Developer
Alex Garland
FX Hulu, Disney+

March 2020 was an awkward period for many. This might explain why Developer, an eight-part sci-fi series by Alex Garland, premiered during a global lockdown and struggled to garner a wide audience; I, too, unfortunately, missed it.

There are various reasons I decided to catch up on it now: Garland’s works had lingered in my mind after enjoying 28 Days Later, and the darkly captivating worlds of Developer felt like a welcome escape from the heatwave. However, mainly, I was curious about how it had aged five years after its debut.

In Developer, Lily Chan (Sonoya Mizuno) works as an engineer for Amaya, a quantum computing firm based in San Francisco. Each day, she collaborates with her boyfriend and colleague Sergei (Karl Glassman), who is involved in Amaya’s AI division. After being invited to join the secretive Devs program, Sergei disappears nearly immediately, leaving Lily convinced that Amaya and the enigmatic Devs project played a role in his vanishing.

Everything in Developer feels cold yet beautiful. The score and sound design are haunting, punctuated by jolts of static and dialogue. The performances reflect this chill, particularly Mizuno’s compelling portrayal of Lily. Meanwhile, Allison Pill shines as Katie, a scientist at Amaya. The company’s campus is an ethereal setting of glass and refined concrete enveloped by pine trees and illuminated by glowing halos, all under the watchful gaze of a towering young girl statue.

Yet, the stunning DEVS compound overshadows everything else; it feels like stepping into a Byzantine mosaic, now rendered secular and three-dimensional. This space serves as a meticulously organized sanctuary for clandestine research, immersed in lavish gold while floating within an electromagnetic field inside a Faraday cage.

The nature of this research prompts a profound shift that delves deep into human impulses, despite the risks of redefining humanity itself. Forest posits that the project is fundamentally tied to all that is valuable. It boldly explores the extent of incredible technological advancements that might arise—or be stunted—due to the personal philosophies of privileged figures like himself.

Watching Developer at its peak feels akin to being enveloped in a soothing sound bath, the slow reverberations drawing you in. At its least inspired, it can seem self-indulgent. Still, it offers an intellectual experience, addressing fascinating concepts such as the multiverse. However, Lily’s pursuit to unravel the truth about Sergei gets sidelined in favor of Amaya’s overarching mysteries, causing the series to spiral into self-importance.

In a twist of life’s quirks (light spoilers ahead), the show’s most insightful theme might revolve around the desire to revisit the past and what we gain or lose along the way. Interestingly, such reflections may prove more compelling than lofty visions about our technological future. I’m glad I finally watched Developer five years post-release; despite some indulgent tendencies, it left me with plenty to appreciate. Even if Forest and his counterparts might not find full success, Developer still resonates deeply with me.

I also recommend…

Ex Machina
Alex Garland

In Garland’s directorial debut, programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is tasked by his boss with evaluating whether Ava, an artificial intelligence, possesses true sentience. The film delivers a chilling psychological exploration.

Never Let Me Go
Mark Romanek

This adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel features a rare boarding school depicted through a haunting lens; it’s flawed yet captivating and definitely worth the watch.

Bethan Ackerley is a sub-editor at New Scientist, with a passion for science fiction, sitcoms, and the eerie. Follow her on Twitter at @inkerley

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