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Tripwire Reviews Peacock’s Mrs Davis Now On The UK’s ITVX Service
On A Mission
Mrs Davis
Creators: Tara Hernandez, Damon Lindelof
Starring: Betty Gilpin, Jake McDorman, Andy McQueen
Mrs. Davis is an American science fiction comedy drama television limited series that is delightfully insane and gleefully happy with its own insanity, and it demands your attention within the first fifteen minutes of the first episode.
It was created by Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof for Peacock. The series stars Betty Gilpin as a nun using her faith to overthrow technology, with a supporting cast including Jake McDorman, Margo Martindale, David Arquette and Elizabeth Marvel.
The premise centres around a deal made in the premiere episode by Betty Gilpin’s Sister Simone with the artificial intelligence that gives its name to series, Mrs Davis. In return for the tough nun discovering the Holy Grail, the AI agrees to shut itself down and free humanity. Everything spirals out from this very strange agreement. To say too much would be to enter into spoiler territory, so it may be worthwhile mentioning some of the scenarios involved in future episodes without giving too much away.
Some of these amusing scenes are described next.
Episode Three features an absurd competition in the Scottish highlands where a group of bold nobodies in costumes must keep touching an enormous prop of the sword Excalibur inexplicably sticking out of the grounds of a Scottish castle. It is a sequence of scenes that are reminiscent of Channel 5’s equally dumb but fun endurance quiz show from 2001 titled Touch the Truck hosted by Dale Winton.
Later episodes feature a daring mission literally into the belly of a sperm whale, a rollercoaster that acts as a suicide machine, a disturbing magic trick that relies on something called the Lazarus Shroud, and an elaborate jail break from the Vatican to rescue a Pope. If all these elements sound like they clash with another, it is because on paper they do and yet everything is handled with such a deft hand the runaway narrative can be forgiven its shortcomings. The coincidences in the hands of a less talented group of writers would frustrate and infuriate but with the oddball nature of the whole endeavour, the disparate elements gel and all sins are forgiven. The proceedings are so ludicrously cleverly planned out that it is not possible to fall a little bit in love with the farcical nature of the series.
The cast of characters features so many madcap individuals all played with such conviction it is a challenge to pick a standout performance, but there is one of note. Ben Chaplin’s turn as shipwrecked scientist Arthur Schrodinger is played with adorable charm but also a subtle nobility. His character becomes increasingly important in later instalments. Chaplin is an actor who rarely disappoints. In the hands of other actors this pivotal cog in the scriptwriters’ masterplan could have been overplayed, but fortunately this is not the case.
The direction throughout is a mixture of styles. In places, it is easy to spot the influence of arthouse auteurs such as the recently deceased David Lynch and even Wes Anderson. It must be said that Owen Harris and Alethea Jones between them helm seven of the eight episodes and they do so with considerable aplomb.
Rotten Tomatoes has Mrs Davies on a 92% rating and Rolling Stone’s Alan Sepinwall said: “Mrs. Davis featured some of the crazier plot twists you will ever see yet managed to be genuinely moving and thoughtful even in the middle of all its ridiculousness.”
Meanwhile Variety said that the series “has the confidence and humour to help the audience adjust to all the show throws at them,” and added,” Whether or not you laugh at the final joke… you have to admire the show for making it, or getting made at all.”
It is a shame that this clever and delightful series will not continue to a second season. Fear not, there are no cliffhangers or cumbersome dangling plot threads left at the final curtain to irritate those that make the journey. This is a complete story that had the potential to enthral further but as it stands it is a satisfying eight-hour binge watch for anyone seeking an honest to God romp (slight pun intended here) that looks at the 21st century zeitgeist with a point of view that is very much tongue in cheek. It never patronises the viewer, it does not spoon feed or telegraph plot twists.
At its heart, Mrs Davis is a fable for modern times about the clash of ever-increasing technological advancements and spirituality and faith and how the two themes can dramatically head butt with absurd results. It is a ridiculous, and indeed hilarious, inspired warning for our times.
Watch Mrs Davis on ITVX in the UK now
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