The Showrunner Discloses He Has a Plan for How Pluribus Might Finish... Currently.
Vince Gilligan did not foresee that his new science-fiction series would emerge as a massive hit. “God bless the fans,” Gilligan says. “It was unexpected the show being as talked about as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
Now that Season 1 of the popular program reaching its finale—and the next chapter greenlit and underway—the creative team recently discussed the viewer reception and whether it will impact the narrative path of Pluribus.
On the Tremendous Fan Response
One could easily to get sidetracked by the widespread acclaim and online debates about Pluribus. Gilligan, however, is doing his best to ignore the noise.
“The experience is akin to force fed your favorite dessert and being in a state of bliss,” he explains. “It's the greatest thing, but I get wind of it anecdotally, and that's by design. I have never Googled myself, nor do I ever intend to. Not because I don't care. It's a deep trap I know I would get lost in and then I'd be pooping in a five gallon bucket from Home Depot and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
Despite Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no way to avoid the overwhelmingly positive response to the series. The best he and his team can do is to accept it graciously and try not to let it influence the direction of the show.
“We don't try to change the plot,” says co-executive producer Alison Tatlock. “The narrative we craft is not impacted by what people are saying.”
“We prefer to keep our focus on the work,” Gilligan adds.
The Big Question: Has the showrunner See the Conclusion of Pluribus?
Considering Gilligan and his team aren’t being guided by public opinion, can we assume they have already decided how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? The answer is yes… sort of.
“There are some interesting ideas about how the story could conclude,” he states. “yet we stand ready to throw out a solid concept for a more brilliant plan. That has held us in well on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We throw stuff out when we get a better idea and I imagine we will be doing that.”
Then again, if all else fails, Gordon Smith has a rather amusing idea to fall back on.
“I keep pitching that the entire story is inside a snow globe, and that we'll zoom out in the finale and we're in there,” Smith quips, “but nobody's taking me up on that.”
Of course, why not reference the classics?
“I want Carol to awaken beside Bob Newhart,” Gilligan says with a smile.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV+.
