The 'Breaking Bad' Creator Discloses He Has a Plan for How Pluribus Will End... At the Moment.
The creative mastermind did not foresee that the Apple TV+ show would turn into a breakout success. “The viewers have been incredible,” he remarks. “I did not foresee the show being as talked about as it is, and it makes me overjoyed.”
With the first season of the acclaimed program reaching its finale—and Season 2 already in development—Gilligan and his team reflected on the fan response and whether it will impact the storyline of Pluribus.
About the Tremendous Fan Response
It would be easy to get swayed by the widespread acclaim and audience predictions regarding Pluribus. The creator is doing his best to steer clear of all that.
“It's like being force fed hot fudge sundaes and being laughing uncontrollably,” he says. “It's the greatest thing, but I get wind of it from others, and that's intentional. Never in my life looked myself up on the internet, nor do I ever plan to. It's quite the opposite. It's a deep trap I know I would disappear down and then I'd be never leaving the house from Home Depot and I'd be stuck in my living room.”
In spite of Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no way to avoid the overwhelmingly positive response to the series. The most practical strategy is to acknowledge it humbly and try not to let it influence the direction of the show.
“It is not our goal to change the plot,” says co-executive producer Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not influenced by audience chatter.”
“We prefer to keep our heads down and working,” Gilligan adds.
The Big Question: Will Vince Gilligan Have a Plan for the Conclusion of Pluribus?
Given that Gilligan and his team are not listening by audience theories, can we assume they have mapped out how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? In short yes… with some caveats.
“We've developed some compelling concepts about how the story could conclude,” Gilligan reveals. “however, we remain prepared to discard a good idea for a more brilliant plan. That has held us in good stead on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We scrap ideas when we get a better idea and I expect we'll continue doing that.”
Then again, if all else fails, director and writer Gordon Smith has a rather amusing idea to use as a backup.
“My recurring proposal is that everything takes place within a snow globe, and that we'll pull back at the end and that's where they've been all along,” Smith jokes, “but nobody's taking me up on that.”
Of course, why mess with the iconic TV endings?
“My dream is Carol to awaken with Bob Newhart there,” Gilligan adds, smiling.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV.
