The 'Breaking Bad' Creator Reveals He Has a Plan for How Pluribus Will End... For Now.
The creative mastermind did not foresee that Pluribus would emerge as a breakout success. “The viewers have been incredible,” Gilligan says. “It was unexpected the show being as talked about as it is, and it makes me overjoyed.”
Now that Season 1 of the acclaimed sci-fi show reaching its finale—and Season 2 officially in the works—the writers' room reflected on the audience reaction and whether it will shape the storyline of Pluribus.
On the Overwhelming Viewer Reception
Anyone might to get swayed by the widespread acclaim and fan theories surrounding Pluribus. The creator is making a conscious effort to ignore the noise.
“It's like being force fed something incredibly sweet and being tickled to death,” he describes. “It's wonderful, but I learn of it through word of mouth, and that's intentional. Never in my life Googled myself, nor do I ever want to. It's quite the opposite. It's a deep trap I know I would fall into and then I'd be pooping in a five gallon bucket from the hardware store and I'd be stuck in my living room.”
Despite his concerted efforts, there’s no way to avoid the immensely favorable response to the series. The most practical strategy is to take it in stride and try not to let it alter the course of the show.
“We don't try to tailor anything,” says Alison Tatlock. “The narrative we craft is not influenced by audience chatter.”
“Better to keep our heads down and working,” he chimes in.
A Pressing Query: Will the creator Have a Plan for the Ending of Pluribus?
Considering Gilligan and his team aren’t being guided by fan response, does it imply they already know how Pluribus will finally conclude? In short yes… sort of.
“There are some interesting ideas about how the story could conclude,” Gilligan says. “but we are always ready to abandon a decent plan for a better idea. This approach has served us in well on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We throw stuff out when we conceive of something superior and I expect we'll continue doing that.”
Alternatively, if plans fall through, director and writer Gordon Smith has a rather amusing idea to fall back on.
“My recurring proposal is that everything takes place within 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, one could always use the iconic TV endings?
“I want Carol to open her eyes next to Bob Newhart,” he jokes.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV+.
