Vince Gilligan Writes and Directs First-Time Emmy Awards for ‘Pluribus’

It might be a stretch to argue that someone with 23 Emmy nominations and four statuettes on his mantle would be considered “late.” And yet in Vince Gilligan’s case, it’s surprisingly easy to do.

The legendary creator, showrunner and executive producer is best known for his role in AMC’s historical crime drama “Breaking Bad” and its prequel spinoff “Better Call Saul.” Earlier in his career, he built his reputation writing and producing Fox’s sci-fi staple “The X-Files.”

Gilligan’s Emmy wins are notable, but in some ways incomplete. He took home multiple trophies in 2013 and 2014 as producer for the final season of “Breaking Bad.” He later added two more in 2017 and 2020 for outstanding short comedy or drama series for “Better Call Saul Employee Training: Los Pollos Hermanos Employee Training” and “Better Call Saul Employee Training: Legal Ethics with Kim Wexler.”

But the core of Gilligan’s legacy – and the basis of his influence on modern television – lies in his writing and directing. But despite several nominations, he has never won in those categories. He won a DGA Award for directing the “Breaking Bad” series finale, “Felina,” and has collected five WGA pictures for the same series, plus another for “Better Call Saul.”

As a director, Gilligan is nominated for the pilot “Breaking Bad,” the Season 4 episode “Face Off” and the series finale “Felina.” He also earned a bid to direct “Witness,” season 3, episode 2 of “Better Call Saul.” On the writing side, his nominations include “Felina” and the revered “X-Files” episode “Memento Mori,” often cited as one of the strongest installments of that series’ mythology. In all these efforts, his individual name was never mentioned.

Which brings us to this season’s “Pluribus,” his latest project and a major player in this year’s Emmy conversation.

The post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama reunites Gilligan with Rhea Seehorn and centers on novelist Carol Sturka, who finds herself alone after an alien virus transforms humanity into a peaceful hive mind determined to assimilate the remaining immune few.

Since its debut in November, ‘Pluribus’ has steadily gained momentum. The series has already racked up nominations at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, with Seehorn winning lead actress at both.

Still, the Emmy race is rarely easy.

While HBO Max’s “The Pitt” is widely seen as the early frontrunner, the Emmys’ voting structure could lead to split series winners when the envelopes are opened. Unlike the Oscars, where the entire membership selects the winners, the Emmy nominees and winners are determined by peer groups within each industry, with the exception of the 15 series categories.

Over the past decade, directing and drama series winners have lined up six times, including “Shōgun” (Frederick EO Toye), “Succession” (Mark Mylod and Andrij Parekh), “The Crown” (Jessica Hobbs), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (Reed Morano) and “Game of Thrones” (Miguel Sapochnik). The writing has followed a similar pattern, although not always with the same titles. In other words, not a show need to win best drama series to claim writing or directing – and vice versa.

That dynamic could work in Gilligan’s favor.

If “Pluribus” stays on course as a serious contender, a writing or directing win would signal broader support and potentially cement its position in the top category. Conversely, even if “The Pitt” is poised to win the drama series race again, there is no guarantee it will sweep those fields.

Last year it turned out that this was not necessary. Despite much attention given to Apple’s “The Pitt” and “Severance,” the writing and directing awards instead went to “Andor” (Dan Gilroy) and “Slow Horses” (Adam Randall).

But rest assured, the path for Gilligan begins with nominations.

Variety has confirmed that he is expected to helm the pilot episode “We Is Us,” which sets the tone and thematic scope of the series. Another fellow director, Gordon Smith, will also participate in “Grenade,” the third installment. The directing (drama) category has fluctuated between six and seven nominees in recent years, leaving room for inclusion.

The writing field may offer more options, but also more opportunities for possible vote splitting. There are seven episodes of ‘Pluribus’ at issue:

Ultimately, the question is not whether Gilligan is respected. What matters is whether voters will finally tailor recognition to the disciplines that define his artistry.

As the title ‘Pluribus’ suggests, taken from ‘E pluribus unum’ – Latin for ‘out of many, one’ – it can provide a fitting story. After decades of shaping TV, Gilligan might finally be “the one.”