Pluribus Episode 1: Hive Mind Horror
Engineered happiness! A smile in every strand.
Summary: When ‘Fuck Around and Find Out’ Goes Interstellar"
A strange and repeatable signal is discovered broadcasting from deep space. The slang term Fuck Around and Find Out couldn't be more apt, as scientists scramble to decode its meaning. They learn it's a sequence—a recipe that allows them to encode a novel virus. This is an important discovery, as the encoded microorganism would break down the barrier between untreatable disease and remedy.
Without thought or care for their actions, the research team infects hundreds of test animals with their concoction. What at first appears to be abject failure is an unimaginable disaster. The virus spreads from the test rats to the scientists and sweeps over all of humanity, plunging them into a collective hive mind, except for eleven people.
A banger of an opening, Pluribus Episode 1 promises to be more than just another take on the zombie survival horror genre, but an exploration of individuality and conformity. A dangerous step for a series that depends on popularity for its survival. A premise that dares to insult its audience all the while needing their support and approval. Despite this duality, the show works. Underneath the affront lies an uncomfortable truth that we all have experienced or witnessed: sometimes being human means being a lemming. So yeah, beyond offense, the job of the artist is to take a slice of life and center it on the screen, and Vince Gilligan is not afraid to do just that.
Analysis: Hubris, Inconsequence, and the Inoculation of Carol
Vince Gilligan sets the stage for his premise brilliantly as a single car drives by three large radio antennas and comes to an abrupt stop. The imagery of the gigantic structures juxtaposed by the minuscule vehicle is striking. A scene that does more than leave a lasting impression. It's an image that whispers to the viewer: we are small and trivial. The visual clues so obvious to the viewer are ignored by the two scientists enthralled within its shadow. Blinded by arrogance, they eagerly set about toying with an anomaly they don't understand. Their attitudes clash with natural order, and their actions prove apocalyptic.
The themes of inconsequence and hubris run deep within the veins of the episode. The Pluribus virus acts as a runaway train, powerful and unstoppable. Carol, the main character, is a witness to its out-of-control arc. She understands all too well the frivolity of her life. Her greatest accomplishments are mired by the knowledge of their insignificance. And yet, it's this knowledge, her sense of place, that inoculates her against the train’s unstoppable force.
When she obtained all the hallmarks of societal success, money, fame, and status—she was miserable. This discontent arose from her knowledge that her work (which she considered popular culture saccharin) would not endure time. This inability to succumb to societal pressure, to go along with popular views, is what spared her from being assimilated into the Pluribus hive mind. Her individuality set her apart.
Review: Breaking the Zombie Genre Mold (4.5/5)
From the episode’s opening imagery to its disturbing ending, Pluribus Episode one layer’s originality and meaning onto a well-worn genre. The main character is complex and stands out against the tropes lingering at the surface. Her struggle becomes ours as she is expected to submit to a world that just wants to fix her. Sound familiar?
From ads to peer pressure the world has never suffered from a lack of systems, institutions, and cultural mechanics that just want to fix everyone else. The problem has never been how we can fit in, but how to be accepted. For its intriguing sci-fi premise, taut writing, and edge-of-your-seat tension, I'm giving this episode a solid 4.5 out of 5. This is a must-watch new series for fans of deep, character-driven horror.