Netflix’s new hit series Sirens has already made waves. In my opinion, it’s because of the enthralling performance by Meghann Fahy as Devon, the older sister to Simone (played by the always electric Milly Alcock from House of Dragons). Best known for her role as Daphne in The White Lotus (Season Two), Fahy once again delivers a tour de force performance—this time as a woman grappling with her self-destructive tendencies and a tenuous grip on sobriety.
Devon: A Hot Mess and a Mirror for Our Messiness
From the moment we meet Devon, she’s stumbling out of jail after her second DUI arrest—a moment played with such delicious contradiction that you almost feel bad for laughing. Is it wrong that I chuckled every time she claimed to be “sober”? Probably. Fahy’s Devon isn’t interested in redemption or pity. She’s raw, sarcastic, and endearing as she chain-smokes, cigarettes + MaryJane, and wobbles through an endless series of self-inflicted disasters.
The show’s creators deserve credit for avoiding the cliché of the tragic addict or the saintly figure in recovery. Instead, Devon’s proclamations of sobriety feel both like a lifeline and a con. As viewers, we’re in on the fact that her “sobriety” is as much a performance as a hopeful mantra—and that duality makes Fahy’s portrayal so magnetic.
Sober or Just Saying So? The Show’s Dark Humor Hits Home
The Everygirl’s review captured this perfectly when they noted that Sirens doesn’t lean into the typical addiction storyline. Instead, Devon’s insistence that she’s “totally sober now” becomes a hilarious running gag that pokes at a deeper truth: the lies we tell ourselves and others when we’re trying (and failing) to get it together.
For those of us in recovery, or who have been adjacent to that world, Devon’s character is a biting, if not entirely comfortable, reflection of what it’s like to watch someone circle the drain while insisting they’re just fine. The show’s refusal to let Devon become a one-note cautionary tale is both refreshing and uncomfortable—a reminder that not everyone’s journey is a straight line.
Devon’s chaos isn’t limited to substance use. Her sex addiction is another raw and visceral form of escape—another way she tries to fill the void or outrun her shame. Raise your hand if you can identify with this version of self-harm. These moments of compulsive intimacy feel like both a salve and a weapon, a way for Devon to assert control even as she’s spiraling further out of it.
Fashion to Match the Madness: Lilly Pulitzer Dresses and Fishermancore
Of course, it wouldn’t be Sirens without a healthy dose of visual flair. The wardrobe is as much a character as Devon herself: full of preppy, Easter-egg dresses, vibrant florals, boat shoes, and everything fisherman’s core. It’s an explosion of Lilly Pulitzer-style fashion that somehow makes even the most chaotic moments feel like a seaside vacation gone spectacularly off the rails. Apparently, Devon had unlimited access to her sister’s impressive closet, which was clearly one of the many perks of the job.
The show’s costuming is a nostalgic wink to an era of pastel perfection, and it’s impossible not to feel a twinge of longing for a wardrobe you never thought you’d want. As a self-proclaimed gas station chic coveralls, jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers gal, I never imagined craving a Lilly Pulitzer dress, but Sirens makes it seem like a natural next step. Fun ladies’ night themed mocktail party, anyone? Yes, I know this sounds ridiculous, but it’s that or mimicking Carrie Bradshaw’s insane looks from And Just Like That Season Three, episode one. (That hat. #IYKYK)
Fahy Shines in the Chaos
Meghann Fahy’s ability to play Devon as both a walking disaster and a woman with a kernel of self-awareness elevates Sirens beyond your typical drama. She captures the sharp edges of a woman who wants to be seen as more than her mugshots and messes. Her scenes with Julianne Moore’s Michaela, her sister’s elite and eccentric boss, are particularly riveting—two women locked in a game of appearances and reality, each trying to convince the world (and themselves) that they’re more in control than they really are.
Devon’s story is, in many ways, a love letter to the hot mess in all of us. It’s also a brutal reminder that claiming sobriety and living sobriety are two very different things—even if you’re wearing the cutest dress in the room.
The Mindful Binge Sobees Score: 3.5 out of 5
Sirens | Official Trailer | Netflix
THE MINDFUL BINGE at The Sober Curator is where we binge-watch and chill—mindfully. In this TV series review section, we don’t just consume shows; we explore their stories, themes, and cultural impact through a sober lens. Using our signature Sobees Scoring System, we rate each pick to help you choose your next watch with intention.
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