on a big, epic swing. But it’s also Seehorn’s party, and she makes for an excellent host.” — Alison Herman, Variety

“It takes some chutzpah to look at the world in 2025 — especially if you are a non-Maga citizen of the US — and say to yourself, ‘Yes, but wouldn’t it be almost more terrible if everybody just … got along?’ But that is essentially what Gilligan has done. The execution may not be flawless — Pluribus is a slow burn that is frequently just slow, and has the wonderful Seehorn spinning her wheels too often — but the audacity of the question is incredible.” — Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Pluribus, too, is a brutal watch as Carol finds herself deep in grief, walking through empty buildings, driving deserted neighborhoods, experiencing the arid desolation of a frictionless life. But the collaboration between Gilligan and Seehorn also is built on how funny she is, how perfectly suited to both his willingness to plumb deep wells of sadness and the playfulness that made him an ideal collaborator with Bob Odenkirk, even back when Saul was mostly Breaking Bad comic relief. Carol may be experiencing existential despair, but boy, does Seehorn manage some deeply entertaining side-eye.” — Linda Holmes, NPR

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