Jolt Country

Devs is a "limited series" (which I think means, it'll have eight episodes and then be over) created by the guy that directed Annihilation and Ex Machina, but more importantly, especially in this case, wrote the movie "Sunshine", which is Pinback's Pick for the best sci-fi movie of the 2000s.

Devs is a show about a cybersecurity firm ("Amaya"), which also has a secretive skunkworks section hidden inside a strange building in the fields behind the main building. The echoes of Sunshine (especially), 2001, and even a touch of Wrath of Khan as this building is revealed are deafening. It's all of my favorite movies wrapped into one strange building in a field. I love it.

The story that is developing (only the first two episodes have been released, next one on Thursday) around that strange building suffers slightly from not being the strange building itself, which is the coolest thing you'll see on TV this year, but is helped by a number of things: 1. The show oozes style, and is the best made show I've seen in a while that didn't have Vince Gilligan attached to it. The misty landscapes of San Francisco could be mistaken for the increasingly alien oil-rainbow-tinged fog of Annihilation. The soundtrack is amazing. Everything's good. But also:

2. Evil Nick Offerman. You know immediately who that guy is, but then you still have to ask, wait, who is that guy? I know him. Yeah, but you know him from Parks and Rec or some other goofball comedy project. In Devs, he flexes his dramatic chops, and they are considerable. He takes the show dangerously close to One Characteritis: When one guy is so good that when he's not on the screen, the show is lessened.

Anyway, if you're up for a stylish little techno-thriller that makes you proud to be a sci-fi fan, Devs. Give it a try.

Thanks for the heads up. Bookmarked.

Okay, I'm in.

pinback wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2020 5:19 am Devs is a "limited series" (which I think means, it'll have eight episodes and then be over) created by the guy that directed Annihilation and Ex Machina

That's why they hired this show runner, because after 8 episodes, it will be annihilated.

pinback wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2020 5:19 am Devs is a show about a cybersecurity firm ("Amaya"), which also has a secretive skunkworks section hidden inside a strange building in the fields behind the main building.

Probably smells bad, so they keep it far away. Need to wash the building in tomato juice, I guess.

Only replying because I want to be alerted to updates to this thread. Watching it too!

[INFINITESIMALLY SMALL SPOILER]






I saw a recap of the second episode that described a scene where a character dies. The guy doing the recap stated that "nothing seemed to happen, they just eventually stopped breathing."

I know this scene, and when it happened, I audibly gasped, "GROSS!" It was one of the most viscerally nauseating on-screen deaths I can remember in my 48.7 years of watching on-screen deaths.

The guy doing the recap did not realize/notice what had happened. It was relatively subtle, I'll admit, but that's what made it all the more shocking. It was a bad recap.

If you're a fan of super-icky on-screen deaths: DEVS.

Yeah, it was pretty shocking. I had to "rewind" just to watch it again to fully see exactly what was going on since it caught me totally by surprise the first time. The next day, I caught myself marveling at how masterfully disturbing it was.

pinback wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:23 pm 48.7 years

Wait, you're almost 49? And you're just 4 years older than me? Shit, I'm almost 50.

Casual Observer wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 12:27 pm

pinback wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:23 pm 48.7 years

Wait, you're almost 49? And you're just 4 years older than me? Shit, I'm almost 50.

This is making me feel old. In a little over 8 months (but less than 9), I'm going to be 60.

Incredible.

Tdarcos wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:15 am

Casual Observer wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 12:27 pm

pinback wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:23 pm 48.7 years

Wait, you're almost 49? And you're just 4 years older than me? Shit, I'm almost 50.

This is making me feel old. In a little over 8 months (but less than 9), I'm going to be 60.

Let us know when that happens, we will have a virtual birthday for you, my friend.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:06 am

Tdarcos wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:15 am

Casual Observer wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 12:27 pm Wait, you're almost 49? And you're just 4 years older than me? Shit, I'm almost 50.

This is making me feel old. In a little over 8 months (but less than 9), I'm going to be 60.

Let us know when that happens, we will have a virtual birthday for you, my friend.

Amazingly, I have decided to celebrate my birthday on November 27, 2020, rather than on my actual birthday, November 27, 1960.

You'll have to forgive me for waiting closer to the date to buy the candles.

If we can get back to the topic, which we never, ever can with certain people involved, episode 4 was very good. Episodes 1, 2, and 4 were very good. Episode 3 was just okay. But let's not nitpick. Let's just stick to the topic. Any topic. For the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Episode 5 was fantastically well-made. The car crash scene (you know the one!) is one of the best-constructed scenes in the history of television.

I'm surprised you gaggle of fucking nerds isn't eating it up by this point.

Neither Nick Offerman nor Rhea Seehorn will win supporting actor Emmys this year or any year, which simply invalidates the Emmys forever. Nice to have that off our collective plate.

Episode 5 was great, but I had to drop Nick a bit in my manager's rankings. If you're going to hire a 12 year old girl playing a 12 year old boy and they do something you don't like, that's on you for hiring them.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 7:53 am Episode 5 was great, but I had to drop Nick a bit in my manager's rankings. If you're going to hire a 12 year old girl playing a 12 year old boy and they do something you don't like, that's on you for hiring them.

That was episode 4.

pinback wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 5:19 pm

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 7:53 am Episode 5 was great, but I had to drop Nick a bit in my manager's rankings. If you're going to hire a 12 year old girl playing a 12 year old boy and they do something you don't like, that's on you for hiring them.

That was episode 4.

Please do not continue to yell at me.

Started this tonight, it's right up my alley.

So far what they got right: homeless sleeping on your porch in SF

What they got wrong: Their commute makes no sense, you wouldn't be taking a bus east across the SF bridge because all the techheads are in Silicon Valley. This company wouldn't be on a campus in the east bay if they want the right workers. Also, they filmed at UC Santa Cruz which is straight south through some of the worst traffic you can imagine, they would be leaving at 4AM for a 3.5 hour drive. Also, the they must have filmed in the middle of the day or on a weekend because it would be pure gridlock when they're claiming the commute.