New Books in Communications In “Pluribus” An America Without Division, But At What Price?
Nov 10, 2025
The hosts dive into the intriguing world of a new series that envisions a utopia through a virus that quells individuality. They discuss the slow-burn tension reminiscent of horror and Hitchcock's score. Focusing on the complex character of Carol, they analyze her artistic struggles and misanthropy. The conversation explores deeper themes of coercive happiness and societal critiques, comparing the show to classic invasion narratives. They also examine the show's meta-commentary and broader implications about media and political homogenization.
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Cold Open With Ads And Promos
- The episode opens with TV and ad clips, including a kidnapping promo and commercials that set tonal contrast.
- These cold-open fragments frame the show's mixing of genre and cultural commentary.
Invasion Metaphor For Enforced Sameness
- Pluribus uses a transmitted virus as a metaphor for enforced sameness that flattens individuality while creating quiescent satisfaction.
- Stephen Dyson and Jeff Dudas see the show's premise as a literary riff on invasion-of-the-body-snatchers themes about homogenization.
Happiness As Collective Flattening
- The virus flattens affect into a shared, positive-only register and links minds into a hive-like collective.
- Dyson highlights scenes where individuals become 'every human being' and thus lose their humanity.