Vince Gilligan Discloses He Knows How Pluribus Will End... Currently.
The creative mastermind did not foresee that the Apple TV+ show would become a cultural phenomenon. “God bless the fans,” he states. “I did not foresee the show being as passionately debated as it is, and it makes me thrilled beyond words.”
With the first season of the popular sci-fi show reaching its finale—and Season 2 greenlit and underway—the creative team opened up about the viewer reception and whether it will impact the narrative path of Pluribus.
On the Incredible Audience Reaction
Anyone might to get sidetracked by the rampant praise and audience predictions surrounding Pluribus. Gilligan, however, is striving to steer clear of all that.
“It feels like force fed hot fudge sundaes and being tickled to death,” he says. “It's amazing, but I get wind of it from others, and that's on purpose. Never in my life Googled myself, nor do I ever want to. Not because I don't care. It's a bottomless pit I know I would fall into and then I'd be living in squalor from the hardware store and I'd never leave my living room.”
Despite trying to stay away, there’s no escaping the immensely favorable response to the series. The best he and his team can do is to acknowledge it humbly and try not to let it influence the direction of the show.
“It is not our goal to tailor anything,” says Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not influenced by audience chatter.”
“We prefer to keep our noses to the grindstone,” Gilligan concludes.
A Pressing Query: Does the showrunner Know the Ending of Pluribus?
So if the creative staff are not listening by fan response, does that mean they have mapped out how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? The answer is yes… with some caveats.
“We've developed some potential directions about the ultimate destination,” Gilligan says. “yet we stand ready to abandon a solid concept for a better idea. That has held us in excellent shape 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.”
Alternatively, if plans fall through, executive producer Gordon Smith has a rather amusing idea to use as a backup.
“I keep pitching that everything takes place within a snow globe, and that we'll reveal the snow globe and the characters are inside it,” Smith quips, “though the idea hasn't gained traction.”
Alternatively, why mess with the iconic TV endings?
“I'd love for Carol to wake up in bed next to Bob Newhart,” Gilligan says with a smile.
Pluribus is currently available on the streaming service.