The Showrunner Shares He Has a Plan for How Pluribus Will End... Currently.
Vince Gilligan never anticipated that Pluribus would emerge as a massive hit. “The viewers have been incredible,” Gilligan says. “I did not foresee the show being as passionately debated as it is, and it makes me overjoyed.”
With the first season of the acclaimed program coming to an end—and the next chapter already in development—the writers' room opened up about the viewer reception and whether it will shape the storyline of Pluribus.
Regarding the Incredible Fan Response
It would be easy to get swayed by the widespread acclaim and online debates regarding Pluribus. He is making a conscious effort to avoid both.
“It's like being force fed something incredibly sweet and being in a state of bliss,” he explains. “It's wonderful, but I learn of it anecdotally, and that's by design. Not once have I searched for my own name online, nor do I ever want to. Not because I don't care. It's a deep trap I know I would get lost in and then I'd be living in squalor from the hardware store and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
Regardless of his concerted efforts, there’s no escaping the immensely favorable response to the series. The most practical strategy is to acknowledge it humbly 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 impacted by audience chatter.”
“We prefer to keep our noses to the grindstone,” he chimes in.
A Pressing Query: Has Vince Gilligan Know the Conclusion of Pluribus?
Considering the creative staff aren’t being guided by fan response, can we assume they have already decided how Pluribus will finally conclude? Essentially yes… with some caveats.
“There are some potential directions about how the story could conclude,” he states. “but we are always ready to discard a decent plan for a superior concept. That has held us in excellent shape on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We scrap ideas when we find a more perfect path and I expect we'll continue doing that.”
On the other hand, if plans fall through, executive producer Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to serve as a last resort.
“My recurring proposal is that it's all in a snow globe, and that we'll pull back at the end and that's where they've been all along,” Smith jokes, “but no one is buying it.”
Alternatively, why not reference the iconic TV endings?
“I'd love for Carol to open her eyes with Bob Newhart there,” Gilligan adds, smiling.
Pluribus can be watched on Apple TV+.
