The Showrunner Shares He Has an Idea of How Pluribus Might Finish... At the Moment.
The creative mastermind never anticipated that Pluribus would turn into a breakout success. “I am so grateful to the audience,” Gilligan says. “It was unexpected the show being as talked about as it is, and it makes me thrilled beyond words.”
With the first season of the hit program coming to an end—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
Anyone might to get distracted by the constant speculation and fan theories regarding Pluribus. Gilligan, however, is striving to avoid both.
“The experience is akin to force fed your favorite dessert and being in a state of bliss,” he explains. “It's wonderful, but I get wind of it from others, and that's on purpose. I have never searched for my own name online, nor do I ever plan to. Not because I don't care. It's a bottomless pit I know I would get lost in and then I'd be pooping in a five gallon bucket from the hardware store and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
Regardless of Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s it's impossible to ignore the immensely favorable response to the series. The best he and his team can do is to acknowledge it humbly and try not to let it influence the direction of the show.
“We make no attempt to tailor anything,” says Alison Tatlock. “Our storytelling is not impacted 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?
Given that the writers aren't taking cues by audience theories, can we assume they have mapped out how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? The answer is yes… with some caveats.
“We've developed some potential directions about the ultimate destination,” he states. “but we are always ready to discard a good idea for a better idea. This approach has served us in excellent shape on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We change course when we get a better idea and I expect we'll continue doing that.”
Then again, if plans fall through, executive producer Gordon Smith has a pretty funny idea to serve as a last resort.
“I keep pitching that everything takes place within a snow globe, and that we'll reveal the snow globe and that's where they've been all along,” Smith jokes, “but no one is buying it.”
Alternatively, why mess with the classics?
“I want Carol to wake up in bed beside Bob Newhart,” Gilligan adds, smiling.
Pluribus can be watched on Apple TV.
