Pluribus: The Official Podcast

Episode: S1E1 – “We Is Us”
Date: November 7, 2025
Host: Chris McCaleb
Guests: Vince Gilligan (creator/writer/director), Rhea Seehorn (star), Trina Siopi (Co-EP), Jen Carroll (writer/Co-EP)

OVERVIEW:

The inaugural episode of the Pluribus podcast pulls listeners deep into the creative heart of Apple’s new original series, “Pluribus.” Host and editor Chris McCaleb is joined by creator Vince Gilligan, star Rhea Seehorn, and key members of the production team for a candid, unscripted roundtable on the making of Episode 101, “We Is Us.” This installment covers the origins of the show, character evolution, the technical and emotional intricacies of key scenes, and the profound collaboration powering the production.

MAIN THEMES & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. The Genesis of Pluribus

Timestamps: 01:40–04:25

• Vince Gilligan traces the idea back to lunch-break daydreams during “Better Call Saul,” imagining a series driven by shifting wish-fulfillment dynamics.
• Originally envisioned as a male protagonist whose every whim is granted, Vince realized early “there’s no drama in happiness” (03:22, Gilligan).
  • Quote: “There’s no drama in happiness. None whatsoever. Which is why we’ve kind of got our hand, one arm tied behind our back on this show.” (03:22, Gilligan)
• Rhea Seehorn’s work inspired Vince to flip the protagonist’s gender and write to her strengths.
  • “Why does it have to be a male protagonist? Why not a female protagonist? And why not Ray?” (03:20, Gilligan)

2. Setting and the Albuquerque Legacy

Timestamps: 04:25–06:00

• Gilligan’s decision to return to Albuquerque after “Breaking Bad” and “Saul” stemmed from deep affection for the city and established crew. He chose to embrace rather than conceal the location, despite the risks of fans associating it with previous works.
• Transition to showcasing a “totally different side of Albuquerque.”
  • “I wanted to work with the same crew. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” (05:01, Gilligan)

3. Creating Carol: Differentiating from Kim Wexler

Timestamps: 05:53–09:14

• Rhea Seehorn discusses reinvention, with practical and aesthetic considerations around Carol’s hair and physicality, symbolizing her departure from Kim Wexler.
  • “We knew going in that it would be a lot of shoots where I am supposed to have not done my hair, maybe not showered… And with longer hair you can get into some real predicaments.” (06:00, Seehorn)
• The “movie star entrance” at Barnes & Noble was designed to subtly signal character differences—no trademark ponytail, a nod that “we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
  • Quote: “It is definitely a new character. It is totally a different day because the ponytail is gone.” (08:01, Seehorn)
  • Memorable Moment: Reflection on how shots were framed to emphasize Carol’s transformation (07:21–08:56).

4. Directing Large Scenes & The Challenge of Background Actors

Timestamps: 09:14–13:00

• The team breaks down the complexities of orchestrating the “othered” crowd scenes—technical, logistical, and emotional.
  • “The scariest parts of pre-production for me personally, because we had big crowd scenes...the more people I have to direct, the less in control I feel.” (09:41, Gilligan)
• Choreographer Nito Lariosa and assistant directors played crucial roles. Extras auditioned and rehearsed specifically for their parts, with even minor lines and backstories sketched for authenticity.
• Emphasis on performance—finding the right in-between, “how scary do these people look? How passive do they look? …it’s very difficult to passively look pleasant without looking crazy, lobotomized, high as a kite.” (11:06, Seehorn)

5. On-Screen Chemistry & Emotional Depth

Timestamps: 13:00–20:24

• Rhea Seehorn and Miriam’s chemistry as Carol and Helen is unpacked, including the now-notorious “escalator scene.”
  • Quote: “What chemistry looks like… it’s showing up to set, doing all your prep and then being delighted to have a curveball thrown at you by your scene partner.” (16:46, Seehorn)
• The team highlights the necessity for the depth of emotion in Carol and Helen’s relationship, especially poignant given Helen’s fate.
  • “You have to feel that loss. And you do.” (20:24, Carroll)

6. Crafting Grief and Repetition in Performance

Timestamps: 20:34–25:18

• Rhea elaborates technical techniques for sustained emotional performance—locating pain in the body, mixing memory and physicality for repeatability, and keeping the on-set atmosphere light between heavy scenes.
  • Quote: “For me...I’ll then give myself some markers. One of the things I’ll do is ask myself where the pain lives...I find that strangely to be more repeatable as the instigator.” (21:44, Seehorn)
• Shooting out of sequence and sustaining believability in successive takes is detailed.

7. Directing Approach – Protecting Performance

Timestamps: 24:42–26:32

• Vince explains directing techniques to protect actors’ emotional bandwidth—starting with close-ups, saving the most emotionally intense shots for the beginning of the day, and allowing collaboration on character motivation shifts in key scenes.

