Thanks to FX and C2E2 I was able to have a reserved seat for the Alex Garland panel where they would be discussing his new and first television series Devs. This was an amazing experience. Not only was I able to see exclusive scenes not available in the public trailers, but I also listened to one of the most brilliant minds in sci-fi unpack his thoughts on production. He spoke of his motivations and process while also touching on his philosophy and interests. By the end of the panel my anticipation was at an all time high. I had a new appreciation for work I had already enjoyed and excitement for a more than promising show in Devs.

Devs is pitched as a suspenseful story of a young woman working in tech who’s tracking the disappearance of her boyfriend and coworker after he was last seen walking into a secret division at her company known as Devs. Sonoya Mizuno (Lily Chan) investigates her tech guru employer Forest played by Nick Offerman. With giant sets used to display futuristic backdrops, Garland presents a company with limitless determination toying with something beyond most human understanding. Garland expressed a great respect for Mizuno from working with her on previous projects, but made it be known that only got her foot in the door. He assured us that she went thru the same casting gauntlet as everyone else. Garland stated that he was grateful that she made it thru after having conversations with Sonoya about the lack of Asian representation in film and television. When asked about Offerman and the choice to use a comedic actor for such a serious role he said he finds it is easier for an actor from a comedic background to switch tones from seriousness to comedic than it is an actor from a dramatic background. The panel previewed a few exclusive scenes that proved Garland’s choices to be sound.

The interview and exclusive scenes also unveiled a theme this show will be exploring that we at The Nerd Cantina have discussed in the past. While Garland expressed his interest in quantum mechanics and fears over the weaving of technology into our social fabric, he divulged the show will also be tackling the concept of free will. We have discussed this concept on the podcast (https://thenerdcantina.com/show27/) and to hear Garland bravely tackling this issue in a television format brought me great excitement. He discussed his interest in the concept and assured the audience he had consulted with experts in these fields to stay true to the science. This expertise along with Garlands vision promises to bring new sci-fi themes with high quality cinematography and storytelling.

Garland’s style of sci-fi often feels like cautionary tales rather than science fantasy. Devs is sure to play with this concept also. A powerful tech CEO with a reckless disregard for society is a familiar reality. After hearing Garland’s fears for society and his own social media disconnects, there is no doubt Devs is going to present a dark reality that society participates in. Garland spoke of his excitement to tell a story of this magnitude without the constraints of a film format. Television give him the opportunity to dive deeper into subject matter than he has ever gone before. FX on Hulu has made an excellent decision in choosing to bring Devs to its streaming audience. Thought provoking concepts, suspense, and stunning visuals are going to be available to stream at your leisure and Garland, to paraphrase, couldn’t give a fuck if you choose to view it on an iPhone or laptop. He filmed every episode with the same grand scale he brings to a Hollywood film. Do not wait to binge this show. The concepts and depth of Devs will take the weeks intermission to digest. Devs is currently streaming on Hulu from the FX network.