How Apple TV's #1 Show Of All Time Took Over The World

Vince Gilligan's Pluribus recently became the number one show on Apple TV+ of all time; here's how it became a worldwide sensation. Pluribus is, by every metric, a smash-hit. It boasts a nearly perfect 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it drew in the highest viewership numbers of any Apple TV+ sci-fi show, and Pluribus season 2 was renewed well ahead of the ending of Pluribus season 1.

On paper, however, Pluribus shouldn't be the worldwide mega-hit that it is. Aside from Rhea Seehorn, the cast of Pluribus doesn't feature many big actors. It's also a brand-new show, so it doesn't benefit from an established and returning audience base. Pluribus has even been criticized for moving too slowly and not being interesting enough. In spite of all of that, Pluribus "took over the world," and there are plenty of good reasons why it was able to.

What Is Pluribus About?

A big reason Pluribus became such a hit is because of its extraordinary story. Pluribus follows Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), a romance novelist and "most miserable person on Earth," who is one of the few people immune from a virus humanity created from an interstellar signal that turns people into a hive mind. Though the members of the hive mind are seemingly happy and incredibly helpful, Carol immediately distrusts them and works to restore independent consciousness to humanity.

That premise alone makes Pluribus interesting, but the way the show's story unfolds is what truly made it a sensation. Pluribus is a masterclass in slow-burn television. Each episode reveals crucial bits and pieces of the mystery of the hive mind and its intentions. Viewers learn more about Carol, about the hive mind, and eventually about Manousos (Carlos-Manuel Vesga) in such a way that makes every episode a thrilling mystery.

Pluribus Delivered A Massive Win For Apple TV

The story of Pluribus clearly helped make it a success, but the series has also reached some truly remarkable heights. Apple reported that Pluribus is the streamer's "biggest series to date," supposedly beating other Apple TV+ mega-hits like Severance and Ted Lasso. While viewership specifics weren't revealed, Pluribus spent months at the top of the streamer's charts, and it has taken the entire world by storm.

Becoming the "biggest series to date" for a streaming service like Apple TV+ is no small matter. Apple has some huge hits in its catalog, from Ted Lasso to Tehran. Despite those multi-season shows — including Tehran, which just began its third season — Pluribus reportedly beat them in its debut season. A wholly original series outperforming Apple TV+'s flagship shows on a global scale can only be described as a sensation.

How Pluribus Stood Out From Apple TV's Other Sci-Fi Shows

Apple TV+ itself also had a hand in Pluribus' success. Over the years, through shows like Severance, For All Mankind, Silo, and Foundation, Apple TV+ has built a reputation as the definitive source of prestige science fiction television. When Pluribus was first announced as an Apple TV+ original, it benefited from that reputation, and viewers instantly understood that it was probably going to be another great sci-fi show.

Pluribus didn't just fit with Apple TV+'s reputation, though, it actually surpassed it. Pluribus is simply different from Apple TV+'s other sci-fi offerings. It's not overtly dystopian like Silo, it's not overtly hopeful like For All Mankind, it's much more contemporary and timely than Foundation, and while it does have many of the mysterious qualities of Severance, it also has a very different type of protagonist and conflict that makes it fundamentally unique.

Vince Gillian Has Created Another Masterpiece

The last, but certainly not least important, consideration in Pluribus' success is its creator, Vince Gilligan. Gilligan is best known for creating Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, two of the best shows of all time that have received almost universal acclaim. He earned a lot of goodwill and a sizable following from those shows, and his reputation preceded him going into Pluribus.

Not only did Gilligan's reputation give Pluribus a huge bump in viewership and word of mouth, it also primed audiences to be ready for what was to come. As with many high-concept sci-fi shows, Pluribus requires audiences to buy-in to a slow-burn show that can lag at times. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, however, showed audiences that sticking with one of Gilligan's shows is well worth the investment in time, and it made it easier to buy into Pluribus.

Pluribus didn't just rest on Gilligan's laurels, however. Now that its debut season is over, it's clear that Pluribus is another masterpiece that could easily be on par with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Gilligan has done it again, and he's once again shown audiences that trusting in his vision and hanging on for the whole ride results in a truly captivating experience. In short, Pluribus took over the world because it's a fantastic show.