AceShowbiz - Pluribus has received widespread critical acclaim, boasting an impressive 98% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the show's audience score sits significantly lower at 67%, largely due to mixed feelings about its protagonist, Carol Sturka, portrayed by Rhea Seehorn. Many viewers find Carol unlikable, a criticism that has sparked considerable conversation ahead of the series’ upcoming second season.

Despite this, Pluribus remains Apple TV’s most-watched series, highlighting a fascinating divide between critical praise and audience reception. The criticism that Carol is difficult to root for was brought up directly during a panel discussion titled “Albuquerque Aftermath: From Breaking Bad to Pluribus” at SXSW, where Seehorn candidly addressed the issue.

Seehorn explained that the label “unlikable” is often overused, particularly when describing female characters. She suggested that societal expectations have traditionally confined what it means for a woman to be “likable” in storytelling. Rather than conform to these limiting norms, she strives to portray Carol as a fully complex character who is grappling with profound loss and upheaval in her life. Carol is navigating the death of her wife Helen, the collapse of her career, and a world turned upside down by an alien virus, known as the Pluribus virus.

In her own words, “I understand the question, but the question behind the question with the word ‘unlikable,’ I think, is a misuse, or overuse, about female characters. Because how people have been defining what's likable in a woman in a very, very restrictive way to play a character. It’s much more important that that character be accessible in some way, and for me behaving truthfully and honest a moment when people would say, ‘Wow, she’s really not polite when they bring her things.’ [The Others] killed my wife. My career is gone. I might die alone watching Golden Girls, so sorry if I’m a bit chirpy … Carol is allowed to be the full spectrum of human behavior … I find her complex and difficult and challenging.”

Vince Gilligan, creator of Pluribus, added insight during the panel by explaining the dramatic contrast between Carol and the other characters infected by the alien virus. These infected individuals come across as overwhelmingly kind and polite, which makes Carol’s blunt and often abrasive demeanor a deliberate dramatic choice. According to Gilligan, this contrast follows a classic storytelling principle: placing a protagonist who rejects social niceties against a backdrop of seemingly benevolent hive-minded characters creates tension and intrigue.

Furthermore, Seehorn emphasized that Carol’s hostility towards the hive mind is understandable, especially since the virus is responsible for the death of her wife Helen. The emotional weight of this loss informs Carol’s behavior and her reluctance to engage warmly with the infected population.

This is not the first time a female character in a Gilligan series has been labeled unlikable by viewers. The character Skyler White, played by Anna Gunn in Breaking Bad, faced similar backlash, though Skyler was not the central protagonist as Carol is in Pluribus. Nonetheless, both characters have attracted significant viewer vitriol, highlighting ongoing challenges female leads face in audience reception.

Within the narrative of Pluribus, most of the characters who remain immune to the virus are antagonistic or indifferent to Carol. Many either desire to join the hive mind or benefit from its seemingly endless generosity, causing friction. However, one notable exception is Manousos Oviedo, played by Carlos Manuel Vesga. Manousos is a determined survivor who shares Carol’s skepticism and hostility toward the hive mind. His journey to Albuquerque, where he plans to join forces with Carol to fight back, adds an important dynamic to the story.

Interestingly, Manousos has not been subject to the same unlikability criticism as Carol, despite his similarly harsh attitude. This may reflect an underlying gender bias among viewers or simply differing audience perceptions of male and female characters exhibiting difficult traits.

With Pluribus season 2 currently in development, the upcoming episodes present an opportunity to further explore and potentially shift audience attitudes toward these complex characters. Seehorn’s remarks suggest that the show’s creators are conscious of the criticisms and intend to deepen Carol’s characterization, challenging viewers to reconsider their initial impressions.

As Pluribus continues to blend drama, thriller, and sci-fi elements, its narrative focus on human complexity amid extraordinary circumstances remains a compelling draw. The tension between critical acclaim and audience reception around characters like Carol Sturka underscores the evolving conversation about representation and character complexity in modern television.