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After an extended hiatus from sci-fi storytelling, Vince Gilligan is staging a return back to where he began. Launching his career with The Iconic X-Files Series, in which he penned three dozen installments, plus even writing the script behind Will Smith’s film Hancock, the creator has spent recent years focused on the universe from Breaking Bad Universe. Now, with his new Apple TV project Pluribus, he returns full circle toward the genre that kicked off his journey.

A Secretive Premise with Vague Trailers

The plot and premise for Pluribus remain closely guarded. The trailers and previews have all been intentionally vague. In one, a short clip shows a female character by herself at work at night nonchalantly taking pastries from a box labeled “Help yourself!” and licking each one prior to placing the treats carefully back in its place. Critics aren’t allowed to disclose anything regarding the show’s explosive premiere, beyond the fact the narrative kicks off when our modern world changes in a significant way.

The Creator’s Sci-Fi Recommendations

Because specifics about the story or production could not be discussed, the showrunner fielded a simple inquiry: Which additional science fiction series or movies ought fans see to prepare before Pluribus?

“Each of the 1956 and 1978 adaptations of Invasion of the Body Snatchers; that's a good touchstone,” Gilligan explains. “The Twilight Zone, that’s forever my favorite. The Thing, John Carpenter's version. I enjoy both versions, but I especially like Carpenter’s take.”

A Love Letter to Sci-Fi Fans

For those who are a fan of science fiction or scary movies, you’ll likely identify the stories that influenced Pluribus. Its inspirations aren’t exactly understated — and that’s the point. The creator says his goal with the new show was to riff on the genre itself.

“My thought process involved of all the sci-fi clichés and horror-movie trope I could throw into the series, before flip all of those tropes upside down,” Gilligan says. “ That was made me excited.”

In other words: Pluribus serves as a science fiction series aimed at genre lovers. Therefore, if you approach the show being a Breaking Bad superfan who’s never been much for science fiction, you may want to do a bit of homework in advance. Gilligan has now offered the essential watchlist.

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Pluribus premieres November 7 on Apple TV+.