The Showrunner Reveals He Has a Plan for How His Sci-Fi Series Will Conclude... Currently.
Vince Gilligan never anticipated that Pluribus would emerge as a breakout success. “The viewers have been incredible,” he remarks. “I did not foresee the show being as talked about as it is, and it makes me thrilled beyond words.”
Now that Season 1 of the hit series reaching its finale—and Season 2 already in development—Gilligan and his team opened up about the audience reaction and whether it will influence the narrative path of Pluribus.
Regarding the Overwhelming Audience Reaction
Anyone might to get swayed by the constant speculation and online debates about Pluribus. The creator is making a conscious effort to steer clear of all that.
“It's like being constantly eating your favorite dessert and being in a state of bliss,” he says. “It's wonderful, but I get wind of it from others, and that's by design. Never in my life searched for my own name online, nor do I ever plan to. It's quite the opposite. It's a rabbit hole I know I would disappear down and then I'd be pooping in a five gallon bucket from the hardware store and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
Despite his concerted efforts, there’s it's impossible to ignore the overwhelmingly positive response to the series. The most practical strategy is to acknowledge it humbly and try not to let it alter the course of the show.
“It is not our goal to change the plot,” says Alison Tatlock. “The narrative we craft is not influenced by what people are saying.”
“We prefer to keep our noses to the grindstone,” Gilligan adds.
The Central Mystery: Does the showrunner Have a Plan for the Ending of Pluribus?
So if the creative staff are not listening by public opinion, does that mean they have mapped out how Pluribus will ultimately end? In short yes… in a way.
“We've developed some compelling concepts about how the story could conclude,” he states. “yet we stand ready to throw out a decent plan for a superior concept. This approach has served us in good stead on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We change course when we find a more perfect path and I imagine we will be doing that.”
On the other hand, if all else fails, director and writer Gordon Smith has a rather amusing idea to use as a backup.
“My recurring proposal is that it's all in a snow globe, and that we'll pull back at the end and we're in there,” Smith jokes, “but no one is buying it.”
Alternatively, why not reference the iconic TV endings?
“I want Carol to wake up in bed next to Bob Newhart,” he jokes.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV+.