Evan Rachel Wood stars in ‘Westworld’ season 3 (Photo by John P. Johnson/HBO)
HBO’s just released (very limited) details on the first four episodes of Westworld season three. The network confirmed the titles of episodes one through four, air dates, and provided the shortest of plot descriptions.
The returning cast includes Evan Rachel Wood (Dolores), Thandie Newton (Maeve), Ed Harris (Man in Black), Jeffrey Wright (Bernard), Tessa Thompson (Charlotte), Luke Hemsworth (Stubbs), and Rodrigo Santoro (Hector Escaton). New to the series for the third season are Aaron Paul (Caleb), Vincent Cassel (Serac), Lena Waithe (Ash), Scott Mescudi (Francis), Marshawn Lynch (Giggles), John Gallagher Jr. (Liam), Michael Ealy (Jake) and Tommy Flanagan (Conells).
Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy created the Emmy Award-winning sci-fi series and serve as executive producers. J.J. Abrams, Athena Wickham, Richard J. Lewis, Ben Stephenson, and Denise Thé also executive produce.
The eight-episode third season premieres on Sunday, March 15, 2020.
Westworld Season 3 Episodes:
Season 3, episode 1: “Parce Domine”
Debut date: SUNDAY, MARCH 15 (9:00-10:10 p.m. ET/PT)
If you’re stuck in a loop, try walking in a straight line.
Written by Lisa Joy & Jonathan Nolan; directed by Jonathan Nolan.
Season 3, episode 2: “The Winter Line”
Debut date: SUNDAY, MARCH 22 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
People put up a lot of walls. Bring a sledgehammer to your life.
Written by Matthew Pitts & Lisa Joy; directed by Richard J. Lewis.
Season 3, episode 3: “The Absence of Field”
Debut date: SUNDAY, MARCH 29 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
If you don’t like what you see in the mirror, don’t blame the mirror.
Written by Denise Thé; directed by Amanda Marsalis.
Season 3, episode 4: “The Mother of Exiles”
Debut date: SUNDAY, APRIL 5 (9:00-10:10 p.m.)
The truth doesn’t always set you free.
Written by Jordan Goldberg & Lisa Joy; directed by Paul Cameron.
CBS All Access just announced Isla Fisher’s set to star in Guilty Party, a new half-hour series described as a dark comedy. Fisher will also be involved as an executive producer along with Rebecca Addelman, Sam Hansen, Jimmy Miller, Joe Farrell, Jim Ziegler, and Mike Farah.
Addelman (Dead to Me) is writing and Trent O’Donnell (No Activity) is directing.
“Guilty Party is a wild ride fueled by Beth’s grit, passionate heart and desperation to redeem herself,” stated Julie McNamara, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, CBS All Access. “We knew we needed a magnetic, versatile talent in the role, and Isla perfectly embodies the wholly original character Rebecca created. We are thrilled to add Guilty Party to our growing comedy slate which includes Why Women Kill, No Activity, and the upcoming animated Star Trek: Lower Decks.”
CBS Television Studios is producing in association with Funny Or Die and Mosaic.
Fisher’s credits include Greed, Arrested Development, The Beach Bum, Keeping Up with the Joneses, and Now You See Me. She recently completed work on Blithe Spirit alongside Dan Stevens, Leslie Mann, and Dame Judi Dench, and is currently busy shooting Godmothered with Jillian Bell.
The Plot, Courtesy of CBS All Access:
Isa Fisher plays Beth Baker, a discredited journalist desperate to salvage her career by latching on to the story of a young mother sentenced to life in prison for maiming and murdering her husband, crimes she claims she didn’t commit. In trying to uncover the truth, Beth finds herself in over her head as she contends with Colorado gun-smugglers, clickbait culture, the doldrums of marriage and her own tarnished past.
Isobel (Lily Cowles) discovered everything thought she knew about her husband was a lie at the end of season one of The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico. Plus, her heroic twin brother died but not before he brought a girl she murdered (well, her husband inhabiting her body murdered) back to life. That’s a lot of dramatic, life-altering events for one person – or one alien – to handle.
