If you subscribe to Apple TV (although it seems not many of us do), chances are, you have probably heard of the new Apple TV original show “Severance.” Severance is a  9-episode-long psychological thriller that has received extremely high ratings and reviews. These reviews praise the series’s directors, Ben Stiller and Jackie Cohn for creating a cinematic sci-fi experience that feels unsettlingly realistic, and keeps an audience on the edge of their seats. 

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Before we take the plunge into an analysis of this series, we should go over the complex setting and context of the show. The protagonist, Mark, works at a company called Lumon, which is a controversial organization in his universe. Lumon has developed scientific procedures which cause an employee to have no memory of their home life the minute they enter the office, and furthermore, no memory of their work life the minute they exit. The technology concerns a chip planted in their heads. In a nutshell, Mark’s outie (outside of work self) starts to become suspicious of the ethical procedures–or lack thereof–in Lumon, so he and his co-workers (in the form of their work selves) embark on a journey to becoming aware of their outie personas. Some even say this idea was developed after many people lost the ability to separate their home life and work lives throughout the pandemic, which is an interesting theory!

example of the cold/harsh work environment; image source

So, what’s the point of the show? Well, there is a major theme of skepticism throughout the entire series, and the writers promote the idea that an audience should question everything through the use of images and contrasting characterization. The writers and producers set up the show in a way that juxtaposes the different versions of each character (their work self and home self). For example, one character who joins Lumon at the very beginning of the season becomes extremely suspicious of and unhappy with the company when she lives her innie’s life, but her outie refuses to quit working for the company. At work, Hallie hates Lumon. She hates how the office is empty, cold, and sterile. She hates not knowing about her friends and family outside of work. She hates how Lumon punishes curious employees using manipulation tactics when they try to investigate who they work for. Conversely, her outie loves the company, and for good reason. However, I won’t spoil the show if you want to watch it!

Lighting of Work vs Home life; image source

Additionally, aspects like lighting change completely when the audience views a character’s life at the office and at home. The office lighting is always harsh and fluorescent, while the lighting outside of work is warm and dim. This tactic plants the idea that the office is uncomfortable and unsafe, while at home, there is a sense of safety. 

The cinematography throughout Severance is also strong and intentional. The camera focuses on certain images with the intention of giving an audience clues about the ethics concerning what goes on at Lumon. For example, something that sparks the curiosity of Mark’s innie about the outside world is a book he finds in his boss’s office. This is ironic, because the book is supposed to be horrible, but since Mark’s innie has no experience with literature, he thinks it is incredibly insightful. The image of the book is shown multiple times, and the cover has a picture of the author’s face. Later, the audience discovers that the author is Mark’s brother in law, and because Lumon has erased all of his memories, he had no idea. The overarching message with regard to ethics is that while technology is always improving and advancing, it can reach a point where its use can be unethical. This comes into play when humans are being experimented on, such as Lumon does with its experimental work environment.

We never discover what Lumon actually does in the first season of Severance, but it has been renewed, so we could find out soon! I would absolutely recommend this show, because it is not only interesting, but quite thought provoking as well.