Severance

[The Repeated Meme]

This show is fascinating. It's about a new procedure that separates your work self from your personal life self with the use of a cranial implant. You are essentially creating a copy of yourself without memories of your personal life, and you can't communicate between the two, hence the name, severance. The story explores the controversial nature of the procedure and the lives of each character's respective selves, referred to as 'innie' for your work self and 'outie' for your personal life self. I highly recommend anyone wanting to get into a new show to at least watch the first episode to see if it sucks you in. It did for me, this is exactly the kind of show I like, full of mystery with science fiction elements.

Has anyone seen this yet? What are your thoughts on it? Discuss.

IMDB Page
Trailer

 

[McMitch]

Seems like a rejected Black Mirror script that will indubitably be filled with the same pseudo-psychiatric vocabulary that every person claims is the cause of “muh mentals,” rather than a deficiency of vitamin touching grass.

 

[Mr Bones Wild Ride]

I enjoyed it and am keen for the next season which is very overdue.
I thought it was supposed to have already been filmed?

I really want to know what they actually do at work all day.

 

[The Repeated Meme]

Seems like a rejected Black Mirror script that will indubitably be filled with the same pseudo-psychiatric vocabulary that every person claims is the cause of “muh mentals,” rather than the a deficiency of vitamin touching grass.

It is very Black Mirror-esque and that's one of the things that makes it good.

I enjoyed it and am keen for the next season which is very overdue.
I thought it was supposed to have already been filmed?

It is very overdue but apparently it's coming out soon, probably in October. Hopefully earlier which would be nice because it's already been 2 years.

I really want to know what they actually do at work all day.

That's one of the main things that keeps me coming back.

 

[McMitch]

It is very Black Mirror-esque and that's one of the things that makes it good.

I did not like Black Mirror. It felt like they were aiming for 50’s Twilight Zone and landed in 90’s Outer Limits instead.

 

[Wendell X]

I did not like Black Mirror. It felt like they were aiming for 50’s Twilight Zone and landed in 90’s Outer Limits instead.

How do you mean?

I also didn't like black mirror - every episode I watched (four in total including the Christmas one) telegraphed the shit out of the conclusion in the first act. Which I remember being an issue with the outer limits, but it's been decades since I saw it. I liked severance though.

 

[McMitch]

How do you mean?

I also didn't like black mirror - every episode I watched (four in total including the Christmas one) telegraphed the shit out of the conclusion in the first act. Which I remember being an issue with the outer limits, but it's been decades since I saw it. I liked severance though.

You covered a lot of it. Additionally, Twlight Zone did not rely on twists, the entire episode would be entertaining because it had characters and explored their actions within the given premise. Compare Outer Limits which felt compelled to have a, usually mean-spirited, twist ending every episode, and characters existed solely to get from a-to-b. Black Mirror tries to be the former but can only manage the latter.
These mystery box sci-fi shows all operate similarly, to their own detriment. And it will occur, because the writers and show planners have no more idea of what the answers are to their plot than anyone else. If they don’t have an ending for something as important as the plot, they would have goals for their characters, which means their characters will never develop beyond barebones archetypes, which means it will suck. They’re sitcoms without even the conceit of thinking they’re funny.
I can’t even merit it on a novel premise, because it’s a more obtuse version of Total Recall or We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, and the latter of those two ends with an Outer Limits twist.

 

[Mr Bones Wild Ride]

I also didn't like black mirror - every episode I watched (four in total including the Christmas one) telegraphed the shit out of the conclusion in the first act.

I loved Black Mirror - last season was super meh though.

I know this isn't the Black Mirror thread (Is there one?) but I am interested in your perspective - are you saying that you felt that it was obvious what was going to happen/what the twist was going to be?
(Genuinely curious - not being a troll/turd)

It felt like they were aiming for 50’s Twilight Zone and landed in 90’s Outer Limits instead.

I've never heard of Outer Limits, any good?
(Noting that I did enjoy Black Mirror)

I also love The Twilight Zone (even the ?90s reboots)

Actual Thread Tax so this isn't a complete derail

That's one of the main things that keeps me coming back.

Oooh - What are your theories?

Also, would you have Severance done?
If so, just for work or would you also do it for things you know might be traumatic (childbirth, surgery etc)

 

[McMitch]

I've never heard of Outer Limits, any good?
(Noting that I did enjoy Black Mirror)

So, I don’t know how people watch tv these days (both from a tolerance of poor quality as well as the methodology), but it filled the niche of “something to watch a couple hours of when you were home during school” about fifteen-twenty years ago.

