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Following a long break away from sci-fi storytelling, the celebrated showrunner is staging a comeback back to his roots. Launching his career with The Iconic X-Files, where he penned 30 episodes, and also crafting the script behind the superhero comedy Hancock, Gilligan has spent the past decade-plus focused on the universe of Breaking Bad. This fall, via his latest Apple TV project Pluribus, he returns full circle toward sci-fi that kicked off his journey.

A Mysterious Premise with Cryptic Teasers

The storyline and premise of Pluribus remain top secret. Promotional clips and previews are intentionally vague. For example, a brief scene shows a woman alone in an office after hours calmly lifting donuts out of a box labeled “Help yourself!” then tasting each one before placing the treats neatly into the box. Critics aren’t allowed to disclose details about the show’s explosive first episode, beyond the fact the narrative begins when our modern world changes in a significant way.

Gilligan’s Sci-Fi Watchlist

Since details about the story or development could not be discussed, Gilligan fielded an innocuous inquiry: Which other sci-fi shows or movies should fans watch to get ready before Pluribus?

“Each of the 1956 and 1978 adaptations from Body Snatchers; that's a good touchstone,” he states. “Twilight Zone, that’s forever my favorite. The Thing, the John Carpenter version. I like each one, but I especially like the John Carpenter version.”

A Love Letter for Science Fiction Enthusiasts

If you’re an admirer of science fiction or scary movies, you will probably identify the tales that influenced Pluribus. Its inspirations are far from understated — which is the point. Gilligan notes his goal for this series was to play with the genre itself.

“My thought process involved of all the sci-fi clichés and horror conventions I could throw into the series, and then flip all of those tropes upside down,” he adds. “ That was made me excited.”

In other words: Pluribus serves as a sci-fi show aimed at genre lovers. Therefore, if you’re coming to it as a Breaking Bad superfan who’s never been much for sci-fi, it’s wise to do a bit of homework beforehand. The showrunner just provided the curriculum.

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Pluribus premieres November 7 on Apple TV.