Two weeks after Peacock issued a cryptic teaser video for Mrs. Davis that only revealed an eerie phrase being uttered by various people worldwide, an official trailer was shared providing more information about who was answering the calls and who sought to silence the voice.
Mrs. Davis is a powerful artificial intelligence program which claims to be aimed at making humans happy. However, it was intended to be benevolent before issues occurred.
Mrs. Davis’s adversary is Sister Simone of Reno, played by Betty Gilpin (GLOW). According to an in-character statement, the AI she created is intending to provide “validation, gentle guidance and unconditional care”, while also providing a way for humans to “earn Wings by doing Quests!”. In the trailer we see Sister Simone going on one such Quest to try and find The Holy Grail. During this Journey she wields a nunchuk-like weapon in sticky situations. Jack McDorman (Dopesick) is connected with Simone through their past yet he has his own personal agenda against Mrs. Davis that eventually links the two protagonists again.
Mrs. Davis started on April 20, having debuted previously at SXSW – the yearly Austin media conference and tech festival. This eight-episode sci-fi dramedy is directed by Tara Hernandez (The Big Bang Theory) and Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, The Leftovers, Lost). Critical reviews from people who watched screeners at SXSW hinted that Mrs. Davis could be one of the top sci-fi shows of 2023; for example, Slashfilm editor Jacob Hall made such comments.
Other reviews were generally favorable with IndieWire acknowledging the show’s “high-octane action sequences” and “general absurdity.” Lindelof stated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the show would examine the relationship between faith and science, along with what consequences could be expected should an AI intent on dominating humanity rather than eliminating it come to fruition. Judging by early responses, these topics will be explored in unique ways.
