# Pluribus (New Vince Gilligan show on AppleTV) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, apple\ **Created:** [November 7, 2025, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659 "2025-11-07T12:10:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 59
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1161 "2026-01-18T23:56:19Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > They are like the parasite that makes ants run to the top of grass so they can get eaten so the parasite can reproduce. They will make their signal to spread and be done with us. This is my interpretation as well, the hive is host to a parasite that will use up humanity and kill it off. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1162 "2026-01-19T00:56:06Z")
Yeah. That makes sense, though a small population will likely survive on applefalls and other scavengable material - but the virus doesn’t care if a small population lives or not, as long as the message gets sent ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1163 "2026-01-19T01:20:49Z")
Number one factor is that it get sent and received by at least one other sentient species. After that having enough survive ongoing to keep it sending would also be marginally selected for. The analogy to viral infections is cogent: in general viral infections that rapidly kill the host are outcompeted by variants that have the host relatively healthier longer. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1164 "2026-01-19T01:24:03Z")
How about mass breeding salmon and just waiting for them to die after spawning? ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1165 "2026-01-19T01:24:38Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The analogy to viral infections is cogent: in general viral infections that rapidly kill the host are outcompeted by variants that have the host relatively healthier longer. Now wouldn’t that be fascinating? If a _second_ signal came in, and the second signal was encoded for a virus just as efficacious as Pluribus, except that it allows the host species to cultivate and consume vegetables. Like, do agriculture and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1166 "2026-01-19T03:34:15Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > With regards to the nuke, I really wish they hadn’t put that in. I feel the reveal is going to be a huge disappointment. I don’t think it’s going to live up to all the speculation. IMHO, that’s what happened with the M60 at the end of Breaking Bad. It was a relatively (at least for BB) humdrum reveal when it finally got used as it did. So for now I’m kind of hoping that Gilligan takes a page from himself and finds a way to subvert all the built up speculation like they did with the Soylent Green aspect. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1167 "2026-01-20T20:34:48Z")
re: Hive Mind decision-making It seems like the Hive decision making is more hard-wired and reflexive. Where my/our thinking is not like that. We could kill for food or we could not. Depends. It feels like their thinking is similar but different to an individuals thinking in a predetermined way. It’s knowable and can be manipulated like Carol is trying to figure out. Or do I just assume I think differently. It really feels like I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1168 "2026-01-20T20:42:17Z")
I think the hive is more like a computer program. Sentient beings can choose to “violate” the biological urges they have. If the Plurbs can’t pick an apple even if it were absolutely necessary, then I think that’s an indication they’re not actually fully sentient on the same way we are. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1169 "2026-01-20T21:04:44Z")
It could just mean they don’t consider the survival of individual bodies important as losing them does not affect the whole. Maybe a plurb of a few hundred thousand is just as good as a plurb of several billion, as long as their goals are accomplished. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1170 "2026-01-20T21:08:59Z")
They’ll give Carol an atom bomb if she asks… but they can’t pick an apple, even if she tells them to? We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1171 "2026-01-20T21:37:50Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It could just mean they don’t consider the survival of individual bodies important as losing them does not affect the whole. They didn’t seem too happy about Carol killing millions of them; they left town even though it made coordinating things with her more challenging. I think losing individuals is more akin to cutting off your fnger versus cutting your hair. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1172 "2026-01-20T21:58:10Z")
I see no evidence that they love and value each individual in the hive any less than they do any other lifeform on Earth. They haven’t exhibited anywhere that they would equate the loss of one of their own with the loss of an unimportant appendage. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1173 "2026-01-20T22:16:16Z")
But there are no individuals in the hive. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1174 "2026-01-20T22:23:15Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > But there are no individuals in the hive . Of course there are. They may be mentally linked, but they are clearly not physically linked. They respect the life of an individual apple (or bee if you want to get cute) with no sentience whatsoever. What makes you think they would think less of a hive member? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1175 "2026-01-20T22:34:51Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > What makes you think they would think less of a hive member? Their…actions? they certainly seem to have zero concerns about the survival of individual members, whether it be by their own inaction or the actions of survivors like Carol and Manousos. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1176 "2026-01-20T22:38:17Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Their…actions? they certainly seem to have zero concerns about the survival of individual members, whether it be by their own inaction What inaction other than refusing to harm or take a life has led to the death of individual members? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1177 "2026-01-20T22:38:52Z")
Eating fruit. I mean, not yet… but its gonna. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1178 "2026-01-20T22:39:54Z")
That is because they can’t harm other lifeforms; not because they don’t care about their individual members. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1179 "2026-01-20T22:40:14Z")
What are you talking about? They made quite an effort to save Zosia when Carol was killing her, they were pretty upset when Carol semi-accidentally killed millions of them with seizures, and we’ve never seen them throw the lives of their host bodies away for no reason. Because they may have a hire directive (do not kill) that may ultimately result in some of their bodies starving to death doesn’t mean that they don’t care about the individual bodies of the hive, but that they have competing directives. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659/1180 "2026-01-20T23:00:01Z")
They have a biological imperative to do no harm, they couldn’t harm someone if they tried. But they were perfectly willing to have Zosia jump on a grenade to save Carol, from something Carol herself did. That, plus the starving, tells me their biological imperative to not harm living beings DOES NOT APPLY TO THEMSELVES. Sure, they’ll treat people in the hive who are injured, but they will toss their lives away without a thought to follow their rules. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659.md?page=58) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pluribus-new-vince-gilligan-show-on-appletv/1024659.md?page=60)