‘Mrs. Davis’ Series Review - A Warrior Nun Takes On A Powerful AI

Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof's thrillingly bizarre new Peacock series Mrs. Davis dares you to doubt it. It skirts the line between acceptable folly; in a few of the early episodes, it almost loses your attention just to get it back. Its complete devotion, which starts with its lead, is what makes it effective. As Sister Simone, a nun at a quirky convent who sets out to demolish an artificial intelligence computer known as Mrs. Davis, Betty Gilpin, who was electrifying on GLOW, is back in the kind of risk-taking part she deserves. Gilpin's wit and unpredictability heighten the comic and anchor the emotion with piercing sincerity as he sweeps across situations like a live exclamation point. She is accustomed to being expected to do a little bit of everything. The artists include Betty Gilpin, Jake McDorman, Andy McQueen, Elizabeth Marvel, Ben Chaplin, David Arquette, Chris Diamantopoulos, Katja, and Margo Martindale.

Simone, a nun who is introduced early on, is portrayed to perfection by Betty Gilpin. Simone was raised by a magician (David Arquette) and was always a bright child who could tell a fake from the real thing while still having no problem participating in her dad's performance, even when it was a little questionable. She joins a nunnery as an adult where she spends her time cultivating fruit, interacting with the other nuns, praying, and going into the night on her horse to hunt down and expose con artists who use magic to steal.

The compassionate diner owner Jay, who she has a romantic tension with, and who is portrayed by the incredibly calming and endearing Andy McQueen, assists her in her fight against crime.

However, Mrs. Davis, an all-seeing AI that claims to make the lives of those who use it better, starts to call repeatedly one day. Most people who communicate with Mrs. Davis using Bluetooth earpieces find her to be incredibly popular. She assists people in locating employment, housing, and even emotional fulfillment, so they follow her advice. The most devout of her followers eventually earn angel wings that can only be seen on their phone through an AR app after performing enough of their own good deeds.

She is essentially a techno god, offering a brand-new religion to rival Christianity and others. However, to Simone's dismay, Simone is baffled by the fact that no one else appears to notice how unnerving it is that billions of people have given their life's keys to a mystery AI with no apparent origin or function beyond "doing good."

It takes more drastic tactics to attract Simone's attention each time she rejects Mrs. Davis. Finally, she consents to meet with the AI through the use of a kindergarten instructor. The AI promises Simone one wish in exchange for her helping it find the Holy Grail and destroy it. Simone's desire? Mrs. Davis needs to turn it off. Her former cowboy boyfriend Wiley (Jake McDorman) joins her on her quest.

As it jumps from location to location and occasionally concept to concept, the show doesn't hold your hand. Betty Gilpin, who has created a genuine character in the Looney Tunes universe she inhabits, serves as the show's anchor. As easily as comedic heroines like Irene Dunne, she transitions from comedy to pathos, and you'll find yourself continuously rooting for her despite occasionally doubting both her sanity and the sanity of the world she lives in. They are currently enjoying their writer's room group chat, which is becoming more lively every day as ChatGPT emerges and foreboding real-world events connected to the booming discourse around AI take place.

Hernandez says, "It seems like the algorithm knows we've been looking for these concepts for the past three years and has given it back to us." Every other day, something new happens that makes us think, 'It's listening. It is aware! It seems as though She/It is interacting with us in our daily lives and is aware of what we are doing. Simply put, it seems a little too close to home. We probably didn't intend to be this prescient, and who knows where we'll be in another two years. 

The world frequently feels less concerned with the story's resolution than it does with examining what faith looks like in a setting where artificial intelligence can predict your needs and organized religion only requires your trust and the occasional monthly tithe. The show's view of faith is ludicrous. The show's perspective on religion is outlandish, and I won't be surprised if many Christians feel it to be blasphemous. But there's something utterly fascinating about how the show tries to cinematize sometimes inward pursuits like prayer.

However, it's ultimately so engaging and watchable that you'll overlook its flaws.

Final Score- [6.5/10]
Reviewed by – Neha Krishna
Follow @Neha25Krishna on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times