Into It with Sam Sanders
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Spoilers follow for episodes three and four of the Peacock original seriesMrs.
Mrs. Davis is an omnipotent AI that has taken over the entire world in a good way.
People all over the world love Mrs. Davis, but theres a resistance intent on destroying it.
All I can tell you is that I became aware of that behavior and tried to iterate forward.
She wasnt the warm, fuzzy teacher but had this very personal touch.
My teacher Mrs. Davis came to mind, and I love her dearly to this day.
Most AI you see depicted onscreen is usually trying to kill us.
Mrs. Davis ostensibly wants to make us happy.
What does an AI even think happiness is?
And is that really in our best interests?
You dont see that a lot.
Was that intentional?D.L.
:You talk about having a diverse writers room we all know what diversity and inclusion look like.
But in terms of belief systems, its very hard to find people of faith in show business.
Because shes gotten a golden ticket she has a quite literal relationship with Christ.
Davisis doing neither; its just having a good time with it.
Why arent more shows doing this?D.L.
:Theres a fear of getting it wrong, of offending, of proselytizing.
I want to explore it in the same way that Sister Maria exists in TheSound of Music.
But so many people find community and great, welcoming energy in their faith-based culture.
So I think movies and TV can do a much better job of representing that without judgment.
Weve gotta talk about this: Sister Simone is fucking Jesus.
:Full pearl-clutch on that.
Because you think,Why are we doing this?This always wanted to feel like a marriage.
This always wanted to feel like it was going to go through all the stages of a relationship.
It would have felt juvenile to attack it without sex involved.
She doesnt want to think about it, but Jesus has this relationship with a lot of different people.
I want to talk about the creative and professional relationship that you two have on this show.
It seems unique, two creatives sharing space in this way.
Tell me specifically: What is your relationship on the show?
Whos in charge of what?
Whos the boss?D.L.
:Tara is unequivocally the boss.
That was very clear on both our sides from the jump.
Were not doing that.
I also feel like showrunning is an 80-hour-a-week job.
There are no days off.
Davis,Tara spent five hours.
And I got ccd.
Tara, youre running this show, but youve got Damon Lindelof over your shoulder.
How did you navigate it?T.H.
:I started as a room writer.
I like to think Im a very loyal room writer.
And when I say that, I mean a writer on staff who is serving a showrunner.
There was a steep learning curve because my job for almost a decade was pitching ideas.
Now, I say, This is the direction were going.
That wasnt easy, but Damon would say, What do you want to do?
Youre gonna have final say here.
Any good creative relationship that Ive ever been in has that push-pull, a little bit of compromise.
So much of the conversation around showrunning right now is how it needs to change.
Writers rooms have historically been somewhat toxic spaces.
I wonder how both of you think about the changing expectation of a showrunner in that regard.
The spotlight is on a showrunner more than ever before.
And they have to get it right in ways they werent expected to ten years ago.D.L.
:I want to make it very clear that I dont distinguish myself from those showrunners.
I was one of the people that youre describing.
There was toxic, misogynistic, even racist language in those rooms because I allowed it to happen.
What I said or didnt say is not really important.
That was the culture, and just because it was happening 20 years ago is no excuse.
All I can tell you is that I became aware of that behavior and tried to iterate forward.
I was not taught how to do that, and now Im learning.
The only way to learn is to not be running the show anymore.
Daviswould say that we care deeply for one another now.
But boy, was it a journey to get there.
But Im wondering have you made peace with whatever that experience was?D.L.
:Im not sure if peace is the goal.
Its not about winning, and its not about losing.
Its something that you might assign to the people that you hurt.
But most profoundly, its the thing that you have to assign to yourself.
Im still trying to reconcile and understand it without putting that on other people.
There was a time where it was very hot, and now its more lukewarm.
What was your approach to doing this job on this show?T.H.
But its an incredibly different job, and it is so difficult.
To Damons point, the safety of that room is critical.
As a showrunner, youre pulled in a million different directions.
Ive been fortunate to witness the transition.
Im still absolutely learning, but the success of others and the safety of others is your success.
Thats the bottom line.
