The 'Breaking Bad' Creator Shares He Has a Plan for How The Apple TV+ Show Might Finish... For Now.
The creative mastermind did not foresee that his new science-fiction series would become a cultural phenomenon. “The viewers have been incredible,” he remarks. “It was unexpected the show being as widely discussed as it is, and it makes me overjoyed.”
As the debut season of the acclaimed program reaching its finale—and a second season already in development—the creative team opened up about the audience reaction and whether it will impact the storyline of Pluribus.
About the Overwhelming Viewer Reception
It would be easy to get sidetracked by the widespread acclaim and audience predictions surrounding Pluribus. The creator is making a conscious effort to ignore the noise.
“It's like being force fed hot fudge sundaes and being laughing uncontrollably,” he says. “It's wonderful, but I hear about it from others, and that's on purpose. Never in my life looked myself up on the internet, nor do I ever want to. Not because I don't care. It's a rabbit hole I know I would disappear down and then I'd be pooping in a five gallon bucket from the hardware store and I'd never leave my living room.”
In spite of Gilligan’s best intentions, there’s no escaping the extremely enthusiastic 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.
“It is not our goal to tailor anything,” says co-executive producer Alison Tatlock. “The narrative we craft is not influenced by audience chatter.”
“It's wiser to keep our focus on the work,” Gilligan concludes.
The Big Question: Does Vince Gilligan See the Conclusion of Pluribus?
Given that Gilligan and his team aren't taking cues by audience theories, does that mean they have already decided how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? Essentially yes… sort of.
“There are some interesting ideas about how the story could conclude,” he states. “but we are always ready to abandon 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 expect we'll continue doing that.”
On the other hand, if they hit a wall, 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 that's where they've been all along,” Smith quips, “but no one is buying it.”
Then again, one could always use the legendary finales?
“I want Carol to wake up in bed with Bob Newhart there,” Gilligan says with a smile.
Pluribus can be watched on Apple TV+.
