Since its launch in 2025, “Pluribus” has captured the attention of streaming audiences worldwide, securing nearly flawless ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and smashing records as the most-viewed original series in the history of Apple TV. The show features Rhea Seehorn as Carol Sturka, a sharp-witted romantasy writer from Albuquerque. Carol stands out as one of the rare individuals unaffected by an alien virus that merges humans into a singular, overly-enthusiastic collective consciousness. Determined to undo the virus’s effects, Carol embarks on a mission at any cost.
“Pluribus” is the creation of Vince Gilligan, famed for his work on the critically acclaimed series “Breaking Bad” and its successful prequel/spin-off “Better Call Saul.” Although “Pluribus” explores a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by an alien virus, marking what might seem like an unusual turn for Gilligan, he is no stranger to the genre. His earlier work includes writing several episodes of “The X-Files” in the late ’90s and early 2000s, with Season 3’s “Pusher” being one of the standout episodes. Additionally, his first screenplay was for the lesser-known 1993 dark fantasy film “Wilder Napalm.”
“Wilder Napalm” features Arliss Howard and Dennis Quaid as pyrokinetic siblings, Wilder and Wallace. Following a tragic childhood prank that results in a homeless man’s death, Wilder opts for a low-profile life as a volunteer firefighter, even as he shares his life with Vida (Debra Winger), an adventurous arsonist. On the other hand, Wallace dons a clown persona, aspiring to showcase his fire-bending talents as “Dr. Napalm” on “The David Letterman Show.” When Wallace’s carnival arrives in town, he sets his sights on Vida, igniting a unique twist on the concept of “burning love.”
In a unique cinematic venture, Vince Gilligan penned a tale of a love triangle involving a woman and two fire-wielding brothers, one of whom moonlights as a clown—a plot unlikely to be replicated soon. “Wilder Napalm” delivers a distinctive narrative, complete with whimsical elements such as Vida’s green-themed aesthetics and the firefighter quartet, The Mighty Echoes, who serenade with fiery tunes. Despite its eccentric premise and quotable lines, the film never attained cult status, remaining an overlooked gem. While it may not rival “The Big Lebowski” or “Napoleon Dynamite,” fans of those films will find much to appreciate.
Although “Wilder Napalm” was a commercial failure, grossing under $1 million and labeled a “studio disaster” by Film Comment magazine, it remains a comedy misfire worth viewing. Critics largely panned the film, though some acknowledged its occasional brilliance. Janet Maslin of The New York Times noted the film straddled “the cusp between the inspired and the flat-out unreleasable,” commending the actors’ committed performances. Regardless of its critical reception, “Wilder Napalm” was a personal triumph for stars Arliss Howard and Debra Winger, who began dating on set and have been married since 1996.
Wilder Napalm was called a studio disaster
The film “Wilder Napalm” shares intriguing links with Vince Gilligan’s acclaimed series “Breaking Bad,” a gripping drama aired on AMC. After graduating from NYU, Gilligan clinched a screenwriting contest with “Home Fries,” which later became a 1998 film starring Drew Barrymore and Luke Wilson. Producer Mark Johnson, one of the contest judges, became a mentor to Gilligan. Reflecting on this, Gilligan told Vulture in 2011, “He asked me if I had any other scripts, and I sent him ‘Wilder Napalm.'” To this day, Johnson remains a fellow executive producer on “Breaking Bad.”
“Wilder Napalm” flopped hard at the time (the movie earned less than $1 million and was deemed a “studio disaster” by Film Comment magazine), but it’s a comedy box office bomb that’s actually worth watching. The majority of critics disliked the movie, though some of those who gave it a negative review admitted that it contains some flashes of brilliance. Writing for The New York Times, critic Janet Maslin described the film as existing “somewhere on the cusp between the inspired and the flat-out unreleasable,” praising the dedicated performances. Despite the reception, “Wilder Napalm” was at least a personal success for lead actors Arliss Howard and the rarely heard from Debra Winger – they began dating after meeting on set and have been married since 1996.
The movie has surprising connections to Breaking Bad
TriStar Pictures
“Wilder Napalm” has some notable and surprising connections to what is arguably Vince Gilligan’s best show, the nail-biting AMC drama “Breaking Bad.” After graduating from NYU, Gilligan won a screenwriting contest with “Home Fries,” which eventually became a 1998 film starring Drew Barrymore and Luke Wilson. Producer Mark Johnson was one of the contest judges and subsequently became a mentor for Gilligan. “He asked me if I had any other scripts, and I sent him ‘Wilder Napalm,’” Gilligan told Vulture in 2011. “Even to this day, Mark’s my fellow executive producer on ‘Breaking Bad.’”
That’s not the only connection between “Wilder Napalm” and “Breaking Bad.” In 2019, Dean Norris — who memorably played DEA agent Hank Schrader in all five seasons of “Breaking Bad” — revealed on X that he was cast as a police officer in “Wilder Napalm,” but his scenes were deleted from the final film. “Got a jacket and t-shirt for crew gift,” he said. “I wore the t-shirt to the first table read of ‘Breaking Bad’ with Vince Gilligan.”
What’s more, while his role as Wallace (aka Biff the Clown, aka Dr. Napalm) wasn’t enough to score “Wilder Napalm” a spot on the list of Dennis Quaid’s best movies, you could argue his depiction of an amoral antihero willing to incinerate his family for success serves as a prototype for later Gilligan protagonists Walter White and Saul Goodman. Flawed but fascinating, “Wilder Napalm” is ultimately an imaginative and uninhibited movie from one of television’s greatest creative minds.
