In the last couple of years, AI has become one of the trending topics, generating excitement and dread in equal measure. It is therefore no surprise that more and more artificial intelligences are popping up as antagonists in pop culture. They’re not what they used to be, however: the action franchise heroes that defeat evildoers by running, running, and running some more are not up against WarGames‘ WOPR or Terminator‘s Skynet. No, what we get these days is basically ChatGPT with an evil goatee: modern AI antagonists are all about the algorithm.
Mrs. Davis, which Wikipedia describes as a “science fiction comedy drama limited series”, is about the fight against such an all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful algorithm. It is also, in no particular order, about vengeful nuns, secret orders, exploding heads, crazed whales, chicken wings, magicians, sneakers, Jesus, hypermasculinity, falafel with pineapple, and mummy issues. Oh, and the Holy Grail. Obviously.
The End is Nigh – but nothing ever really ends: in our first podcast episode of 2020 we’re donning our masks to talk about the costumed vigilantes, white supremacists and glowing blue men of Damon Lindelof and HBO’s Watchmen. Is it a worthy successor of the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons classic? Does it deserve the name of Watchmen? And have we really seen the last of Lube Man? Your trusty cultural baristas also briefly talk about Helen Garner’s non-fiction This House of Grief, Luz’ Charlie Hébdo memoir Indélébiles and Melina Matsoukas’ drama Queen & Slim.
A Damn Fine Cup of Culture 