How will Isobel be dealing with these major events? During our roundtable interview at the New York Comic-Con, Cowles said we can expect to see Isobel reaching out to others for help. Yes, the self-assured newly widowed Isobel will realize she needs help as she attempts to put her life back together. Cowles also says this season will give Isobel the opportunity to empower herself.
Roswell, New Mexico season two premieres on March 16, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT.
Where do we pick up with Isobel as season two begins?
Lily Cowles: “We pick up right where season one ended. I was really hoping that maybe we’d be like a year later and she’s had some time to process. She’s over it and we can move on. No. We’re seeing Isobel absolutely reeling from the information that she got at the end of season one. Finding out that her husband had been lying to her and betrayed her. Finding out that her marriage was this sham. She thought she was in this loving relationship that she was working so hard always to keep going and it was with someone who had been using her and manipulating her.
So, not only that but the events of the very end of the season with Max. Isobel is going to have to…she suddenly finds herself very much alone. I think she is a character who throughout her entire life has defined herself in relation to other people. She was always part of the family unit. She’s a wife in a marriage. She got married very young and she was so co-dependent on Max; they had this like super twin bond.
At the top of season two, suddenly all that has been ripped away from her. It’s like a little snail without a shell. She doesn’t have anything to protect herself. So, we see her extremely vulnerable and I love that. I’m happy for her. As horrible as everything is that she is having to go through, it’s a change that offers her an opportunity to empower herself. I think that’s such a powerful storyline for a female character, that she’s suddenly like I’m going to have to put on my big girl pants and find a way through this now.”
Who can she turn to at this point for help?
Lily Cowles: “Well, Guerin…I don’t know. Can you turn to Guerin? I mean of course she loves him so much and they love each other so deeply. I think she feels that familial bond with him. He’s always kind of felt like he was the outsider to the two of them. She didn’t have the same relationship that she had with Max with Guerin. But I think that she’ll find it in unexpected places.
I think that she will find comfort and support in other female characters that can give the support that she maybe doesn’t expect to find there. She hasn’t historically played so nice with other girls, and so she has kind of burned some bridges there. But I think when you’re so broken there’s a power in coming to people like, ‘Help me. Can you help me? I need help.’
I think we get to see some unexpected combinations of things and it’s been a pleasure as an actor to get to go through that.”
That will be interesting to actually see her ask for help because that’s just not her.
Lily Cowles: “It’s so not Isobel. I think we’re going to see a really different shade of Isobel, by necessity. I think she built this gilded cage to keep herself safe with this insecurity. I don’t think she really knows who she is. I think she’s always defined herself in a performative way. It’s like, ‘This is how I should be. This is what a wife does. This is what a person who’s successful looks like.’ It’s always been an imitation.
So, I think we’re going to see a whole side of her when that has just been shattered. She’s left with like, ‘What if I don’t have this? What am I left with?’ She’s looking at the shattered pieces of her life and like, ‘How does this now fit back together?’
It’s a great storyline for Isobel to get into it.”
Can you tease how her relationship will be with Rosa now that she’s back?
Lily Cowles: “They knew each other and were friends, but Isobel doesn’t remember that. I mean she has the memories of it, but it wasn’t really her.
There’s this kind of cognitive dissonance for her where I think she knows her and she’s like, ‘I can remember that I was nice to you. I also remember that the real me was kind of a bitch to you.’ She was not so nice to Rosa when she was left to her own devices. It was only when Noah was inhabiting her that she became friends with her. So, I think that will be such an interesting kind of coming back together.
We’ve both been victimized by this man so there’s this yearning, I think, to connect on that level and yet I think Isobel feels tremendous guilt, despite the fact that she wasn’t actually responsible for what happened to Rosa. It was her hands. She has the memory of killing that person so it’s like how do you kind of move through that? I think that’s going to be a really juicy kind of relationship to untangle.”
Is she going to spend a lot of time having to deal with what she did when she wasn’t in control of herself?
