Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!
5 Genuinely Intelligent Reasons Why Mrs. Davis Is a Must-Watch Series
Now is the time to catch up on Peacock's quirky, funny, and soulful series from Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof.
We get it. There's too much to watch on every kind of streaming service, so its easy for some of the best shows to get lost in the sauce. But we've got a very warm place in our genre-loving hearts for the wholly original series Mrs. Davis (now streaming on Peacock).
For those unaware, Mrs. Davis is an original series created by Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof, and follows the adventures of Sister Simone (Betty Gilpin) as she tries to single-handedly bring down an artificial intelligence algorithm that is integrated into everyone's lives on the planet.
Truly, the series has something for everyone: humor, sci-fi concepts, romance, action, faith-based conundrums, and thriller elements. If it seems like that's a lot for one series, it's actually a really well balanced, onion of mysteries that do get explained! If that's not enough to whet your curiosity, we've got five definitive reasons why Mrs. Davis should be your catch-up binge.
For More on Mrs. Davis:
Damon Lindelof Responds to 'Frightening' Mrs. Davis Question from Actual A.I.
The Buffalo Wild Wings Connection Explained in Mrs. Davis
Need more after Mrs. Davis? Stream Betty Gilpin & Damon Lindelof's other team-up The Hunt on Peacock
Why Mrs. Davis Deserves a Rewatch on Peacock
5. The AI conversation is very smart and very compelling
In the world of Sister Simone, just about everyone on the planet has a smart device that opts-in to an omnipotent AI named Mrs. Davis, meant to improve everyone's lives. Except that's not the case for Simone. She has purposefully left the digital world behind... until it aggressively seeks her out for a quest.
We love smart discussions about the positives and perils of technology. The series makes the ultimate doubter its central character and lets her loose in a world where she experiences how AI has changed us, manipulating life for everyone. Is that good or bad? The series also addresses the makers of the tech that ends up expanding far beyond intentions, which is a fascinating discussion to have as AI is on the cusp of making, perhaps, irreversible change in our real world.
4. Mrs. Davis Episode 3 is a classic
Mrs. Davis features AI generated episode titles which are wild. Take Episode 3: "A Baby with Wings, a Sad Boy with Wings and a Great Helmet." Matching the weirdness of that title are the overall events of this episode. It's partially an origin story of how Elizabeth Abbott (Sister Simone's pre-convent name) and Wiley (Jake McDorman) became a thing, and then ended it on a very sad note. Then it picks up in the now, with Wiley traveling to Scotland and becoming a contestant in the "Excalibattle" for his self-esteem, and maybe to win her back.
McDorman really sells the charm and brokenness of Wiley in this episode, which the series needs as it goes forward. Plus, the competition itself is just nuts, and a lot of fun to watch unfold.
3. The Mrs. Davis quest and twists are top notch
From the first moments of the series, Mrs. Davis lays out stories you accept at face value, and then episode after episode, reframes what you think you know and introduces something altogether new. Yes, you have to pay attention to keep up — put down your phone for this one — but it's worth it.
And don't worry about getting confused because the change ups and redirects get explained. The narrative that spans all eight episodes is like a wild roller coaster ride that ends up with one exhilarating climax you won't see coming. Surprise is a wonderful thing to still experience, and Mrs. Davis serves it up from start to finish.
2. The Sister Simone, Wiley, God love triangle
There's never really been an romance treated like the one in Mrs. Davis. Sister Simone/Elizabeth Abbott has two significant loves in the series: Wiley and God/Jay (Andy McQueen). She had a relationship with Wiley when she was Elizabeth, and their chemistry and love for one another endures. But when Liz becomes Sister Simone, she marries God/Jay and she is absolutely besotted with her lord and savior.
It's very unconventional and is a fascinating way to explore religion, faith, and love within the boundaries of dogma and belief. But she also really loves both men, which is a really interesting lens to wade through this world with her.
1. Betty Gilpin as Sister Simone is heavenly
Mrs. Davis as a series wouldn't work without the incredible talents of Betty Gilpin. Every episode requires her to shift gears from action hero to stubborn heroine, and then questioning penitent. She's our point-of-view character, which means she's the sassy mouthpiece for our own questions, and she's relentless in letting any character get away with being too vague.
She's also a believable seeker who isn't so jaded that this mission would never work. Adjusting her performance seamlessly to match the evolving tones, Gilpin makes Simone an underdog and the master of her own fate. It's quite the feat to watch her navigate it all with wit, compassion, and deserved anger at times. It's a performance that should not be missed.
All eight episodes of Mrs. Davis are now streaming on Peacock.
