Vince Gilligan Shares He Knows How His Sci-Fi Series Will Conclude... Currently.
The creative mastermind never anticipated that the Apple TV+ show would turn into a breakout success. “The viewers have been incredible,” he states. “It was unexpected the show being as widely discussed as it is, and it makes me overjoyed.”
As the debut season of the acclaimed sci-fi show wrapping up—and Season 2 officially in the works—the creative team opened up about the audience reaction and whether it will influence the future direction of Pluribus.
On the Overwhelming Viewer Reception
It would be easy to get sidetracked by the widespread acclaim and online debates about Pluribus. The creator is doing his best to ignore the noise.
“The experience is akin to constantly eating hot fudge sundaes and being laughing uncontrollably,” he explains. “It's the greatest thing, but I hear about it through word of mouth, and that's on purpose. I have never looked myself up on the internet, nor do I ever plan to. It's quite the opposite. It's a bottomless pit I know I would fall into and then I'd be never leaving the house from the hardware store and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
Despite Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no escaping the immensely favorable 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 make no attempt to change the plot,” says co-executive producer Alison Tatlock. “The narrative we craft is not changed by what people are saying.”
“Better to keep our focus on the work,” Gilligan concludes.
The Big Question: Does Vince Gilligan Know the Finale of Pluribus?
Given that the creative staff aren’t being guided by public opinion, does it imply they have already decided how Pluribus will ultimately end? In short yes… with some caveats.
“There are some potential directions about how the story could conclude,” Gilligan reveals. “but we are always ready to discard a good idea for a more brilliant plan. That philosophy has guided 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 suspect we'll be doing that.”
Alternatively, if plans fall through, director and writer Gordon Smith has a pretty funny idea to fall back on.
“My recurring proposal is 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.”
Then again, one could always use the iconic TV endings?
“I'd love for Carol to open her eyes next to Bob Newhart,” Gilligan adds, smiling.
Pluribus is currently available on the streaming service.
