Award-Winning Creator Gilligan Himself Unveils His Sci-Fi Influences For The New Series Pluribus
Following a long break from sci-fi storytelling, the celebrated showrunner is making a return back to where he began. Launching his career on The Iconic X-Files, in which he penned 30 episodes, plus also crafting the screenplay behind the superhero comedy Hancock, Gilligan devoted recent years immersed in the world from Breaking Bad Universe. Now, via his new streaming project Pluribus, he’s coming back home to sci-fi which launched his journey.
A Mysterious Premise with Cryptic Teasers
The storyline and concept for Pluribus are closely guarded. Promotional clips and previews are tantalizingly ambiguous. In one, a short clip shows a woman alone in an office at night calmly lifting donuts from a container marked “Feel free!” and licking them prior to returning them neatly back in its place. Critics cannot reveal to say anything about the series’ thrilling premiere, beyond the fact the story begins when our modern world changes dramatically.
Gilligan’s Science Fiction Recommendations
Because specifics on the story or development could not be discussed, the showrunner fielded an innocuous question: Which additional sci-fi shows or movies ought fans watch to get ready before Pluribus?
“Each of the 1956 and 1978 adaptations of Invasion of the Body Snatchers; that’s an excellent reference point,” he explains. “The Twilight Zone, that's always my favorite. The Thing, the John Carpenter film. I enjoy each one, but I particularly love Carpenter’s take.”
A Love Letter to Sci-Fi Fans
If you’re an admirer of science fiction or scary movies, you will probably recognize the tales that influenced Pluribus. The show’s influences aren’t exactly subtle — and that’s the point. The creator notes his aim with 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 this show, and then flip all of those tropes upside down,” Gilligan says. “ That was what tickled me.”
Put simply: Pluribus is a science fiction series for sci-fi fans. Therefore, if you’re coming the show as a Breaking Bad superfan who’s never been much for science fiction, you may want to do a bit of homework in advance. The showrunner has now offered the essential watchlist.
Pluribus debuts Nov. 7 on Apple TV.