Lily Cowles: “You know, I think that other events come up that are more pressing than having to dwell on what happened. I think she needs to plow straight ahead because there are some really intense issues that come up very quickly for Isobel. So, no, she doesn’t spend a lot of time dwelling.
I think she’s kind of like, ‘I just need to find a way to survive.’ I think dwelling would only keep her down. I think the story that we’re seeing of Isobel is how do I pick myself up and keep walking? It’s very much more a forward…she’s leaning in.”
Has season two been more of a challenge for you?
Lily Cowles: “I think it’s different. Honestly, I’ve loved it so much. I think in the first season it was really interesting to play a character who did not know who they were and was always having a façade. It was actually difficult for me to watch it back sometimes. It’s weird to see yourself being kind of phony and like a jerk. And in this season, I think we’re going to find her a lot more likable because she’s having to just be real now.
Actually, I think I prefer her now. This has been more fun for me, as difficult as it’s been because it gets dark for Isobel very quickly for several episodes. That’s hard to go through as an actor. It’s been a challenge to go through it, but it’s been a very welcome challenge because I’m getting to move her towards a kind of authentic place that I think she’s really been wanting to go.”
Will she be going through other changes this season?
Lily Cowles: “Oh, she’s definitely changing. She’s going through a real transformation now. I think after the experience that she had, her number one feeling is I’m never going to let that happen again so how do I protect myself now? I was such a victim – I don’t ever want to be a victim again. So, Isobel is going to be taking steps now to arm herself against that.
NASCAR driver Austin Dillon guest stars on CBS’s SEAL Team season three episode 14. Directed by David Cook from a script by Tom Mularz, episode 14 is set to air on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT.
Scott Foxx, Adelaide Kane, Alona Tal, Jared Farid Ward, Emily Swallow, Nick Gracer, Ali Saam, and Jamie McShane also guest star.
David Boreanaz leads the cast as Jason Hayes. Max Thieriot plays Clay Spenser, Neil Brown Jr. is Ray Perry, AJ Buckley is Sonny Quinn, Toni Trucks is Lisa Davis, Jessica Paré is Mandy Ellis, Tyler Grey is Trent Sawyer, and Judd Lormand plays Lt. Cdr. Eric Blackburn.
“Objects in Mirror” Plot – Bravo Team travels overseas for a foreign training exercise to disguise their true mission – to rescue a high-value target that is being held hostage. Also, NASCAR driver Austin Dillon gives the team a special driving lesson.
Series Details, Courtesy of CBS:
SEAL Team is a military drama that follows the professional and personal lives of the most elite unit of Navy SEALs as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions our country can ask of them.
Jason Hayes is the respected, intense leader of the Tier One team whose home life has suffered as a result of his extensive warrior’s existence. His team includes his trusted confidant, Ray Perry, the longest-tenured operator with whom Jason shares an ingrained shorthand; Sonny Quinn, an exceptional, loyal soldier with a checkered past who still combats self-destructive tendencies; and Clay Spenser, a young, multilingual, second-generation SEAL with insatiable drive and dedication.
Vital to the team’s success are troop commander Lt. Cdr. Eric Blackburn, who serves as a leader and confidant both on and off the battlefield; CIA analyst Mandy Ellis, who has sacrificed everything in her drive to root out evil and take down terrorists; and Lisa Davis, a no-nonsense, take-charge logistics officer and unofficial den mother responsible for outfitting the team with the necessary gear for each mission.
Deployed on clandestine missions worldwide at a moment’s notice, and knowing the toll it takes on them and their families, this tight-knit SEAL team displays unwavering patriotism and fearless dedication even in the face of overwhelming odds.
Former boxer Laila Ali guest stars as herself on CBS’s S.W.A.T. season three episode 15, “Knockout.” Episode 15, directed by Billy Gierhart from a script by A.C. Allen and Kent Rotherham, will air on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast of season three features Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, Stephanie Sigman as Jessica Cortez, Alex Russell as Jim Street, and Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay. Lina Esco stars as Christina “Chris” Alonso, Kenny Johnson is Dominique Luca, David Lim is Victor Tan, Amy Farrington is Lieutenant Piper Lynch, and Patrick St. Esprit plays Commander Robert Hicks. Louis Ferreira plays Buck and Cory Hardrict is Nate.
