HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

‘Pluribus’ trailer: Rhea Seehorn leads ‘Breaking Bad’ creator Vince Gilligan’s twisted new Apple TV+ drama

In a world where everyone is unnaturally happy, one woman’s refusal to smile could unravel the dark secret behind humanity’s forced bliss.

Rhea Seehorn is back on screen, and this time, she’s the only person not smiling. The Emmy-nominated ‘Better Call Saul’ star headlines ‘Pluribus.’ It’s the highly anticipated Apple TV+ drama from creator Vince Gilligan. The first trailer dropped on October 22, giving viewers a glimpse of Seehorn’s mysterious new role and the surreal universe her character inhabits. Set to premiere November 7 with a two-episode debut, ‘Pluribus’ will roll out new installments every Friday through December 26. The series spans nine episodes in total and was picked up with a rare two-season order.

In ‘Pluribus,’ Seehorn plays Carol Sturka, as reported by Gizmodo. She is a deeply unhappy woman in a world where everyone else is unnervingly blissful. The teaser reveals a society where endless cheerfulness is mandatory, except for Carol, who refuses to smile, comply, or join the hive mind. Her gloomy personality instantly makes her a target of fascination, and possibly danger, as the rest of humanity tries to “fix” her. In one memorable moment from the trailer, Carol opens her door to find an extravagant breakfast waiting on a silver platter, and without hesitation, tosses it straight into the trash.

Elsewhere, a voice reassures her ominously: “Rest assured, Carol. We will figure out what makes you different.” The bizarre premise hints at a dark satire wrapped in Gilligan’s signature mix of tension, humor, and moral complexity. Apple TV+ describes the show as “genre-bending,” and the two-minute trailer makes it clear why. There are shades of sci-fi dystopia, absurdist comedy, psychological thriller, and even a touch of horror. Much like ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul,’ Gilligan seems intent on pushing genre boundaries and character psychology to the limit.

The series also stars Karolina Wydra and Carlos-Manuel Vesga, with guest appearances from Miriam Shor and Samba Schutte. Speaking previously about Seehorn’s role, Gilligan teased that “she plays someone who’s trying very hard to be good. She’s a bit of a damaged hero, but she’s a hero nonetheless,” as quoted by Deadline. That moral tension has long been a hallmark of his storytelling, and Carol appears poised to continue that legacy. For her part, Seehorn praised Gilligan’s ambitious approach to tone and storytelling.

“Some of the stuff that audiences have loved about his writing, where it’s really rich characters but also him playing with the idea of tropes and genres and tone, and switching, like injecting humor in a very dark moment,” she said. “In this new show, he pushes that to a limit that was both very thought-provoking and upsetting sometimes, and other times, so, so funny. It really swings for the fences.” If the trailer is any indication, ‘Pluribus’ will explore what happens when forced happiness becomes the world’s greatest threat and the last unhappy person alive might be its only hope.