The much-awaited arrival of Mrs. Davis, created by Tara Hernandez, has caused quite a stir, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Simone, a devout nun who has devoted her life to serving Jesus, has a bone to pick with the all-knowing AI. Mrs. Davis may have taken over the world, but she’s also stripped people of their faith, and Simone can’t stand it. However, Simone is forced to strike a deal with Mrs. Davis and is tasked with finding “the Holy Grail.” In this piece, we explore the characters’ histories and quirks, from the dogged and devoted Sister Simone to the intriguing and compulsive Father Zeigler and the evasive Jay, to better grasp their motivations in this fascinating and dangerous new world.
Spoilers Ahead
Betty Gilpin As Sister Simone
Betty Gilpin’s portrayal of Sister Simone is nothing short of brilliant! As she brings to life the character of a true believer, Simone, who spends her days in prayer, taking care of her majestic horse, and fearlessly fighting against malicious magicians who prey on the innocent. However, when Simone’s father passes away, her heart becomes filled with anger and bitterness toward the artificial intelligence entity known as Mrs. Davis. Simone firmly believes that Mrs. Davis was involved in her father’s death and refuses to entertain any attempts at reconciliation from the AI. On the other hand, Mrs. Davis is utterly fascinated by Simone and often goes to great lengths to keep tabs on her. Unfortunately, this intense fixation has created problems for Simone, with some renegades and hippies mistakenly believing that she has something of great value, leading to her being abducted on several occasions. Fortunately, she’s saved by Wiley, who, like Mrs. Davis, was also under constant surveillance.
Mrs. Davis
Mrs. Davis is the main villain of the series, an incredibly powerful artificial intelligence being that possesses an almost supernatural level of knowledge and authority. The AI has access to an unimaginable amount of data, drawing upon every documented record of human history in existence. Mrs. Davis’ reach knows no bounds, as it wields its influence over the entire world, issuing commands to people through a myriad of digital devices. In a cruel and calculated move, Mrs. Davis destroyed Simone’s beloved jam, rigged her majestic horse with explosives, and even encroached on the sanctity of her church grounds. After a long and bitter conflict, Mrs. Davis, the all-knowing artificial intelligence, strikes a deal with Simone. In exchange for her freedom, Simone is tasked with a daunting challenge: to locate and destroy the legendary “Holy Grail,” a relic that is said to possess unimaginable power. Mrs. Davis, on the other hand, is using the Grail quest as a means of recruiting people to operate her vast server farm. Unlike Skynet, the malicious computer program that destroyed half of humanity with nuclear weapons and caused widespread devastation, Mrs. Davis is cunningly manipulating people to do her bidding.
Jake McDorman As Wiley
Wiley, a character brought to life by the talented Jake McDorman, was once Simone’s significant other and is now an active member of a resistance group. Their mission? To put a stop to the wicked algorithm that threatens to harm Simone and countless others. In reality, Wiley is one of the few people who firmly believe that artificial intelligence is incapable of governing the world. Wiley may come across as whimsical at first glance, but don’t let his light-hearted demeanor fool you. He’s exceptionally smart and, without breaking a sweat, deduced that Mrs. Davis had a vested interest in Simone’s search for the Holy Grail. Wiley is a meticulous guy who takes his privacy seriously. He has developed the unusual habit of breaking his cell phone after every call to ensure that his movements and conversations cannot be tracked. Some would see this as excessive, but for Wiley and his band of tech-savvy rebels, it’s simply another day on the job in their attempt to keep themselves safe from the prying eyes of the all-knowing AI.
Wiley always took pride in calling himself a bull rider but had his dreams shattered when he discovered that his grandfather had orchestrated his bull riding career as a means to secure a much-needed liver transplant. Adding to his misery, his relationship with Simone had come to a halt, and he believed that it was because she thought he was a coward for not joining the covenant. Now Wiley, donning his hardened jacket, is willing to travel to any lengths to win Simone back.
Andy McQueen As Jay
Simone had a secret partner in crime, someone she called her husband, who always seemed to have the perfect advice for any situation. But here’s the catch: he wasn’t real. Jay was just a figment of her imagination, conjured up whenever she found herself lost or unsure of what to do next. Despite this, Jay had become an integral part of Simone’s life, a constant presence in her mind, and a source of comfort in times of need. It was also Jay who gave Simone her very first clue to finding the holy grail.
Simone’s encounter with Jay happened on a fateful day when Wiley was determined to prove his mettle. As Simone watched Wiley’s fearless display of bravado, she couldn’t help but stick her hand out and silently plead to the universe to keep him safe. Little did she know that her desperate prayer would summon Jay, a figment of her imagination, who appeared before her like a genie out of a bottle. Jay had a secret weapon, and it wasn’t his good looks or charming personality. No, it was his magical falafel that had Simone head over heels in love with him. Jay materialized before Simone as if summoned by her unwavering faith amidst a world dominated by the all-knowing AI. While others have succumbed to the machine’s lure and abandoned their beliefs, Simone remains steadfast, and Jay is drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
Chris Diamantopoulos As JQ
JQ is presented as a person who is not shy about sharing his thoughts and feelings, and he does it in a bold and aggressive way. He has a big, boisterous persona, and his speech reflects that by being quite loud. He’s also shown to be very well-versed in artificial intelligence (AI) and its inner workings, suggesting that he’s done his homework on the topic. As a whole, JQ appears to be a fascinatingly nuanced and interesting person. He is, on the one hand, an expert in his field and deeply committed to his work. On the other side, he’s the kind of person to behave hastily and foolishly when provoked. Due to this, he is an interesting character to side with, as his behavior is never predicted. Like Wiley, he, too, shares the habit of destroying phones after every conversation.
Father Zeigler
This German-born Vatican priest (played by Tom Wlaschiha) has been on a relentless mission to track down the legendary Holy Grail and restore it to its rightful owner. But that’s not all there is to him. Father Zeigler also has a peculiar obsession with a particular brand of white sneakers. Yes, you read that right! When he’s not chasing after ancient artifacts, he’s on the hunt for the perfect pair of sneakers to add to his collection. However, Father Zeigler’s sneaker-making hobby isn’t approved by the Vatican, and he’s now on a mission to find every pair he’s made and bury them before they’re discovered. That’s the reason he chased after Wiley and abducted him.