Pluribus: The Official Podcast

Season 1, Episode 3: "Grenade"

Release Date: November 14, 2025
Host: Chris McCaleb
Guests: Vince Gilligan (Creator & Executive Producer), Denise Pizzini (Production Designer), Gordon Smith (Writer/Director of the Episode), Carolina Vidra (Zosia)

Episode Overview

This episode takes listeners behind the scenes of "Grenade," the third installment of Pluribus. Host Chris McCaleb assembles a roundtable of key creatives—showrunner Vince Gilligan, production designer Denise Pizzini, writer/director Gordon Smith, and Carolina Vidra (Zosia)—for an in-depth discussion. The team unpacks the logistical, creative, and emotional challenges behind filming the episode’s major sequences, with a special focus on the elaborately constructed Ice Hotel, the explosive grenade scene, and the ambitious Sprouts supermarket montage. Throughout, the conversation offers a window into the collaborative problem-solving and creative risk-taking that define the show.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Constructing the Ice Hotel (00:31–07:38)

• Inspiration & Design Challenges:
  • The episode opens with a flashback at a Norway Ice Hotel. Initially, there were discussions about filming in Norway, but pragmatism prevailed. Everything was built on set.
  • Denise Pizzini: “These ice hotels are seasonal...we kind of took that role on. It's like, well, if we were asked to design an ice hotel, what would we do?” (02:23)
• Materials & Techniques:
  • The team researched plastics to simulate ice and sourced plastic cubes from Germany for authenticity.
  • Styrofoam was heavily used, sculpted by union artists sourced from Atlanta, LA, and Albuquerque.
  • Realistic effect achieved by blending real "snow" textures with faux ice blocks.
• Lighting & Atmosphere:
  • Close collaboration with DP Paul Donaghy and the gaffer, Waylon, to design atmospheric lighting reminiscent of the Northern Lights.

2. Adapting the Script to Production Realities (08:36–13:35)

• Scripted sequences often changed due to time and budget constraints. For Carol’s return from Spain, an elaborate sequence was condensed into a single, emotionally charged moment.
  • Gordon Smith: “We focused it in on just that one moment rather than a bunch of moments that kind of made her sad. It was one moment.” (11:25)
• The streamlined scene became a powerful anchor for Carol's grief and transition.

3. Carol and Zosia’s Emotional Dynamic (13:35–14:45)

• The interplay between Zosia’s well-meaning attempts to comfort Carol and Carol’s stoic resistance is repeatedly highlighted.
  • Carolina Vidra: “These moments that their emotional intelligence is so great, but they miss the mark and...then they get to evolve from that, which is great.” (13:00)

4. The Grenade Sequence: Practical Effects and Cinematic Tension (14:53–23:21)

• Practical Explosion:
  • The explosion was filmed practically with Styrofoam, balsa wood, and air cannons for safety.
  • Gordon Smith: “Everything that's blowing in is Styrofoam and balsa wood...It's blowing in off of air cannons.” (15:27)
• Stunts and Safety:
  • Actors rehearsed their falls with knee pads and stunts support, executing the moment in just two takes with live reactions.
  • Carolina Vidra: “You can prepare yourself, but once you...your body has its own natural reaction to things.” (16:43)
• Design and Planning:
  • The set was constructed to withstand damage, with special attention to window placement and wall reinforcements to facilitate the explosion.
  • The grenade’s mechanics (timing, trajectory) were meticulously researched for authenticity and Hollywood impact.
  • Vince Gilligan: “The very design of the front of Carol's house in large part was colored by...the fact that we wanted to have a hand grenade scene.” (23:49)

5. Kinetic Camera Techniques for Aftermath (24:47–26:50)

• To convey chaos after the explosion, the team used practical lens shifts—physically reseating the lens mid-shot for a “fractured” effect, inspired by David Lynch.
  • Gordon Smith: “There's a moment where David Lynch took the lens out of the camera and it does a weird, unfocusing effect...We tried that here.” (25:17)
• Editing choices, like removing frames, heightened the sense of subjectivity and disorientation.

