It would take seven lives to understand people like Vince Gilligan…or at least look at Walter White to understand how far a person can go when they feel the world no longer sees them. Gilligan reveals this in ‘Breaking Bad’ … How an ordinary human being can completely change when frustration, pride, and the desire for recognition are mixed in precise amounts. That uncompromising view of human nature remains intact in Apple TV+’s new series Pluribus, only this time it transforms the Albuquerque desert into a sci-fi world where happiness is a duty and freedom is an illusion.
A new series from the creator of Breaking Bad tells the story of Karolina, the unluckiest person on Earth who must save a world contaminated by happiness. And stepping into this woman’s shoes is actress Leah Seehorn, who admits to having been in a situation not far from her character. “We’ve all felt the pressure to be nice, especially as women. We’ve been taught, more women than men, to hide our negative emotions. There’s also the ‘self-help’ trend that started in the ’80s and ’90s, where we have to be happy and flawless,” he assures ABC.
The plot shows how transformations caused by pandemics and viruses transform humanity into a happy, homogeneous mass, erasing individuality. The protagonist is one of the few people unaffected by the virus that transforms humanity into a happy and well-adjusted nation. However, throughout the series, Gilligan does not intend to write any specific message, set an agenda, or answer any questions. The actress recalled Neil Postman’s words in an essay comparing “Brave New World” and “1984,” saying: “Brave New World is scarier because it suggests that we can unknowingly come to love our oppressors.”
Karolina Wydra, who plays Zosia, a member of the hive mind that accompanies Carol, doesn’t believe that today’s society is under pressure to be happier, despite increased access to information on how to improve. “Today we can explore our psyche and our wounds, and that’s a positive thing, although of course it can be extreme. It’s okay to feel down sometimes. The important thing is to embrace all emotions, not just happiness. We need those dark sides,” says the actress.
In the midst of this collective crisis, the protagonist has to face society alone, without anyone’s help, since he cannot fit in with others and share collective reactions. She found herself emotionally and physically isolated. Her fight against this new “order” pushes her to the margins of society. «I thought a lot about what it meant to be alone.. In real life, I’m a mix of extroversion and introversion, and I need both sides to find balance. However, when the story begins, Carol is a complete misanthrope. His partner was his connection to the world. “She was the one who invited the neighbors to the barbecue, and Carol probably doesn’t even know their names,” he explains. The moment everything disappears, the crisis begins. “I thought it was interesting to think: What if you were really alone? Alone. The existential idea of eternal solitude seemed terrifying to me. It’s not a month of seclusion in a cabin. It’s forever. “Carol doesn’t know if the world will ever change again,” he says.
Gilligan’s eye in this story is once again turned to reflections on human nature, albeit this time through science fiction, where loneliness and isolation are some of the central themes. However, both actresses recognize that the creator’s goal is not to convey specific ideas or thoughts, but rather to make people question and think. “A lot of journalists have asked me if this is about artificial intelligence, because that’s the topic of the moment. That said, when Vince started thinking about this idea eight or nine years ago, AI already existed, but it wasn’t as central as it is today. Political or religious interpretations are possible, but he didn’t write from there. I’d like to think its purpose is to encourage us to talk about what unites us as humans, rather than what divides us.» they added.
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