Mrs. Davis (2023) User Reviews

Betty Gilpin for President!

[Her-Excellency · 8/10 · 27 April 2023]

I fell in love with Betty Gilpin's "style" (such a difficult word to settle on for this kind of actress) when we first saw her in The Hunt. Her low-key charisma is just endearing! I even made a mental note of looking up other projects she's been in so that hubby and I could watch. Life being what it is, and other things taking precedence, I never really did so. As such, it was so great to catch a glimpse of this "coming attraction" and having my mind tickled as to just WHO that actress was! Discovering that it was Ms. Gilpin who was leading the cast, and we were in!

Being that other reviewers have done an excellent job in covering the fact that the show involves an AI algorithm which maneuvers individuals into doing its bidding, I won't go into more about it. I will say that Mrs. Davis is a highly entertaining, make-you-think series, and that all the characters are worth watching. It is a series that is unapologetically geared toward those who have a love of all things technologically advanced; Sci-Fi lovers; Skynet fans; Cowboys; pineapple-eaters; cat lovers; dog people; ...maybe not horse-lovers; tighty-whitey wearers; boxer brief aficionados; commando goers .... meaning it is a smorgasbord of entertainment - but mostly for those with open minds who really do wish to be entertained. (It's always sad for me to see self-professed cinephiles handing out ratings of 1's and 2's across their viewing board).

It can be fast-paced at times while at the same time, it merely hints at what it wants to get to, little by little. If you too prefer these shows as opposed to those that drop everything in your lap in the first couple of episodes thereby removing all suspense or mystery (while you then complain about how 'predictable shows are nowadays'), then this is a show for you.

Welcome to the Absurd

[WordsworthStone · 8/10 · 21 April 2023]

And I freaking love it. It's like they took the non sequitur on a surreal hero's journey. It takes a certain nonchalance to humor this, episode by episode. It's not really a LOL but more like a HAHA. Can we alike it to Monty Python's Holy Grail? I think so...

SO......where we going with Jesus vs AI (on episode 4)? I like the period accurate Jesus tho. Each scene is a "yes, and" to the next unexpected.

I. Can't. Wait.

Chris Diamantopoulos does the best over-the-top ridiculous characters, He really honed it working with Mike Judge.

Sixty Two more characters to submit this user review. Dum di DUMB DUMB.

7 so far, looks like it could be a 9 or 10

[robinparker311 · 7/10 · 21 April 2023]

I agree w both of the (only 2) other reviewers here. There could be a fantastic story, but it is so wide-open, something that really hasn't been done before & it's truly COMPLETELY impossible to know where they are going w this.

It's impossible to know who are the good guy(s) (girls/woman/women/machines) and/or who are the bad guy(s) here & that's really refreshing.

One thing is certain - you are not going to predict anything from the first cpl episodes.

By the middle of the 3rd there are still questions as to who is who, what they are trying to do & whether or not anyone is who they say they are. Very VERY interesting & I feel that it deserves the 7/10 if it for no other reason because of the acting. Betty Gilpin is (as usual) FANTASTIC & absolutely perfect for this role.

I'm curious to see what kind of written reviews there will be after everyone has had time to see the first few episodes.

I say go for it, let's see how the chips fall - if nothing else, it's definitely different.

Such an original and fun show

[Rob1331 · 9/10 · 3 July 2023]

I had no idea what to expect from Mrs. Davis. I originally wasn't going to watch it but after reading so many great things about it I gave it a chance. I'm so glad I did because I really liked it. It's far from the best show I've ever seen but it's still good enough to watch. I was so into it I actually binged all 8 episodes over the course of weekend but it was worth it. Like everyone else has already pointed out...there's never been a show even close to this, it's crazy but in a good way. This is a limited series so this is the only season but that's prob a good thing because too much of this and it would get old. It had a very satisfying ending so I hope they don't try to squeeze another season out of it because it's doing so well. The one season is perfect as is. The show stars Betty Gilpin and Jake McDorman who are both terrific in this, especially Jake McDorman. I hope this leads to bigger things for him because he's such an underrated actor.

