The Showrunner Reveals He Knows How The Apple TV+ Show Will End... For Now.
Vince Gilligan did not foresee that the Apple TV+ show would emerge as a cultural phenomenon. “God bless the fans,” Gilligan says. “I did not foresee the show being as passionately debated as it is, and it makes me overjoyed.”
As the debut season of the acclaimed sci-fi show coming to an end—and Season 2 officially in the works—Gilligan and his team reflected on the fan response and whether it will impact the narrative path of Pluribus.
Regarding the Overwhelming Audience Reaction
Anyone might to get sidetracked by the widespread acclaim and fan theories surrounding Pluribus. The creator is making a conscious effort to steer clear of all that.
“The experience is akin to force fed hot fudge sundaes and being laughing uncontrollably,” he describes. “It's amazing, but I learn of it through word of mouth, and that's intentional. I have never searched for my own name online, nor do I ever intend to. Not because I don't care. It's a deep trap 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.”
Regardless of trying to stay away, there’s no escaping 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 co-executive producer Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not changed by audience chatter.”
“We prefer to keep our heads down and working,” Gilligan concludes.
The Big Question: Has the showrunner See the Conclusion of Pluribus?
Given that the writers aren’t being guided by audience theories, does that mean they have mapped out how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? In short yes… sort of.
“We have some interesting ideas about how the story could conclude,” he states. “yet we stand ready to abandon a solid concept for a superior concept. This approach has served us in well on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We throw stuff out when we find a more perfect path and I imagine we will be doing that.”
On the other hand, if they hit a wall, executive producer Gordon Smith has a pretty funny idea to use as a backup.
“I constantly suggest that the entire story is inside a snow globe, and that we'll zoom out in the finale and the characters are inside it,” Smith quips, “but no one is buying it.”
Alternatively, why mess with the iconic TV endings?
“I'd love for Carol to wake up in bed beside Bob Newhart,” he jokes.
Pluribus is currently available on Apple TV.
