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Severance (not the Danny Dyer movie)

JohnC

By JohnC
in Film, TV & Radio

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JohnC

JohnC

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New show on Apple from 18 February. A stylised workplace thriller. The concept of the "severance" of the title is that people can have their personal and work memories completely divided and kept separate by a surgical procedure. Obviously, things are not quite right with all this.

 

Stars Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, Dichen Lachman, Jen Tullock, Tramell Tillman and Michael Chernus. Directed by Ben Stiller.

 

 

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  • 5 weeks later...
superfunk

superfunk

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17 hours ago, peeveen said:

Really enjoyed the 2 episodes.

Some sections reminded me of the videogame "Control".

 

 

Yes! Absolutely spot on - the concrete architecture, the sparseness of the interiors, and the retro-future hardware that means you can't place it in any particular period. The weirdly stylised dialogue is also unsettling. 

 

It's certainly intriguing enough for me to be looking forward to episode 3.  

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PeteJ

PeteJ

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We just watched the first episode, seems pretty good. We shall continue.  

 

Minus the lack of narrator and humour, it weirdly reminded me of The Stanley Parable. Perhaps it's the cold office like complex that draws the same Control comparison. 

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Arn X Treme

Arn X Treme

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Just finished off the second episode.

 

This is superb, it all just works really well from the sets to the music to the story, it makes for a very uncomfortable viewing in places.

 

The guy from Step Brothers works well as the lead and plays both his parts well, I admit seeing him as the main character in the advertising put me off, but I'm glad to be wrong.

 

 

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peeveen

peeveen

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13 hours ago, PeteJ said:

 Perhaps it's the cold office like complex that draws the same Control comparison. 

 

It was mainly the

Spoiler

mysterious "board" listening in via the microphone thing, and the corridors and doors that seem to double-back on themselves, etc.

Oh, and also the weird feeling that some of those managers might not actually be humans.

 

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Gotters

Gotters

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Brilliant and unsettling first episode, everything feels designed to make you feel a bit awkward watching it, the score, dialogue, sets, indeterminate time period.

 

I'm certainly intrigued, the thing with anything like this that sets something up in this way is always how the reveals come and what the wider story is. Do they have it or are they making it up as they go along and tie themselves in increasingly difficult to get out of plot holes/knots

 

As a starter though it was great.

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PeteJ

PeteJ

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Liked the second episode too, it's weird and slow but intriguing and quite playful too. 

 

I hate to say this but as soon as the intro credits began on the second episode my first thought was "oh cool, Ben finished his animation". 

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Gotters

Gotters

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The atmosphere of this feels quite unique, its sort of stark futuristic sci fi on one hand but also quite funny in a dark way.

 

The contrasts between the worlds really start to shine in the second ep as you see the real world is pretty normal but the office is increasingly odd and the time period there (in terms of setting) seems far harder to pin down.

 

I like how you want to pay attention to it, not be double screening on your phone, the dialogue in the office is odd and you need to pay attention - are melon/waffle parties important, why the finger traps or cartoons. Quick take the picture before we get melon bloat. It's brilliantly off kilter and demands your focus.

 

I loved the wellness session too where the chap was getting told things about his 'outie;, especially his proficiency at lovemaking and kissing. 

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Not Thread Owner

Not Thread Owner

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Posted

Caught up.

 

Spoiler

I’m wondering if Irving is one of the “trapped” who never leaves. Also think Harmony is actually “good”, and is actually covertly trying to get Mark to reverse the Severance. Also suspect Lumen is responsible for Mark’s wife’s death somehow.

 

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Zio

Zio

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On 07/03/2022 at 14:36, Spartan said:

 

Nah, hah, I just love the animation and music

 

Same! I was extremely put out when my girlfriend clicked the "Skip Credits" button when we watched the latest episode last night.

 

I'm wondering if this is going to be a self-contained season like Archive 81 was on Netflix, or if it'll be some ongoing mystery. I always feel deeply suspicious of shows like this after watching Lost back in the day and slowly having to come to terms with the fact there was no masterplan and the writers were making all this shit up as they went. Because so far I'm really into Severance.

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Spartan

Spartan

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2 hours ago, Zio said:

 

Same! I was extremely put out when my girlfriend clicked the "Skip Credits" button when we watched the latest episode last night.

 

I'm wondering if this is going to be a self-contained season like Archive 81 was on Netflix, or if it'll be some ongoing mystery. I always feel deeply suspicious of shows like this after watching Lost back in the day and slowly having to come to terms with the fact there was no masterplan and the writers were making all this shit up as they went. Because so far I'm really into Severance.

 

Pretty sure I've read season 2 is about to start filming. Very few Apple shows so far have been single series or cancelled. 

 

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Timmo

Timmo

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12 hours ago, Spartan said:

 

Pretty sure I've read season 2 is about to start filming. Very few Apple shows so far have been single series or cancelled. 

 

 

Genuinely a bit sad to read this, fingers crossed there is a new cast and a different story.

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LeighCb

LeighCb

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Yeah, this has been excellent so far. It looks fantastic, really beautiful use of an anamorphic lens rather than being letterboxed for the sake of it.

 

The whole cast is great. Wasn't a big fan of Adam Scott but I was wrong as he is really good in this. Can't help but smile when Christopher Walken and John Turtorro are on screen together. 

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