The 'Breaking Bad' Creator Reveals He Knows How Pluribus Will Conclude... Currently.
The acclaimed writer-producer did not foresee that Pluribus would emerge as a massive hit. “The viewers have been incredible,” he states. “I was surprised by the show being as widely discussed as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
Now that Season 1 of the acclaimed program wrapping up—and a second season already in development—the writers' room opened up about the fan response and whether it will shape the narrative path of Pluribus.
Regarding the Overwhelming Fan Response
It would be easy to get swayed by the rampant praise and audience predictions surrounding Pluribus. Gilligan, however, is striving to steer clear of all that.
“It feels like an endless supply of something incredibly sweet and being in a state of bliss,” he describes. “It's the greatest thing, but I hear about it anecdotally, and that's on purpose. Not once have I looked myself up on the internet, nor do I ever intend to. It's quite the opposite. It's a rabbit hole I know I would fall into and then I'd be living in squalor from the hardware store and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
In spite of his concerted efforts, there’s no escaping the extremely enthusiastic response to the series. The best he and his team can do is to take it in stride and try not to let it influence the direction of the show.
“We make no attempt to tailor anything,” says Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not changed by audience chatter.”
“Better to keep our heads down and working,” he chimes in.
The Big Question: Does Vince Gilligan Know the Ending of Pluribus?
So if the creative staff aren’t being guided by public opinion, does that mean they already know how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? Essentially yes… with some caveats.
“There are some interesting ideas about the ultimate destination,” Gilligan reveals. “but we are always ready to discard a decent plan for a more brilliant plan. That has held us in well 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.”
Then again, if plans fall through, executive producer Gordon Smith has a rather amusing idea to serve as a last resort.
“I constantly suggest that it's all in a snow globe, and that we'll reveal the snow globe and that's where they've been all along,” he says humorously, “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 with Bob Newhart there,” he jokes.
Pluribus can be watched on Apple TV+.
