Severance Episode 1 Review: Adam Scott SHINES in compelling and deeply engaging psychological drama

Severance 

Severance Cast: Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette

Severance Director: Ben Stiller

Severance Streaming Platform: AppleTV+

It's safe to say that the ordinary office worker's perspective on work has shifted dramatically in the last two years. With the advent of remote work, the custom of working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in an office building is becoming less popular. Now, imagine logging in at your workplace and then being done with your day at once and all ready to go home. Isn't it fantastic? What person wouldn't desire that? That's the intriguing, though strangely menacing, concept of Severance, a new series that premiered today on Apple TV. If you're looking for a dismal workplace comedy that's also a frightening, paranoid thriller with a dash of body horror, you should certainly check out this clever puzzle box of a brilliant show from writer/creator Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller.

A Kafkaesque nightmare, Severance takes place in a future where a firm named Lumon uses a process that implants a microchip into its workers' brains. Those employees, known as Innies, then have no recollection of what occurred during their workday, but their counterparts, known as Outies, have no knowledge of what they do for a living. Mark S. (Adam Scott) works in the Data Refiners department alongside Irving (John Turturro) and Dylan (Zach Cherry). Petey (Yul Vazquez), their previous boss, has left Lumon and has been replaced by Helly (Britt Lower). Helly's introduction to Lumon opens the door for us to understand more about the company's operations and why severance is even required. As the first episode continues, the barrier between the workers' job and personal life blurs, as does the byzantine organisation for which they work.

We are introduced to a number of individuals, including the top honcho. Ms Cobel has the greatest ability to fascinate us. She has a domineering, threatening, and chilly demeanour that she hides behind nice words and a smile. Patricia Arquette impresses in this part and portrays this interesting woman brilliantly. As the story unfolds, we learn about Lumon Industries' regulations, which are stunningly dictatorial and more disturbing. Add to it the fact that one of the characters has escaped and is attempting to spread the truth, and the episodes manage to keep viewers' attention even longer. Adam Scott does an excellent job playing Mark, who is first receptive of the arrangement but subsequently becomes perplexed by the probable reality behind the firm. 

ALSO READ: Ben Stiller gets into a heated Twitter debate over nepotism in Hollywood; Calls showbiz a meritocracy

ALSO READ: Ben Stiller gets into a heated Twitter debate over nepotism in Hollywood; Calls showbiz a meritocracy

What makes 'Severance' first episode so intriguing is that it takes the concept of severing your from yourself for eight hours and runs it through every emotional element. Some individuals do it because their lives outside of work are bad and difficult that they need to forget about them altogether in order to operate. Others do it because they don't want to think about their job and have no meaning in their life. Furthermore, the disparities in personalities are astonishing and, in some instances, worrisome. Adam Scott, who is down on the second floor, is mild-mannered and well-meaning, almost like an ice version of his 'Parks & Recreation' persona. Yet, when he's out in the world, he's depressed, drinks excessively, and lives a life veiled in melancholy as a result of, I am assuming, personal tragedy.

 

Severance proceeds slowly but steadily in the first episode, giving the audience time to take in both the outstanding world-building and the gorgeous aesthetics, which include exquisite cinematography and design. The pure white, maze-like passageways and neon chamber of the workplace give the ideal backdrop for something that seems non-threatening but is really rather gloomy. Nothing is as it seems, with surprises hidden around every turn. With the odd circumstances only starting to unveil the terrible reality, this office is not your typical workplace. If you're anything like me, you'll conclude the first episode with a lot of thoughts and many more questions. However, Severance will make you evaluate your own work-life balance and will have you on the edge of your seat until the very final scene.