Apple TV+ Pluribus Stephen King Criticism Feels Ironic
Apple TV+ Pluribus and the Irony of Stephen King’s Complaint
Stephen King recently voiced his concern about the future of Pluribus on Apple TV+, warning that long gaps between seasons could seriously harm the show. It is a familiar complaint in the age of prestige television. Audiences grow impatient, momentum fades, and interest risks evaporating.
What makes King’s concern striking, however, is who it is coming from.
This is the same Stephen King who spent decades guiding readers through The Dark Tower, a sprawling, uneven saga that might never have reached its conclusion at all if King had not been struck by a car in 1999, an event he has openly acknowledged reshaped his urgency as a writer.
What Is Pluribus on Apple TV+?
Pluribus is a slow-burn science-fiction series that deliberately withholds answers. Its first season focuses on atmosphere, character, and mystery rather than immediate payoff, asking viewers to trust that clarity will come later.
That trust, so far, has been rewarded. Despite its restrained pacing, Pluribus became Apple TV+’s most-watched show and earned near-universal critical acclaim, including a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score. Clearly, audiences were not scared off by its ambiguity, at least not yet.
Why Pluribus Season 2 Is Taking So Long
The concern arises from creator Vince Gilligan’s apparent lack of urgency in moving forward with season two. Gilligan has made it clear that he prefers not to rush the creative process, opting instead to protect the long-term integrity of the story.
From a creative standpoint, this approach is easy to defend. Gilligan has built his reputation on patience, structure, and long-form payoff. Still, in today’s streaming landscape, where shows sometimes vanish between seasons for four or five years, fans have reason to worry.
Stephen King’s Comments on Pluribus
King expressed his frustration on social media, noting that modern audiences may not even live long enough to see some shows completed. It is a grim observation, but not an inaccurate one.
What makes it controversial is the source. King’s own career is filled with long-running narratives, delayed conclusions, and sprawling detours. His readers did not just wait years for answers. They waited decades.
Why the Complaint Feels Ironic Coming From Stephen King
There is an undeniable irony in King warning viewers about patience. The Dark Tower did not simply ask readers to wait. It asked them to endure tonal shifts, abandoned threads, and entire volumes that felt like detours rather than progress.
To be fair, King has never hidden his imperfections as a writer. But hearing him caution against slow, drawn-out storytelling, when his legacy is built on exactly that, feels more than a little rich.
Do Long Gaps Between Seasons Actually Hurt Shows?
They can. Shows that rely on mystery and long-term investment are especially vulnerable to audience drift. Pluribus season one only scratches the surface of its larger narrative, and Gilligan has reportedly mapped out a four-season arc.
If season two takes too long to arrive, some viewers may simply move on. Momentum matters, and goodwill is easier to lose than to rebuild.
Pluribus, Slow-Burn Storytelling, and Audience Patience
That said, slow storytelling is not a flaw. It is a risk. One that Pluribus knowingly takes. The first season establishes tone and ambition, even if it delays gratification.
Season two represents a crucial moment. It is the chance to deepen engagement without betraying the show’s careful pacing. Whether that moment arrives soon enough remains to be seen.
When Waiting Works: Stranger Things Season 5
Long waits do not always end badly. Stranger Things took years to reach its fifth and final season, slowed by production scale, global disruptions, and creative ambition. Yet anticipation only grew, and the series remained culturally dominant throughout the delay.
Sometimes, taking time is not a sign of creative failure. It is the cost of doing the work properly.
Additional Context on Pluribus
Pluribus is created by Vince Gilligan, best known for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The show was designed as a multi-season story from the outset, with a planned four-season structure. Its success on Apple TV+ suggests that audiences are still willing to invest in slow, deliberate storytelling, provided they believe the payoff will eventually come.
In the end, Stephen King may be right to worry about audience patience. But coming from a writer whose most iconic series tested that patience for decades, the warning lands less like wisdom and more like projection.