Pluribus Season 1 Delivers a Chilling Sci-Fi Horror Masterpiece
Pluribus reinvents sci-fi horror with a gripping story that blends body horror, existential fear, and a bold narrative twist. The latest episode uncovers disturbing secrets about the alien infection and humanity’s downfall, making it a must-watch drama this year.
Trying to sum up Pluribus in just a few lines, you might think of classic alien invasion tales like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The first episode certainly taps into those familiar fears, but it ’s clear that creator Vince Gilligan is determined to break away from the usual formulas and deliver something truly alien. The most recent episode, along with a surprise cameo, proves that Pluribus is anything but ordinary.
Body Horror and the Collapse of Humanity
The series premiere dives headfirst into body horror, showing victims writhing in agony as the infection takes hold. Not everyone survives, and the death toll climbs to over 800 million, including Carol’s partner, Helen, whom she desperately tries to save. The terror doesn’t stop at the physical; the alien contagion also unsettles on a psychological level.
The true face of the threat is never revealed. Instead, it hides behind the familiar faces of everyday people, all wearing the same unsettling, empty smile. The Joined’s power is absolute, and their takeover is so swift that resistance seems pointless. Most people have already surrendered, leaving Carol as one of the few still fighting back.
The Joined’s Chilling Agenda
What’s even more disturbing is that The Joined make no effort to hide their intentions. Their goal is to assimilate Carol and the other twelve immune survivors. Whether it takes days or years, they calmly assure Carol that her immunity will eventually be overcome. The combined intellect of humanity is now working to solve this problem, leaving Carol isolated and grieving in a world that’s all but lost hope.
The second episode leans into this existential dread, trading jump scares for a slow, creeping discomfort. Carol begins recording videos for other survivors, hoping to find a way to reverse The Joining. With The Joined having left her city, she finally has the freedom to investigate. She soon notices every public trash can is filled with empty milk cartons, but it’s not milk inside—it’s a strange yellow liquid. Her search leads her to a dog-food factory, where she finds something wrapped in plastic that leaves her horrified. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with the truth revealed only in the next installment.
Unmasking the Horrors Within
Episode six opens with Carol fleeing the factory, shaken by what she’s seen. Determined to expose the truth, she films the gruesome evidence: human heads and body parts shrink-wrapped in plastic. “This is what this whole plant is being used for,” Carol says. There’s even a meat grinder the size of a bus, though it’s never shown. The implication is clear—the yellow liquid The Joined drink is derived from human remains. For a show that’s been so unpredictable, this is the first time Pluribus seems to flirt with predictability. Of course, the aliens have been consuming humans all along.
But Gilligan isn’t content to let the story fall into cliché. The entire reveal, shot like a found-footage horror film, is designed to upend expectations. After Carol’s discovery, the scene shifts abruptly to an LA hot tub party, where Koumba, another unassimilated human, is living it up. The Joined are always nearby, making sure each survivor is content. Carol arrives to share her horrifying news, only to find that Koumba already knows.
“Is this about them eating people?”
he asks, unfazed.
“It is troubling,”
he adds, as if it’s just another inconvenience.
John Cena and the Banality of Horror
Suddenly, the horror is flipped on its head. Why is Koumba so calm? Why didn’t he warn Carol? The answer comes in the form of John Cena. The real actor appears in a video produced by The Joined to explain their “food supply.” But Cena, now part of the collective mind, delivers the message with unsettling calm. He explains that The Joined can’t harm any form of life, so they can’t harvest crops or eat animals. With billions to feed, they rely on leftovers and, crucially, on human-derived protein from the 100,000 people who die naturally each day.
“We’re not that keen on it, but we’re left with little choice,”
Cena says, making it sound almost reasonable.
Koumba admits he’s not happy about it, but it’s a reality he’s accepted. Carol, too, is left with little choice. The horror here isn’t just the act itself, but the way it’s rationalized and normalized. The use of statistics and acronyms drains the emotion from the revelation, just as The Joined have drained humanity of its spirit. Carol is forced to understand, even sympathize, with their actions.
“Cena didn’t mention most of the population will starve to death in the next ten years,”
Koumba points out.
Pluribus challenges traditional horror by making viewers complicit in accepting The Joined’s logic. The focus soon returns to Carol’s personal journey. She learns the other survivors have excluded her from future meetings, deepening her loneliness. Hope returns when she discovers that The Joined need her consent to assimilate her. By the time the story shifts to Manousos in Paraguay, the horror of the alien virus has faded into the background, replaced by the unsettling normalcy of this new world—all thanks to John Cena’s persuasive smile, now shared by billions.
Pluribus is now streaming on Apple TV. Don’t miss an episode with the Pluribus release schedule.