Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama Severance, which has completely blown my mind and redefined what psychological thrillers can achieve on streaming platforms.
Severance is an American science fiction psychological thriller television series created by Dan Erickson, and executive produced and primarily directed by Ben Stiller. Premiering on February 18, 2022, on Apple TV+, this masterpiece consists of 9 episodes with an average runtime of 50-57 minutes each. The series won two Emmy awards and stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower, and Patricia Arquette.
What makes Severance absolutely fascinating is its exploration of work-life balance taken to a terrifying extreme. The show dives deep into themes of identity, corporate control, and the price of convenience in a way that feels both futuristic and unnervingly familiar. The series follows employees at the biotechnology corporation Lumon Industries that have undergone “severance”—a medical procedure that ensures they retain no memories of the outside world while at work.
The series brilliantly combines workplace comedy with existential horror, creating a unique tone that keeps viewers constantly off-balance. It’s part corporate satire, part sci-fi thriller, and entirely captivating from the very first episode.
The Severance Procedure: A Plot That Redefines Memory
Mark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. The central concept revolves around Lumon Industries’ severance procedure, which creates two separate consciousnesses within one person – the “innie” who exists only at work and knows nothing of the outside world, and the “outie” who lives their regular life with no memory of their job.
This brilliant premise immediately raises questions about identity, consent, and what makes us human. The innies at Lumon work in a sterile, retro-futuristic environment performing mysterious tasks while being monitored constantly. They have no idea why they’re there, what their work accomplishes, or who they are outside those walls. The psychological implications are staggering, and the show explores every uncomfortable angle.
Mark Scout: A Leader Wrestling with Fractured Identity
Adam Scott plays Mark, who leads the team and returns for the second season. Mark’s character serves as our primary window into this bizarre world. As a team leader on the “severed floor,” he’s simultaneously the most trusted employee and the most questioning one. Adam Scott delivers a phenomenal performance, playing essentially two different characters – the work-focused innie Mark and his mysterious outie counterpart.
Mark’s evolution throughout the season is masterfully crafted. He starts as a seemingly content employee who follows the rules, but gradually begins to question everything about his existence at Lumon. His relationships with his colleagues become the only meaningful connections in his work life, making every interaction precious and charged with emotion.
Dylan, Irving, and Helly: The Complex Web of Severed Relationships
The cast includes Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, and others who return for the second season. Each team member brings their own perspective to the severance experience. Helly (Britt Lower) is the newcomer who immediately rebels against the system, Irving (John Turturro) is the company loyalist with mysterious depths, and Dylan (Zach Cherry) provides comic relief while harboring his own secrets.
The chemistry between these characters is electric because their relationships exist in a vacuum. They only know each other in this context, making their bonds both pure and artificially constrained. Britt Lower’s performance as Helly is particularly compelling – she brings fierce determination and vulnerability to a character fighting for her very identity.
The Overtime Contingency: When Two Worlds Collide Catastrophically
The season’s climax revolves around the “overtime contingency” – a emergency protocol that allows the innies to briefly experience the outside world. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey that changes everything. This pivotal moment is executed with perfect tension and reveals that completely upend everything we thought we knew about the characters and the company.
The final episodes transform the entire premise of the show, revealing connections between the innies and outies that are both shocking and inevitable. The way the series handles these revelations is masterful – nothing feels contrived, and every twist serves the larger themes about identity and corporate manipulation.
Supporting Characters: The Sinister Architecture of Lumon
Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken round out the cast with performances that range from terrifying to heartbreaking. Patricia Arquette’s Ms. Cobel is a masterclass in corporate menace – she’s simultaneously maternal and predatory, caring and controlling. Christopher Walken brings his unique energy to Burt, creating one of the show’s most touching relationships with Irving.
The supporting characters flesh out the world of Lumon in disturbing ways. Each interaction reveals more about the company’s control mechanisms and the psychological manipulation at play. Even minor characters feel fully realized and contribute to the overall sense of unease.
Critical Acclaim on Apple TV+
Severance has become one of Apple TV+’s biggest critical successes, earning widespread praise for its originality, performances, and production design. The series holds an impressive 8.7 rating on IMDb, reflecting both critical and audience appreciation. The show’s unique episodic format allows for deep character development while maintaining the overall mystery, and elements like the retro-futuristic production design and haunting score have become standout features that set Severance apart from other series in the genre.
Why This Mind-Bending Series Deserves Your Attention
If you love psychological thrillers that actually make you think, Severance is the perfect series to binge on Apple TV+. It’s a rare show that respects its audience’s intelligence while delivering genuine emotional impact and thought-provoking themes about modern work culture and personal identity.
Why You Should Watch This Masterpiece Immediately
Positive Points:
- Absolutely original premise that feels fresh and terrifying
- Outstanding performances from the entire cast, especially Adam Scott
- Brilliant production design that creates a unique retro-futuristic aesthetic
- Smart writing that respects audience intelligence
- Perfect balance of humor and horror that keeps you engaged
Negative Points:
- Slow pacing in some episodes may frustrate viewers wanting immediate answers
- The mysterious nature means some plot points feel deliberately obscure
- Limited action sequences for those preferring faster-paced thrillers
- Some workplace scenes can feel repetitive by design
- Season 1 ends on a massive cliffhanger that leaves many questions unanswered
Severance isn’t just entertainment – it’s a cultural phenomenon that will have you questioning everything about work-life balance and personal identity long after the credits roll.
Series Details
- Number of Episodes: 9 episodes (Season 1), Season 2 currently airing
- Platform: Apple TV+
- Release Year: 2022-ongoing
- Current IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Genre: Science Fiction Psychological Thriller
- Production Type: Western series
- Status: Currently airing Season 2, renewed for Season 3
- Main Protagonists: Mark Scout (Adam Scott), Helly R. (Britt Lower), Irving Bailiff (John Turturro), Dylan George (Zach Cherry)
- Main Antagonist: Ms. Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette), Lumon Industries corporation