🔗 Share this article Vince Gilligan Shares the Science Fiction Inspirations For His Upcoming Series Titled Pluribus Following an extended hiatus from the science fiction genre, Vince Gilligan is staging a return to his roots. Launching his career on The X-Files, in which he penned three dozen installments, plus even writing the script behind Will Smith’s film Hancock, Gilligan has spent the past decade-plus focused on the universe from Breaking Bad. This fall, via his new Apple TV series Pluribus, he’s coming back home to the genre that launched his journey. A Mysterious Premise with Cryptic Teasers The plot and concept of Pluribus are top secret. The trailers and teasers have all been intentionally vague. In one, a short clip depicts a woman by herself in an office at night nonchalantly taking pastries from a container labeled “Help yourself!” and licking them prior to returning them neatly back in its place. Reviewers cannot reveal to disclose anything regarding the show’s thrilling first episode, except the fact the story begins when our modern world changes in a significant way. The Creator’s Sci-Fi Recommendations Since specifics on the plot or development could not be discussed, the showrunner was asked a simple inquiry: What other sci-fi shows or films should fans see to prepare for Pluribus? “Each of the original and the remake versions from Invasion of the Body Snatchers; that's a good touchstone,” Gilligan states. “Twilight Zone, that's always my favorite. The Thing, the John Carpenter version. I enjoy each one, but I particularly love Carpenter’s take.” A Love Letter for Sci-Fi Fans For those who are an admirer of sci-fi or horror, you’ll likely identify the stories that influenced Pluribus. Its inspirations aren’t exactly subtle — and that’s the point. The creator says his aim with this series was to play with sci-fi tropes. “I was thinking of every science fiction trope and horror-movie trope I could throw into the series, and then turn all of those tropes onto their head,” Gilligan says. “ That’s what made me excited.” In other words: Pluribus is a science fiction series aimed at genre lovers. Therefore, if you’re coming to it being a Breaking Bad superfan who isn’t typically into science fiction, it’s wise to do a bit of homework in advance. The showrunner just provided the curriculum. Pluribus debuts November 7 via Apple TV.