Damon Lindelof Does Something Different

[zkonedog · 7/10 · 25 May 2023]

Damon Lindelof is one of my favorite showrunners/screenwriters based on his work on LOST, The Leftovers, & Watchmen. He is able to weave timely social/personal commentary into genre fare like perhaps no other. In "Mrs. Davis", Lindelof teams with Tara Hernandez of The Big Bang Theory & Young Sheldon fame to construct a series that is unlike anything in his oeuvre to date.

For a very basic overview, "Mrs. Davis" tells the story of Simone (Betty Gilpin), a nun who is one of the few holdouts to not use the Mrs. Davis algorithm that seems to give the rest of the world's population its purpose. In a "deal with the devil" of sorts, Simone is ultimately drawn into a quest to retrieve the Holy Grail and have the opportunity to turn off the tech-bot for good (or would it really be good?!).

There are quite a few things that "Mrs. Davis" does right and is very thoughtful/entertaining about:

-The musings on social media culture are interesting and come together nicely in a fantastic finale episode.

-Simone's familial story involving mother Celeste (Elizabeth Marvel) and father Monty (David Arquette) is the show's emotional center and largely works over the 8-episode arc.

-Simone's quest-partner Wiley (Jake McDorman) is an interesting fellow with a backstory that again pays off down the home stretch.

That being said, "Mrs. Davis" is very much a show that relies as much on snarky eye rolls and wacky sight gags as deep introspection. If that style isn't your cup of tea, it may make for a rather odd viewing experience, leading to a few arenas that don't quite hit the payoff jackpot:

-An interesting angle involving a deity-Jay (Andy McQueen)-never quite seems to live up to its quirky potential.

-Another thread involving protectors of the Holy Grail (actors Katja Herbers, Mathilde Ollivier, & Ben Chaplin) is more confusing than clarifying in the middle episodes.

-The wacky antics of JQ (Chris Diamantopoulos) and his band of merry men are more distracting from the actual interesting threads than anything else.

Sew all of those elements together and I landed on a 7/10 rating for "Mrs. Davis". It certainly represents an interesting branching-out for Lindelof and I give him and Hernandez credit for trying to conceive a "snarky show with a message". But I also felt like it bit off more than it could chew plot-wise and relied too much on eye-rolls and sight gags when the interesting messages could have flourished.

It's bananas but it works

[Supermanfan-13 · 9/10 · 25 May 2023]

Mrs. Davis is absolutely a bananas of a tv show but it works. It's so ridiculous that if a try to explain the plot you would think I'm a drugs but here a go anyway. Mrs. Davis is an Artificial Intelligence that helps human beings with whatever they want. Then there's a nun named Simone (Betty Gilpin), who along with her ex boyfriend Wiley (Jake McDorman) and his secret group who call themselves the resistance, are willing to go to any lengths to destroy Mrs. Davis. Well, to do that they need to locate and destroy the Holy Grail. Yes, that Holy Grail. Oh yeah, did I mention that Simone is literally married to Jesus Christ? This is only some of the ridiculous things in this show, it only gets more insane but like I said it works.

Ridiculous(ly good)

[HiddenKamo · 7/10 · 21 April 2023]

NBC has always produced some of my favorite comedies; Community, The Office, 30 Rock, Parks & Rec, just to name a few. Mrs. Davis follows in this tradition in that it has a quirky and ridiculous sense of humor with an engaging storyline that has me excited for the rest of the season.

In addition to the humor, the action is fun and keeps your attention and the actors seem to have dived into their characters and play them well.

I like quirky shows, and this fits the bill, but if you know you don't enjoy ridiculous premises and random humor, this show might not be for you.

This show has a similar overarching plot to that of "Artificial Intelligence" with Melissa McCarthy that came out a few years back, but overall is very different with its subplots.

Loving this!

