Vince Gilligan Discloses He Knows How His Sci-Fi Series Will End... Currently.
Vince Gilligan did not foresee that Pluribus would emerge as a massive hit. “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.”
Now that Season 1 of the hit sci-fi show wrapping up—and a second season officially in the works—Gilligan and his team reflected on the fan response and whether it will influence the storyline of Pluribus.
On the Incredible Audience Reaction
Anyone might to get swayed by the rampant praise and fan theories surrounding Pluribus. Gilligan, however, is striving to avoid both.
“It's like being an endless supply of your favorite dessert and being tickled to death,” he says. “It's wonderful, but I hear about it through word of mouth, and that's intentional. I have never Googled myself, 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 never leaving the house from the hardware store and I'd never leave my living room.”
Regardless of Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no way to avoid the overwhelmingly positive response to the series. The only approach for the writers is to take it in stride and try not to let it influence the direction of the show.
“We don't try to change the plot,” says Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not influenced by online forums.”
“It's wiser to keep our noses to the grindstone,” Gilligan concludes.
The Central Mystery: Has the showrunner Know the Conclusion of Pluribus?
Considering the creative staff aren't taking cues by public opinion, can we assume they have mapped out how Pluribus will finally conclude? In short yes… sort of.
“We have some interesting ideas about how the story could conclude,” Gilligan says. “yet we stand ready to throw out a good idea for a superior concept. That has held us in well on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We scrap ideas when we conceive of something superior and I suspect we'll be doing that.”
On the other hand, if all else fails, executive producer Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to use as a backup.
“I constantly suggest that everything takes place within a snow globe, and that we'll pull back at the end and we're in there,” Smith jokes, “but no one is buying it.”
Alternatively, why mess with the classics?
“My dream is Carol to open her eyes next to Bob Newhart,” Gilligan says with a smile.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV+.
