It was inevitable that Vince Gilligan’s next project would garner a lot of attention, whatever it ended up being. After a successful bidding war, Apple TV bagged Pluribus as its next sci-fi TV series, and it looks like the gamble has paid off. According to a report from Deadline and Luminate, Pluribus is now Apple TV’s biggest drama launch since Severance.
According to the report, Apple confirmed that Severance Season 2 had previously held the record for highest number of viewing hours. Since the debut of its first two episodes, Pluribus has overtaken it. Deadline confirms that the Nielsen data can corroborate this claim in the US, while Luminate has reported that Pluribus logged 6.4 million hours with its first two episodes over the first seven days. This impressive statistic catapulted the show to the number 4 spot on Apple TV. An impressive feat, considering it only had two episodes at the time, compared to other series with more episode releases.
‘”Rarely has keeping the secret of a show we love so much been as fun or as rewarding an experience as it has been with Pluribus,” Matt Cherniss, Apple TV’s head of programming, said. “Vince’s strikingly inventive premise blew us away from the second we read it, and witnessing the brilliance with which he has brought this series to life is truly remarkable. It’s a thrill to watch audiences worldwide get hooked on this thought-provoking, insightful and darkly funny show rooted in humanity by an exceptional cast led by the talented Rhea Seehorn. and we can’t wait for viewers to dive deeper into the mystery.”‘
Pluribus follows the story of Carol Sturka, a writer who has found herself immune to a virus that has infected all of humanity and turned them into a hivemind organism. So far, the show seems more concerned with being a character drama rather than a lockbox mystery that focuses on doling out more questions than answers. Apple ordered up two seasons of the show as soon as it won the bid, with each episode coming in with a hefty $15 million budget.
Pluribus is now available for streaming on Apple TV.
