TV: Severance - Apple TV

[Primary Assist]

Next season won't come out til I'm guessing 2027-2028, why don't we just go to the equator ourselves and see what color it is

 

[Bounces R Way]

I dunno man, guess I'm just not as taken with it as it seems a lot of people on the internet are. Think the cast's legitimately fantastic performances are carrying a show that is overpromising and underdelivering on several things, mainly a coherent and sensical plot. Maybe that's what they're going for in some faux we're too smart for the meta sense but the amount of half baked plot lines that don't go anywhere seems messy to me.

Like if you're going to have Irving be secretly investigating Lumon and then just put him on a train to assumably deal with later fine. Or have Ricken's book be a hit for the innies and have him write a new one just for them and then just never mention it again fine. Or build a bunch of tension with Milchick and the other non-severed people at Lumon and have it go nowhere, sure whatever. Or do this whole re-integration thing and have it really not make much of a tangible impact whatsoever, you can even let that slide. But to have all this stuff and more just kind of floating around untethered after the season ends doesn't seem like it's done with a ton of purpose. Don't need it all wrapped up with a pretty bow, but shit tie some of it off better than that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it. Just wouldn't put it up with the upper echelon of TV shows based on what I've seen so far. Great concept and intriguing enough to keep you watching. The characters and the actors playing them are dynamic and engaging. Thought the finale was good enough, had some scenes I liked especially the camcorder back and forth with Mark. Still think there's a baby fitting in here somewhere.

 

[Peasy]

I dunno man, guess I'm just not as taken with it as it seems a lot of people on the internet are. Think the cast's legitimately fantastic performances are carrying a show that is overpromising and underdelivering on several things, mainly a coherent and sensical plot. Maybe that's what they're going for in some faux we're too smart for the meta sense but the amount of half baked plot lines that don't go anywhere seems messy to me.

Like if you're going to have Irving be secretly investigating Lumon and then just put him on a train to assumably deal with later fine. Or have Ricken's book be a hit for the innies and have him write a new one just for them and then just never mention it again fine. Or build a bunch of tension with Milchick and the other non-severed people at Lumon and have it go nowhere, sure whatever. Or do this whole re-integration thing and have it really not make much of a tangible impact whatsoever, you can even let that slide. But to have all this stuff and more just kind of floating around untethered after the season ends doesn't seem like it's done with a ton of purpose. Don't need it all wrapped up with a pretty bow, but shit tie some of it off better than that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it. Just wouldn't put it up with the upper echelon of TV shows based on what I've seen so far. Great concept and intriguing enough to keep you watching. The characters and the actors playing them are dynamic and engaging. Thought the finale was good enough, had some scenes I liked especially the camcorder back and forth with Mark. Still think there's a baby fitting in here somewhere.

Yeah this is how I feel about the show. I enjoy it and it's fun, but I don't consider it comparable with the wire's of the world. That could change, but I think it's doubtful for me personally. For me to rank a show that high I really need it to move me on a different level and to really get me thinking about stuff and to challenge my perspective. This show is doing a good job and leaning more into the ethics of an innie, should they be treated like normal people etc etc. But the thing is, this topic has already been done several times in black mirror so this concept is not new to me.

I think they did a great job with the finale. Was probably my favourite episode of the season. Think I rank season 1 a step above season 2 though personally.

 

[Deputy McRizzy]

I dunno man, guess I'm just not as taken with it as it seems a lot of people on the internet are. Think the cast's legitimately fantastic performances are carrying a show that is overpromising and underdelivering on several things, mainly a coherent and sensical plot. Maybe that's what they're going for in some faux we're too smart for the meta sense but the amount of half baked plot lines that don't go anywhere seems messy to me.

Like if you're going to have Irving be secretly investigating Lumon and then just put him on a train to assumably deal with later fine. Or have Ricken's book be a hit for the innies and have him write a new one just for them and then just never mention it again fine. Or build a bunch of tension with Milchick and the other non-severed people at Lumon and have it go nowhere, sure whatever. Or do this whole re-integration thing and have it really not make much of a tangible impact whatsoever, you can even let that slide. But to have all this stuff and more just kind of floating around untethered after the season ends doesn't seem like it's done with a ton of purpose. Don't need it all wrapped up with a pretty bow, but shit tie some of it off better than that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it. Just wouldn't put it up with the upper echelon of TV shows based on what I've seen so far. Great concept and intriguing enough to keep you watching. The characters and the actors playing them are dynamic and engaging. Thought the finale was good enough, had some scenes I liked especially the camcorder back and forth with Mark. Still think there's a baby fitting in here somewhere.

Thank you for saying it much better than I ever could have.

 

[Jack Straw]

I dunno man, guess I'm just not as taken with it as it seems a lot of people on the internet are. Think the cast's legitimately fantastic performances are carrying a show that is overpromising and underdelivering on several things, mainly a coherent and sensical plot. Maybe that's what they're going for in some faux we're too smart for the meta sense but the amount of half baked plot lines that don't go anywhere seems messy to me.

