"Devs" was a show that kept popping up in social media circles, and with a healthy dose of what-the-F-else-am-I-gonna-do, I gave it a whirl.
Nick Offerman jumps all over his role as Forest, the guru of a tech company that is pursuing AI and quantum computing while navigating shadowy governmental connections. It's a very un-Ron-Swanson-like gig for Offerman, who demonstrates some unexpected range with his emotional availability in this one.
Alison Pill ("Newsroom") is remarkable in serving as a stoic facade as Katie, but the real star here is Sonoya Mizuno, the picture of understated emo as Lily Chan. Her character has a shifting world thrust upon her, and Mizuno's acting abilities are more than up to the task of capturing a host of complex challenges.
"Devs" is incredibly atmospheric for television, thanks to a musical score that lends heavy mood and essentially serves as a not-so-minor character. The show has been compared to "Black Mirror," but to me (as an admittedly casual viewer of only a handful of "Black Mirror" episodes), "Devs" is more well-rounded, propelled forward by Forest's personal quest and in-flux morality.
There are a number of plot pivots to deal with here, and at times the show borrows elements from "War Games" and other technothriller works. A midseason backstory episode sapped some of the momentum and pacing, but creator Alex Garland brings it back around for a beautiful -- albeit bumpy -- landing at the end of the eight-episode arc.
That's a long way of saying there is a lot happening here. We're given a lot to consider and mull over, beset by a temptation to ascribe symbolism and political statements.
At its core, "Devs" is a meditation on grief. Granted, it's as much of a fun, thought-provoking ride as such a vehicle could be, but maybe don't try to overthink it.
The AI wouldn't want us to do that.
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