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• Content META

  Title	Apple TV's New Sci-Fi Series From Vince Gilligan Is Stealing Better Call Saul's Greatest Trick
  ID	23067346
  External ID	0dcb72881194bcb37d1aec7a0ebb3edc
  Author	George Chrysostomou
  Published Date	Nov. 6, 2025, 4:30 p.m.
  Summary	The creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul has a new show on Apple TV+, which will start a new era using an old writing trick.
  Tags
  URL	https://www.cbr.com/apple-tv-pluribus-same-pacing-as-better-call-saul
  Sentiment	Negative: 0.01481    Neutral: 0.89304    Positive: 0.09215
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• Content Details

  Content ID	30832368
  Key	1d2a878e-2974-4cf3-bd06-5f3e052b41a0
  Content	After the initial success of Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan became one of the most sought-after voices in television. His gritty and realistic style made Breaking Bad an instant hit, and the show genuinely managed to stick the landing with a conclusion that viewers still talk about to this day. Breaking Bad helped to usher in a new age of television, and Vince Gilligan's initial style has been replicated in the years since, although rarely surpassed. Breaking Bad, as a concept, also welcomed a new range of crime-related dramas, each of which took the material in a new direction, including Pluribus on Apple TV+. Better Call Saul and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie soon followed, with Vince Gilligan diving further into this world. But as the Breaking Bad universe progressed, Gilligan's style became even more defined. Because, while Gilligan always had a voice to share, it wasn't until he had the freedom of Better Call Saul that he could really dig deeper into his most treasured storytelling techniques. With Vince Gilligan now working on Pluribus for Apple TV+, all signs are pointing to a continuation of that distinct tone and style. Gilligan's ability to take a pause has defined the pacing of all his recent successes. Breaking Bad Relied on Traditional TV Techniques Walter White looking angry in the Breaking Bad episode 'Say My Name.' Image via AMC Breaking Bad's early seasons took classic television tropes and perfected them. The pacing and style were akin to those of prior dramas, but the material was further elevated by an attention to characterization and the performances of its leads. Vince Gilligan consistently brought in new twists and increased the tension of the narrative without straying into absurd territory. He was rather non-traditional about when he chose to kill off characters or have ground-breaking changes to the status quo, preferring to make every episode important rather than waiting for a grand finale or conclusion to a particular run. Nonetheless, when it came time to build cliffhangers or create finales that were worth tuning in for, Gilligan always managed to find more material to invest in. It was fascinating to see the show move at such a pace, constantly introducing new threats and layers to the pre-existing characters, moving the audience through the criminal underworld with significant momentum. It was easy for fans to theorize or engage with future twists because they simply knew they were coming. Breaking Bad had consistently proven itself to deliver, always making each moment count. A tiny choice could have a big impact, and it may only be a few episodes down the line until audiences see the consequences of those actions. That's where Breaking Bad differed compared to other shows of the era. So many dramas were stuck in that loop of treading water until a mid-season finale or the conclusion of the initial run. By that point, the audience had usually grown bored, waiting for something else big to happen. Breaking Bad managed to keep fans engaged through its character choices and the constant flow of new narrative beats, which continually took the ensemble in a different direction. However, the further Breaking Bad went on, the more Vince Gilligan seemed comfortable sitting with the characters, diving further into their personal conflicts. The larger twists remained, and the show never slowed, but within the context of the episodes themselves, there were often longer scenes dedicated to seemingly mundane moments. Gilligan was finding further drama in that mundanity, and audiences were hooked on it. That's a style that was not at the forefront of Gilligan's work prior to Breaking Bad. However, as he became more confident as a showrunner whose work was being lauded on a global scale, Gilligan was able to move beyond resting on his laurels and reinvent what audiences thought of him. That's where Better Call Saul comes in. Because after Breaking Bad, Gilligan was looking for a new challenge with a familiar character. Gilligan's Slower Style of Writing Defined Better Call Saul Jimmy holding a bottle of Zafiro Añejo tequila in Better Call Saul Image via AMC Vince Gilligan is obviously someone who enjoys pushing the boundaries of the medium he has chosen to create within. It's therefore fascinating that his major choice after Breaking Bad was to continue on in the same universe. It might have been logical for him to want to take a break from that world, but