Severance (Season 1)

⭐ 10.0/10

(Originally written by Tim)

What a season of TV! My favourite new show without a doubt, this one scratches that Lost itch in a way I really needed.

The show is pretty high concept, and I love that about it. It revolves around this company, Lumon, that does super secretive work. So secretive that it has a branch of employees that are voluntarily severed - when they enter their office they have no memory of their life outside the office, and when they leave they have no memory from inside the office. It essentially splits them in to two people. So there is the intrigue of asking why someone would do that to themselves, but we see their work inside and it is so obscure, so what is Lumon even accomplishing!?

The set design here is great. The office is blindingly white and soul-sucking, with terrible rewards for their work that the "innies" love for some reason. The halls are a labyrinth that they don't seem concerned by, and the overseers are creepily pleasant. We are introduced to it all through someone that has just been severed, and conflict arises when they don't want to work there anymore, but their "outie" keeps showing up every day.

Ben Stiller is one of the minds behind this show, and just like Barry the laughs come out of nowhere. Just like Lost every episode you get a couple head fakes towards some answers, while introducing a million new questions. It is a perfect puzzle box and I am completely obsessed.

The finale was also a spectacle, doing exactly what I just said, leaving me satisfied but with so many more questions. It was a high octane roller coaster ride for a show that usually moves at a brisk walk, and the fallout next season will be delightful. The score throughout is this methodical piano rhythm, almost like a metronome, that works perfectly like a clock ticking away at work, and the acting is also great, not only Adam Scott in the lead, but also John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and a bunch of new faces.

I need season 2 ASAP.