This article is about the television series. For people with the surname Davis, see List of people with surname Davis.
Mrs. Davis
Genre
Creator
Starring
ComposerJeff Russo
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Num seasons1
Num episodes8
Executive producer
Producer
  • Tiffany Chung
  • Louis Shaw Milito
  • Terri Murphy
Runtime48–60 minutes
Company
NetworkPeacock
First airedApril 20, 2023
Last airedMay 18, 2023

Mrs. Davis is an American science fiction comedy drama television limited series[1][2] created by Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof for Peacock. The series stars Betty Gilpin as a nun using her faith to take on technology, and a supporting cast including Jake McDorman, Margo Martindale, David Arquette and Elizabeth Marvel. It premiered at SXSW on March 11, 2023, before its debut on Peacock on April 20.

Cast

Main cast

  • Betty Gilpin as Sister Simone, formerly Elizabeth Abbott, a nun battling artificial intelligence[3]
  • Jake McDorman as Preston Wiley, an ex-boyfriend of Simone who stands against the AI with her[3]
  • Andy McQueen as Jay, Simone's husband[4]

Recurring cast

Guest cast

Production

Mrs. Davis was created by Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez at Warner Bros. Television, and the show received a 10-episode series order for Peacock. The pair would both co-write and executive produce, with Hernandez acting as showrunner. Susan Rovner had been developing the series with them at Warner Bros., and as new chair for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, she out-bid other broadcasters and streamers to buy the show.[8] Owen Harris and Alethea Jones are executive producers and each directed multiple episodes.[6]

Casting began in March 2022, starting with Betty Gilpin in the lead role of a nun battling artificial intelligence,[9] and Jake McDorman starring opposite her.[10] Margo Martindale, Andy McQueen, and Ben Chaplin were added to the main cast,[4] while David Arquette and Elizabeth Marvel received recurring roles.[6] After the start of filming, Chris Diamantopoulos, Ashley Romans, and Katja Herbers were added to the cast as well.[7]

Filming was in progress in August 2022,[11] shooting primarily on the Warner Bros. lot or in a remote desert location to maintain secrecy.[5]

The international scenes were filmed in Spain: Sa Boadella beach in Lloret de Mar (Arthur Schrodinger's island), Cathedral in Girona (the execution of the Templars), Figueres Fortress (sword contest), Valencia (Shrodinger's ship in Cadiz) and Sant Pau Hospital in Barcelona (Shrodinger's university).[12][13][14]

Writers used AI to come up with episode titles.[15]

Teller (half of the comedy magic duo Penn & Teller) was a magic consultant for the series.[16]

In May 2023, it was reported that there were no plans for a second season.[17]

Release

The series had its world premiere at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 11, 2023.[18][19][20] The series premiered on April 20, 2023, with the first four episodes available immediately and the rest of the remaining four debuting on a weekly basis.[3]

The series premiered with the first four episodes on April 24, 2023, on HBO Max outside the US where available.[21]

The series premiered on Prime Video in Germany on November 10, 2023.

The series premiered on ITVX in United Kingdom on November 28, 2024.

Reception

Critical response

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 92% based on 59 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Positively bonkers while undergirded by an intelligent design, Mrs. Davis makes Betty Gilpin a hero for modern times in a highly imaginative mixture of spirituality and technology."[22] Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on 23 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[23]

The series was included in several mid-year lists of the best TV shows of 2023, such as IndieWire, Rolling Stone, Variety, and TheWrap.[24][25][26][27] Ben Travers of IndieWire wrote, "Mrs. Davis is made to entertain, first and foremost, and it's a highly enjoyable experience whether you engage with its deeper issues or not. Betty Gilpin is delightful. The larger ensemble matches her irresistible energy. The visuals are colorful and vast. The scripts are tight, the momentum unwavering, and the sheer joy palpable."[24] Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall said, "Mrs. Davis featured some of the crazier plot twists you will ever see, yet managed to be genuinely moving and thoughtful even in the middle of all its ridiculousness."[25] Alison Herman of Variety noted that the series "has the confidence and humor . . . to help the audience adjust to all the show throws at them, helped by a grounding performance from [Gilpin]. Whether or not you laugh at the final joke... you have to admire the show for making it, or getting made at all.[26]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2023Television Critics Association AwardsOutstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries or SpecialsMrs. Davis[28]
Outstanding New Program
Individual Achievement in DramaBetty Gilpin
Astra TV AwardsBest Streaming Limited or Anthology SeriesMrs. Davis[29]
Independent Spirit AwardsBest Lead Performance in a New Scripted SeriesBetty Gilpin[30]
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Sound Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special"Mother of Mercy: The Call of the Horse"[31]
Saturn AwardsBest Television PresentationMrs. Davis[32]
2024
Critics' Choice Super AwardsBest Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV MovieBetty Gilpin[33]

