Review: Pluribus, "Got Milk?" | Season 1, Episode 5

Note: If you missed the memo, Apple released this week's episode of Pluribus two days early in accordance with the American holiday.

"WE CAN’T READ MINDS," the collective told Carol via C-SPAN chyron in the first episode. Thank goodness. The fact that their knowledge is limited to what they can directly perceive (and that they err on the side of literal-mindedness) left space for Carol’s pretense during her brief scientist phase last week. And now it opens up the whole city as her investigative beat. She’s a detective! Prowling the (empty) streets! Following up on leads! And, it has to be noted, dealing with the not-insignificant annoyances of reporting her findings via mechanical carrier pigeon. Mannix never had to put up with this.

In the wake of Carol nearly killing Zosia, the collective withdraws entirely from her vicinity, leaving only a cheery recorded message that plays every time she picks up a phone. “We just need a little space,” they claim. While they certainly have a point about the distress caused to every member of the worldwide hive mind by her experiment, they also reveal a gloriously petty streak by forcing her to listen to the whole thirty-second explanation whenever she needs to get in touch.

Left alone—truly alone!—Carol seizes the opportunity to organize her investigation and leave video breadcrumbs in hopes of recruiting investigative partners among her fellow individuals. This program seems to give her a renewed sense of purpose; she curtails her drinking and goes back to sleeping in her bed instead of on the couch. (The bed, where Helen’s Agatha Christie novel and sleep mask still lie on the side table.) But being the only human being in Albuquerque comes with a catch: the coyotes now own the night. They get in the trash, which is annoying. They dig at Helen’s grave, which is terrifying. And Carol has no one to call for immediate help. She has to deal with the emergency herself, by running them off with her police car. Then once that threat has passed, she chooses to fix the situation herself, with the help of a trunkload of pavers from the local home store and a long day’s worth of sweat.