Like if you're going to have Irving be secretly investigating Lumon and then just put him on a train to assumably deal with later fine. Or have Ricken's book be a hit for the innies and have him write a new one just for them and then just never mention it again fine. Or build a bunch of tension with Milchick and the other non-severed people at Lumon and have it go nowhere, sure whatever. Or do this whole re-integration thing and have it really not make much of a tangible impact whatsoever, you can even let that slide. But to have all this stuff and more just kind of floating around untethered after the season ends doesn't seem like it's done with a ton of purpose. Don't need it all wrapped up with a pretty bow, but shit tie some of it off better than that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it. Just wouldn't put it up with the upper echelon of TV shows based on what I've seen so far. Great concept and intriguing enough to keep you watching. The characters and the actors playing them are dynamic and engaging. Thought the finale was good enough, had some scenes I liked especially the camcorder back and forth with Mark. Still think there's a baby fitting in here somewhere.

Very well said and I feel pretty much the same way. Good show, I enjoy it and will continue watching. Interesting premise and really good acting, but the storyline just seems to be all over the place. If someone asked me, "what is Severance about?" I'm not sure I could give them a good answer.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Any sci-fi is going to have some logical inconsistencies just due to the nature of the genre, since sci-fi is almost, by definition, inherently illogical to a degree (as it does not exist in our current world). I think Severance by-and-large has been very faithful to the rules they've established / are establishing, so no real complaints there.

I have no problem with ideas being introduced that aren't immediately paid off. Several plot points from S2 can be addressed in S3. That's just natural world-building. I mean heck, we already had

Spoiler

A goat appear is S1 with absolutely no further explanation, and people seemed cool with that, as most figured it would be further explained as the show went along, which it was.

So, you know, patience.

And while the world can be interesting, I agree that really, the true gold of the show is the innie/outtie relationship stuff, with all the external plot mostly serving as a catalyst for that to be further explored in new and different ways.

 

[izlez]

It is pretty cool that in the last 6 months my experience with this show has changed from annoyingly pleading with every person I meet to watch this show that I love that they've never heard of, into conversations about the show being "it's good, but I'm not so sure I'd put it up there with The Wire"

 

[Lt Dan]

 

[Rodgerwilco]

It is pretty cool that in the last 6 months my experience with this show has changed from annoyingly pleading with every person I meet to watch this show that I love that they've never heard of, into conversations about the show being "it's good, but I'm not so sure I'd put it up there with The Wire"

I am still absolutely annoyingly pleading with every person I meet to watch this show that I love... 90% of them say "I don't have Apple TV" lol.

I still think it's top tier. I'm fine with having a lot of loose ends, I trust them to tie it all together as the series moves on.

 

[Bruins4Lifer]

I don't share the same complaints on the things that haven't been explained yet, or the things that were introduced this season that were left ignored in the last few episodes -- other than Mark's reintegration.

Many things aren't going to be explained in one season but will in later seasons. Season 1 was no different there.

 

[Lt Dan]

I know this is a bold statement, but this is one of the greater things that the internet has ever created!

 

[zombie kopitar]

It's a good show but the cinematography has been doing a lot of the heavy lifting from the start. s2 ep9 was basically just shot David Lynch style, where it was about 20 mins of plot development and 40 mins of cool camera shots. But every character is interesting, which is not an easy feat, particularly partial to Helly R; but I don't think it's a show where I will be thinking about it often when I am not watching. When the new season is out I will be excited to watch it. But it's not like Last of Us , where I am giddy in anticipation for the new season to drop

 

[Bounces R Way]

Very well said and I feel pretty much the same way. Good show, I enjoy it and will continue watching. Interesting premise and really good acting, but the storyline just seems to be all over the place. If someone asked me, "what is Severance about?" I'm not sure I could give them a good answer.

That is a good question. Probably has several good and correct answers. Kind of tough to nail down but for me it's a commentary on how the LinkedIn corporate culture soul sucking endemic capitalist hellscape us here in the NA middle class have been living has been forcing itself on a species that only a couple hundred years ago had to kill or grow most of their own food. How people are now so compartmentalized that they need a different face for every social situation. Satirizing the kind of religious fanaticism some of these middle manager email specialists expect of their Microsoft Teams team. The hollowness of punching in at the office most of your waking life just to afford a cheaply made house in a long row of cheaply made houses.

That they're also telling a story of diagnosing and treating traumatic grief, and doing so pretty well in fact, when you big picture it is quite a bold undertaking. That the show is mostly pulling that off is a real credit to the director(s).

 

[Lt Dan]

I know this is a bold statement, but this is one of the greater things that the internet has ever created!

