Pluribus star Rhea Seehorn thinks Apple's sci-fi mystery has become so popular because it challenges its audience: "You're not being spoon-fed"

Pluribus has recently become the most watched Apple TV show ever. Now, star Rhea Seehorn, who plays Carol in the sci-fi drama, has a grand theory on why viewers are flocking to the series in their droves.

"Did I expect it? No, I wouldn't dare to," Seehorn answers when asked by GamesRadar+ whether she saw Pluribus' popularity coming.

"I do think there a lot of very smart shows, and I also give credit to [creator] Vince Gilligan and his particular audiences – starting with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, now Pluribus – [where] he very much assumes the intelligence of his audience, which I think people feel rewarded by."

Seehorn continues, "It's not passive television and, also, you're not being spoon-fed: here's exactly what to think about this, here's a song to tell you when it's sad. How about being open to interpretation? How about it inspiring conversation rather than preaching one particular thing? I think people have felt rewarded by that."

Seehorn also believes that Pluribus capturing the zeitgeist is down to how much it engages with the modern moment. Critics and viewers have already mapped various meanings onto the show, from being metaphors for AI and ChatGPT, to dealing with isolation in a post-COVID world. Existential crisis, meet TV show.

"I didn't see it coming, but it makes sense to me that it would strike a particular chord – maybe a lot of us really did want to have some of these big, philosophical questions and weren't sure where to funnel it," Seehorn says. "It's been gratifying and thrilling to see people talk about the show in that kind of way."

Pluribus is now streaming on Apple TV. For more, check out our guide to Pluribus season 2 and breakdown of the Pluribus season 1 ending.