Severance Review -- Apple TV+
What if someone told you, you could go to work and come back without remembering a thing? A world where you could separate corporate life and personal life through a simple procedure. In Apple TV’s new drama “Severance” starring Adam Scott, they fall down the rabbit hole, broaching discussions about American worklife, capitalism, and mental health.
Severance was created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle. Severance is Erickson’s first TV Series as the creator and executive producer. In an interview with Screen Rant Ben Stiller said, “I read the script, and I was like this is it, this is great. Who is this guy?” Severance was first submitted as a writing sample to Stiller's production company “Red Hour Productions.” Immediately Stiller and the company became interested in creating the show. Season one of Severance, which contains nine episodes, has received an average audience score of 94% on Rotten tomatoes. Many fans have fallen in love with the show, including Psychologist at Yale University Paul Bloom who tweeted, “Only two episodes into #Severance and it may well be the most philosophically interesting tv series I've ever seen.”
The main character referred to as just “Mark” (Adam Scott) works for a company called Lumon, where two years prior, after the tragic death of his wife, he underwent a procedure known as “severance,” which separates his memories from work and social life. Mark works in the basement of Lumon Industries and when he takes an elevator to work a chip in his brain seamlessly transitions from his personal memories to his work memories.
Mark works as a “data refiner,” where he sits in a minimalist tight-spaced cubicle with three other coworkers. Two of his coworkers are Irving (John Turturro) the uptight rule follower, and Dylan (Zach Cherry) the wiseass work veteran. At the beginning of the show, Mark finds himself promoted to team leader, as his former team leader and best friend Petey (Yul Vazquez) has taken an “early retirement.”
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| Left to Right: Mark(Adam Scott), Irving(John Turturro), Dylan(Zach Cherry), and Helly (Britt Lower) |
When former team leader Petey is replaced by new coworker Helly (Britt Lower) things start to become shaken up in the basement of Lumon Industries. Helly, along with the rest of the group, discover that Lumon Industries is far more mysterious and controlling than they appear.
Although many fans have fallen in love with the philosophical and moral discussions about the show, what truly captures my attention is the cinematography. Cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné sat down on the “Go Creative” podcast with Ben Consoli to talk about Severance. Gagné originally didn’t want to be a part of the production because so much of the show was based in an office space without windows or natural lighting. When it came to the outside Gagné drew from other photographers. “If you’re talking about the exterior architecture, I definitely think Lewis Baltz was an inspiration,” Gagné said. “I think the way we were approaching the photography from the outside world was very austere. We wanted it to be cold and uninviting, but at the same time very shiny and pristine.” You get this impression in the show that almost every shot there is something dividing the characters. Gagné touches on the fact it was almost “endless” in production on trying to find that look.
Not only the Cinematography, but the range of Adam Scott as “Mark” really makes this show so enjoyable to watch. Scott essentially has to play two different characters depending on if he is at work, or out in the world. “It was definitely a challenge to jump back and forth between the different sides of the character,” Scott said in an interview with E! News.
Although many fans have fallen in love with the philosophical and moral discussions about the show, what truly captures my attention is the cinematography. Cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné sat down on the “Go Creative” podcast with Ben Consoli to talk about Severance. Gagné originally didn’t want to be a part of the production because so much of the show was based in an office space without windows or natural lighting. When it came to the outside Gagné drew from other photographers. “If you’re talking about the exterior architecture, I definitely think Lewis Baltz was an inspiration,” Gagné said. “I think the way we were approaching the photography from the outside world was very austere. We wanted it to be cold and uninviting, but at the same time very shiny and pristine.” You get this impression in the show that almost every shot there is something dividing the characters. Gagné touches on the fact it was almost “endless” in production on trying to find that look.
Not only the Cinematography, but the range of Adam Scott as “Mark” really makes this show so enjoyable to watch. Scott essentially has to play two different characters depending on if he is at work, or out in the world. “It was definitely a challenge to jump back and forth between the different sides of the character,” Scott said in an interview with E! News.
The only pitfall that some critics have is the pace of the show. At first it can feel a little mundane, because many scenes aren’t action packed. Rather, you’ll find drawn out scenes that allow you to understand the characters and their environment better. If you’re willing to stick through the first two episodes you’ll find an incredibly talented cast, like Zach Cherry’s ability to give each serious moment a hint of humor that will leave you smiling. You will also enjoy Turturro as Irving who seems like a stickler for the rules, might break them for an unexpected love interest? The final episode alone is one of best season finales from start to finish. It's action packed, and will leave you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Severance is a show that separates itself as an original masterpiece.
At a Glance:
Severance
Director: : Ben Stiller, Aoife McArdle
Starring: Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Christopher Walken
Genre: Drama (with hints of Comedy)
Rated: TV-MA
Streaming: Apple TV+
Rating: 9/10
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