8. Realism, Extras, and “Others” Choreography

Timestamps: 28:16–33:03

• Discussion of the nuanced evolution from robotic group unison to a more organic, slightly out-of-sync “othered” crowd for a “human, not alien” effect.
  • Quote: “People speaking too much in perfect unison is actually not pleasing… you need them not so perfectly in unison.” (31:03, Gilligan)
• Respect for extras: Rhea frequently rallies them, expressing the importance of their presence:
  • “I told them… you are acting. They are acting in a synchronized way and as a unit, but they are individual people. They are not robotics.” (29:34, Seehorn)

9. Science, Accuracy & Advisors

Timestamps: 33:03–37:49

• Positive-pressure “hot” suits were constructed and operated for realism, requiring fans, special mics, and set technicalities to enable authentic performance.
• Science advisors Aaron McDonald (lab accuracy) and Brian Svoboda (VLA) provided vital expertise—even insisting on authentic lab protocols, which led to rewrites and use of real scientists and technicians as background actors.
  • Quote: “When we get things technically accurate… it never has harmed us. It has always paid dividends.” (35:44, Gilligan)

10. Humor and Tonal Shifts

Timestamps: 37:49–41:18

• The episode's conclusion shifts to humor—Davis Taffler’s Chiron and the absurd “we’re not aliens” TV moment, providing a release from preceding tension.
  • “How elastic a story can be in terms of how dark can you go...and then how quickly can you shift gears?” (38:44, Gilligan)
  • Peter Bergman played Taffler live via connected sound stages—a technical and performative feat.
  • Memorable Moment: Peter Bergman’s live performance as Davis Taffler, achieved by linking two sound stages and clever use of earwigs (40:44–41:03).

NOTABLE QUOTES

• “There’s no drama in happiness. None whatsoever.” – Vince Gilligan (03:22)
• “Why does it have to be a male protagonist? Why not a female protagonist? And why not Ray?” – Vince Gilligan (03:20)
• “It is definitely a new character. It is totally a different day because the ponytail is gone.” – Rhea Seehorn (08:01)
• “It’s very difficult to passively look pleasant without looking crazy, lobotomized, high as a kite.” – Rhea Seehorn (11:06)
• “What chemistry looks like… it’s showing up to set, doing all your prep and then being delighted to have a curveball thrown at you by your scene partner.” – Rhea Seehorn (16:46)
• “For me...I’ll then give myself some markers…Where the pain lives.” – Rhea Seehorn (21:44)
• “When we get things technically accurate… it never has harmed us. It has always paid dividends.” – Vince Gilligan (35:44)
• “How elastic a story can be in terms of how dark can you go...and then how quickly can you shift gears?” – Vince Gilligan (38:44)

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• Reflections on shooting the Barnes & Noble “movie star entrance” for Carol (07:21–08:56)
• Warm stories from set: the emotionally and technically challenging escalator scene with Miriam (13:00–15:30)
• Rhea’s speeches rallying background actors, emphasizing community and respect (29:07–29:41)
• Technical breakdown of the creation and operation of positive-pressure suits (33:03–34:30)
• Live “TV” coupling with Peter Bergman from another soundstage (40:42–41:03)

TIMESTAMPS FOR KEY SEGMENTS

• 01:40 – Series conception explained
• 05:53 & 08:01 – Carol’s physical transformation and symbolic “movie star” entrance
• 09:14 & 11:06 – Choreographing “the others” and their emotional resonance
• 13:00 – Carol & Helen’s chemistry, escalator scene break-down
• 21:44 – Rhea’s methods for repeatable, powerful grief performances
• 24:42 – Directorial approach to safeguarding actor emotions
• 29:34 – Rhea advocating for respect for extras
• 31:03 – Finding the right “synchronicity” for the “others”
• 33:03 – Realism: constructing and operating lab suits
• 35:44 – Value of technical accuracy
• 38:44 – Comic tonal pivots, Davis Taffler’s TV climax
• 40:42 – Behind the scenes: live TV performance technical setup

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The debut of the Pluribus podcast sets an exciting tone for the companion series: a passionate, intimate, highly collaborative look into the making of a boundary-pushing show. The episode brims with stories from the set, thoughtful details about the craft, and an undercurrent of camaraderie and respect that threads cast, crew, and even background actors into a united creative fabric.

Best for:

• Listeners craving an in-depth, candid breakdown of how a prestige drama is built from concept through performance and post
• Fans of Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn eager for untold behind-the-scenes stories and personal insights
• Anyone fascinated by the practical and emotional artistry behind television production

Don’t miss the next installment after you watch the next episode on Apple TV.