Peacock's sci-fi series Mrs. Davis, created by Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez, offers a surrealist take on artificial intelligence. The show follows a nun played by Betty Gilpin as she attempts to dismantle an all-powerful algorithm that originated from a restaurant loyalty program.
From Singularity Dread to 'Garbage Haiku' Reality
Most science fiction treats artificial intelligence as either a soul-stealing monster or a cancer-curing miracle. As the source reports, prestige dramas often lean into grim pessimism while tech-industry mythmaking favors a utopian optimism. This binary leaves little room for the messy, often incompetent reality of technology built by flawed humans.
Mrs. Davis breaks this cycle by suggesting that AI is fundamentally, and laughably, dumb. This perspective feels increasingly relevant in a post-ChatGPT world, where the initial awe of large language models has frequently been replaced by the reality of machines delivering "garbage haikus." By rejecting the "singularity" tropes—often represented by tech leaders in Patagonia vests—the show finds a more honest, albeit absurd, way to discuss our relationship with code.
Sister Simone’s Reno-to-Italy Grail Hunt
The series centers on Sister Simone, portrayed by Betty Gilpin, who operates out of a beat-up desert convent near Reno. Alongside her ex , Wiley (played by Jake McDorman), Simone traverses locations from Scotland to Italy in search of the Holy Grail. The narrative is punctuated by high-concept absurdity, including a relationship between Simone and Jesus (played by Andy McQueen) in a metaphysical falafel shop.
The emotional stakes are anchored by Simone's personal history, specifically the death of her father, Monty (played by David Arquette), who died mid-trick inside a piano. The cast brings a grounded intensity to the show's "joyful nonsense," with actors like Margo Martindale, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Ben Chaplin playing their absurd roles with total commitment. This commitment allows the series to pivot from a bloody 14th-century Paris sword fight to a surrealist detour in Scotland without losing its emotional core.
The Buffalo Wild Wings origin of a global deity
Unlike the typical "god-like" AI tropes, the algorithm in Mrs. Davis has a grounded, almost insulting origin story. The central premise is that the omnipotent force running the planet actually began its life as a Buffalo Wild Wings loyalty app. This creative choice underscores the show's central thesis: that technology is a human creation, and therefore inherently flawed and ridiculous.
The algorithm even communictaes through a proxy that speaks with the voice of a "warm kindergarten teacher," further stripping away the intimidation factor usually associated with super-intelligent AI.. According to the report, this reveal serves as the ultimate punchline to eight episodes of buildup, repositioning the concept of "the algorithm" as a byproduct of consumerism rather than a cosmic inevitability.
The missing critique of a 'cheerfully' controlled world
While the show excels at surrealism, it leaves certain socio-political questions unanswered. The source mentions that most of the planet "cheerfully lives inside" the Mrs. Davis algorithm, yet the narrative focuses more on the character-driven absurdity than the systemic implications of such a world. There is a lack of exploration regarding how a society functions when it has collectively surrendered its agency to a glorified restaurant app.
We are left to wonder if the show's focus on "joyful nonsense" is a way to avoid the darker, more terrifying reality of total algorithmic governance. While the series explores the personal ire of a nun fighting the machine, it offers little insight into the actual mechanics of a world where an algorithm dictates human existence.
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