New theory linking 'Pluribus' to 'Grand Theft Auto' has Vince Gilligan's attention: 'I really...'
'Pluribus' on Apple TV+ doesn't believe in dishing out easy interpretations and soft answers! For example, will Carol eventually succumb to the Joining? Will Manousos survive his perilous journey through the Darien Gap to reach Carol in the United States? Questions like these prevail throughout the atmospheric storytelling of the Vince Gilligan show's recent episodes. For such an open-ended TV series, it is natural for keen members of the audience to come up with their own theories to explain the narrative twists and turns. In an interesting turn of events, 'Pluribus' has been compared to the iconic open-world game 'Grand Theft Auto', as reported by NME.
In the aftermath of the alien invasion that turned the entire world's population except the thirteen individuals into a collective hive mind, Rhea Seehorn's Carol Sturka tried her best to come to terms with the new normal. This included an initial resistance and non-cooperation with the joined, followed by getting them to spill the secrets of their origins. Ultimately, after endangering both her own life and that of Zosia, the Joined were obligated to leave Carol to her own devices, as "after whatever happened," they needed their space. That voice recording wouldn't let you forget about that.
In one particular episode, Carol is seen getting hold of a police car and then driving around town. This brought on comparisons with the Rockstar Games bestseller 'Grand Theft Auto' from a user on Reddit. Indeed, the sparse environment of the virtually abandoned city, the docile nature of the Joined population that almost acts as the NPCs from an open-world game, and the fact that Carol's character bears striking similarity to the player in such games, all do their bit to support the comparison. Gilligan, in an interview with Dexerto, was gracious enough not to shut down the comparison.
The 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul' creator said, "I don't think there really are any misconceptions, not that I've heard, I'm just happy people watch this show. The thing I care most about is people watch it and enjoy it, and it makes them think. The highest compliment of all is if people rewatch something that we've made… I really don't know that I've heard any interpretation where I've said, 'That’s wrong!'" Gordon Smith and Alison Tatlock, who are the executive producers and the writers of the show, were also present during the interview.
Tatlock seconded Gilligan's opinion when he said, "The best is when we feel surprised, because we have all of our conversations behind the scenes. But then when people come up with theories or metaphors… that are surprising and, to us, weird, that’s thrilling." When the conversation veered towards the Grand Theft Auto comparison, Smith chimed in, " don’t know… I just went, 'Okay, that's so cool that you have a way of thinking about this in terms of indulging in the world and playing the world in a certain way." Gilligan himself acknowledged, "I guess that's true! You drive because the cops are trying to get you in Grand Theft Auto, and you just do whatever you want." 'Pluribus' airs its eighth episode on December 19, 2025, only on Apple TV+.