6. Acting, Auditions, and Character Embodiment (28:28–31:14)

• Carolina Vidra recalls her chemistry read and the unique demands of playing an “other” whose affect is markedly distinct.
  • Carolina Vidra: “The others don't [react]...they just have to hold space and just have to wash over them, just like, you know, like nothing.” (31:14)
• Emphasized how her and Rhea Seehorn’s (Carol) dynamic grounded the emotional heartbeat of the episode.

7. The Logistics and Choreography of the Sprouts Sequence (31:26–37:29)

• Supermarket Challenge:
  • Shooting in a real Sprouts store was only possible during tightly constrained windows, requiring overnight set dressing and rapid resets.
  • Interior and exterior scenes were split between the real Sprouts and an abandoned Sears parking lot, the latter dressed and composited with VFX.
• Visual Choreography:
  • Ambitious restocking montage (initially conceptualized as a ballet) was curtailed but still required detailed planning with background actors and stunt drivers.
  • Gordon Smith: “My hope is that when people see it, it will feel effortless because it should feel like the others...just do it.” (35:05)
• Teamwork:
  • Precision in background movement and truck driving brought a feeling of seamless, other-worldly efficiency to the sequence.

8. Music & Visual Touches (38:29–41:34)

• Music Choices:
  • End credits feature DakhaBrakha’s “Sonnet,” giving a haunting end note.
    • Gordon Smith: “They're like a Ukrainian folk jazz band...really energetic and interesting and the music is cool.” (38:54)
  • Grocery store scenes feature Sade—a deliberate mood choice (“not making fun, just the right energy”).
  • “Golden Girls” used as diegetic TV in a scene, with specific attention to comedic timing and reflection shots.
    • Gordon Smith: “She does a lot of heavy lifting on that show with the comedy.” (40:47)
    • Vince Gilligan: “I love that shot of her reflected in the...dvd. That's a really cool shot.” (40:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Set-Building & Creativity vs. Budget:
  • Vince Gilligan: “You just run into the wall of reality that can sometimes stymie the swimming pool of creativity.” (08:36)
• On Emotional Nuance:
  • Carolina Vidra: “Even the most highly emotionally intelligent human being is going to have faults, and then they're going to evolve from that and learn a lesson.” (13:18)
• On Explosion Effects:
  • Gordon Smith: “...the trick of it is that's not [CGI]. We had to make sure that that was as safe as we could possibly make it. And, of course, part of that is everything that's blowing in is Styrofoam and balsa wood.” (15:27)
• On Acting the “Other”:
  • Carolina Vidra: “The others don't [react]...they just have to hold space and just has to wash over them just like, you know, like nothing.” (31:14)
• On Music Selection:
  • Gordon Smith: “I’m not making fun of Sade for being supermarket music. It just felt like the right cue. Sade is great. Golden Girls are great.” (40:05)
• On Practical Magic:
  • Vince Gilligan: “The best movie magic is the simplest always.” (41:31)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Ice Hotel Set Design: 01:50–07:38
• Practical Effects/Explosion Sequence: 14:53–23:21
• Camera and Aftermath Techniques: 24:47–26:50
• Sprouts Supermarket Montage: 31:26–37:29
• Musical and Visual Choices: 38:29–41:34

Takeaways

This episode of the Pluribus Official Podcast offers a masterclass in television production, revealing the strategic reworking, logistical ingenuity, and creative flair that bring complex sequences to life. It underscores the collaborative, evolving nature of storytelling—where every department, from set construction to acting to camera ops, contributes to turning narrative ambitions into tangible, engaging television.

For behind-the-scenes stories from future episodes and more insights from the creators, subscribe on Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop every Friday alongside each new Pluribus episode on Apple TV.