Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Series From Civil War Director Is The Binge You’ve Been Looking For

Devs centers on Lily Chan, portrayed by Sonoya Mizuno, a computer engineer at Amaya, a prominent tech company based in Silicon Valley. The series hooks you right away with the nightmarish moment when Lily’s boyfriend Sergei mysteriously dies. Before his death, he was promoted to a secretive quantum computing division of Amaya known as Devs.

Lily launches her own investigation to uncover the truth and finds a hidden program on Sergei’s phone. As she goes deeper, the lines between reality and technology become unclear. Parallel with her investigation, the Devs lab team, with its CEO Forest (Nick Offerman) at the center of the operation, uses a powerful computer system that allows them to see into both the past and future. The team also includes actors Stephen McKinley Henderson as Stuart and Cailee Spaeny as the coding prodigy Lyndon.

As Lily tries to figure out what happened to her boyfriend, the series feels more like a corporate thriller than a sci-fi series. However, the slow burn of the investigation leads right into a sci-fi trap. Eventually, viewers are treated to a mind-bending twist that will leave them questioning everything they thought they knew. 

The series might be confusing at times. It doesn’t reveal all the information you need. Moreover, Devs is not afraid to dive into complex themes of quantum mechanics which is challenging for casual viewers. Nevertheless, the mystery behind the characters and events leaves the suspense and intrigue at a high level throughout its eight-episode run. 

Garland’s writing won’t help you understand the sci-fi thriller, either. However, the strong performances by the cast, especially Nick Offerman, who leaves his comedic persona aside to give the world Forest, keep the mystery alive. 

Devs’ visuals will also play a big part in the series. The full-frame-close-up of grainy pixelated video hints at something groundbreaking in the Devs lab, while the massive statue of Amaya in the center of the campus is a stark contrast to the sleek aesthetic of the surroundings. 

Devs premiered on FX on Hulu in March 2020 with Rob Hardy as the main cinematographer. It began its journey as a pilot order for FX in 2018. However, the series was soon greenlit and the viewers were treated to an eight-episode sci-fi wonder. The series garnered critical praise upon release for its originality and visual beauty, holding a strong 82 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. 

REVIEW SCORE

Devs is a sci-fi thriller with a slow burn that can be rewarding if you are patient enough to wait. While it is not perfect, mainly because all the deeper meaning in the series gets lost in its complex themes, it is a must-watch for all Garland fans out there. The best thing is that you can binge-watch on Hulu for free or buy it on AppleTV or Amazon.