129A

This.

Oh my fucking goodness you guys, THIS!

I came across this show last year when it was recommended to me. I will say, I was a bit skeptical because the last AppleTV show that was recommended to me was very hard for me to get into (I swear, I am trying so hard to like Silo). I remember being skeptical when turning it on, but interested to see Adam Scott in a more dramatic role than I had typically seen him in.

I was hooked in the first five minutes.

The premise is that there is a company, Lumon, who has a special division called the severance division. Those that choose to work within this division have a device implanted into their brain that allows their outside consciousness (their everyday lives) to be seperate from their work consciousness. This work consciousness that arises when the implant is placed only remembers what transpires between coming off the elevator to start their shift and going on to the elevator at the end of their shift. There is an abundance of controversy that surrounds this division of Lumon as well as the economical impact Lumon has over the town it resides. From the outside, no one truly knows much about Lumon or what happens inside the severance division due to those working not remembering what occurred during their hours of work.

Where this gets especially interesting is that the viewer gets to see inside the severance division and learn about the workings of the company and the history of the Egan family as four of the main characters unravel the mystery for themselves. Their individual work consciousnesses are referred to as innies and the arrival of Helly, a new innie, is where the story kicks off.

What I adore about this show is that it truly embodies the classical elements of a thriller that I enjoy most; it keeps me actively engaged in the story with the numerous plot twists, the subject material provokes creative and critical thinking skills, and the cinematography is top tier. Everything about the show and how it is presented can clue the viewer into the emotional state of each character, the overall tone, as well as where the character is at mentally and the conflict that arises when faced with our fears. It is also psychological and philosophical in that it makes you question what is morally right while confronted with the duality of complex situations with heavy emotional ties. How far are you willing to go to understand, to break free, to feel a certain way, to survive?

I highly encourage anyone who is looking for a think piece or a good mystery to dive into this show. Ben Stiller really did something here and I am digging the vibe! If you do decide to take the leap, please feel free to join in on all the theory making fun over at Reddit. Each thread I have found has provided some background insight that I was not aware of before, especially when it comes to the clues in the cinematography.

Trust me, you’ll happy you joined in for the ride!