What to Watch: Severance

I’m on record as saying that we’re all living in a blighted capitalist hellscape, and few pieces of fiction around are capturing that nightmare as well as Severance.

Severance is set in a works much like our own, except for an innovative new procedure that allows people to completely separate their work memories from the rest of their lives… and vice versa.

At first glance, there’s a bit of an appeal to the idea. After all, everyone has watched the clock, desperate to get home. But the show quickly reveals what this looks like from the perspective of your working self: no memories of your real life… no chance to experience weekends… no chance to experience SLEEP.

The very first episode dives into the ideas of how much hell we are willing to put others through to make our lives easier and the common feeling that nothing we accomplish at work is making a measurable difference. I don’t feel like anyone can take the high road on the first, particularly if, like me, you own a smartphone or wear clothes made in part of the world with lac worker protections. And I feel like everyone knows what the latter feels like, even doctors, cops, and doctor cops.

The rest of the season satirizes the hell out of “work culture” and employer reward programs, but the real meat of the show is mystery and an undercurrent of quiet desperation that is impossible to ignore. It feels like a mix of The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror, and that little while when Lost was really good. There is also a spirited dance break.

Fantastic show, 5 musical dance experiences out of 5. It’s available on Apple + now.