Not everything is hard: why the series "Out of many" became a super hit

Pluribus, aka Plur1bus (a play on words with Latin e pluribus unum), aka "Of many", is called the main series of autumn. However, this is mostly done by those rare professionals who were allowed by the Apple copyright holder to watch most of the first season. On November 7, the first two episodes were released on the Apple TV+ platform with the unanimous support of critics, and in just a couple of days the series proved that everything around it was steeped in mystery down to the smallest details. And the main advertisement was that this was the first project by the author of "Breaking Bad" and "Better call Saul" Vince Gilligan in 10 years. Izvestia explains how the new release turned into an event in the world of TV series.

The last on Earth

Before the release of the new series "Out of Many" from the showrunner of "Breaking Bad" and "Better call Saul" Vince Gilligan, Apple kept all the details of the plot in the strictest secrecy. Almost all the first reviews, especially from critics who were allowed to watch all the episodes, were accompanied by a call not to read further and not to spoil the fun with spoilers. Now, a few days after the release of the series, we can talk about it a little more calmly. You've either already watched the first two hours available, because they're shouting about the series from every iron, or you've heard something anyway. Therefore, we will briefly give the reference points of the plot.

Radio waves coming from outer space were picked up on Earth. They deciphered them and realized that it was RNA, or, more simply, the formula of a virus. They created a drug using a formula, tested it on mice, a mouse bit a person, a person infected others. Most often, the virus is transmitted through a kiss on the lips, but you can just secretly smear donuts with saliva. And now the whole of humanity has mutated quite quickly. Almost a billion died for some reason, but the rest survived and feel great. People now have a common consciousness, common memories, common emotions — everything is in common. There are no more wars and conflicts, no one is killed (even mosquitoes), everyone is very positive and disposes of the benefits of civilization as responsibly and honestly as possible. There are no aliens in sight yet, but perhaps they will arrive a little later.

Only a few people on Earth are immune to the alien virus. Among them is the main character, the writer of romantic women's novels Carol (Ray Seahorn). Carol has a nasty personality and deservedly despises both the fiction she creates and the audience that consumes it. At the moment when the "zombie apocalypse" happens, she wants to finally finish her first really serious thing.

The "infected" control everything, so they communicate with Carol directly, on TV, and on the phone, with different personalities, but on behalf of a single collective entity. They fulfill all her wishes because they want to find out what is the reason for Carol's immunity and that of the other 12 earthlings around the world. And they need it so that they can join the new ideal humanity.

What is the series "Out of many" about

As soon as the series was released, which received one hundred percent critical support and the enthusiasm of science fiction and dystopian fans, everyone immediately began to argue about what it was about. What is the idea and super idea of the series? For example, Breaking Bad was about how absolute freedom makes a person both the strongest, the loneliest, and the most dangerous. For five seasons, we have watched Walter White gradually move from a state of absolute unfreedom (a loser with a toxic wife, a sick child in his arms, a hateful job, and a terminal diagnosis) to the status of master of the world, destroying everything that holds him captive. And he leaves the world a free and tragic romantic hero.

What is the "Out of many" that everyone is so hooked on? We can and should argue about this. Let's start with the obvious gospel parallels. Our focus is on Carol, who suddenly finds herself in the position of the messiah. Here is 12 (a symbolic number!) wayward "apostles" all over the world, but they are in no hurry to follow her. Carol screams that the new world is not perfect because people are deprived of freedom. And the "apostles" (they even have their own "last Supper") and the "zombies" answer that why do they need such freedom if there are only troubles around? Maybe it's better to join hands and work together to make everything feel good for everyone? Carol unsuccessfully preaches, not afraid to actually challenge the entire surviving humanity. And she has a miraculous power.: perfect people of a new type are very vulnerable to negative emotions. Carol's tantrum alone is enough to kill innocent people all over the world.

Another version, which also deserves the right to exist, is the parable about artificial intelligence. Showrunner Vince Gilligan has repeatedly spoken out about how much he dislikes AI. The sameness of the new earthlings is similar to the upcoming futuristic predictions. On the one hand, the shared media environment provides full access to all information that has ever been stored, including recorded personal memories and experiences. On the other hand, it establishes complete control over the collective mind, turning public thought in any direction that the AI owner may dictate. This was discussed in great detail in the film "The Social Dilemma," which is still at the top of Netflix in terms of views, although it was released five years ago. It's very tempting to explain your own reactionary thoughts by saying that somewhere "big uncles" are imperceptibly pushing the right thoughts into your mind while you innocently scroll through a friendlent.

The plot structure of the new series refers to major literary works of the 20th century. In part, this is "1984" with its idea of total surveillance. But most of all I remember "Hellstrom's Anthill" by Frank Herbert (creator of "Dune") and, of course, "The War with the Salamanders" by Karel Chapek. That is, "Out of Many" is a work against fascism.

Indeed, cheerful, strong, positively charged new earthlings say about themselves that "they can't choose" and that one is like everyone else and everyone is like one. They ruthlessly waste any number of the Earth's population, they play sports, help each other, and form a single powerful race of superhumans. You watch "Out of many" and for some reason you remember the chronicle of Leni Riefenstahl. It was all about the same. And if Carol didn't get the virus, then maybe it's because she's just not perfect enough for the new standards of superman. It's very interesting to think about all this, and in the second episode, which is somewhat lengthy, you probably think even more than you look at the screen, where almost nothing happens.

However, there are other versions of how all this can be interpreted. First of all, the new Earthlings might just lie to Carol. At least because they seem to be against violence, but we saw that an infected mouse bit a person, and again the big question is why almost a billion people suddenly died out, why didn't we help them. Was it something like a "final solution to the Jewish question," since these parallels suggest themselves? Secondly, we don't know what the "zombies" have in mind: perhaps they want to build a foothold for aliens, and then all withdraw together.

Or maybe the whole action is just a plot within a plot. We remember that Carol is writing a serious novel. Are we watching his film adaptation? This move has been used many times in movies, and the showrunner of the series has never been known for innovative methods, he took ready-made stamps and created an original narrative with their help. And it turned out, by the way, not always perfectly, "Sol" was not mastered by everyone.

Apple is not planning anything brighter in November. It seems that none of his competitors are either. This series is really very intriguing, and it's no coincidence that each of its interpretations directly affects all of us. This is a topical movie of the 21st century, where many sensitive strings are touched in the first two hours (by the way, we are informed in passing that the American president has died, but they prudently do not mention his name). And Ray Seahorn plays his character with such dedication that the connection happens almost instantly, she is not at all an antihero like Walter White. It's too early to say that this will be a Breaking Bad phenomenon, but Apple believes in this project, and the second season is already being filmed. And the number of viewers of the series is growing and growing, despite the strange name and the absence of superstars of the first magnitude. And, what can I say, it's terribly interesting what will happen there next.