instead, Better Call Saul was born. The prequel series would ultimately end up also running as a sequel of sorts, as audiences learned more of what happened to Walter White's lawyer before and after the events of the original TV show. Viewers went into Better Call Saul expecting more of the same, but they were in for a surprise. The first few seasons of Better Call Saul were admittedly slow. They didn't quite have the criminal overlays of Breaking Bad, but were instead more focused on Jimmy McGill's personal drama, namely the rivalry with his brother and his own standing within his chosen profession. The show went to great pains to highlight how Jimmy might get away with a con of some kind, or how he would win a case in a less-than-morally righteous manner. Those tricks and tips would go on to inspire Saul Goodman, but here Jimmy was going through his origin story, putting all the pieces in place to eventually become a highly recommended lawyer to the criminal masses. Better Call Saul would speed up its pacing as later seasons progressed and Jimmy became more like Saul. Kim Wexler would essentially become the co-lead of the show, as audiences would learn that they were truly witnessing another genius transformation. That Breaking Bad magic was back, as fans picked apart every character action and the twists that were yet to come. But Gilligan's most important mechanical choice came to the forefront here. He again leaned into the mundanity of it all and the detailed level at which these characters do everything. From constructing a gun to going through complex legal documents, nothing was deemed too trivial. For some, Better Call Saul became a little too highbrow. Many called it far too slow, even as the pace picked up, pointing out that those extended sequences involving characters essentially carrying out errands were getting in the way of the real action. But the beauty of Vince Gilligan's writing is that those stylistic choices are the way in which fans connect with these characters, understand their nuances and critically, become immersed in this world. Because every single moment is deliberate, none of these drawn-out sequences were included just for the sake of it. By the time the Better Call Saul finale aired, fans had been on a journey and had come to understand the genius of what Vince Gilligan was creating. Breaking Bad's Pacing Has Carried Over to Better Call Saul and Pluribus Carol quietly rages in Pluribus Image via Apple TV+ There are two things worth highlighting about Vince Gilligan's career. The first is that he had released a somewhat forgotten TV show post-Breaking Bad, which failed to make much of an impact. It was a comedy detective show called Battle Creek, and despite receiving good reviews, it failed to truly feel like it had Gilligan's writing DNA within it. The second is that after Breaking Bad, but while Better Call Saul was still being released, Gilligan also created El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. Now this was a film that felt far closer to Better Call Saul than Breaking Bad in style, with those same nuanced decisions and longer sequences. The two make for an interesting comparison, both before and after Better Call Saul, because it is the latter that represents Gilligan's true style moving forward. That's why the debut of Pluribus is of great interest to those who have followed Gilligan's career and understand the evolution of his writing style. Because early clips, previews and trailers already showcase that style in action again. It's clear that this will be a nuanced, detailed, and slower-paced take on the science fiction drama. The show stars Rhea Seehorn, who also played Kim Wexler, and understands Gilligan's style better than anyone. Seehorn has become the writer's muse in many ways, truly tapping into that quieter, more pronounced storytelling ethos that Gilligan is curating. The pair make a formidable duo, making Pluribus an even purer showcase of his talents. Pluribus is focused on Carol, a woman who is immune to a virus that causes everyone else to become happy and content. She's the only person in the world who does not feel that same sense of joy, and with something missing in her life, it seems the globe's population is determined to right that wrong. It's a paranoid premise that taps into some classic sci-fi tropes. It's also a concept that lends itself beautifully to Gilligan's style. Because his methodical sequences aren't really about people doing stuff, or even the how or the why of it all. His writing style is so much more about the hidden meaning behind every choice. In the case of Pluribus, each one of these sequences will be used to explore sadness, loneliness and the lack of these emotions, in a complex arc that only Gilligan could portray quite in this way.
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  Publisher Name	Comic Book Resources (#1476)
  Publisher URL	https://www.cbr.com/
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  Trust Flow Score	25
  Citation Flow Score	36

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  Data Source Name	NewsCatcher (#303)
  Data Source Type	news
  Data Source URL	https://www.newscatcherapi.com/
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