[whosaidwhattoday · 9/10 · 21 April 2023]

It's original. Love that it takes a bit to know what's going on. Betty Gilpin is under rated in my opinion. Her dry deadpan comedic performance as a nun makes the show! It's refreshing to watch a show where you don't know what's going on every step of the way. There's lots of action and some bloody scenes so be ready. I have only seen the first 4 episodes because it just came out. I was hooked from the start. The other 4 episodes are released on the 27th and I can't wait. I will binge watch them like I did these first four. Peacock is bringing the great show/ideas to life. Hope you enjoy as much as I do. Love it!

Eccentric TV show about a nun seeking for the Holy Grail.

[fciocca · 6/10 · 19 August 2023]

I am not sure how to feel about "Mrs. Davis" because in my perspective it suffers from an identity crisis. At first it seems like a comedy, but then suddenly it becomes serious. The show keeps going to the extremes: dialogues are either ridiculously silly and absurd, or they are just too deep. It seems that the creators were never able to reach some kind of balance. Maybe this is what they were aiming for, but I personally found this very weird, and not in a good way. The story is intriguing and there are interesting and original narrative techniques being used. I enjoyed how apparently unrelated events will eventually merge together, creating a nice harmony in the end. I liked the nonsense comedy style that they used in some instances. The religious element is very central in the show, but as everything else, it is treated in a funny and different way: I liked how the creators mocked some spiritual beliefs, while still being respectful on the matter.

Betty Gilpin who played Sister Simone was good and she managed to convey many different emotions on screen. She's a skilled actress, I could not see any other actor playing her role. Jake McDorman was very inconsistent, at times he delivered a nice performance, but other times I just could not stand him, because his acting was pretty sloppy. I really enjoyed the comedic relief who was represented by Chris Diamantopoulos. He played this dumb member of the resistance, tasked to destroy this powerful AI. The show is mainly a critique of social media, and this is the message that I was able to perceive: at times we feel lost, so we feel the urge of posting stuff on social media, so we can have the "approval" of other people by finding our "purpose". This series is like a light-hearted version of "Black Mirror". It has the right amount of suspense and I was always curious to see how the plot would develop. Unfortunately, sometimes episodes are too long and they go around in circles, just to hit the 1 hour mark. There are some dull scenes that could be completely trimmed or at least shortened, as they do not add any value to the show. My final mark is 6.5 stars out of 10. If you are looking for a funny show, this might do the trick.

We will come back later

[MajBlade2 · 5/10 · 20 April 2023]

After watching the first four episodes that dropped. I honestly cant say where I fall on this. Its interesting but confusing, there are some strange story lines that make no sense, characters that I cant decide are good or bad. I got to admit as of right now I cant predict where this is going, which is refreshing. It really is not seeing where the plot is going from the first couple episodes is actually new for most stuff that comes out now days. Now this may crash and burn horribly by the end of the run but I can say I will watch the rest of it. Its an interesting outing for Peacock of all channels but that may be why its on here.

The cover of comedy

[dumsumdumfai · 9/10 · 24 May 2023]

If done right can be great to watch. Because the tension of drama can be alleviated. The process of mixing comedy in builds a less steep curve. If done right.

Most drama relieve the tension through more intense drama, or solving some puzzle, situation. And the overhang, let down usually is very substantial. The audience feels more empty.

Here it has a good premise. Crazy journey, unique characters, and of course, a Macguffin. There are some rough patches but soon clear sailing afterwards. The religious elements is actually a red herring. The true theme is love of family and what will you do for them? The show asks this question.

Episode 7 may have explained a bit too much with Mary. But overall it works, connects the dots, pulls together a great adventure.

There are also excellent motifs like meaning of being the 'server' in the restaurant, the consequnces of walking through locked doors(truth), riding the bull,(facing yourself, death), believing magic trick(faith).

It must be a sweet battle to write this constant balance of depth of meaning, almost ridiculous story, and stand-up standout (but not overbearing, simple) comedy. Fantastic job here to the writer.

But alas, the cover of comedy actually makes the serious stuff more impactful, meaningful, satisfactory. And an alternative way of looking at the events, and the world.

Buckaroo Banzai Meets The Forbin Project

[leitmotif3 · 7/10 · 24 April 2023]

No need to say any more.

