The 'Breaking Bad' Creator Reveals He Has a Plan for How The Apple TV+ Show Might Finish... At the Moment.
The creative mastermind could not have predicted that Pluribus would emerge as a massive hit. “God bless the fans,” he states. “It was unexpected the show being as passionately debated as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
With the first season of the popular sci-fi show coming to an end—and a second season greenlit and underway—Gilligan and his team reflected on the fan response and whether it will influence the narrative path of Pluribus.
On the Incredible Audience Reaction
One could easily to get distracted by the constant speculation and fan theories about Pluribus. The creator is striving to avoid both.
“The experience is akin to force fed something incredibly sweet and being tickled to death,” he explains. “It's amazing, but I get wind of it anecdotally, and that's on purpose. Not once have I Googled myself, nor do I ever plan to. It's not a lack of interest. It's a bottomless pit I know I would disappear down and then I'd be never leaving the house from Home Depot and I'd never leave my living room.”
Despite trying to stay away, there’s no escaping the immensely favorable response to the series. The only approach for the writers is to take it in stride and try not to let it alter the course of the show.
“We make no attempt to tailor anything,” says writer and executive producer Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not influenced by what people are saying.”
“Better to keep our focus on the work,” Gilligan adds.
The Big Question: Will the showrunner See the Finale of Pluribus?
Given that the creative staff aren't taking cues by fan response, can we assume they have already decided how Pluribus will ultimately end? In short yes… in a way.
“We have some potential directions about where the show might end up,” Gilligan reveals. “however, we remain prepared to discard a decent plan for a better idea. That philosophy has guided us in excellent shape on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We throw stuff out when we get a better idea and I suspect we'll be doing that.”
Then again, if all else fails, director and writer Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to fall back on.
“My recurring proposal is that it's all in a snow globe, and that we'll zoom out in the finale and that's where they've been all along,” Smith quips, “but no one is buying it.”
Then again, why not reference the legendary finales?
“I'd love for Carol to awaken with Bob Newhart there,” Gilligan says with a smile.
Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV.
