There are very few names in television that carry as much weight — or expectation — as showrunner Vince Gilligan. His crime-drama epic “Breaking Bad” is frequently mentioned at the peak of top 10 lists, with the critically acclaimed spinoff “Better Call Saul” following close behind. It feels like every project with Gilligan’s fingerprints on it turns to gold, so when news broke out that “Better Call Saul” alumna Rhea Seehorn would headline his next major project, “Pluribus,” it felt like the new sci-fi drama might have all the makings of another classic.

With the first five episodes out now, it’s time to take the temperature and see what kind of show “Pluribus” is shaping up to be.

“Pluribus” follows a woman named Carol, portrayed by Seehorn, as she fights to wrestle humanity from the clutches of a psychic alien virus. As one of the last 13 uninfected individuals on earth, Carol possesses an immunity toward an extraterrestrial genome that has infected every other human being. Now, all of mankind is a hive-minded entity intent on spreading peace, love and happiness despite Carol’s hatred toward it.

Most interestingly, the dynamic between the hive mind’s loving nature and Carol’s miserable outlook creates the grounds for some of the most important messaging the show has to offer, positioning individuality and utilitarian concerns at odds with one another. The plot, while sometimes paced begrudgingly, brings these unexplored angles to a body-snatcher’s story that audiences haven’t seen.

That slow pacing can be deadly at times, though. By the end of the fifth episode, it’s hard not to feel like Carol’s trapped in an endless cycle of experimentation. The cat-and-mouse game between Carol and the hive mind is never-ending, creating immense emotional repetition where the show seems to hit identical plot beats over and over again.

At times, Gilligan reminds you what’s so riveting about his boundless creativity, while at other times, Carol’s isolation feels like your own, in which the plot drags. Everything about this story screams latent potential, and that potential oozes through Gilligan’s signature ingenuity. His scripts are inventive in every way imaginable, and that level of mastery still bears promise in a show that has been relatively one-note up to now.

Even with his proficiency in screenwriting, almost any plot can be kept afloat with a charismatic and layered cast of characters. Unfortunately, there are only two that really matter this season.

There’s Carol herself and the hive-minded vessel assigned to communicate with her, Zosia, played by Karolina Wydra. Both Seehorn and Wydra are outstanding in their roles, with Wydra excelling at capturing an unsettling morality that the “Pluribus” alien is primarily characterized by. Even though the cast itself is a bit short-staffed, the screenplay is so fresh and inspired that Carol and the hive mind’s interactions serve as a strong core for the majority of the conversations in the show.

Alternatively, Carol is a less intriguing leading character than those who have helmed Gilligan’s past works. Her misery is infectious, and there are plenty of times where it’s legitimately difficult to reconcile her decisions with real-world logic. She’s human in this regard, but it’s difficult to root for a character that often seems to work against her own best interests.

For Carol, these mistakes come in the form of losing control and sending the hive mind into shock, which poses a colossal risk to millions of human lives. When Carol makes this mistake multiple times over, it’s easy to want more dynamic or responsive characteristics in our protagonist. These are issues that aren’t typical of Gilligan’s scripts and will hopefully be sorted out by the end of this season.

While it’s hard to give “Pluribus” a solid analysis as it’s still such a young project, the bones of a gripping sci-fi drama are evident in this Apple TV+ exclusive. “Pluribus” has yet to fully realize the entertainment potential of its own premise, and consequently, it’s hard to give any complete critique of its introductory episodes. With all that being said, keep an eye out for where this show goes in the future, but temper your expectations for these early installments.