The 'Breaking Bad' Creator Reveals He Has a Plan for How Pluribus Will End... Currently.
Vince Gilligan did not foresee that Pluribus would become a cultural phenomenon. “The viewers have been incredible,” he remarks. “I was surprised by the show being as passionately debated as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
Now that Season 1 of the popular series coming to an end—and the next chapter already in development—Gilligan and his team opened up about the fan response and whether it will impact the future direction of Pluribus.
Regarding the Tremendous Audience Reaction
Anyone might to get distracted by the constant speculation and fan theories regarding Pluribus. He is making a conscious effort to ignore the noise.
“It feels like an endless supply of your favorite dessert and being in a state of bliss,” he says. “It's wonderful, but I hear about it through word of mouth, and that's on purpose. I have never Googled myself, nor do I ever intend to. It's quite the opposite. It's a deep trap I know I would fall into and then I'd be living in squalor from the hardware store and I'd be stuck in my living room.”
In spite of his concerted efforts, there’s no escaping the overwhelmingly positive response to the series. The most practical strategy is to accept it graciously and try not to let it dictate the story of the show.
“We don't try to adjust our writing,” says writer and executive producer Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not changed by online forums.”
“Better to keep our focus on the work,” Gilligan concludes.
The Central Mystery: Does the showrunner Know the Conclusion of Pluribus?
Considering Gilligan and his team are not listening by public opinion, does it imply they have mapped out how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? In short yes… with some caveats.
“We've developed some interesting ideas about how the story could conclude,” Gilligan says. “yet we stand ready to throw out a good idea for a superior concept. This approach has served us in good stead on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We scrap ideas when we conceive of something superior and I suspect we'll be doing that.”
Then again, if they hit a wall, Gordon Smith has a pretty funny idea to serve as a last resort.
“I keep pitching that the entire story is inside a snow globe, and that we'll reveal the snow globe and that's where they've been all along,” Smith jokes, “though the idea hasn't gained traction.”
Alternatively, why mess with the legendary finales?
“I want Carol to awaken with Bob Newhart there,” Gilligan adds, smiling.
Pluribus is currently available on Apple TV+.