Bill Bellamy, Karissa Lee Staples, Kareem Grimes, Bailey Chase, Carlo Arrechea, Andrea Cortés, and Adi Spektor guest star in “Knockout.” Episode 15 guest stars also include Norman Nixon, David Huey, David Kency, Al Marchesi, Susan Chuang, Johnny Kostrey, Ashlee Brian, Marko Jankovic, Keitrell Hamilton, and Courtney Nichole.
“Knockout” Plot – Deacon’s second job working private security at a high-profile boxing match places the SWAT team in the middle of a kidnapping case when a prize fighter’s wife is abducted. Also, Hondo’s young charge, Darryl, becomes frustrated with his lack of paternal rights regarding his infant son, and Tan prepares to introduce his critical mother to his girlfriend, Bonnie.
S.W.A.T. Description, Courtesy of CBS:
Inspired by the television series and the feature film, S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore as a former Marine and locally born and raised S.W.A.T. sergeant, tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles. Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, Daniel ”Hondo” Harrelson strives to bridge the divide between his two worlds and acclimate to his new duties as the legal guardian of a teenager.
Hondo’s elite unit includes David “Deacon” Kay, an experienced S.W.A.T. officer and dedicated family man who always puts the team first; Christina “Chris” Alonso, a skilled officer and the team’s canine trainer; Dominique Luca, an expert driver who gets them in and out of high risk situations; Victor Tan, who started in the LAPD Hollywood Division and uses his confidential informants in the community to help the team; and Jim Street, the team’s cocky newest member who is re-instated to S.W.A.T. after being fired for compromising the unit.
Responsible for the management of all Metro Division S.W.A.T. units is Commander Robert Hicks, a senior LAPD official with the Special Operations Bureau. Overseeing Hondo’s team is Hicks’ direct report, Jessica Cortez, the ambitious captain of L.A. Metro weighing an offer to leave S.W.A.T and work for the FBI. With Hondo leading the charge, these dedicated men and women bravely put themselves at risk to protect their community and save lives.
Ben Sinclair in ‘High Maintenance’ season 4 (Photograph by David Russell/HBO)
HBO’s half-hour comedy High Maintenance continues season four with four new episodes airing in March 2020. The network’s just released details on the March episodes including plot details, guest cast lists, and air dates.
Ben Sinclair stars in and co-created the series with Katja Blichfeld. Sinclair, Blichfeld, and Russell Gregory executive produce, with Willy Friedman, Gwen Bialic, and Emi Irikawa producing.
High Maintenance Plot:
High Maintenance continues to paint a unique and loving portrait of New York City, exploring the often-messy interpersonal moments of everyday people who are looking for meaning, companionship and a little high to make it through the day.
This season finds The Guy (Sinclair) back traversing the city on his bicycle, having said goodbye to last season’s RV. With a new friend by his side, The Guy drops in on a variety of customers whose disparate lives, jobs, identities and circumstances reveal the human connection that we all seek.
Playing out over the course of a year, this season focuses on cycles of renewal, webs of human connections, and putting down roots in the ever-changing ecosystem of New York City.
High Maintenance Season 4 March 2020 Episodes:
Season 4, episode 5: “Screen”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MARCH 6 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
Shy sneaker head Alvin (Tremaine Brown Jr.) spends most of his time to himself, but gets a new challenge when he spends the day with his cousin. The Guy (Ben Sinclair) attends a dinner party hosted by an old friend, Jackson (Lucas Papelias), and as the night progresses, realizes he might be out of his element.
Written by Gary Richardson & Ben Sinclair; directed by Ben Sinclair.
Season 4, episode 6: “Adelante”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MARCH 13 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
When a patient asks her out on a date, dental hygienist, mother and caretaker Nora (Eliza Ramos) wonders if she can put her needs first for once. Two former friends share an awkward ride, and The Guy (Ben Sinclair) has an interesting rideshare experience of his own.
