re: 'Pluribus' Vince Gilligan’s new sci-fi show now streaming. Spoilers Allowed

Wasn’t expecting a VG bottle episode this early in the show, but here we are. I actually did enjoy the episode, but it was also almost a total waste.

This was one of those episodes where VG takes an excruciatingly long time to tell us something simple.

1. Manousos trying to make it on his own, learning to communicate, and realizing the hive is always watching and ready to help/intervene.
2. Carol realizing that loneliness sucks and she actually does need human interaction.

They did a good job of showing us those (especially with the big jump of a month+). But we could’ve learned both of those in half the time.

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go to 35.16538° N, 106.74649° W on Google Maps or maybe google earth, and the view the year 2024 you will see this painted. Gilligan has built Carol’s cul de sac out there.

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That is cool. Wonder how many people saw that aerial before the show and wondered what the hell that was about?

Amazing the money they spend on shows. Built an entire street for a show....

Are we thinking that carol was truly “broken” and will rely on elements of the hive for human interaction and affection?

Or with the O’Keefe things referenced that she has figured out that she has to “kill them with kindness” and this was an elaborate ruse to appear as though she missed her chaperone and will be nicer / fall in line?

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fairly obvious based on the next episode title

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Right, agreed. I do think it was also a bit of breakdown on her part or at least showing that while part of her relishes in the fact that she is alone and can do what she wants, she does also long for human interaction just like anybody else would.

But I do think that it's a bit of a ploy from her which is why we saw the theatrics of her painting the street when she could've just picked up the phone like someone said and asked them to come back.

Also, I think I saw it mentioned too...but I did wonder last night when watching the episode why she doesn't request that they leave a shorter voicemail message for her. But I still do laugh every time she sits through it.

Anyone following the Apple podcast for this show? Pluribus for the rest of us.

I don't think they got the A level talent for this one, they ramble on a bit too much on irrelevant side issues that have nothing to do with the actual show or plot. I guess they think they're smarter than most of us, or just trying to pad the time with noise of themselves talking. Not overly impressed.

But I will compliment on them on their honesty. One of them states he's not sure this series was made for him (normal white guy) and gives pretty valid reasons. It's more a chick series than anything. But despite that, and I still agree, the show is well done, and has the making of a solid 2nd season (and beyond) if they wrap some things up well enough.


* @ the snowflakes DVing! What, you're upset that a fan podcast isn't shilling hard for this thing? That's exactly what you SHOULD want ! WTF is even your problem?

Finally watched last week's episode.

I think the problem with it is that there wasn't that much that happened either plot, theme, or character wise.

In "The Fly," Gilligan brilliantly used a bottle episode to really go in depth to Walt's character. We see how OCD he actually is in maintaining the efficiency of his lab. We see him interact with Jesse. We learn that he is no longer cooking for his family and is more so cooking for himself. There's also the metaphorical qualities of the fly itself (everything is perfect except that pesky feeling of guilt).

But "The Gap" didn't seem to achieve similar goals. For one, Carol's segments weren't that interesting. She plays golf and shoots fireworks. We get a little bit of depth when we see the firework aim at her face and she doesn't move. Considering she's spent most of the show as a curmudgeon, I didn't feel like the episode presented her as someone falling into the depths of despair. She's already been a cynical grump of a person. Her playing golf, bashing windows, and shooting fireworks didn't move her to a point beyond that.

Manousos is much more interesting, but even with him, I didn't feel like we learned a lot. Before "The Gap," I knew Manousos to be a hardened stubborn arse who would rather die than receive any help from the hive. At the end of "The Gap," I knew Manousos to be a hardened stubborn arse who pretty much died before accepting help from the hive.

I do think there's something to be learned from the camera shots on his journey. Gilligan BRILLIANTLY depicted South America as a distinct and beautiful cultural exhibit. The hive cannot appreciate it. We can as humans. We can find comfort and joy and warmth in the beautiful natural landscape of our planet. Does the hive feel the same with those sites?

Ultimately at the end, this episode felt like it could be summed up real quick. Carol gets bored and lonely and begs the hive to come back. Manousos tried to make the trek to America but couldn't make it. I'm not sure what else to say about it.

(I still love the show)

I read Carol's character development over this episode as quite a bit more profound, personally. She's been misanthropic since before the "event." She would seem to enjoy being the Steppenwolfe (thanks Hesse). Now, though, when confronted with the reality of that isolation, we find that she does have a need for connection, even if it's to the hive mind humans (of course.. she also may be playing them).

But I think the firework pointed at her face was the inflection point for her. She appears to be ready to end it all. She's reach the depths of her isolation and appears to be fine with just going away. Instead, the firework misses her and the next day she reaches out to the hive mind and requests their return.

The Carol part of the episode made sense to me. I'm not sure how I feel about the Manousos part yet, other than it emphasizes exactly how doggedly devoted he is to his principles. Anytime he takes gas, he leaves money. When he broke into storage units for dog food, he left notes for the owners. He refuses help from the "aliens" even when it causes him extreme discomfort or puts his own life in peril. Unless I missed something, he didn't actually ask them to help him with the helicopter in the end. They were just observing him without his knowledge, saw him on the verge of death, and are rescuing him against his will? That's going to be interesting to see play out.

BTW: did anyone else think Carol was going to the hardware store to get materials to fix the damage to the house she caught on fire at first?

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They were just observing him without his knowledge, saw him on the verge of death, and are rescuing him against his will?

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Psalm 86:13 For great is your love for me, you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.

Also, 86 is kitchen code for kill. He's the 13th person immune.

WHAT COULD IT ALL MEAN?

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We briefly talked about it a page or two back. They told him to wave at the sky if he needs anything. When the helicopter approaches, he kind of gives a little wave to it. The sun was also in his eyes (they used some lens flare in the preceding shot when the helicopter arrived), so he may have just been trying to block it out. It's a grey area as to what his intent was, but the hive does have an out to helping him without explicit permission.

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I took it as him blocking the sun because he heard the helicopter. That dude would not ask for help from the hive, even on his deathbed IMO.