The Showrunner Discloses He Has a Plan for How His Sci-Fi Series Will Conclude... For Now.
Vince Gilligan never anticipated that his new science-fiction series would turn into a breakout success. “God bless the fans,” Gilligan says. “I did not foresee the show being as talked about as it is, and it makes me thrilled beyond words.”
With the first season of the acclaimed sci-fi show reaching its finale—and a second season already in development—the writers' room opened up about the viewer reception and whether it will impact the storyline of Pluribus.
About the Tremendous Viewer Reception
It would be easy to get swayed by the widespread acclaim and online debates about Pluribus. The creator is making a conscious effort to avoid both.
“The experience is akin to force fed your favorite dessert and being in a state of bliss,” he says. “It's wonderful, but I get wind of it from others, and that's by design. Not once have I Googled myself, nor do I ever want to. Not because I don't care. It's a rabbit hole I know I would fall into and then I'd be pooping in a five gallon bucket from Home Depot and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
In spite of Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no escaping the immensely favorable response to the series. The only approach for the writers is to take it in stride and try not to let it alter the course of the show.
“We don't try to adjust our writing,” says writer and executive producer Alison Tatlock. “The narrative we craft is not changed by what people are saying.”
“It's wiser to keep our focus on the work,” he chimes in.
The Big Question: Does Vince Gilligan Have a Plan for the Ending of Pluribus?
Considering the writers aren’t being guided by fan response, can we assume they have mapped out how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? The answer is yes… sort of.
“We have some potential directions about where the show might end up,” Gilligan reveals. “yet we stand ready to throw out a decent plan for a superior concept. That philosophy has guided us in excellent shape on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We scrap ideas when we conceive of something superior and I imagine we will be doing that.”
Alternatively, if they hit a wall, director and writer Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to use as a backup.
“I constantly suggest that it's all in a snow globe, and that we'll reveal the snow globe and we're in there,” Smith jokes, “but nobody's taking me up on that.”
Alternatively, why mess with the classics?
“My dream is Carol to wake up in bed with Bob Newhart there,” Gilligan adds, smiling.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV+.
