PLUR1BUS

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E pluribus unum: a Latin phrase meaning 'out of many, one'.

PLUR1BUS, now streaming on Apple TV+, is as contagious as the alien virus that infects humanity in its first episode. As the title hints, the show's major theme is from many, to one. (The title replaces the letter i with the numeral one.)

What happens to humanity if John Donne's quote "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main" becomes reality. What does it mean to our race if we suddenly are a single collective, a hive mind in which each individual knows, remembers, even senses what every other "individual" does? Is our individuality what defines us? Isn't every conflict, problem, angst the result of "man is an island unto himself," a direct contrast to Donne's sentiment?

Would a collective consciousness create happiness? If everyone shared the same motivations, purpose, and prioritized the collective's needs over the individual's? Wouldn't this commonality instantly resolve all conflict?

Then why is Carol Sturka (hilariously played by Rhea Seaehorn and one of a handful of characters immune to the contagion) not eager to embrace the calm contentedness of the hive? Why, when the world's population's only purpose is to bring Carol happiness, is she so infuriated and angry? Why does she choose to be unhappy?

And there is the crux of the real puzzle PLUR1BUS places before us. Is a fulfilling, happy life just that: a choice? I'm not sure if this first season will answer any of these questions, and I doubt the already green-lit second season will either. But it is one helluva ride trying to answer them.

I am in love with this series. Five out of five stars.

PS: There are a lot of Easter eggs in this series. Here's just two:

• Carol is an anagram of coral, a single organism made of many individuals;

• Carol wears a yellow leather jacket that suggests the color of the iconic smiley face symbol ... until she doesn't.

How many others can you find? (Hint: rewatch the Twilight Zone episode "Third from the Sun.") Let us know what you find and leave them in the comments, but try not to give away any spoilers.

Cast (Main)

Rhea Seehorn - Carol Sturka

Karolina Wydra - Zosia

Carlos-Manuel Vesga - Manousos Oviedo,[9]

Guest Stars

Miriam Shor - Helen L. Umstead

Samba Schutte - Koumba Diabaté

Peter Bergman - Davis Taffler

Max Reeves - Margaux

Anna Mhairi - Vesper

Olivia Rouyre - Genevieve

Esther Omegba - Jasmine

Imani Love - Cleo

Phuong Kubacki - Soleil

Menik Gooneratne - Laxmi

Sharon Gee - Xiu Mei

Darinka Arones - Kusimayu

Amaraa Sanjid - Otgonbayar,

Rayaan Kamal Khan - Ravi

Elena Estér - T'ika

Karan Soni - Deshpande

Allan McLeod - Bob

Jack Mikesell - Ray

Woody Fu - Dave

Blair Beeken - Jenn

Eric Steinig - Mel

Robert Bailey Jr. - DHL Guy

Jeff Hiller - Lawrence J. Kless

Tim Keller - Mayor Tim

Patrick Fabian - the voice of the Others' prerecorded messages to Carol