Vince Gilligan never expected For many be a hit. “God Bless the Fans” – Creator Breaking Bad And Better call Saul says Polygon. “I didn’t expect that there was so much talk about the series, and it makes me incredibly happy.”
The first season of his hit sci-fi show is coming to an end. Season 2 is already in the works — Polygon caught up with Gilligan and his writers to discuss fan reaction and whether it will have any impact on where Pluribus goes next.
On the fans' reaction to For many
It would be easy to get distracted (or even influenced) by the rampant praise and fan speculation surrounding For many. Gilligan does his best to avoid both.
“It’s like being force-fed hot fudge on Sundays and tickled to death,” he says. “It's the greatest thing, but I hear about it anecdotally, and that's on purpose. I've never Googled myself in my life and I never intend to. Not because I don't care, quite the opposite. It's a rabbit hole I know I'll disappear down and then poop in a five-gallon bucket from Home Depot and never leave my living room.”
Despite Gilligan's best intentions, it is impossible to avoid the overwhelmingly positive reaction to For many. The best he and his team can do is take it in stride and try not to let the reaction affect the direction of the show.
“We're not trying to adapt anything,” says Alison Tatlock, the series' writer and executive producer. “Our narrative is not influenced by what people say,”
“It's best to keep your nose to the grindstone,” Gilligan adds.
Does Vince Gilligan know how Pluribus will end?
So if Gilligan and his team aren't guided by fan reaction, does that mean they already know how Pluribus will end up? The answer is yes… sort of.
“We have some interesting ideas for how the show might end, but we're always willing to throw away a good idea for a better one,” says Gilligan. “This helped us later Better call Saul and further Breaking Bad even before that. We throw things away when we have a better idea, and I suspect we will.”
On the other hand, if all else fails, Gordon Smith (director, screenwriter and executive producer For many) there is a nice idea that you can resort to.
“I keep saying it's all about the snow globe and that we'll fall back and end up there,” Smith jokes, “but no one supports me on that.”
Again, why bother with the classics?
“I want Carol to wake up in bed next to Bob NewhartGilligan says with a smile.
For many streaming now on Apple TV.
