Bryan O'Donnell
I feel like Devs S1E6 was a nice complement to the episode that preceded it. Both episodes slowed the pace from earlier in the season. They both fill in background information on our main characters.
But the most interesting similarity, for me was how each episode began and ended. Episode 5 opened with the song “Oh I Wept,” by Free and also featured the song in the episode’s final moments. Devs S1E6 opened—and ended—with Crosby Stills & Nash’s “Guinnevere.” These two songs seem linked to me.
“Guinnevere” mentions being “free.” The songs (one released in 1969 and the other in 1970) both have an element of sadness to them. Both songs feature references to eyes. Devs has focused on eyes on multiple occasions, specifically Lily’s. What is the significance of this focus on eyes? Is there more than meets them? Are we, the audience, not really “seeing” what we think we are seeing?
S1E6 also once again knocks it out of the park with its opening scene. It shows a past Forest enjoying life with his daughter and wife. There’s more flower imagery presented here, which we’ve seen throughout the season, with the opening ending with one of the most striking shots (of the many) seen in Devs. As David Crosby sings “Why can’t she see me?” we see a melancholy Forest with flowers covering his face. (As an interesting side note, Crosby said in an interview with Rolling Stone that “Guinnevere” is partially about a girlfriend of his who died.) The scene was absolutely gorgeous.
I really enjoyed the musical link between these two episodes. But I also think they have done a great job of preparing us for what is about to occur over the season’s final two episodes. Even though the plot hasn’t moved a ton since the end of Episode 4, it now appears things will be coming to a head.
Lily’s Conversation with Katie
After escaping from the hospital, Lily convinces Jamie they can’t run away or go to the press. Instead, they drive to Forest’s home in the San Francisco suburbs.
When they arrive, Forest invites them in…and Katie is there too. I did not see their relationship coming (if it was hinted at in earlier episodes, I must have missed it), but apparently they are now living together. I do wonder if we’ll see a flashback into how this relationship extended to outside of Devs.
Forest and Jamie go outside while Katie talks to Lily in her always-calm demeanor. I found this conversation a bit frustrating, as Katie goes on to explain to Lily most of what we already know. Yes, Sergei was killed—by Kenton—because he tried to steal source code from Devs. Yes, his death was covered up to make it look like a suicide. Even Lily already knew most of this information.
But when Katie asks her for a question she doesn’t know the answer to, Lily says, “What is Devs?” OK, here we go. Yes, please do tell, Katie. Unfortunately, most of what Katie tells Lily is what we, the audience, has already pieced together about Devs.
With the use of a super computer loaded with data, the members of Devs are able to create simulations of past events. They have projected an image of Jesus on the cross. Devs is also able to see future events, although Katie says they try not to because it’s problematic. (We keep hearing this from Katie and Forest, that they try not to look forward, but it’s clearly all LIES.)
Katie also brings up the idea of determinism and how it relates to Devs: “Nothing ever happens without a reason. Everything is determined by something prior. That’s it.”
This may all be new information for Lily, but I found myself wanting more answers here. Deliberately, Devs remains vague.
The one bone we are thrown: Katie reveals that at some point while looking into the future, they came across a “fixed point” that triggers a breakdown of cause and effect, of determinism. It’s a breakdown of the literal laws of the universe. And the event somehow will be caused by Lily…in only 21 hours. Katie says when trying to view anything past this point, it is just static. (Not sure we can trust that though.)
Logically, Lily wonders how Katie could be so sure this will truly come to pass. What if Lily decides to up and drive to Mexico or something? (The equivalent of when Forest earlier asked Katie about deciding to keep her hands in her pockets instead of crossing her arms one minute in the future.) It’s based on a machine’s projections after all. What if the machine is wrong? “It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not,” Katie says. “It’s going to happen. You’re going to be there.”
Katie mentions now is the time when things will “get hard” for Lily. This statement signals to me that we are in for a treat in these final two episodes. The fixed-point event clearly will coincide with Lily’s “death” that was mentioned previously, in which we’ve seen her slowly crawling along the ground before lying dead with arms spread out somewhere in Devs. Katie conveniently neglects to mention this part to Lily. And that leaves so many interesting questions on the table.
Will Lily die at the end of this? What will make Lily go to Devs, when she knows she will be causing a significant disturbance in the universe by doing so? Why can’t Devs see past this event? (I’m guessing maybe Devs is destroyed?) What are Katie and Forest still holding back? Over the next couple hours of this show, we should have some of these answers. (But it’s Devs, so who knows if that will really happen.)
Forest’s Conversation with Jamie
While Katie is explaining everything to Lily, Forest and Jamie step outside for some unexpected bonding time.
On the surface, this seemed a bit odd to me. What’s the purpose of Forest and Jamie leaving to have their own conversation? As Katie mentioned repeatedly to Lily, everything happens for a reason. And I don’t believe this Forest and Jamie sidebar was only intended to provide a more lighthearted element to the episode.
Forest acts as if he knows nothing about Jamie. In fact when they first meet, he says he doesn’t know his name or whether Jamie works at Amaya. I find this hard to believe, as the man has clearly been watching Lily very closely for a while now. We know that Katie saw the simulation of Jamie breaking Lily out of the hospital. Forest wouldn’t know who Jamie is? (Also, Kenton did know Jamie’s name when he showed up at the apartment in Episode 4. I suppose he could have found out that info on his own, but I still find it unlikely Forest wouldn’t know Jamie.)
Forest is able to get Jamie to open up, as the two compare stories of losing the love of their lives. He’s even able to convince him into tossing around a Frisbee. I loved the return of the Frisbee, as it called back to the opening scene of the episode, where Forest played with Amaya.
So, what is the reason for these scenes? My thought is that this brief bonding moment will play a role in making sure Lily comes to Devs. Perhaps now Jamie will think Forest maybe isn’t so bad after all, and will now be less likely to prevent Lily from going to Devs.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think Forest is necessarily manipulating Jamie for evil purposes or anything. At the end of the episode, he tells Katie that he likes Jamie, that he has a sweetness to him. I got the sense that even though Katie and Jamie were complimentary of Lily and Jamie, there was an air of “it’s too bad something terrible will happen to them.”
Loose Threads
- Another revelation made in this episode: Forest is definitely trying to resurrect his daughter Amaya. This is something I’ve been predicting since early in the show, but we finally receive confirmation. Lyndon states this after breaking into Stewart’s RV, and scaring the hell out of him in the process. I think this was an obvious goal for Forest, but I’m still fairly confident there’s more to Devs than just that.
- In that same scene, Lyndon points out to Stewart that Forest is crazy. He’s obsessive and he kills people. Yes, we’ve seen him order the hit on Sergei. And we saw him go a bit off the rails when he fired Lyndon. But is Forest as crazy as Lyndon is intimating? Or is Lyndon just acting a bit jealous because he was fired? I tend to think his concern is genuine, and we will see more crazy streaks from Forest before all is said and done.
- After Jamie and Lily drive home from Forest’s, we see Kenton camped out down the street, monitoring them from his car. It does not appear he is there to keep a lookout on Forest’s behalf, as he says “So you’re all buddies now, should have f*cking guessed.” I do think that Forest notices him before walking inside, however. (Also, what was up with that red flash as he starts his car?)
- Pete the homeless guy makes another brief appearance. I keep waiting to see what his role in all of this will be.
OK, two episodes left. Let’s see what you got, Devs!