But if IMDB requires a bit more explication:

Please then consider the droll absurdity of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, a film from 1984. We see the eponymous character, Buckaroo Banzai, involved in a host of amazing adventures. Buckaroo is a polymath (look it up folks), and--like Sister Simone--has a plethora (look it up folks) of talents that permit him to solve crimes, puzzles and undertake incredible adventures. He's a brain surgeon as well as the lead singer in the Hong Kong Cavaliers rock group.

OK, now on to the Forbin Project. A 1968/69 film wherein scientists create a super computer to control their strategic defenses (think nuclear missiles), and discover they created better than they knew. Subsequent high jinks and world domination ensue.

Sound familiar?

The only question remaining for me is the one my wife asked as we watched the first episode: "How on Earth did they pitch this to the money men?"

How indeed.

Trying to be everything, goes nowhere

[spam-730 · 2/10 · 7 May 2023]

This is like a writers brainstorm gone straight into production.

There are lots of great "what if" ideas here, and each of them could have made for a really great show, if only someone had turned them into a cohesive story.

Yet somehow none of them ever go anywhere and then the headless chicken of a script moves on to the next.

It tries to be all genres at once, and never gets beyond mediocre at any.

It stuffs in massive scenes with enormous effort and loads of extras. Only to fizzle out with no contribution to the story.

It makes massively absurd jokes, but while many of them rival Monty Python in absurdity, but that's where the parallel ends, because they're not innovative, not smart and - not funny.

It was intriguing as a trailer, but after 4 episodes of boredom and disappointment I'm not going to waste more time on this.

Seriously underrated

[botimarci · 10/10 · 23 June 2023]

At first I was a bit scared that there will be a big dissapointment at the end of show, but during the final episode all unanswered questions got a proper answer and everything clicks really nicely. Despite its "comedy" label and all the silly setups this show is meaningful and deep. All the production qualities are excellent, the writing is phenomenal, actors and the portrayed characters are loveable. I even found the sound engineering significantly better then nowadays average shows. To put this story into production was a really good decision and surprised me in many ways. I enjoyed the show more and more episode by episode and to experience the consistency of production value was really satisfying. We need unique and original stories like this more. Thanks a lot for the creators.

Good bones but too many odious characters

[joeDirt95 · 6/10 · 27 April 2023]

My initial thought about this show after a couple of episodes was that I love Betty Gilpin and the show is fun despite being utterly confusing. After the fifth I'm starting to lose interest just from the amount of screentime odious characters are given. Characters who are not likeable, interesting, funny, charming, attractive or anything else that might keep me watching. There were a few laughs also in the early episodes but that's fading now also. I feel like this could've been a really fun series but it looks like it's gonna fall flat judging by the current trajectory. Shame to waste the makings of a good show.

Religion, antireligion oximoronism in a fun package

[dmirda · 7/10 · 21 May 2023]

Lets say this is fresh and new, that it brings something never seen before in a good, fun, well paced form.. At some points ids dark, at another is funny and then smart but in next stupid, then its family drama and then its spiritual again but you want more.. This will make you sad and laughing and thinking.. I'm not religioous and this is packed with it, but it is like a good comic or a book, just fun reading/watching and easy to ignore absurd religious points.. Well produced, well acted, well characterised, well directed, well written.. AI is at the center of everything lately, and it should be, cos it is gonna change our lifes..

Interesting!

[tika90 · 8/10 · 8 June 2023]

First episode had me like - what the actual f...?! Second one was also like - what the heck am I watching?! 🤣 But as I continued, it got my interest.

Was it crazy? Yes.

Was it funny? Yes.

Was it emotional? Yes.

Was it educational? Also, yes.

It was refreshing.

It all seemed a bit bananas, but, soooomehow, it worked. It all came together in the end. It had so many layers. A lot of things are not how they are presented.

Acting was great. Try to watch it with an open mind!

Message of this show is actually very important. Like, get off your socials from time to time.

Betty Gilpin was great! I loved her in Glow too.

