Alex Garland’s Forgotten Cyberpunk Thriller Is the Perfect Eight-Episode Series to Binge in a Day

Alex Garland is known recently for intense films like Civil War and Warfare, but he actually started his career making science fiction movies. He collaborated with Danny Boyle on Sunshine, a truly excellent but often overlooked film. Garland later directed popular sci-fi features like Ex Machina and Annihilation, then explored war stories and revisited the 28 Days Later series. He also created a short, binge-worthy sci-fi TV show that deserves more attention.

The eight-episode series Devs debuted on March 5, 2020, coinciding with the beginning of widespread COVID-19 coverage. Streaming on FX on Hulu, the show follows a software engineer as she investigates her boyfriend’s death and stumbles upon a hidden technological conspiracy. Devs is a unique blend of cyberpunk, realistic science fiction, and drama, and it delves into complex ideas about free will, faith, obsession, and ethics. While it’s a thought-provoking and often challenging series, its captivating visuals and strong acting make it incredibly engaging.

The critically acclaimed TV series Devs, featuring Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, Jin Ha, Zach Grenier, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Cailee Spaeny, and Alison Pill, earned a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. Andrew Wyatt of The Lens praised it as “everything sci-fi television should be,” while Ed Fortune from Starburst also offered positive feedback.

Like the film Ex Machina, Devs explores the potential and dangers of intelligence and creativity, and how easily things can spiral out of control. It’s a thought-provoking, though challenging, watch.

Viewers generally enjoyed Devs, awarding it a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Many described it as “great” and “intriguing,” praising its atmospheric pacing, and highlighting the high quality of its writing, direction, acting, and visual design. Here’s what the series is about:

Okay, so ‘Devs’ is this really cool, limited series on FX. It centers around Lily Chan, a software engineer working at this super advanced tech company in Silicon Valley called Amaya. When her boyfriend suddenly dies, she doesn’t buy the official story and starts digging around. It doesn’t take her long to figure out that everything points to Forest, the company’s mysterious CEO, and this secret project Amaya is working on called ‘Devs.’ Basically, Lily’s search for answers pulls her into a tech-based conspiracy that’s seriously mind-bending and could change everything.

Why Was ‘Devs’ Canceled?


FX on Hulu

At just eight episodes, Devs is a quick and easy show to watch all at once. What’s great is that the ending feels complete – it wasn’t cut short by cancellation. Devs was always intended as a single, limited series with a planned conclusion, so it delivers a satisfying finale.

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If you enjoy thought-provoking, realistic science fiction, the series Devs is currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+. Director Alex Garland’s next project, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, will be released in theaters on January 16, 2026.

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2026-01-20 02:08