As Vince Gilligan's most recent project, Pluribus has been getting mentioned online in the same breath as Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and now the Apple TV show has finally provided its first crossover tease. However, those waiting for solid confirmation that Rhea Seehorn's Carol Sturka exists in the same version of Albuquerque as Breaking Bad are going to be sadly disappointed.
Certain members of Gilligan's devoted following have been formulating a theory that Pluribus is a stealth sequel to the Breaking Bad franchise, and that Seehorn is actually reprising her role as Kim Wexler under a new moniker. Other than sharing a showrunner and setting, Pluribus and Breaking Bad have very little in common. Still, it hasn't dissuaded the wild speculation. Thankfully, Pluribus season 1, Episode 5, "Got Milk," puts the theory to bed once and for all in a very subtle — but undeniable — way.
Patrick Fabian's Pluribus voice cameo wouldn't be possible if the show was in the Breaking Bad universe
"Got Milk" had a hidden reunion between Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian, with the latter providing the voice of the Other who communicated with Carol via recently recorded phone messages. Fabian played Howard Hamlin in every season of Better Call Saul, which was a prequel to Breaking Bad. When Howard was introduced, it became unclear why he never appeared in the franchise's parent show, but that question was answered when he was killed in Better Call Saul's final season.
Things like smartphones in Pluribus reveal that the show is set years after Breaking Bad, so it would be impossible for Fabian to come back and play Howard in any kind of canonical sequel. So, hearing Fabian's voice in Pluribus means he is playing a brand-new character, who is presumably identical to Howard Hamlin, at least at first glance, but with no connection other than sharing the same actor. Therefore, Pluribus has now provided evidence that it doesn't belong in the Breaking Bad universe and that the Apple TV show takes place in a completely different version of Albuquerque.
Besides, it was always no more than an outside chance that the theory would be proven correct. For starters, Kim became relatively notorious among the Albuquerque community in Better Call Saul, and also admitted to her role in the events that caused Howard's death and the disappearance of his body. If she suddenly shot to fame as the author of the Winds of Wycaro novels, there's no way that her dark past wouldn't find its way into the public eye.
Plus, while it may seem a little unusual that Gilligan returned to Albuquerque to shoot Pluribus, despite its strong connections to Breaking Bad, there's a reasonable explanation. Breaking Bad was originally intended to be filmed in Riverside, California, but production shifted to New Mexico due to tax benefits that ultimately lowered production costs. The spinoff Better Call Saul was also set there to maintain continuity with the original show.
When the time to make Pluribus came around, Gilligan had spent so long making Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad in New Mexico that he'd assembled a trusted and talented team of individuals who were based in the area. So, Pluribus' primary setting isn't the clue many fans have interpreted it as; it was simply a choice by Gilligan that streamlined the show's production, which just so happened to be influenced by Gilligan's experiences making other shows.
Patrick Fabian's role in Pluribus only proves one thing
it's pretty common for filmmakers and showrunners to have a pool of actors that they enjoy working with. These frequent collaborations become a signature of their work, like how Leonardo DiCaprio often teams up with Martin Scorsese. Vince Gillian isn't immune to these types of casting preferences, but with him working primarily on long-running TV shows rather than standalone movies, the trend is less pronounced.
For example, Gilligan first worked with Bryan Cranston on a 1998 episode of The X Files, and when the time came to choose an actor to play Walter White, the Breaking Bad showrunner quickly teamed back up with Cranston ahead of the show's 2008 debut. A more recent and prolific instance is obviously Rhea Seehorn leading the Pluribus cast after also being a main star of Better Call Saul.
Gilligan moved on to making Pluribus after Better Call Saul, with no projects in between. So, Fabian's immediate role in the Apple TV show proves how much respect Gilligan has for the actor's performances as Howard, even if there is only room in the show for a small cameo. Similarly, Seehorn has now worked in back-to-back projects with Vince Gilligan, so keep your eyes peeled for other potential Pluribus cameos from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul stars.
A new episode of Pluribus is available every Friday on Apple TV until the season 1 finale on December 26, 2025.