Love Betty G.!

[sanjin_9632 · 7/10 · 20 April 2023]

Betty Gilpin has been one of my personal favourites in recent years. From GLOW to The Hunt. From Nurse Jackie to Masters Of Sex. She's been funny and vulnerable in almost everything.. plus she can play a bad ass, which is very refreshing because most actors really cannot. They think they can BUT THEY CANNOT. Not the way she can.

This miniseries is probably a perfect vehicle for her.

A Holy Grail story mixed with some all controlling AI algorithm seeking world domination or something like that .. it's as much as could gather from the first episode.

It doesn't really matter because most stories have already been done countless times. The way it is presented to the viewer is important.. and this series doesn't disappoint so far. Peacock has been doing good work lately in the series department and I hope they continue to do so..

Most series bore me most of the time, but this actually manages to hold my attention throughout so far.

Let's see what happens.. maybe I'm wrong. I hope I'm not. 7.4/10.

Starts well then goes nowhere

[francesredmond · 3/10 · 19 May 2023]

This series started off really well. It was quirky without being "zany" and almost anything that has a "Holy Grail" premise is interesting.

But, after the third episode Simone and her constant reminders about how she is a nun are grating to the viewer. She becomes irritating and self important. The secret society is never fully explored. Tim McInnerny is wasted in a five minute role, it's almost like his performance ended up in the cutting room. The ending when it comes is flat and I just thought "is that it?". I really hope there is NOT a second series. A wasted opportunity to create something lasting.

An engaging absolutely bonkers comedic sci-fi mystery that tackles faith and technology anchored by a strong central performance in Betty Gilpin

[IonicBreezeMachine · 10/10 · 27 April 2023]

In the near future, an artificial intelligence algorithm known by many names including "Mrs. Davis" has heavily ingrained itself with everyday society. A Nun, Sister Simone (Betty Gilpin), soon finds herself at the center of attention as not only Mrs. Davis, but several other factions who all possibly have their sights on something larger.

Mrs. Davis is a new sci-fi dramedy from creators Damon Lindelof of Lost and The Leftovers fame, and Tara Hernandez of Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon. The show has been pretty nebulous in its marketing as to what it is focusing mainly on the international scope of its production as well as the main crux being the interactions between Simone and Mrs. Davis' followers, but whatever you're expecting it won't prepare you for what you get and I mean that in the best possible way.

If you're familiar with Damon Lindelof's style of writing be it on Lost, The Leftovers or his various film projects. You'll know that he's great at offering intrigue rich hooks while not quite delivering satisfying payoffs, except in cases like The Leftovers where the ambiguity actually worked to that shows favor and helped make it a much more satisfying experience in comparison to Lost. With Mrs. Davis, I'd say it leans closer to the level of Leftovers than Lost, but while it is structured like a post-lost Mystery Box type serial drama, it's also kind of a deconstruction of it as well with the show often pointing out the macguffins and non-sensical conspiracy dramas and cloak and dagger nonsense in a way that's bounced off against Betty Gilpin's Sister Simone that acknowledges the silliness of the situation while also offering commentary on everything from social media to the relationship between religion and technology. While Mrs. Davis is another instance of a story in which there's an antagonist AI, think less Colossus: The Forbin Project or Terminator, and more ChatGPT down to the fact the show even acknowledges how much Mrs. Davis loves cliches. The cast are all really excellent and inhabit their roles well and Betty Gilpin makes a compelling character who struggles in reconciling her faither with the situation. Having seen the first four episodes I'm really excited about the possibilities presented by the series and think this could be as good if not better than The Leftovers.

Mrs. Davis is one of the most compelling viewing experiences I've seen in some time, and it's really the kind of thing that deserves to be viewed firsthand because if I were to tell you even half of what happens in the first four episodes it wouldn't do it justice. The fact that it serves as a quasi-deconstruction of Damon Lindelof inspired serialized storytelling while also being a Damon Lindelof show only adds even more to what's already pretty compelling at least from what we've seen.

Love it or you don't.

