Vince Gilligan Discloses He Has a Plan for How His Sci-Fi Series Might Finish... At the Moment.
The acclaimed writer-producer did not foresee that Pluribus would emerge as a breakout success. “God bless the fans,” he states. “I was surprised by the show being as passionately debated as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
With the first season of the acclaimed sci-fi show reaching its finale—and the next chapter officially in the works—the writers' room opened up about the viewer reception and whether it will impact the future direction of Pluribus.
About the Overwhelming Fan Response
Anyone might to get distracted by the constant speculation and online debates regarding Pluribus. Gilligan, however, is striving to avoid both.
“It feels like force fed your favorite dessert and being laughing uncontrollably,” he says. “It's wonderful, but I hear about it from others, and that's on purpose. Never in my life Googled myself, nor do I ever plan to. Not because I don't care. It's a deep trap I know I would disappear down and then I'd be never leaving the house from the hardware store and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
In spite of Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no way to avoid the immensely favorable 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 adjust our writing,” says co-executive producer Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not influenced by audience chatter.”
“We prefer to keep our noses to the grindstone,” Gilligan adds.
The Central Mystery: Does the creator Know the Ending of Pluribus?
So if the creative staff aren’t being guided by public opinion, can we assume they have already decided how Pluribus will finally conclude? The answer is yes… in a way.
“There are some interesting ideas about where the show might end up,” Gilligan reveals. “however, we remain prepared to abandon a solid concept for a better idea. That philosophy has guided us in excellent shape on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We change course when we conceive of something superior and I expect we'll continue doing that.”
Then again, if plans fall through, director and writer Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to fall back on.
“I constantly suggest that it's all in a snow globe, and that we'll zoom out in the finale and the characters are inside it,” Smith jokes, “but no one is buying it.”
Then again, why mess with the classics?
“I want Carol to wake up in bed next to Bob Newhart,” Gilligan adds, smiling.
Pluribus is currently available on Apple TV+.
