Vince Gilligan decodes the ‘explosive’ PLURIBUS finale and what it means for season two
Vince Gilligan To many has wrapped up its first season, but the Apple TV+ sci-fi drama leaves behind plenty of unsolved mysteries heading into season two.
Starring Rhea Seehorn, the series is set in a world overrun by a mysterious power that has absorbed almost all of humanity’s individuality to create an omniscient, insect-like hive mind, sparing only a small number of immune individuals – 13 to be exact!
Although its exterior attributes lean firmly into extraterrestrial science fiction, To many also operates within a deeper thematic undercurrent, which uses its high science fiction premise to examine the societal dangers of artificial intelligence and the increasing automation and isolation of modern human interaction.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
Speaking to IGN, Gilligan, along with series writers and directors Gordon Smith and Alison Tatlock, explained that Seehorn’s Carol is one of 13 people in the world to be immune to the alien virus that has turned the rest of humanity into a hive mind.
And unlike classics of the genre with a similar concept, like The last of uswhere infection turns people into violent monsters, the Joining are calm, kind, and even welcoming to those who remain unassimilated.
In this sense, To many plays out like an anti-zombie story, where instead of everyone trying to kill you, eat you, or infect you, the infected are incredibly kind and welcoming – at least currently.
The show ends with The Others who make up the Join, developing a pathogen capable of bypassing the immunity of the thirteen previously unharmed individuals.
One of the final moments sees Carlos Manuel-Vesga’s Manousos complete his months-long journey from Paraguay to meet with Carol in an effort to create a team that can return everyone to normal.
“Nine episodes for Stanley to meet Livingston here, and it was hard fought“, Gilligan said. “He literally fought his way through the Darién Gap just to meet this woman. And then he comes to his neighborhood and maybe he’s waiting – as you would say in the writer’s room – he’s sort of waiting for Che Guevara or a really charismatic leader. And in Che’s driveway is a Rolls-Royce.“
The show then ends with the revelation that the Others are using Carol’s frozen eggs to grow a pathogen to indoctrinate her into the Join (the benevolent hive mind needs Carol’s consent to create the pathogen but stem cells are a workaround), leading Carol to re-engage in the fight to restore humanity’s autonomy.
Expanding on this, Tatlock told Variety: “Of course, they don’t need consent to change people, because the premise of the show – right from the pilot – is that they change everyone as quickly as possible, first by kissing and finally by flying over planes. If they could put their special spice in water, they absolutely would. What they need is consent to interfere with someone’s physical being. They therefore could not take his stem cells directly from him. But if her stem cells already exist – or if the eggs, which are not stem cells, can be converted through a delicate process into stem cells – and they are already outside her body, they will.“
As for where she thinks her character is going in season 2, Seehorn admitted to Total Film that she has no idea.
“Maybe that makes me a terrible actor. Honestly, I don’t think Carol is sure. I didn’t do it out of laziness. I did it because one of her flaws – which is sometimes a superpower – is that she is very impulsive. She is so impulsive and acts before thinking. I think she knows she has to do something big, and I’m not really sure what she’s going to do with it.“
Already the green light for a second season,”To many” is a genre-bending original in which the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.
Despite its recent debut, the series has already garnered several nominations for prestigious awards, including Best TV Series – Drama And Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama of the next 83rd Golden Globe Awards and likewise, Best Drama Series And Best Actress in a Drama Series of the next Critics’ Choice Television Awards.
In addition to Seehorn, the series stars Karolina Wydra (“Sneaky Pete”) and Carlos-Manuel Vesga (“The Hijacking of Flight 601”), as well as guests Miriam Shor (“American Fiction”) and Samba Schutte (“Our Flag Means Death”).
“To many” is produced by Sony Pictures Television and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Gilligan alongside Emmy Award winners Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock, Diane Mercer, Allyce Ozarski and Jeff Frost. Jenn Carroll and Trina Siopy serve as co-executive producers.
