Severance – Season 1 (2022) Review
Apple TV+ has asserted itself as one of the premier streaming services. Whilst they haven’t produced the same amount of content as streaming juggernauts HBO Max (or Binge here in Australia), Disney+ or Netflix, Apple TV+ have made a name for themselves, producing quality, classy content, with talented casts and crew that rival that of all the other streaming services combined, with hit shows like Presumed Innocent starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Bill Camp, Silo starring Rebecca Fergusson, The Morning Show starring Jennifer Anniston, Reece
Witherspoon and Steve Carrell and my personal favourite and the subject of this blog post, Severance starring Adam Scott, John Turturro and Christopher Walken, directed by Ben Stiller.
Severance took the world by storm when it debuted in 2022. The show follows Mark (played by Adam Scott), who leads a team of office workers Dylan (played by Zach Cherry), Helly R (played by Britt Lower) and Irving (played by John Turturro), whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to discover the truth about their jobs. Its intriguing and complex concept, intertwined with its compelling characters are what has captured the audience’s attention.
Severance is unique and unlike anything else out there are the moment. It’s amplified by the superb direction from Ben Stiller, that push it above a lot of other shows out there. Stiller has continued to surprise as a director. Debuting behind the lens with Reality Bites in 1994, follow-up with The Cable Guy in 1996, Zoolander in 2001, Tropic Thunder in 2008, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in 2013, Zoolander 2 in 2016, Escape at Dannemora in 2019 and Severance now in 2022 and Season 2 in 2025. Stiller has improved in every aspect of his filmmaking, from the emotional subtleties he’s been able to get out of his actors, to the superb shot composition and blocking displayed throughout the show. Stiller clearly takes inspiration from other films that blend similar themes with heady concepts including Peter Weird classic The Truman Show, but still does a great job of avoiding copying these concepts and rather using them as a platform and inspiration, paying respect to them through homage. It’s a tour de force in the director’s chair from Stiller and I can’t wait to see what he has in stall for us in the second season.
As mentioned, the concept and heady themes are what makes Severance so memorable. The idea that someone can sever their work-self from their personal-self is quite fascinating. It’s an idea that I’m sure like many of you reading, would maybe consider. The bleak and cold New Jersey setting also adds to the concept. We all feel there is this dark cloud hanging over the town, which very much is the Lummon company. Its stark, cold and dreary, the perfect setting for a corporate thriller. The production design also compliments this, utilizing retro, analog technology and minimalistic sets within the halls of Lumon. This approach stands out as it makes for a unique vision and one that is akin to the feel of the world.
Its other strengths lie in the talented cast. Adam Scott as Mark is terrific, giving a career best turn as this character. The contrast between his “outy” (the version of Mark on the outside) and “iny” (the version of Mark on the inside) is fantastically realised. On the outside, he is battling with the sudden death of his wife, on the inside that baggage has disappeared and he is a blank slate. Turturro, Lower and Cherry are all brilliant, rounding out Mark’s team on the inside.
Whilst we’ve only touched the surface of their characters on the outside, we’ve been given an extensive look at their personalities on the inside. Christopher Walken as Bert is also fantastic. He has a presence whenever he is on screen, which is the true mark of a talented actor. Patricia Arquette also steals the show in her villainous turn as Harmony Cobel, the top boss, in charge of Mark’s team. She’s manic, bordering on the insane in certain moments, but in others she’s cool, calculated and threatening. The cast is perfection and really well assembled.
Severance is one of the rare television events that lives up to the hype. From start to finish, the show remains intriguing, whilst never losing its sense of humor. Its polished presentation by director Ben Stiller helps sell its clever concept. We’ve been lucky enough to get this release on DVD and Blu-Ray, so be sure to pick-up your copy, you won’t want to miss it especially with all the extras it includes! Be sure to secure your copy of this one today from Sanity, you won’t want to miss it!
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Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here
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