The 'Breaking Bad' Creator Discloses He Has a Plan for How The Apple TV+ Show Might Finish... At the Moment.
The acclaimed writer-producer did not foresee that the Apple TV+ show would turn into a cultural phenomenon. “God bless the fans,” he remarks. “I did not foresee the show being as widely discussed as it is, and it makes me deliriously happy.”
As the debut season of the popular series wrapping up—and a second season greenlit and underway—the writers' room reflected on the audience reaction and whether it will shape the storyline of Pluribus.
On the Overwhelming Audience Reaction
It would be easy to get swayed by the constant speculation and fan theories about Pluribus. The creator is making a conscious effort to steer clear of all that.
“It's like being force fed your favorite dessert and being in a state of bliss,” he explains. “It's wonderful, but I get wind of it anecdotally, and that's on purpose. Never in my life searched for my own name online, nor do I ever plan to. It's quite the opposite. It's a rabbit hole I know I would get lost in and then I'd be never leaving the house from Home Depot and I'd rarely emerge from my living room.”
In spite of trying to stay away, there’s no way to avoid the overwhelmingly positive 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 co-executive producer Alison Tatlock. “The plot we develop is not influenced by audience chatter.”
“We prefer to keep our heads down and working,” Gilligan adds.
The Central Mystery: Has the creator See the Conclusion of Pluribus?
So if the writers aren’t being guided by audience theories, does it imply they have mapped out how Pluribus will reach its endpoint? In short yes… with some caveats.
“There are some compelling concepts about the ultimate destination,” Gilligan reveals. “yet we stand ready to throw out a solid concept for a superior concept. This approach has served us in well on Better Call Saul and on Breaking Bad even before that. We throw stuff out when we find a more perfect path and I imagine we will be doing that.”
Alternatively, if all else fails, director and writer Gordon Smith has a humorous idea to fall back on.
“I constantly suggest that it's all in a snow globe, and that we'll zoom out in the finale and the characters are inside it,” Smith jokes, “but no one is buying it.”
Alternatively, why not reference the legendary finales?
“I'd love for Carol to awaken with Bob Newhart there,” he jokes.
Pluribus can be watched on Apple TV+.
