The 'Breaking Bad' Creator Discloses He Knows How Pluribus Might Finish... For Now.
The creative mastermind never anticipated that his new science-fiction series would turn into a massive hit. “I am so grateful to the audience,” Gilligan says. “It was unexpected the show being as passionately debated as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
Now that Season 1 of the acclaimed program wrapping up—and a second season already in development—the creative team recently discussed the audience reaction and whether it will impact the storyline of Pluribus.
On the Overwhelming Audience Reaction
It would be easy to get sidetracked by the widespread acclaim and online debates about Pluribus. Gilligan, however, is doing his best to avoid both.
“It's like being force fed something incredibly sweet and being laughing uncontrollably,” he says. “It's wonderful, but I get wind of it from others, and that's by design. Never in my life looked myself up on the internet, nor do I ever intend to. It's quite the opposite. It's a deep trap I know I would disappear down and then I'd be living in squalor from the hardware store and I'd be stuck in my living room.”
In spite of Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no way to avoid the extremely enthusiastic 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 don't try to adjust our writing,” says writer and executive producer Alison Tatlock. “The plot we develop is not impacted by audience chatter.”
“It's wiser to keep our focus on the work,” Gilligan adds.
The Central Mystery: Will the showrunner See the Ending of Pluribus?
Given that the creative staff aren’t being guided by public opinion, can we assume they have already decided how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? In short yes… sort of.
“We have some compelling concepts about where the show might end up,” Gilligan says. “however, we remain prepared to discard a solid concept for a more brilliant plan. 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 suspect we'll be doing that.”
Alternatively, if all else fails, executive producer Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to fall back on.
“My recurring proposal is that everything takes place within a snow globe, and that we'll pull back at the end and the characters are inside it,” Smith quips, “but nobody's taking me up on that.”
Of course, why not reference the legendary finales?
“I want Carol to awaken with Bob Newhart there,” Gilligan says with a smile.
Pluribus is streaming now on the streaming service.
