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Hi Carole! This article contains major spoilers for the season finale of “Pluribus.”
You could say that Vince Gilligan’s long-awaited return to television after “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” had the effect of an atomic bomb. No? You can’t blame a guy for trying. After spending an entire season blurring the lines between Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) and the “Others,” forming the hive mind that took over the world, “Pluribus” came to a sudden and shocking end with its recent finale – mostly ending where things began, in quite fascinating fashion. This time, however, Carol’s antagonism toward the Others takes an even more personal turn. After Zosia’s (Karolina Wydra) heartbreaking betrayal and her shocking revelation that they might soon have the ability to forcibly turn Carol into one of them? Yeah, I’d bring an atomic bomb to a gunfight if I were her too.
But however shiny and curly it is, acting as a punchline to that dark joke from earlier in the seasonWould you believe that Carol’s completely satisfying last sentence wasn’t always intended to be the plan? As we wait for an official release date for Season 2 (which, rest assured, Apple already ordered when they greenlit the series), Gilligan and the rest of his creative team are still shedding light on the season that happened. In a new interview with VarietyGilligan spoke about its original ending:
“We had a perfectly good ending. It would have been satisfying, but not as good. And we got a rating. You know the old thing about how executives always get stupid ratings. Basically, Apple and Sony said, ‘Is there an even better ending?’ And we listened, and I’m really glad they gave us that rating. It made for a better ending.”
This is how Pluribus season 1 was originally supposed to end
You know what they say about projects: the writers make them and the gods of cinema and television laugh. Few creatives know this better than Vince Gilligan, who has approached both “Break the bad” And “You better call Saul” with a flexible (dare we say improvisational) mindset. Those instincts also served him well on “Pluribus,” by all accounts, as that last-minute studio note helped deliver a memorable finale, leaving fans eager for more. Writer, director and executive producer Gordon Smith joined Gilligan to talk to Variety about exactly when that final decision to incorporate that atomic bomb callback was made. As Smith explained, “A day or two after the filming of [final] That’s when it became clear. » So what would this original plan have looked like? According to Smith:
“It was similar to that ending. It was more subtle. Carol secretly makes a pact with Manousos. [Carlos Manuel Vesga]drop him a note, and maybe go play double agent. There wasn’t really a flag planted, like, “No, I’m not doing that.” This relationship with the Others cannot continue.'”
Gilligan went into even more detail, suggesting that: “Other than the atomic bomb was not part of it, it was not an open war. It was more like, “I’m going to continue to be a double agent.” It was secret. Before we even received the grade, we asked ourselves, “Is this the most satisfying path to take?” Do we buy this?'” While a more sober tone might have suited the season as a whole, we agree that they ultimately made the right choice. Carol reaching her breaking point and drawing a line in the sand against the Others? That’s what’s good, people.
Season 1 of “Pluribus” is now streaming in full on Apple TV.
