The Showrunner Discloses He Knows How His Sci-Fi Series Might Finish... Currently.
The creative mastermind did not foresee that Pluribus would emerge as a massive hit. “I am so grateful to the audience,” Gilligan says. “It was unexpected the show being as passionately debated as it is, and it makes me thrilled beyond words.”
As the debut season of the hit program coming to an end—and Season 2 greenlit and underway—the creative team opened up about the viewer reception and whether it will impact the future direction of Pluribus.
About the Incredible Audience Reaction
One could easily to get distracted by the rampant praise and fan theories surrounding Pluribus. The creator is doing his best to avoid both.
“It feels like an endless supply of hot fudge sundaes and being laughing uncontrollably,” he describes. “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 living in squalor from the hardware store and I'd be stuck in my living room.”
Despite Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no way to avoid the immensely favorable response to the series. The most practical strategy is to acknowledge it humbly and try not to let it dictate the story of the show.
“We don't try to tailor anything,” says co-executive producer Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not influenced by audience chatter.”
“Better to keep our heads down and working,” he chimes in.
The Central Mystery: Has Vince Gilligan See the Ending of Pluribus?
Given that Gilligan and his team aren't taking cues by fan response, does that mean they have mapped out how Pluribus will ultimately end? In short yes… sort of.
“There are some potential directions about the ultimate destination,” Gilligan reveals. “but we are always ready to discard a good idea for a better idea. That philosophy has guided us in good stead on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We scrap ideas when we find a more perfect path and I expect we'll continue doing that.”
On the other hand, if they hit a wall, director and writer Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to use as a backup.
“My recurring proposal is that it's all in a snow globe, and that we'll reveal the snow globe and we're in there,” Smith quips, “but nobody's taking me up on that.”
Alternatively, why mess with the iconic TV endings?
“My dream is Carol to wake up in bed beside Bob Newhart,” he jokes.
Pluribus can be watched on Apple TV+.
