Severance season 1 episode 1 & 2 Breakdown | Recap & Review

Severance is a new show on Apple TV+ where the characters have elected to have a surgical procedure to separate their work memories from what they experience out of the office. This video breaks down episode 1 and episode 2 which premiered together. We look at the strange circumstances of what work they do and why anyone would elect to have this procedure in an effort to achieve work/life balance.

EPISODE 1
Good News About Hell
Mark is promoted to lead a team who've had their memories surgically divided between their work and personal lives. Premiere Date: February 18, 2022
Written by: Dan Erickson
Directed by: Ben Stiller

EPISODE 2
Half Loop
The team train new hire Helly on macrodata refinement. Mark takes a day off to meet with a mysterious former colleague. Premiere Date: February 18, 2022
Written by: Dan Erickson
Directed by: Ben Stiller

From director and executive producer Ben Stiller and creator Dan Erickson comes “Severance.” Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work… and of himself.

The series is written and created by Dan Erickson. Mark Friedman, Chris Black, John Cameron and Andrew Colville are executive producers alongside Erickson. Ben Stiller, Nicky Weinstock and Jackie Cohn executive produce through Red Hour Productions, and both Patricia Arquette and Adam Scott serve as producers. Endeavor Content serves as the studio.

The two articles I mentioned in the video:
Millchick is not severed

The decision to keep things vague about the time and tech

Chapter Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:49 Episode 1 Recap
2:11 What is the Severance Procedure?
5:32 What do they do at work?
6:57 Outie Mark
7:42 Episode 2 Recap
8:54 Helly’s onboarding
10:01 Irv, Burt, & Ms. Casey
11:01 Review/Final Thoughts

#Severance #AppleTV+ #SeveranceAppleTV

[PetePeppers]

I really enjoyed these first two episodes, and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here. So much weirdness and so much to speculate about. Let me know what you think.

[vysharra]

The description of the process gave me a flashback to Split Brain, which was an old experimental treatment for severe epilepsy. The people who went through the treatment exhibited some extremely spooky symptoms regarding the structure of human consciousness (seemingly, one entire half of us is a silent passenger, equally aware of our surroundings and in control of some of our body, but invisible to the consciousness who speaks). I wonder if those experiments/the theories it birthed will be part of the mystery.

[efeezy]

This show might be on its way to being a masterpiece show whole first season was special

[thankstocalebchung]

I think when they work on the data they’re refining the chip in their head. I think each department is working on different chips - so the optic department is working on the vision side of the chips. I think the overall project is to produce an artificial brain. That’s my theory.

[flavorwise]

Binged the first 3. Brilliant cast, set design, writing. Perfect show.

[alexandrasandu]

The cultish atmosphere and the founder's image reminded me equally of Lenin and the Kelloggs' story :)

[darlae]

This show has got me hooked!! Definitely my favorite type of show. I am soo intrigued! & I am rooting for my girl Helly to get the hell out of there! She’s definitely my favorite so far.

[horkusone]

I found these episodes fascinating and completely compelling. I did, however, feel like I needed a Silkwood shower for my brain afterwards. The stylized offices and fluorescent lighting is incredibly depressing and the story is unsettling. I have to make sure I’m in right frame of mind to watch it and That’s probably a testament to how well they’ve pulled it off.

[zurihaircare]

So glad you did a review of this show was looking out for your review all weekend cause I enjoyed episode 1 & 2.

[ianboelts]

As a musician who graduated from Berklee COM I have to say that I absolutely love the score for this show as well as the writing. The melodic ideas give the show such a great vibe and enhance the production overall.

[stephenparker]

I was really hoping you'd talk about the show, so this is great.

[Wrcallofduty]

I saw the trailer for the show when it first premiered, but I held off from watching it. But I finished watching all nine episodes within two days and the show is a masterpiece, can’t wait for season two.

[commanderkruge]

PS: And I LOVE how the series takes it's time to let scenes linger around!

[gil]

Ms. Cobel is Mrs. Selvig on the outside. The management have last names and appear to be able to communicate between the inside and the outside. Mark calls in sick to Millchick while he is outside and Millchick is inside. When Helly tries to leave, she meets Milchick on the outside who convinces her to go back in. He's working both sides.

[heulveul]

At 36:34 of episode 1, they've hidden Radiohead - Everything in it's right place in the soundtrack. Which is also in the Vanilla Sky opening scene. I felt this should be mentioned :)

[TheNazradin]

I am getting Legion vibes from this show. In the way it's stylized and shot. Also the way that very little is revealed.

[NoRoundBrown]

Great break down, I’m rewatching it again, such a trippy show

[janellejarvis]

I find the retro futuristic nature of their work space terrifying for some reason. That green color in the office from decades ago makes me almost sick to my stomach and the sterile white hallways makes them feel like rats in a maze. So far, loving it.

[TitusDafox]

Marks boss/neighbor Peggy definitely isn't severed. Remember it was mentioned that if a severed employee meets another severed employee on the outside world 'it isn't good'. Yet his boss is also his neighbor.
Which means that only applies between severed employees. They don't want any kind of relationships outside work with the severed outies to take place incase that compromises the project or experiment going on at work.

My question would be to why Peggy his boss has particularly interest in keeping an eye on Mark as his neighbor?! 🤔 What's the relation to that!
What makes his attention to her more special than the other severed workers. Only time will tell.

And why did mark choose not peak around the wall to the stairwell where Helly was tryin to exit the building. He basically is doing what he has been instructed by his employers. But imaging if he didn't listen and took a peak. Just imaging what he would have actually saw.

He would see two versions of Helly, one going out the door and the other version of her coming back in. That's my assumption anyway.

But all in all I am absolutely loving these first two episodes and can't wait to see what unravels in the next episode.

[Caveyacht]

Loving the show so far, and just discovered (and subbed) to this channel! Stoked for your next breakdown