Blog Project 1
The Cultural Mirror of Severance: A Critique of Modern Work and Identity
Severance (Apple TV+, 2022) is a perfect example of horror reflecting social fears when processed over time, as it is very much a product of 21st-century fears surrounding employment and human identity. Presented by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller, Severance works as a psychological thriller and dark workplace satire to achieve a dystopian understanding of what life could be if companies go too far in employee ownership, offerings, and desirable identity and brand construction. Through an examination of the themes of the show, its current relevance, and the narrative structure employed, I will prove how Severance operates not only as a horror narrative but as a cautionary tale about such corporate realities that shape our existences.
The premise and context
Severance is set in the walls of a company dubbed Lumon Industries, which allows its employees to undergo a surgical procedure called "severance." The result? Two disparate consciousnesses housed in one body: the "innie," who works and has no memories of life outside of work, and the "outie," who has no idea he or she is working. The champion of the series is Mark Scout (Adam Scott), a tortured soul with a personal history of loss who seeks the procedure to forget—and ultimately, forgets his flaws. However, over time, he and his severed colleagues learn what's wrong with their new lives—or what's wrong with severing one's existence in the first place.
Severance plays into the fears of the modern work-life construct and recent history—2020 efforts in remote work, the "Great Resignation," etc. Therefore, Severance comments on the overwhelming nature of work culture and its imposition over personal expectations and realities by literally—and almost comically—separating one's innate talents across two worlds. For someone to literally "clock out" of their life and memory becomes a figurative commentary on how many people mentally "clock out" from their mental health and physical being to adhere to work-related expectations.
Visual and Narrative Style: A Cold, Corporate Nightmare
One of the most prominent cinematic features of Severance is its aesthetics, which bolsters the idea of dehumanization and power. The Lumon office environment is a sterile, minimalist endeavor with a retro-futuristic charm—halls are endless and white, fluorescent lights buzz, and cubicle-like workspaces abound, creating an institutionalized, oppressive atmosphere. During everyday work endeavors, employees wear neutral clothing that resembles uniforms, stripping them of even more identity. It's a nostalgic take on films like THX 1138 and Brazil but made for contemporary corporate America.
The Severance editing is slow and purposeful; suspenseful as scenes linger with focused camera angles, and sound (or lack thereof) involves eerie silence instead of jump scares or adrenaline-filled fighting. This commitment to a slow process is more of a psychological horror and is intended for viewers to feel their imprisonment. When the innies are shown the outside world, it's often a dizzying flash of color and chaos compared to the tedious workday, which is interesting because the innies believe the opposite to be true in their day-to-day. Their strange aesthetic extends also to their “management training videos”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OraR-G4RiLc
Themes: Work, Identity, and Resistance
The Dehumanization of Labor
Severance is a commentary on the condition of labor under capitalism. Lumon Industries has a corporate culture that relies upon the worker as just another number in the machine; there are meaningless rewards for compliance (like "melon parties") and punishments for anti-establishment behavior. The most significant form of alienation, however, is the severance itself—remember that the "innie" and "outie" do not remember who they are outside of the office, never questioning their reality exists beyond their current means. It's a chilling affront to the independence of workers. This could further extend to gig jobs where financing and sustainability at all costs render the worker more of a passing number as opposed to an aspect of a larger goal.
The Fragmentation of Self
The sci-fi nature of the show makes one question whether it is possible to segment one's memories (Innnies and outies) since existence may be similar for all. Innnies are stuck in a repetitive pattern at work, never knowing—and never able to know—what their outie selves could be; yet outies are just as stuck, never aware of the pain of what they have become since they're not given access to their inner-work selves (Innnies). It complicates and mirrors, however, our own relationship with work—especially in the age of excessive burnout and the need to compartmentalize—how much of oneself do we lose to merely being just us to survive the workday?
Resistance and Community
Severance explores resistance, at least with the unfortunate possibility. Helly R. (Britt Lower) and Irving (John Turturro) very much come to question Lumon's dominance, and through their efforts on their own and their companionship, they begin to unite over what's been done to them. Their resistance is in line with the history of attempts at betterment across industries across the globe, for the only way to escape such horrific domination is through effort in numbers.
Reception and Cultural Impact
Critics really adored Severance, too. The New York Times called it "a chilling, darkly funny thriller" (2022), while The Guardian declared it "a Kafkaesque nightmare of office life" (2022), and I agree with their reviews. Also, beyond the scope of mere entertainment, commentators task Severance with comparing it to the ethical failures of the gig economy and trends in workplace surveillance.
Fans engaged with the property, as well, to the point of theorizing every plot hole and nuance and attempting to uncover what was literally hidden under Lumon. Such engagement speaks to how successful yet ambivalent ideas and concepts were presented—rare for a level of television that doesn't often get presented this way.
Conclusion: A Warning and a Reflection
Severance transcends pure entertainment and becomes an exposé of contemporary work culture. It challenges its audience to face all that's wrong with their jobs by exaggerating how far the company can take its control. When so much of out-of-work life is consumed by work, Severance's answer to How much of yourself are you willing to give up for your job? seems all too plausible. Ultimately, Severance succeeds beyond just entertaining. It succeeds as a critique of our work culture today.
References
The New York Times. (2022). "Severance Review: A Chilling, Darkly Funny Thriller." Link
The Guardian. (2022). "Severance Review – A Kafkaesque Nightmare of Office Life." Link
Variety. (2022). "Severance Review: Adam Scott in Apple TV+’s Mind-Bending Workplace Thriller." Link
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