The Showrunner Shares He Has an Idea of How Pluribus Will End... Currently.
The acclaimed writer-producer did not foresee that the Apple TV+ show would become a breakout success. “The viewers have been incredible,” he remarks. “I did not foresee the show being as widely discussed as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
With the first season of the acclaimed sci-fi show wrapping up—and a second season greenlit and underway—the creative team opened up about the viewer reception and whether it will shape the future direction of Pluribus.
About the Overwhelming Viewer Reception
One could easily to get swayed by the rampant praise and audience predictions surrounding Pluribus. He is making a conscious effort to ignore the noise.
“The experience is akin to constantly eating your favorite dessert and being laughing uncontrollably,” he explains. “It's the greatest thing, 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 plan to. Not because I don't care. 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 rarely emerge from my living room.”
Despite his concerted efforts, there’s no escaping the overwhelmingly positive response to the series. The most practical strategy 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 Alison Tatlock. “The plot we develop is not changed by audience chatter.”
“Better to keep our noses to the grindstone,” Gilligan adds.
The Big Question: Has the showrunner See the Finale of Pluribus?
Considering Gilligan and his team are not listening by public opinion, does that mean they have mapped out how Pluribus will ultimately end? In short yes… sort of.
“There are some interesting ideas about the ultimate destination,” he states. “however, we remain prepared to abandon a solid concept for a better idea. This approach has served us in good stead on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We change course when we conceive of something superior and I suspect we'll be doing that.”
Then again, if plans fall through, executive producer Gordon Smith has a pretty funny idea to serve as a last resort.
“I constantly suggest that the entire story is inside a snow globe, and that we'll reveal the snow globe and we're in there,” Smith quips, “but no one is buying it.”
Alternatively, why mess with the classics?
“I'd love for Carol to awaken beside Bob Newhart,” Gilligan adds, smiling.
Pluribus is currently available on Apple TV.
