The Showrunner Reveals He Has a Plan for How His Sci-Fi Series Might Finish... For Now.
The creative mastermind never anticipated that the Apple TV+ show would turn into a breakout success. “God bless the fans,” Gilligan says. “It was unexpected the show being as talked about as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
With the first season of the hit program coming to an end—and Season 2 already in development—the creative team reflected on the audience reaction and whether it will impact the narrative path of Pluribus.
Regarding the Incredible Fan Response
It would be easy to get swayed by the widespread acclaim and online debates regarding Pluribus. The creator is striving to avoid both.
“The experience is akin to constantly eating your favorite dessert and being laughing uncontrollably,” he explains. “It's wonderful, but I learn of it through word of mouth, and that's on purpose. I have never looked myself up on the internet, nor do I ever intend to. Not because I don't care. It's a bottomless pit I know I would fall into and then I'd be living in squalor from the hardware store and I'd never leave my living room.”
In spite of his concerted efforts, there’s no escaping the overwhelmingly positive response to the series. The most practical strategy is to acknowledge it humbly and try not to let it alter the course of the show.
“We make no attempt to tailor anything,” says Alison Tatlock. “The plot we develop is not changed by online forums.”
“We prefer to keep our heads down and working,” Gilligan concludes.
A Pressing Query: Has the creator See the Ending of Pluribus?
Given that the writers aren’t being guided by public opinion, does it imply they already know how Pluribus will finally conclude? In short yes… sort of.
“There are some potential directions about where the show might end up,” Gilligan reveals. “yet we stand ready to throw out a decent plan for a more brilliant plan. That has held us in excellent shape 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.”
On the other hand, if all else fails, Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to use as a backup.
“I keep pitching that the entire story is inside a snow globe, and that we'll pull back at the end and the characters are inside it,” Smith quips, “but no one is buying it.”
Alternatively, why mess with the iconic TV endings?
“I want Carol to wake up in bed next to Bob Newhart,” he jokes.
Pluribus is currently available on Apple TV.
