Apple has released a behind-the-scenes featurette for its science fiction drama Pluribus, offering a closer look at how the series was developed and produced. The video focuses less on promotion and more on the practical and creative challenges involved in translating the show’s central idea to the screen: a society governed by a collective hive mind, contrasted against the experience of a single individual who exists outside it.
Series creator Vince Gilligan explains that the concept originated from a simple thought experiment about what might happen if someone suddenly received everything they ever wanted. Over time, that idea evolved into a more restrained and unsettling premise, centered on a woman named Carol who lives in a world where nearly everyone shares the same consciousness. Carol, portrayed by Rhea Seehorn, is the lone exception, forced to navigate a society defined by constant emotional harmony and the absence of individual desire.
Gilligan notes in the featurette that the role was written specifically with Seehorn in mind, following their collaboration on Better Call Saul. The character demands a controlled but wide-ranging performance, as Carol experiences isolation, frustration, and grief in an environment where others appear uniformly calm and satisfied. The contrast between her emotional state and that of the surrounding characters is central to the show’s tension.
The production faced unusual acting challenges in depicting the hive mind. Performers playing the “Others” had to actively avoid common acting instincts, such as mirroring facial expressions or reacting emotionally to one another. To help coordinate this behavior across large groups, the production brought in choreographer Nito Larioza, who worked with background actors to ensure their movements and reactions felt unified rather than individual.
On the technical side, the featurette highlights the scale of the physical sets built for the series. Production designer Denise Pizzini and her team constructed an entire seven-house cul-de-sac in New Mexico to represent Carol’s neighborhood, giving the setting a controlled and consistent visual language. Another major build involved a partial Air Force One set, created using a section of a real 747 fuselage mounted off the ground and surrounded by green screens. The sequence features a key appearance by Samba Schutte and required a combination of practical construction and visual effects rather than relying solely on digital environments.
Pluribus is currently streaming on Apple TV, following the platform’s recent rebranding. The behind-the-scenes video positions the series as a production driven by controlled performances and physical craftsmanship, rather than spectacle alone. For viewers, the featurette provides context for how the show’s restrained tone and unusual social dynamics were achieved, reinforcing that its science fiction elements are grounded in performance and design rather than scale.
