Pluribus: The Official Podcast

Episode: S1E8 "The Sound Team"
Host: Chris McCaleb
Guests: Philip W. Palmer (Production Sound Mixer), Larry Benjamin (Re-recording Mixer), Nick Forshager (Supervising Sound Editor)
Date: December 22, 2025

Overview

This episode is a specialized roundtable focused entirely on the sonic landscape of "Pluribus." Host and editor Chris McCaleb gathers the series’ sound team—production sound mixer Philip W. Palmer, re-recording mixer Larry Benjamin, and supervising sound editor Nick Forshager—for a deep dive into the art, science, and challenges of crafting the unique auditory world of the show. They explore everything from creative decisions to technical problem-solving, highlighting how sound amplifies storytelling, particularly in a series defined by “quiet” and absence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Central Role of Sound in “Pluribus”

• Sound as Half the Experience: Chris underscores early (01:04) that for audiences, “at least half of the experience of watching a TV show or movie is the sound.” The show’s premise—focusing on a world rendered quiet—means sound becomes especially vital yet, when done well, almost invisible.
• World Without Sound: Much of the show’s challenge comes from depicting a world with radically less noise, where small sonic details convey the atmosphere and isolation (01:04–01:49).

2. On-Set Challenges & Capturing Clean Audio

• Real World Noise: Philip discusses the difficulties of isolating dialogue from environmental noise, noting most people don’t realize “how loud the world is” until they monitor with headphones (01:49).
• Human Brain as Noise Reducer: He explains the concept of “masking”—how our brains tune out familiar noise, unlike microphones, which capture everything (01:49).
  • Quote: “The best sound noise reduction system on the planet is a human brain.” – Philip (01:49)
• Set Location: The main set (Carol’s neighborhood) in Albuquerque is strategically elevated to shield from some city noise, but environmental sounds always sneak in (01:53–02:57).

3. Post-Production: Editing and Mixing

• Teamwork Pipeline: Nick praises working with Philip’s “immaculate tracks,” explaining how clean production sound makes post work possible and lets the finer points shine (02:57–03:33).
• Collaboration is Key: Larry compares the workflow to a high-end kitchen—great ingredients (recordings) yield great meals (final mixes), with everyone relying on the team ahead of them (03:33).
  • Quote: “Having the best ingredients makes the best meal.” – Larry (03:33)
• Adapting to Setbacks: Nick and Larry discuss moments where environmental quirks—like excessive reverb at the Bilbao airport location—forced creative solutions, such as capturing “impulse responses” to model and later re-create those acoustics in post (04:05–05:28).

4. Technical Deep Dive: Impulse Responses & Convolution Reverb

• Impulse Responses: Philip describes using a loud clap or stick to capture how sound decays in an environment, while Larry explains how these "impulse responses" inform convolution reverb plugins to recreate real-world space in the mix (06:20–07:31).
• Practical Limitations: Sometimes the real impulse response is less usable due to unwanted noise, so the team has to improvise to replicate the space’s character (07:31).

5. Creative Philosophy: The Purposeful Use and Absence of Sound

• Minimalism is Powerful: Nick details how the team experimented with adding sounds (like bugs or distant birds) to fill space but ultimately found that “the isolation of silence was really what was carrying the tension” and deepening the audience’s connection to Carol (11:07–12:46).
  • Quote: “We found that isolation of silence was really what was carrying the tension and really making the audience connect with Carol much more.” – Nick (12:31)
• Intentional Choices: Every ambient sound is carefully chosen and treated—too much, and it breaks the illusion; too little, and the atmosphere feels flat (12:46–13:02).

