The Showrunner Shares He Has a Plan for How Pluribus Will Conclude... Currently.
The acclaimed writer-producer never anticipated that the Apple TV+ show would become a breakout success. “I am so grateful to the audience,” Gilligan says. “It was unexpected the show being as widely discussed as it is, and it makes me thrilled beyond words.”
With the first season of the acclaimed program wrapping up—and the next chapter greenlit and underway—the creative team opened up about the fan response and whether it will shape the storyline of Pluribus.
Regarding the Tremendous Fan Response
It would be easy to get sidetracked by the constant speculation and online debates regarding Pluribus. The creator is doing his best to steer clear of all that.
“The experience is akin to constantly eating hot fudge sundaes and being laughing uncontrollably,” he explains. “It's wonderful, but I learn of it from others, and that's on purpose. I have never Googled myself, nor do I ever want to. It's not a lack of interest. It's a rabbit hole 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.”
Despite Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no way to avoid the extremely enthusiastic response to the series. The most practical strategy is to accept it graciously and try not to let it alter the course of the show.
“It is not our goal to adjust our writing,” says writer and executive producer Alison Tatlock. “The narrative we craft is not changed by audience chatter.”
“We prefer to keep our noses to the grindstone,” Gilligan adds.
The Big Question: Does the creator Know the Finale of Pluribus?
So if the writers aren't taking cues by public opinion, does it imply they already know how Pluribus will finally conclude? The answer is yes… sort of.
“There are some potential directions about the ultimate destination,” Gilligan reveals. “however, we remain prepared to throw out a decent plan for a more brilliant plan. That has held us in well on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We scrap ideas when we find a more perfect path and I imagine we will be doing that.”
Then again, if all else fails, Gordon Smith has a rather amusing idea to fall back on.
“I keep pitching that the entire story is inside a snow globe, and that we'll zoom out in the finale and that's where they've been all along,” he says humorously, “but nobody's taking me up on that.”
Of course, why not reference the legendary finales?
“I want Carol to awaken beside Bob Newhart,” Gilligan says with a smile.
Pluribus is currently available on Apple TV+.
