'Mrs. Davis': Betty Gilpin leads wonderfully weird sci-fi, AI journey in new series

Fun and sci-fi brilliantly come together in the new show Mrs. Davis, starring Emmy-nominee Betty Gilpin, from former Big Bang Theory writer/producer Tara Hernandez and Lost and Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof (streaming on Peacock in the U.S., Crave in Canada).

What is 'Mrs. Davis' about?

In the world of Mrs. Davis, an AI named "Mrs. Davis" is providing "guidance" to most people on Earth. Some will say that this algorithm has fixed a broken world, but that's not the case for Simone (Gilpin).

Simone, or rather Sister Simone, is a nun living in Reno, Nevada, who also spends her time exposing wayward magicians, getting targets from a man named Jay (played by Canadian Andy McQueen). She is adamant that she wants nothing to do with this AI, calling Mrs. Davis "it" rather than "she." Simone claims that it's responsible for the death of her father, played by David Arquette.

Ultimately, the algorithm is too powerful to escape. Speaking by proxy through people Simone interacts with (via an earpiece), Mrs. Davis tells Simone to find the mysterious Holy Grail, and if Simone can fulfill that task, Mrs. Davis will shut down for good.

Reconnecting with her ex Wiley (Jake McDorman), part of a resistance group against the AI, Simone and Wiley set off around the world for this quest.

Is 'Mrs. Davis' worth watching?

Clever, cunning, smart and hilarious, Mrs. Davis has stolen our hearts, and certainly deserves a spot among the greatest TV shows of the year.

As AI becomes more advanced in our world, it's likely that more entertainment will include this tech in storytelling, but Mrs. Davis does so in a way that's intriguing, captivating, fun, and actually feels unique and original.

Gilpin's performance as Simone provides an alluring combination of emotion with sarcastic comedy delivery that sucks you into the story, making you invested in our lead character's journey rather quickly. But Mrs. Davis also succeeds in having a strong ensemble cast, something that's rarely truly achieved.

The series very effectively leans into the absurd, striking that perfect balance where you laugh hysterically, while still being on the edge of your seat to find out what twist and turn is coming up next.

It's a tough show to accurately describe without exposing too much of the plot, but there is an element of the series that requires the viewer to just go along with story, things are very much explained on an as-needed basis.

There is a lot going on in Mrs. Davis, one could argue maybe too much at times, particularly when it comes to the prevalence of misdirection as a narrative tool. But it's such a refreshing and rewarding journey to go on in a TV show, which questions faith, religion, mythology and our overall connection to technology.

There's a powerful boldness to Mrs. Davis that sets it apart in a world filled with so much content to watch. The truly imaginative eight episodes really pack a punch in terms of their impact.