6. Dolby Atmos: Crafting Immersion

• Beyond Surround Sound: Larry and Nick elaborate on using Dolby Atmos—more speakers, including overhead—to create a layered, enveloping soundscape. From the C-130 airplane’s immersive roar to a PA system’s voice above, real-world dimensionality deepens engagement (13:02–14:25).
  • Quote: “We now have the addition of speakers…we also have the Z axis, the ceiling speakers...it really does feel very enveloping.” – Larry (13:25)

7. The “Sound of Loneliness”

• Designing Emptiness: Discussion turns philosophical on what loneliness “sounds like.” The team uses ambient winds, coyotes, and carefully filtered environmental noise to undergird Carol’s isolation, always careful that the illusion isn’t accidentally broken by (say) a car-like wind effect (14:40–15:57).
  • Quote: “Instead of, you know, human life, we're leaning into the wispy winds…the gentleness of the air and the wind…Those kinds of things.” – Larry (14:59)

8. Recording Performances—More Than Dialogue

• Breath, Detail, and Collaboration with Cast:
  • Rhea Seehorn’s Performance: Philip emphasizes the importance of capturing small nuances—especially Rhea Seehorn’s breaths—by always wiring her, as they’re essential to the scene (16:16–17:10).
  • Earwigs and Voicemail Scenes: For live interactions between Rhea and off-camera actors (e.g., the TV scene and voicemail monologues), the team used radio earwigs and orchestrated sets to match timing and emotional fidelity, executing complex technical work to preserve authenticity (17:14–19:47).
    • Quote: “50% of my job is actually 80% of my job is problem solving.” – Philip (17:42)

9. Letting Moments Breathe

• Process and Pacing: Nick and Larry champion Vince Gilligan’s willingness to let scenes unfold in real time with full auditory context—whether sitting through an entire C-130 pre-flight or enduring a torturous voicemail—which places the audience empathetically with the protagonist (20:25–21:36).
• Quote: "We're really letting that stuff breathe and really put in the experience with the audience, and I think that's why they're responding to it." – Nick (21:24)

10. The Team Dynamic

• Frequent Communication: The sound team attributes much of their excellence to constant open communication from pre-production through final mix—rare in the industry but crucial for “Pluribus” (23:08–23:39).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “The best sound noise reduction system on the planet is a human brain.”
  – Philip (01:49)

• “Having the best ingredients makes the best meal.”
  – Larry (03:33)

• “We found that isolation of silence was really what was carrying the tension and really making the audience connect with Carol much more.”
  – Nick (12:31)

• “We now have the addition of speakers…we also have the Z axis, the ceiling speakers...it really does feel very enveloping.”
  – Larry (13:25)

• “Instead of, you know, human life, we're leaning into the wispy winds…the gentleness of the air and the wind…Those kinds of things.”
  – Larry (14:59)

• “50% of my job is actually 80% of my job is problem solving.”
  – Philip (17:42)

• "We're really letting that stuff breathe and really put in the experience with the audience, and I think that's why they're responding to it."
  – Nick (21:24)

• “It is a unique relationship we all have, and we communicate a lot, which is not always the case.”
  – Philip (23:08)

Important Timestamps

• 01:04 — Chris introduces the focus on sound and asks about the challenges of crafting the show’s auditory world.
• 01:49 — Philip describes real-world and set recording obstacles.
• 04:05 — Larry discusses use of convolution reverb and impulse responses.
• 08:56 — Larry and Nick explain the difference between sound editing and mixing, using the “cooking” analogy.
• 11:07–12:46 — Nick details the philosophy behind intentional minimalism in sound design.
• 13:02–14:25 — Discussion on the artistic use of Dolby Atmos for immersive sound.
• 16:16–17:10 — Philip explains the criticality of capturing actors’ subtleties, especially with lead Rhea Seehorn.
• 17:14–19:47 — Walkthrough of syncing complex live performances using earwigs and real-time playback.
• 20:25–21:36 — Nick and Larry on letting scenes play in full, immersing the audience.
• 23:08–23:39 — Recap of the team’s unique collaborative process.

Tone & Language

The conversation is technical but accessible, peppered with lighthearted analogies (“cooking” as a metaphor for post-production), candid insights, and evident camaraderie. The team’s respect for one another and their shared pride in the series’ distinctive soundscape is tangible throughout.

For New Listeners

This episode is an essential listen for anyone interested in the invisible craft of television—highlighting how invisible the best sound design can be even as it profoundly shapes the emotional reality of a story like “Pluribus.” The sound team offers both a masterclass and a moving testament to creative collaboration.