Diksha Sundriyal
Apple TV+’s ‘Pluribus’ takes the audience into a strange world that is taken over by an alien virus that turns almost all humans into peaceful beings. Those not affected by it, such as Carol Sturka, are left to wonder what happened and how to live with it. Created by Vince Gilligan, who is known for creating the seminal show, ‘Breaking Bad,’ and its spin-off, ‘Better Call Saul.’ Because all three shows take place in Albuquerque, the fans have wondered if there is a connection between the two universes. Gilligan has stated that the connection between ‘Pluribus’ and the ‘Breaking Bad’ universe is limited to certain Easter eggs. However, a major cameo in the fifth episode reignites this conversation as a crucial character from ‘Better Call Saul’ makes a surprising appearance. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Pluribus Episode 5 Creates an Interesting Connection With Better Call Saul
The fifth episode of ‘Pluribus,’ titled ‘Got Milk,’ picks up immediately after the ending of the fourth episode, which saw Zosia collapsing due to a cardiac arrest caused by Carol. It turns out that Zosia has survived, but Carol’s actions have put the Others off, so they are no longer as amicable towards her. When she tries to ask them about how Zosia is doing, she receives a reply that has a strain of resentment, something that she hadn’t experienced since the world turned into a hive mind. It seems that the Others have decided not to be at Carol’s beck and call anymore, so the moment she falls asleep, they all skip town. When she calls them, they don’t pick up the phone, but leave a recorded message for her. The message tells her that their feelings for her haven’t changed, but they need a little space after everything that’s happened.
In the ‘Pluribus’ universe, it is a random man’s voice. However, those familiar with ‘Better Call Saul’ will recognise it as the voice of Patrick Fabian, who played the lawyer Howard Hamlin in the show. Fabian’s voice cameo was a surprise to Rhea Seehorn as well, who played Kim Wexler in the ‘Breaking Bad’ spin-off. In the ‘Pluribus’ podcast, Ariel Levine, who wrote the episode, appeared alongside the show’s executive producer and the episode’s director, Gordon Smith. They revealed that they had intentionally kept Fabian’s cameo a surprise from Seehorn because they wanted to catch her reaction. They “fully expected her to break,” however, the actress showed exceptional professionalism and stayed in character. It was only after they called “cut” that she expressed her surprise. In an interview with TV Guide, Seehorn revealed that she was “terrified to mess up the take,” which she knew would be a long one because of the length of the message.
She said, “I think if you got one of those psychologists or psychiatrists that study micro facial muscle changes, I’m pretty sure you could see me go, What? Patrick?” When the scene was done, she expressed her excitement about Fabian lending his voice to the Others’ message to Carol. She noted that it makes sense for the Others to choose someone like Fabian because he has “one of the all-time great voices,” and the soothing effect would gentle the blow of abandoning Carol. Notably, this isn’t the first time that ‘Pluribus’ has referenced Howard Hamlin, whose tragic fate is still talked about. We have already seen Carol drink Macallan whiskey, which Hamlin would drink while celebrating his wins. With the cameo, the Apple TV+ show continues to keep the fans on their toes about what to expect from the next Easter egg.
Read More: What is the Milk in Pluribus? What is It Made Of?
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