References

  1. ^ Bastidas, Jose Alejandro (May 9, 2023). "Mrs. Davis Season 2 Still Possible With Emmys Campaign Switch". TheWrap. Archived May 12, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  2. ^ Schenider, Michael (May 9, 2023). "Peacock's 'Mrs. Davis' Makes Last-Minute Switch From Drama to Limited/Anthology Series Emmy Races (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  3. ^ Campione, Katie (December 7, 2022). "Mrs. Davis' Drama Series Gets Release Date At Peacock; Betty Gilpin Is A Nun On A Mission In First Look Photos". Deadline Hollywood. Archived December 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  4. ^ Porter, Rick (June 10, 2022). "Damon Lindelof/Tara Hernandez Peacock Drama Mrs. Davis Adds Trio to Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. PMRC. Archived October 1, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  5. ^ Malkin, Marc (September 8, 2022). "Betty Gilpin Teases Playing a Nun 'With Lashes' in Mrs. Davis: 'You'll Be Screaming at the Television'". Variety. Archived October 4, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  6. ^ Otterson, Joe (July 1, 2022). "David Arquette, Elizabeth Marvel Join Damon Lindelof & Tara Hernandez Peacock Series Mrs. Davis". Variety. Archived January 2, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  7. ^ Cordero, Rosy (September 22, 2022). "Mrs. Davis: Chris Diamantopoulos, Ashley Romans And Katja Herbers Join Peacock Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived October 2, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  8. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (May 27, 2021). "Damon Lindelof, Tara Hernandez to Explore Faith vs. Technology in Peacock Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. PMRC. Archived October 3, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  9. ^ Kiefer, Halle (March 21, 2022). "Damon Lindelof's Mrs. Davis Gets Betty Gilpin to a Nunnery". Vulture. Vox Media. Archived May 4, 2022 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ Murphy, J. Kim (May 9, 2022). "Damon Lindelof, Tara Hernandez Peacock Series Mrs. Davis Taps Jake McDorman to Star Alongside Betty Gilpin". Variety. Archived October 2, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  11. ^ Blyth, Antonia (August 26, 2022). "20 Questions On Deadline Podcast – Betty Gilpin On Making The "Life-Changing" Three Women, Mrs. Davis & Her New Book All The Women In My Brain". Deadline Hollywood. Archived November 11, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  12. ^ Carmona, Alba (November 17, 2022). "Mrs. Davis» a Girona: Un rodatge dins un rodatge a tocar de la Catedral". Diari de Girona. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  13. ^ Estarriola, Marc (April 23, 2023). "Mrs. Davis, rodada a Girona i Figueres, s'estrena el 25 d'abril a HBO Max". El Gerió Digital. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  14. ^ Gaceta, Lloret (April 25, 2023). "Se estrena hoy 'Mrs Davis": la mega producción de Warner Bros. rodada en parte en Lloret de Mar". Gaceta Lloret. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  15. ^ Weiss, Josh (March 23, 2023). "Mrs. Davis' Writers Created Their Own AI Algorithm To Come Up With Peacock Series' Episode Titles". Syfy. NBC Universal. Archived March 13, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  16. ^ Peters, Fletcher (May 4, 2023). "Magic Legend Teller Reveals the Secrets of the Biggest 'Mrs. Davis' Tricks". The Daily Beast. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  17. ^ Hatchett, Keisha (May 22, 2023). "Mrs. Davis: Will There Be a Season 2?". TVLine. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  18. ^ "SXSW – 'Evil Dead Rise', 'The Wrath of Becky', & 'Late Night With the Devil' to World Premiere! [Images]". Bloody Disgusting. January 11, 2023. Archived January 11, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  19. ^ Hibberd, James (March 9, 2023). "SXSW: 'Mrs. Davis' Is a Perfectly Timed Warning About AI Madness". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived March 14, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  20. ^ Galuppo, Mia (March 13, 2023). "SXSW: How 'Mrs. Davis' Creators Used AI in the Writers Room". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived March 14, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  21. ^ "Watch MRS. Davis | Max". 2023.
  22. ^ "Mrs. Davis" (tv). mrs_davis. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  23. ^ "Mrs. Davis" (tv). mrs-davis. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  24. ^ Travers, Ben (June 29, 2023). "The Best TV Shows of 2023, So Far". IndieWire. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  25. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (June 12, 2023). "The Best TV Shows of 2023 So Far, From 'Dave' to 'Succession'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  26. ^ Herman, Alison (June 28, 2023). "The 10 Best TV Shows of the Year (So Far)". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  27. ^ "The Best TV Shows of 2023 So Far". TheWrap. July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  28. ^ Hailu, Selome (June 30, 2023). "TCA Award Nominations: The Bear, Succession, The Last of Us Lead With Five Nominations Each". Variety. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  29. ^ Anderson, Erik (July 11, 2023). "'The Boys', 'Yellowjackets', 'Abbott Elementary' lead 2023 HCA TV Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  30. ^ Blauvelt, Christian (December 5, 2023). "'American Fiction,' 'May December,' 'Past Lives' Lead 2024 Indie Spirits Noms". IndieWire. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  31. ^ Jordan, Moreau (July 12, 2023). "Emmys 2023: List of Nominees". Variety. Archived July 12, 2023 at the Wayback Machine.
  32. ^ Hipes, Patrick (December 6, 2023). "'Avatar: The Way of Water', 'Oppenheimer', 'Star Trek' Series Lead Nominations for Genre-Focused Saturn Awards". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  33. ^ "Nominations announced for the Critics Choice Association's 4th Annual "Critics Choice Super Awards" honoring Superhero, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Horror, and Action Movies and Series". Critics Choice Associations. March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.