Apple TV's Pluribus Borrows Its Central Premise From A 17-Year-Old Animated Sci-Fi Movie
By Dan Bibby
November 9th, 2025
Warning! Pluribus spoilers ahead!
Before I point out which sci-fi movie Pluribus reminds me of, I want to make it clear that I think Vince Gilligan's latest project is incredible. I have a huge affinity for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, which are the Pluribus showrunner's biggest shows to date. So to see him in charge of a sci-fi show, which is my favorite genre, is a dream come true for me. I know he was also very involved with The X Files, but that was a show that had a very different identity from the projects for which Gilligan wears the badge of head honcho.
That said, I can't ignore the similarities between Pluribus and an animated movie from 2008. I knew the premise felt familiar as soon as the Apple TV revealed a huge twist in the show's double-episode premiere. I want to be clear when I say that I don't think the parallel detracts from Pluribus. If anything, it makes me love it more. But I'll explode if I don't point it out to someone — so, you're welcome.
That said, I can't ignore the similarities between Pluribus and an animated movie from 2008. I knew the premise felt familiar as soon as the Apple TV revealed a huge twist in the show's double-episode premiere. I want to be clear when I say that I don't think the parallel detracts from Pluribus. If anything, it makes me love it more. But I'll explode if I don't point it out to someone — so, you're welcome.
Pluribus & Futurama's "The A Beast With A Billion Backs" Basically Have The Same Storyline
Apple TV's marketing strategy for Pluribus in the lead-up to the show's debut was to give almost nothing away when it came to the show's premise. All we really knew was that it was a sci-fi show from the Breaking Bad creator that starred Rhea Seehorn in the lead role. There were other details made available, but none of them provided anything like a clear idea of what Pluribus' storyline would revolve around. So, imagine my surprise when the show turned out to be about a happiness virus from outer space.
Those affected by the extraterrestrial virus in Pluribus are welcomed into a hive mind that eventually envelopes a huge portion of humanity, and the individuals brought into the fold talk about little else other than how blissful the experience is. In Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs, the alien known as Yivo pulls a very similar scheme that flirts with topics like the cost of world peace and the definition of free will. I'm not saying Pluribus and the 2008 straight-to-DVD Futurama movie are identical, but I'm not saying they feel entirely unique either.
Those affected by the extraterrestrial virus in Pluribus are welcomed into a hive mind that eventually envelopes a huge portion of humanity, and the individuals brought into the fold talk about little else other than how blissful the experience is. In Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs, the alien known as Yivo pulls a very similar scheme that flirts with topics like the cost of world peace and the definition of free will. I'm not saying Pluribus and the 2008 straight-to-DVD Futurama movie are identical, but I'm not saying they feel entirely unique either.
Pluribus Is A Far More Sincere & Layered Approach To The Beast With A Billion Backs' Themes
Futurama's primary objective as an animated sitcom is to make the audience laugh, so The Beast with a Billion Backs is obviously a pretty comedic affair. While it manages to touch on some pretty profound subjects, it understandably moves on from them pretty quickly. Inversely, Pluribus zeroes in on its central premise so it can pull it apart and put it back together again.
Pluribus' more in-depth and less humorous approach — although there is still room for some laughs — allows the audience to evaluate and reevaluate who exactly the story's bad guy is, rather than there being a clear answer to the question. In the Futurama movie, Yivo is never really framed in such an ambiguous light. Throughout, the story encourages the viewers to root for the Planet Express crew and the other characters to free themselves from the interdimensional alien's hold.
Pluribus' more in-depth and less humorous approach — although there is still room for some laughs — allows the audience to evaluate and reevaluate who exactly the story's bad guy is, rather than there being a clear answer to the question. In the Futurama movie, Yivo is never really framed in such an ambiguous light. Throughout, the story encourages the viewers to root for the Planet Express crew and the other characters to free themselves from the interdimensional alien's hold.
Pluribus' Futurama Similarities Don't Detract From How Brilliant The Apple TV Show Is
Sci-fi has a rich history of both introducing new tropes and reworking more familiar ones. After a while, it becomes almost impossible to come up with something entirely original that won't share similarities with one of its predecessors within the genre. So, it's not fair to judge any sci-fi property for not being entirely groundbreaking. What's important is whether a story puts its own spin on certain facets, and whether it's actually good.
Pluribus ticks both of those boxes. While some elements are SIMILAR to The Beast with a Billion Backs, the Apple TV show still feels like something completely brand new. Vince Gilligan's masterfully written characters are permitted to roam a world that quickly feels incredibly detailed. Plus, the first two episodes make it clear that fans are in for the kind of ride that'll feel fresh as hell as Pluribus surges onward.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV+. The Beast with a Billion Backs has since been split into four episodes and can be found as episodes 5-8 of Futurama season 4 on Disney+/Hulu.
Pluribus ticks both of those boxes. While some elements are SIMILAR to The Beast with a Billion Backs, the Apple TV show still feels like something completely brand new. Vince Gilligan's masterfully written characters are permitted to roam a world that quickly feels incredibly detailed. Plus, the first two episodes make it clear that fans are in for the kind of ride that'll feel fresh as hell as Pluribus surges onward.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV+. The Beast with a Billion Backs has since been split into four episodes and can be found as episodes 5-8 of Futurama season 4 on Disney+/Hulu.
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