Whenever there’s a new TV show on the way from Damon Lindelof — the prolific TV creator who’s given us everything from Lost to HBO’s Watchmen and The Leftovers — it jumps straight to the top of my watch list. Can you blame me? Lindelof has had a hand in producing TV that ranks among the best of the past two decades, and he has a new show coming to Peacock in April titled Mrs. Davis that promises more of the high-concept drama that’s become his stock in trade.
Mrs. Davis Peacock trailer, cast, release date
Moreover, the teaser trailer below hints at one of the big themes of Lindelof’s upcoming Peacock show, which looks set to present an epic battle of faith vs. technology.
That dynamic, by the way, also feels a little reminiscent of the “Man of Science, Man of Faith” tug of war between Lost’s Jack Shephard and John Locke — in a way that feels like this is probably one of Lindelof’s favorite struggles to play with in his narratives.
In Mrs. Davis (the showrunner for which is Tara Hernandez), the show’s title is also the name of what’s billed as the world’s most powerful AI. “Simone,” played by Betty Gilpin, is a nun out to stop the AI (from supplanting God, essentially). Jake McDorman plays Simone’s rebellious ex, who also has a personal vendetta against the algorithm behind Mrs. Davis. And the whole thing is a little over a month away from debuting on Peacock.
- Release date: April 20 (first four episodes)
- Cast: Stars include Betty Gilpin, Jake McDorman, and Andy McQueen, along with recurring cast members Ben Chaplin, Margo Martindale, David Arquette, Elizabeth Marvel, Katja Herbers, Chris Diamantopoulos, Ashley Romans, Tom Wlaschiha, and Mathilde Ollivier.
- World premiere at SXSW: The show will have a big presence at this year’s SXSW, which is where the world premiere will take place on March 14, with a red-carpet screening of the first two episodes.
Peacock stepping up
Slowly but surely, shows like Mrs. Davis are helping Peacock increasingly stand out amid the crowded and complicated topography of the Streaming Wars. In fact, NBC’s streamer finally has momentum at its back, having doubled its paid subscriber base last year to 20 million, five million of whom signed up during the fourth quarter.
That momentum is thanks largely to buzzy new shows, which include Rian Johnson’s critically acclaimed Poker Face, as well as a library of top-notch imported British dramas, like The Capture and The Undeclared War. I’ve also been hooked on Peacock’s timely new docuseries Once Upon a Time in Londongrad, which is an investigation into “the uncomfortable relationship between the UK’s reliance on Russian money and the missed opportunities to contain Putin.”
Peacock also has a great selection of the TV equivalent of comfort food — including shows like NBC’s American Auto, an Office-style workplace comedy that also streams on Peacock. Mrs. Davis will be yet another release to add to its list of can’t-miss titles.