Written by Lorelei Ramirez & Ben Sinclair; directed by Ben Sinclair.
Season 4, episode 7: “Hand”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MARCH 20 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
The Guy (Ben Sinclair) delivers to ASL interpreter Jordan (Mara Stephens), who lands in an uncomfortable situation on a job at a high-profile photo shoot. After Victor (Chris McKinney) notices that his partner Ellen (Birgit Huppuch) has a new habit, a secret blows up amid already simmering tensions in their relationship.
Written by Isaac Oliver & Zack Schamberg; directed by Ben Sinclair.
Season 4, episode 8: “Solo”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MARCH 27 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
When Rocky (James Edmund Godwin) hears a sneeze through his apartment wall, he falls down a shame spiral, reliving embarrassing moments. An attention-seeking A.J. (Becca Blackwell) fails to make plans for Halloween – until an emergency text from an ex-friend, Francis (Nicholas Gorham), evolves into an unexpected night with Francis’ assistant Cheyenne (Rad Pereira).
Written by Mel Shimkovitz; directed by Ben Sinclair.
Fox’s 9-1-1 finally returns from its long winter break with season three episode 11, “Seize the Day.” The spring premiere episode will air Monday, March 16, 2020 at 8pm ET/PT.
The cast of season three includes Angela Bassett as Athena Grant, Peter Krause as Bobby Nash, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie Kendall, and Oliver Stark as Evan “Buck” Buckley. Aisha Hinds plays Henrietta “Hen” Wilson, Kenneth Choi is Howie “Chimney” Han, Rockmond Dunbar is Michael Grant, and Ryan Guzman is Eddie Diaz.
“Seize the Day” Plot – The 118 responds to a skydiving trip gone wrong, a bank rep injured in a home repossession and a lovestruck assistant whose lunch run ends in disaster. Meanwhile, Athena and the family come to terms with Michael’s difficult health decision and Chimney’s half-brother from Korea (guest star John Harlan Kim) unexpectedly shows up at his doorstep.
9-1-1 Series Description, Courtesy of Fox:
Creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear reimagine the procedural drama with 9-1-1, exploring the high-pressure experiences of police officers, firefighters and dispatchers who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives.
The possibility of a lawsuit causes panic on NBC’s New Amsterdam season two episode 16. Episode 16, “Perspectives,” will air on March 10, 2020 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast is led by Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin. Freema Agyeman plays Dr. Helen Sharpe, Janet Montgomery is Dr. Lauren Bloom, Jocko Sims is Dr. Floyd Reynolds, Anupam Kher plays Dr. Vijay Kapoor, and Tyler Labine is Dr. Iggy Frome.
“Perspectives: Plot – Max, Bloom and Reynolds frantically recount a patient’s past encounter that could throw them into a massive lawsuit. Meanwhile, Iggy confronts a local middle school about its teaching policies, and Kapoor lets his superstitions take over.
The Series Plot, Courtesy of NBC:
“Inspired by the oldest public hospital in America, this unique medical drama follows the brilliant and charming Dr. Max Goodwin, the institution’s newest medical director who sets out to tear up the bureaucracy and provide exceptional care. How can he help? Well, the doctors and staff have heard this before.
Not taking ‘no’ for an answer, Dr. Goodwin must disrupt the status quo and prove he will stop at nothing to breathe new life into this understaffed, underfunded and underappreciated hospital — the only one in the world capable of treating Ebola patients, prisoners from Rikers and the President of the United States under one roof — and return it to the glory that put it on the map.”
Freema Agyeman as Dr. Helen Sharpe, Ana Villafañe as Dr. Valentina Castro, and Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin in ‘New Amsterdam’ season 2 episode 16 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom and Gina Gershon as Jeanie Bloom in season 2 episode 16 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Tyler Labine as Dr. Iggy Frome in season 2 episode 16 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin and Freema Agyeman as Dr. Helen Sharpe in season 2 episode 16 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin and Alison Luff as Alice Healy in season 2 episode 16 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
Fox’s The Resident season three episode 17 features a Dolly Parton drag queen and the disturbing discovery a patient could be a sex trafficking victim. Episode 17, “Doll E. Wood,” will air on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at 8pm ET/PT.