Inspired by this I rewatched the Defiant Jazz episode and caught something that I previously hadn't caught...even on a previous re-watch but it also completely changes the dynamic of this scene after what we learned in S2 EP "Sweet Vitrol" the ep where Cobelvig went home. Even rewatching it now (to get the screen caps below) the gravity of this scene keeps growing

Mark's sister and Ms Selvig were doing their lactation thang and talking afterwards...
I couldn't find this scene on youtube so I have to recap and screen cap

Devon and Cobelvig were talking afterwards and Devon brought up the Sentator's wife not recognizing her and the possibility that she was severed.
The lines and play button wouldn't leave my screen no longer how long I paused it so sorry in advance. This scene paints a whole new light on how many, devious, and committed to Lumon that Colbelvig is

Cobelbig masterfully moves the convo....

Spoiler

to where she can research her creation

Here next line was "why do you think Mark did it"
Devon replies "it was after he lost his wife, he tried to keep teaching but couldn't moves the convo and gets to her research,...

Combine this with Mark's wellness visits and she is clearly seeing what "leaks through" and investigating the possibility of Mark thinking or dreaming about seeing Gemma since he works with her as Ms Casey

 

[Jack Straw]

That is a good question. Probably has several good and correct answers. Kind of tough to nail down but for me it's a commentary on how the LinkedIn corporate culture soul sucking endemic capitalist hellscape us here in the NA middle class have been living has been forcing itself on a species that only a couple hundred years ago had to kill or grow most of their own food. How people are now so compartmentalized that they need a different face for every social situation. Satirizing the kind of religious fanaticism some of these middle manager email specialists expect of their Microsoft Teams team. The hollowness of punching in at the office most of your waking life just to afford a cheaply made house in a long row of cheaply made houses.

That they're also telling a story of diagnosing and treating traumatic grief, and doing so pretty well in fact, when you big picture it is quite a bold undertaking. That the show is mostly pulling that off is a real credit to the director(s).

Hmm, it seems like this is a subject you've thought quite a lot about...

I agree that there are several interesting issues the show could explore. Here's one that I haven't seen anyone really discuss, not that I would expect it since it may be too "mundane" for the show... but in addition to his other problems Mark has just, you know, killed a guy. We know Lumon has security cameras everywhere, and of course his shirt is covered in blood... And Helly, while not involved in the actual killing, certainly was aware of the enormous corpse lying in a pool of blood in the hallway.

So, what are the legal implications here? Can outie Mark be held in any way responsible for what innie Mark has done? If there is an arrest, who is charged? If a conviction, who goes to jail? Now, I seriously doubt that the show will even try to seriously address these kinds of questions. It's not a crime drama. But it will be interesting to see how they do handle it. Drummond was obviously an important person in Lumon, you would expect that the higher-ups there would want some kind of "justice".

 

[Lt Dan]

 

[Bruins4Lifer]

Hmm, it seems like this is a subject you've thought quite a lot about...

I agree that there are several interesting issues the show could explore. Here's one that I haven't seen anyone really discuss, not that I would expect it since it may be too "mundane" for the show... but in addition to his other problems Mark has just, you know, killed a guy. We know Lumon has security cameras everywhere, and of course his shirt is covered in blood... And Helly, while not involved in the actual killing, certainly was aware of the enormous corpse lying in a pool of blood in the hallway.

So, what are the legal implications here? Can outie Mark be held in any way responsible for what innie Mark has done? If there is an arrest, who is charged? If a conviction, who goes to jail? Now, I seriously doubt that the show will even try to seriously address these kinds of questions. It's not a crime drama. But it will be interesting to see how they do handle it. Drummond was obviously an important person in Lumon, you would expect that the higher-ups there would want some kind of "justice".

I don't see Lumon as a company that would look to the judicial system to get their justice in this case. They would be more concerned with preventing any sort of criminal investigation into a workplace death where the investigation would uncover a lot things they want hidden from the public.

How Lumon covers up an employee death and prevents that sort of investigation is an interesting question, but, like after Reghabi killed Graner, I don't know if the show is interested in explaining that.

 

[Jack Straw]

I don't see Lumon as a company that would look to the judicial system to get their justice in this case. They would be more concerned with preventing any sort of criminal investigation into a workplace death where the investigation would uncover a lot things they want hidden from the public.

How Lumon covers up an employee death and prevents that sort of investigation is an interesting question, but, like after Reghabi killed Graner, I don't know if the show is interested in explaining that.

That was my thinking as well, most likely the last thing Lumon wants is the cops snooping around their building. Graner might as well never have existed at this point but Drummond is a more important character.

 

[TGWL]

It is pretty cool that in the last 6 months my experience with this show has changed from annoyingly pleading with every person I meet to watch this show that I love that they've never heard of, into conversations about the show being "it's good, but I'm not so sure I'd put it up there with The Wire"

That's how I also felt about Silo when I got to season 2.. I really enjoyed season 1 from both shows and then season 2 just felt a little all over the place and my opinion went from "It's fantastic" to "It's good, but it's not must watch."