DEVS (2020)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

BBC Two's new 8 episodes mini series DEVS is exceptional television at its best. A must watch! It has an original story that is like no other. I can't begin to explain what the plot is about because it is so multi-layered, and complex, and at any rate why bother taking away the enjoyment of discovery from you if you haven't seen this yet. Suffice to know that this has elements of science fiction, espionage, murder mystery, quantum physics, yes, quantum physics, and even a touch of romance. It is no mean feat to translate a story that encompasses these elements into something that is comprehensible and entertaining enough to capture the imagination of the viewer for 8 episodes.

Writer and Director, Alex Garland whose earlier works include Ex Machina and Annihilation is no stranger in the science fiction genre. However, with the increased screen time that a mini series can offer, he has gone beyond just a straight forward science fiction tale and come up with something that is quite frankly mind boggling. Everything from the story, the performances, the music, the sets, the detail framing of each scene, to its fascinating script is top notched here. Its cast of mainly unknown faces lends further authenticity to the performances as he are drawn to each character's path not knowing whether they live or die. Japanese actress Sonoya Mizuno who was in Alex's Ex Machina in a supporting role, has a much bigger role here as the vulnerable but super resourceful female lead, Lily Chen. Her awkward beauty and vulnerability makes the character someone you will root for with each passing episode.  Perhaps the most familiar face in the cast is TV series regular Alison Pill (Newsroom, Star Trek: Picard) who is consistently great in playing complex mysterious characters. At the core of the story is computer tech wizard who is behind the creation of a super complex computer that goes beyond just artificial intelligence. He is played with sensitivity and an air of mystery by Nick Offerman. There are not many characters in the whole story but each character appears with a purpose and each have their memorable moments thanks to convincing performances across the board.

This is a standalone story with a proper start and proper ending and closer. No open ended cliff hanger at the end to sell you another season. That's another good reason to invest your time in this. I binge watch this over three days but I suspect many of you will probably finish it in an even shorter time. It can get pretty addictive. At the end you feel like you have just watched something great, something rare. A new television classic.