The cast of season three includes Matt Czuchry as Dr. Conrad Hawkins, Emily VanCamp as Nicolette “Nic” Nevin, Bruce Greenwood as Dr. Randolph Bell, and Manish Dayal as Dr. Devon Pravesh. Shaunette Renee Wilson plays Dr. Mina Okafor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner is Dr. AJ Austin, Jane Leeves is Dr. Kitt Voss, and Glenn Morshower is Marshall Winthrop. Morris Chestnut joins the cast as Dr. Barrett Cain.
“Doll E. Wood” Plot – A renowned pediatric surgeon is called over to Chastain for an extremely difficult surgery on a newborn, but when she arrives, The Raptor and Devon realize she is not fit for surgery, resulting in a situation more complicated than they could have imagined.
Meanwhile, a Dolly Parton drag queen is admitted to the ER after collapsing on stage, leading Bell and Ezra to a potentially life-saving discovery. Also, Nic and Conrad suspect their patient may be the victim of sex trafficking and Nadine delivers some surprising news to Devon.
The Season 3 Plot, Courtesy of Fox:
Entering its third season, The Resident continues to rip back the curtain and reveal the truth of what really happens, both good and bad, in hospitals across the country. The provocative medical drama follows a group of doctors at Chastain Memorial Hospital, as they face personal and professional challenges on a daily basis while fighting for their patients.
In season three, Red Rock Mountain Medical has taken over, inserting its own doctors – including new neurosurgeon Dr. Barrett Cain – and nurses into the well-oiled machine that was once Chastain Memorial Hospital, and causing the doctors to fight harder than ever against the corrupting influence of money in healthcare. The hospital is being run like a profit-hungry corporation – reaping huge financial gains, while risking the lives of its patients.
Dr. Randolph Bell is well-aware of the dangerous deal he has made with Red Rock in order to get Chastain out of its financial crisis and, as a result, initially turns a blind eye to the new corporate mantra of profits over patients. It’s not long before Dr. Conrad Hawkins incurs Red Rock’s fury when he confronts the problems head-on, becoming a whistleblower. The good fight he leads could ultimately threaten everything he holds dear, including his ability to practice medicine.
The Justice League of young healthcare providers must unite to fight for and with him, with Nicolette “Nic” Nevins in the lead. Nic attempts to recover from a devastating personal loss by throwing herself into patient care and her work for the uninsured through her clinic.
Dr. Devon Pravesh will find himself rotating out of the ER and gaining experience and power of his own in new positions within the hospital, eventually moving up to a first-year resident. Dr. AJ Austin will continue to bond with his mentee, the exceptionally talented surgeon, Dr. Mina Okafor. She’ll be his support as he navigates a relationship with his complicated biological family, while striving to maintain one with the parents who raised him. Okafor will be faced with a potential new family dynamic of her own, when her best friend, Adaku, who carries the BRCA breast cancer gene, returns pregnant with no father in the picture.
Meanwhile, the power and ruthlessness of new neurosurgeon Dr. Cain takes the hospital by storm. He embodies all the evil that can result when doctors care more for the bottom line than for their patients. Dr. Kitt Voss is the first to realize that his charm hides a medical demon, but standing against him could have serious consequences for her future. Cain’s ability to generate millions for Chastain leaves him free to exact swift revenge on those who oppose him – and no one is off-limits.
Sonoya Mizuno, Karl Glusman, and Jin Ha’s characters – Lily, Sergei, and Jamie – are engaged in a complicated love triangle in FX Network and Hulu’s limited series, Devs. During our roundtable interview at the New York Comic-Con, Glusman revealed something drastic happens early on to his character and that sets off a chain of events that play out over the eight-episode season of writer/director Alex Garland’s thought-provoking sci-fi drama.
