Severance is a show that I’ve had recommended to me so many times that I kept forgetting to follow up on. I was told it was right up my alley, that it was really innovative, and weirdly enough, that it was similar to the story I’m writing, ‘Jeffries.’ This had me intrigued, and once I finally got around to watching the first episode, it was impossible to stop. It’s one of the most interesting sci-fi series I’ve seen in a long time with a great concept and loveable characters. The pacing of the episodes and the overarching structure of the story is so well done that it’s hard not to click on that next episode as soon as the last one finishes. I watched it over the course of about three days, and it was hanging out at the back of my mind whenever I wasn’t watching. It’s some of the most thought provoking TV out there and I can’t recommend it enough.

What if you didn’t have to go to work, or at least, not remember anything that happened during your time there? What if you just drove up to the building you work in, stepped inside, and the next thing you knew, you were stepping back out of the building and heading for your car, eight hours later with a paycheck in your hand? This is the concept that ‘Severance’ builds on to ask all sorts of questions about the nature of personhood, work-life balance, and corporate culture. Lumon Industries has invented the very technology that allows people to live this type of life, but the catch is that someone needs to be doing your job. A worker who doesn’t remember anything about what they did the day before is next to useless. On the other hand, someone who can’t bring home corporate secrets, won’t recognize any of their coworkers after hours, can’t complain to journalists about the conditions inside or find their bosses either is an ideal employee. The severance procedure effectively creates a second person, known on the show as the ‘innies’ while the person who lives their normal life becomes the ‘outie.’

The incredibly disturbing opening scene has Helly R. waking up in a conference room with no memories of her own life or much of the outside world. She learns about the severance procedure that she has undergone from her new boss, Mark, who is also a severed individual. Worse yet, she learns that it is effectively impossible to leave, as stepping outside of the floor she now works on will automatically cut off her own memories. Her entire existence is the office floor she works on. Even if she did convince her outie to quit, this version of herself would cease to exist.

The office itself is confusingly labyrinthian, clinical white or else covered in muted corporate colors, and seemingly designed to crush the spirit and keep the innies contained. And to keep the departments separate from one another. The work they do is equally mysterious. The higher ups do everything they can to keep the workers in the dark, and nobody really knows what it is they’re doing. The whole concept is horrifying, and yet, the characters are still able to find little spots of light in the dark. Mark is upset about the recent loss of his best friend (who Helly has replaced) and has a lot of room for friendship in his heart even living within the bleak walls of Lumon HQ. Dylan is rude and crude and constantly working to horde the corporate rewards that the company offers for outstanding performers (from finger traps to mug cozies). Irving has been there the longest, and knows the company handbook from front to back, which he quotes regularly as a source of inspiration. The company’s founder, Kier Eagan, wrote the original handbook when he started the company in the 1800’s and is worshipped as a sort of god figure throughout the company. As the show goes on, more and more of the office is explored, and the relationships begin to unravel.

Meanwhile, Mark’s real life outside of Lumon is not much better. He is a grieving man, an alcoholic, and his sister is always trying to get him to make some new friends. Seeing the discrepancy between Mark’s two halves collide is one of the most interesting parts of the show. It carries most of the plot outside of Lumon HQ and actor Adam Scott does a fantastic job of portraying the slight differences between Mark’s selves. I won’t ruin the plot any further, but this is the part that had me hooked the most.

Now though I find myself stuck waiting for season two to come out. If only there were a way to remove the period of time between now and then so that I wouldn’t have to wait. Of course it’d be nice if I got a lot of writing done in the meantime too …

Thank you for reading,

Benjamin Hawley