Breaking Bad was such an incredibly popular show with so much residual pop culture appeal that it makes sense that the next project from its creator would have a very Breaking Bad-centric marketing campaign. Vince Gilligan has proved himself more than capable of writing quality TV drama, but the far-out premise of Pluribus seemingly had its studio and streamer a bit nervous about its appeal.
Perhaps thanks to the heavy-handed campaign of Pluribus being from the maker of Breaking Bad, the new show set a record as the biggest Apple TV drama launch. The show was particularly popular in the US at launch, but its prominence in the UK, Brazil, France, and beyond helped to propel it beyond even Severance Season 2. Now, several weeks after it premiered, Pluribus looks to be standing on its own feet.
Banking on Breaking Bad 12 Years Later
Breaking Bad concluded in September 2013. By 2015, a spin-off show, Better Call Saul, was picking up speed and even ran for more seasons. The original show was on for 62 episodes over five seasons, while the prequel run was on for 63 episodes over six seasons. It spoke to the rampant popularity of the original show and Gilligan’s ability to write compelling drama. Along with the spin-off that ended in 2022, Breaking Bad has a spin-off movie and more.
The show’s instantly recognizable main characters, its story, and its setting have enabled the brand to continue to sell very well. There’s even an official Breaking Bad merchandise store now, which spans everything from cooking gear to life-size character standees. It’s also made it into the online gaming space. The Breaking Bad Roulette Mega Fire Blaze is placed at the top of the featured games section of a UK online casino.
When you’ve got a strong merchandising arm, a successful spin-off, and an online casino game, it’d be fair to say that the brand holds a lot of weight and pop culture appeal. So, it makes sense that Apple TV would promote Pluribus as the next from the Breaking Bad creator. They even brought in Breaking Bad actors Bryan Cranston, Bob Odenkirk, and Aaron Paul to appear in promotion teasers. Even so, Pluribus has since emerged to stand on its own.
Glowing Reviews and Driving the Conversation
The first couple of episodes of Pluribus garnered a superb audience for Apple TV, which we can likely credit in large part to the marketing. However, since then, the show has been able to step out of Breaking Bad’s shadow and stand on its own two feet. A review from the BBC after its opening episodes hailed the show as one of the smartest of the year. Others, like the one from The Guardian, celebrated its boldness in creating such a blackly comic show.
From there, interest in the show didn’t wane. In fact, it only further fuelled further discussion. Each week, the crafty manner in which Gilligan has woven this dystopic story and the cliff-hangers he’s happily left viewers on have spawned a lot of conversation. People talk about it each week with their friends and colleagues, and entertainment outlets craft theory articles to try to capitalise on the interest.
The first season of Pluribus will end on December 26, 2025, and when it does, Apple will only feel happier with itself for green-lighting a second run so swiftly.
About Author