“Lily’s looking for what happened to Sergei. At one point it’s clear that she needs help outside of the local authorities or the people at the company. She enlists the help of her ex-boyfriend to find her current boyfriend which creates a very awkward scene,” explained Glusman.
Jin Ha joked that maybe what they’re actually part of is a love tesseract. (Coincidentally, The Tesseract is the name of a novel by Alex Garland.) “We’re dealing with a difference of time and space sometimes,” teased Ha. “No, I think that’s absolutely right that it’s a love triangle. Also because even though he’s not physically present after the first episode, he is figuratively and thematically present the entire rest of the series because it’s in pursuit of finding out the truth behind Sergei’s disappearance that drives us. As the ex who’s begrudgingly…well, maybe not begrudgingly…but at first hesitant to help Lily, that’s an enormously heavy cloud that weighs on Jamie. For me, it’s like how much do I care about Lily more than the fact that I don’t care for Sergei – the man that’s taken over the role that I had emotionally?”
Asked how Alex Garland articulated the show’s bigger themes, Sonoya Mizuno replied, “The thing about Alex is he’s obviously incredibly smart, but he’s also so capable of explaining things really articulately which made it kind of easier for us to understand the complicated themes. But also, it’s in the writing. The themes maybe are high concept but it’s not like it’s really difficult to understand in the script because it’s so elegantly part of the story.”
“Also, at its core the piece is about relationships and loss and love,” offered Glusman. “Those are the things that I think most viewers will be able to attach themselves to, relate to. There’s still things I can’t wrap my head around while I was hanging around for seven months. But the relationships – that’s the stuff that affects me.”
Ha added, “I think the high concept themes or the subject matter is incredibly specific, is incredibly well researched and well written. I might be going out on a limb by saying this but ultimately it is the context in which stories about relationships takes place. I don’t think Alex is trying to necessarily teach the audience about this technology or this world of tech, it’s more just it is an incredibly thoroughly couched love story or a story about what motivates somebody or what fears people have. Just more human stories is couched very thoroughly in an incredibly complicated and almost esoteric universe of tech.”
Sonoya Mizuno as Lily in ‘Devs’ (Photo by Kurt Iswarienko/FX)
Sonoya Mizuno previously starred in Alex Garland’s Ex Machina and Annihilation, and was happy to reunite with Garland for this ambitious miniseries. Discussing her character, Mizuno said she appreciated the fact Lily isn’t a typical protagonist. “She’s not sassy and badass…”
Both Glusman and Ha begged to differ with that assessment. “She’s pretty badass,” said Ha.
“I mean, she is but she’s not badass in the way that like she doesn’t wear a superhero cape,” explained Mizuno. “She’s brave and she’s resourceful. And, she’s reserved and very internal. We wanted it to feel like there’s kind of a mystery around her, which isn’t typical for a character like that because usually the audience is with them in their head the whole time. So, I was really excited to play something which felt different and felt like it was challenging what a female protagonist is.”
Ha admitted it took him a while to figure out his character, Jamie. “I had prepared as much as I could actually beforehand, before the start of rehearsals, before we started shooting. But frankly it was probably after the first quarter of shooting at which point I had this… I met with Alex one late night and we had had like an hour, hour and a half discussion about Jamie and how he fits into the world and the tone of the show. That conversation was kind of the first time I was like, ‘Oh, this is who this person is,’ because I had had an idea of the tone and the genre of this series without realizing that Alex had intentionally written Jamie as kind of a foil, emotionally.”
Glusman initially wasn’t sure what to make of Sergei. “I didn’t have much information and he was like some nerd on the page. But then I remember our chemistry read and then Alex told me a secret about my character that made it infinitely more exciting. I had no idea and I feel like I’m not allowed to say…”
Mizuno and Ha immediately agreed he couldn’t spill the beans on the particular little gem Alex Garland revealed that helped Glusman grasp Sergei.
To learn Glusman’s little secret, audiences will need to tune in and pay attention when Devs premieres on March 5, 2020 on Hulu.
