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If you feel overwhelmed with homework and AP prep, picture a life where you never left the classroom. Luckily, subscribers to Apple TV+ don’t have to imagine it. A combination of Black Mirror and The Office, Severance puts a chilling spin on the monotony of a nine-to-five job. Despite its futuristic themes, director Ben Stiller classifies Severance as speculative fiction, not sci-fi, because of its striking relevance to modern society. The series centers around Lumon, a company that requires its crucial employees to undergo a procedure called severance that permanently splits their consciousness between their work and personal lives.
When severed employee Mark S. (Adam Scott) receives the task of training a rambunctious new Lumon hire named Helly R. (Britt Lower), questions begin to arise among the “innies” — employees’ work consciousnesses — about the true purpose behind their seemingly simple work: Macrodata Refinement. Meanwhile, Mark’s personal consciousness, or “outie,” can never catch a break from his kooky neighbor (Patricia Arquette) and irritating brother-in-law (Michael Chernus) while preparing for the upcoming birth of his nephew. As the personal and professional lives of the Macrodata Refinement team begin to intertwine, Mark S., Helly R., Dylan G. (Zach Cherry), and Irving B. (John Tuturro) must join together to answer their questions about the severed floor on which they work. Through its profound explorations of love, identity, and morality, Severance encourages viewers to ponder what it truly means to live a fulfilling life.
Beyond its compelling storyline, Severance’s cinematography and score are exceptional. From its jazzy outros — including Daydream in Blue by I Monster and The Windmills of Your Mind by Mel Tormé — to its artful montages to Joe McPhee’s Shakey Jake and Motörhead’s Ace of Spades, Severance harnesses the power of music to build suspense and intrigue. In these often short clips, each scene counts and communicates key information about the characters on screen. However, as impressive as these scenes are, Stiller and the other directors take the most pride in the show’s numerous running sequences in which the camera chases Scott through the seemingly never-ending hallways of Lumon. Moreover, the animated theme songs are top notch; each season’s intro is teeming with Easter eggs.
While Season three’s release date remains unknown, all episodes of Seasons one and two are on Apple TV+ as of Mar. 21. Even if futurism isn’t your thing, the 19 hour-long episodes will fly by in the blink of an eye. Whether you’re a wannabe philosopher or simply a cinema buff, Severance is truly a must-watch.
(Source: IMDb, USA Today)
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