The fourth episode of Apple TV’s instant hit, Pluribus, finds our protagonist taking desperate measures to resolve her “me vs them” problem. Her drastic actions no longer have us questioning her state of happiness, but whether she’s a good person to begin with.
The episode opens with a man in solitude, working to find a radio signal in timed intervals. Suddenly, the phone rings. He answers, but immediately hangs up. This happens two more times, with a familiar voice on the other end. We realize this lone wolf is the Paraguayan Carol called while on the airplane in episode two. He thought Carol was part of “them” and refused to engage.
Back in the present, Carol returns from the hospital to find “them” tidying up after the mild explosion. Mildly annoyed, she decides to question one of the participants, named “Larry.” She tests Larry’s devotion to her, asking if he enjoyed her novels. He responds glowingly, confirming her work is better than Shakespearean plays. Breaking her own code of conduct, she deliberately asks what Helen thought of her books. Larry cannot lie and tells her Helen thought they were fine. Helen also felt differently about Carol’s unfinished novel, but encouraged her to publish it because it made her happy. Don’t ask questions that you don’t want the answers to.
This fractures something within Carol as she returns to the hospital to visit Zosia. Carol sounds genuine when apologizing for the mishap. But her concern morphs into more questioning. When the topic touches a dark time during Carol’s adolescence, Carol deduces that while “they” cannot lie, “they” can decide not to answer outright. Zosia hints at the possibility of reversing the hive mind, which drives Carol to hatch a plan.
Pulling some barbiturates from a supply closet, Carol returns home to test the vial’s potency on herself. She records herself injecting the drug and everything that happens after. Witnessing her erratic behavior — from mood swings to abrupt honesty — she returns to the hospital with the intent of slipping the dosage into Zosia’s IV.
Carol proceeds with her plan, wheeling Zosia outside. The medicine begins to take effect, sending Zosia into a delirious state. Carol asks what she needs to do to reverse the virus, but Zosia becomes too weak to answer. Soon, others surround the two, repeating “Please, Carol,” in an effort for her to stop the interrogation. Suddenly, Zosia collapses as she’s gone into cardiac arrest.
Historically, viewers have been conditioned to root for the one left behind in these sci-fi, horror scenarios where humanity has collapsed. Something is wrong with the collective horde; a more sinister conspiracy hides behind the happy faces. But, in the same instance, these stories usually reveal humans as the real monsters. And here, in this episode, Carol fell victim to that trope, resorting to the most depraved action to achieve what she considers normalcy. She most likely even shocked herself in that moment, realizing she had brought harm to something with no ill intent.
While it’s becoming harder to cheer for Carol, Rhea Seehorn puts on a masterclass, especially in her solo scene, watching herself become undone.
Rating: 10/10