While the thriller has yet to reach peak Black Mirror status amongst steaming viewers, it’s only a matter of time. The series is pretty incredible. It has a fascinating (and terrifying) premise; it features a stellar cast of familiar faces; and it really draws you in from the very first episode.
Without giving too much away (cause where’s the fun in that?), Severance follows Mark (Adam Scott), a seeming cog in a corporate machine who has voluntarily decided to undergo a procedure known as ‘severance’. This brain surgery allows someone to completely disconnect their personal lives from their work lives: as in, at work, you have no idea what happens when you leave, and at home, you have no idea what happens when you go to work.
When a new hire, Helly (who has also been severed), tries to quite literally escape from their work life, and when Mark is visited by a formerly severed former co-worker trying to warn him about the company, Mark’s whole existence is thrown into disarray.
The storytelling on this show is slow but satisfying. There are moments where we see a character staring at a computer screen, performing the most mundane of tasks. But then there are mysterious phone calls with someone simply referred to as ‘The Board.’ And, of course, there are chase scenes as Helly tries to break free from the halls of her corporate life. The staggered action is totally worth the wait, as are the juicy twists and turns (such as the huge reveal in the last seconds of the first episode).
And this all-star cast clearly does this layered premise justice. We’ve got Adam Scott of Parks and Rec fame leading the charge. Then we have his boss, a mysterious and tight-lipped Patricia Arquette. Oh and let’s not forget the uptight coworker played by John Turturro or the ever-puzzling operations head played by Christopher Walken.
New episodes of the series drop each Friday on Apple TV+ and fortunately, we are only three episodes in, so there is still plenty of time to catch up before everyone inevitably realizes this is a must-watch show and starts talking about it like it’s the new Ozark.
Happy streaming, all (oh, and you’re welcome).