[AfricanBro · 7/10 · 26 April 2023]

Pretty unique concept. I'd have loved to see it unfold in the 1300's instead of it just being a flash backs. I thought the show would be silly but it actually isn't.

The premiere showed up several stories/timelines before we focus on the actual leads of the story and I think that builds up a lot of interest to see where the show's gonna go and how everything's gonna mold together.

The stories more well thought out than I thought, I had terribly low expectations but this is actually pretty decent and it's over midway the season now. Still haven't pieced everything together yet and characters you're supposed to or not to root for haven't revealed yet, making this unpredictable. The characters are probably one of the shows best qualities because it could've been easily to make them your generic and paper thin personalities, especially the already familiar characters. I've gotten a few funny shocks.

It's pretty ludicrous so if you read the synopsis and think it's gonna be too silly or too blasphemous for you to watch(understandably so) then it will be, but if you're willing to watch something silly you might end up enjoying it. It's similar in a way to miracle workers, Lucifer or good omens on the religion standpoint, but they are still all unique and different shows.

Full series review

[pokemonnegus · 5/10 · 23 August 2023]

The show begins with a feeling as if you're going to witness an incredible sci-fi fantasy adventure, however you would be wrong... dead wrong. If you're a fan of slap stick cartoonish TV then you may enjoy this. The show is meant to feel like it was based on a cult comic book and to the writers credit they achieved their goal. However one Mrs Davis lacks that your favorite comic or graphic novel has is a well developed story line and clear continuity. One major issue with the show is that is fails to offer information in a logical order. Mrs Davis continually jumps around in the plot making the show feel patched together. I believe the show is meant to be funny and light hearted but I didn't laugh once through the whole series and their were To many serious elements for it to Be a comedy. On the other hand it wasn't serious enough to be a thriller or drama so I was left with an amibigous understanding of what the tone should be. I'll be blunt I don't recommend watching this show it's not that funny, not serious enough and patched together .

New and different

[chterzic · 10/10 · 28 April 2023]

I HAD to leave a review to counteract all the negative ones. Why are so many people saying they have no idea what it's about? It's a very clearly laid out plot. It's definitely quirky and bizarre, but that's what makes it great. My theory is that people watch shows while on their phone, only half watching, then complain when they miss something. I was only pissed when I realized not all the episodes are out yet!! But the characters are funny and very likable. Overall a great show. Always looking for something different, and sick of the same old predictable plot lines over and over. Watch it!!!

Inspired by Dirk Gently?

[jesse-20860 · 7/10 · 27 April 2023]

Mrs. Davis is partially satisfying my longing for the cancelled show Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, although I would have given the latter a higher rating. It shares the absurd quest format, exaggerated personalities, and crisscrossing storylines within an overarching and unfolding mystery. It's not quite as witty and the characters aren't as engaging. It's also unclear at this point whether it will all be tied together in a satisfying way but so far I'm intrigued. As others have stated, there are a lot of loose ends with more appearing in every episode and it's a bit difficult to figure out what is truly relevant to the plot vs. What is added just for the sake of being whacky. If they can tie most of it together and incorporate some deeper hero's journey allegory and symbolism, I may end up loving this show, but if it just keeps taking random twists and turns while providing few real answers or insights, I may lose interest.

Like Preacher (2016): different cast, same shtick, but that's okay!

[yewsiedu · 9/10 · 24 April 2023]

After the first 10 minutes of the first episode it becomes plainly obvious the pitch for this show was 'like Preacher except a nun battles a god-like AI". But that's okay! I loved Preacher -- it was quirky, comically brutal, explored deep philosophical questions and it never turned down an opportunity to play something for a laugh.

Mrs. Davis is very similar in that regard. We establish early-on that she is badass, possibly immortal, has a side-hustle busting scam artists but is generally content in her convent. But this stupid AI won't leave her alone! Push comes to shove fairly early and the adventure is on.

To conclude, if you liked Preacher you'll like this, if you didn't like Preacher you won't like this, and if you've never seen Preacher, watch Preacher!