“Severance”: Good tv is back, you’re just not watching
As a die-hard Adam Scott fan, a fiend for cinematic memory-wipes (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” supremacy), and a staunch critic of capitalistic greed, I was bound to love “Severance”. But even if you don’t fit that mold, trust me: this show is a goddamn masterpiece.
Art by Kayman Mangan
The series follows the employees of Lumon Industries, a powerful and secretive corporation founded by Kier Eagan, a god-like figure admired by the employees of the company. At the center of the company’s operations is the severance procedure, a controversial surgical process that permanently splits a person’s consciousness into two separate identities: the “Innie,” who exists only at work, and the “Outie,” who has no memory of what happens from 9-5. “Severance” focuses on one department on the “severed floors” of Lumon: Microdata Refinement, led by Department Chief Mark S. (Adam Scott).
We can’t help but root for the ragtag group of Microdata Refiners: Mark S., Helly R. (Britt Lower), Dylan G. (Zach Cherry) and Irving B. (John Turturro). Scott’s portrayal of Mark S. is nothing short of mesmerizing, marked by a constant look of confusion, queasiness, and effortless comedic timing. Dylan G. serves as an everyman, whose evolving journey (especially with the reveal of his Outie in season two) deepens the narrative’s exploration of duality and identity. Irving’s stoic demeanor and seeming admiration of Lumon and the Eagan family, layered subtle signals, hints at something beyond his quiet exterior. Helly’s fierce defiance and unpredictable spirit challenge the suffocating order of Lumon, adding a magnetic and much-needed spark of rebellion.
No discussion of “Severance” would be complete without mentioning its beautifully complex antiheroes. Patricia Arquette’s raw portrayal of Ms. Cobel is captivating, and her cult loyalty to Lumon is so human and fragile that you almost empathize with her oppressive role. Tramell Tillman’s performance as Mr. Milchik is an equally horrifying masterclass in subtle menace. Behind his poise lurks an ever-looming threat of…? Well, we’re not exactly sure what he’s capable of, but we’re reasonably terrified. Together, these two actors embody the corporate coldness, precision and power-hungriness that plagues Lumon’s higher-ups.
Everything in “Severance” holds meaning. Without giving anything away, I can really only tell you to rewatch, rewatch, rewatch. Every eerie note in the soundtrack, every meticulously placed Easter egg—it’s all intentional, unsettling and endlessly thought-provoking.
Sound supervisor/sound designer Jacob Ribicoff and composer Theodore Shapiro are some sort of evil masterminds. The haunting score doesn’t just accompany the scenes—it invades them, dragging the audience in an auditory hellscape just as oppressive as Lumon itself. Production designer Jeremy Hindle and the cinematography team create a visual dichotomy that is nothing short of genius: the sterile, oppressive interiors of Lumon—with its labyrinthine hallways and blindingly lit corridors—contrast starkly against the vast, desolate outside world. The wide camera shots and open spaces serve as a reminder that the world outside Lumon is as unpredictable and empty as the void within.
“Severance” is a triumph in dystopian writing. It’s thrilling, hilariously absurd and deeply moving. It leaves you rooting for love and kindness even as your mind spins trying to unravel what’s really going on at Lumon Industries. I beg of you, watch “Severance”. I’ll even give you my family Apple TV log-in, just don’t tell my mom!