 

[The Repeated Meme]

Oooh - What are your theories?

I honestly have no idea, I couldn't even begin to speculate, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say whatever it is can't be good. The fact that it's so vague is actually one of the running jokes in the series because there's no way you can make any sort of educated guess based on almost no information.

Also, would you have Severance done?
If so, just for work or would you also do it for things you know might be traumatic (childbirth, surgery etc)

Hell no. It's no different than slavery. It would be deeply immoral. They try to make the most of it, but it's plainly obvious that every severed worker there is miserable.

So, I don’t know how people watch tv these days (both from a tolerance of poor quality as well as the methodology), but it filled the niche of “something to watch a couple hours of when you were home during school” about fifteen-twenty years ago.

Every once in a while I look around for tv shows with high user ratings and do a little bit of research into each one, if it passes the sniff test I'll download the first episode, and if manages to pull me in I'll watch the rest of it. I've been re-watching the same tv shows for way too long now, and I've only just now picked up some new ones worth watching. I'm still on the fence about Shogun, but I really liked X-Men '97, 3 Body Problem, and Severance. I'm also currently debating whether 'Silo' is worth watching. It's got good reviews, and the genres line up with things I'm usually interested in. I haven't yet seen the first episode but I probably will soon.

 

[McMitch]

Also, would you have Severance done?
If so, just for work or would you also do it for things you know might be traumatic (childbirth, surgery etc)

I'm actually going to thank you for this post, since reading it instantly crystallized a lot of my thoughts regarding this show, Black Mirror, and work in general.
The criticism I'm going to land on, is that this right here is the type of discussion these types of shows inspire: banal watercooler talk, usually answered with a simple yes or no. These shows are built on the premise of a technological convenience on the surface, which is contrived (and sometimes the contrivance is really stretched) to be in actuality inconvenient.
I'm going to also answer the question, even though it wasn't aimed at me: absolutely not, for a few reasons:

Hell no. It's no different than slavery. It would be deeply immoral. They try to make the most of it, but it's plainly obvious that every severed worker there is miserable.

It really touches on the mentality of the white collar desk jockeys that these types of shows are aimed for. These people are so unfulfilled at work, beyond the simple obligation to show up, that they would rather sacrifice a third of each day from their consciousness to not have to deal with it. I would bet the target audience is in an Office Space situation, where they spend more time pretending to work than actually working, and even the work they do is dull. Add to the fact that the average person holds no pride in their work, and they're just waiting for the clock to run out. But to get this procedure means to not just fragment who and what you know, but fragment your growth as a person; a concept which would actually be interesting in a sci-fi setting, but this show has no signs of exploring. You know what show did do this premise? The Prisoner, from the fucking 60's!
Seriously, if you want to not be miserable for most of your day, convince yourself to develop a pride in the work you get done. You can hate your job and your coworkers and whatnot, but pride in what you've accomplished with your own two hands will at least keep you afloat to where you don't want to be effectively lobotomized.

3 Body Problem

From what I've seen, that one feels like a bad ripoff of Rendezvous with Rama.

To give perspective of my current TV consumption, my last attempt to watch a TV show was 1 episode of Cheers every other day or so. Before that was 2-3 episodes of Samurai Jack a day a few months prior. Before that was 1-2 episodes of Breaking Bad a week with my dad, pre-Covid. I do not understand how people do the binge watching thing. Usually I can barely manage 1 really good movie a week.

 

[The Repeated Meme]

It really touches on the mentality of the white collar desk jockeys that these types of shows are aimed for. These people are so unfulfilled at work, beyond the simple obligation to show up, that they would rather sacrifice a third of each day from their consciousness to not have to deal with it. I would bet the target audience is in an Office Space situation, where they spend more time pretending to work than actually working, and even the work they do is dull. Add to the fact that the average person holds no pride in their work, and they're just waiting for the clock to run out.

The work I do is somewhat monotonous, but I enjoy it (as much as someone can enjoy a repetitive job) for a few reasons:

- It pays decent at the ceiling
- Good benefits
- I'm not sitting on my ass all day.
- You are actually helping people, even if it's with something rather mundane and routine, so it's easy to take pride in.
- I work in customer service, something I'm naturally gifted at.
- No college degree or special certification requirements

My main issue is dealing with petty annoyances like the overhead music and loud and obnoxious coworkers, something I imagine most people have to deal with anyway regardless of their job, but at the very least, at least my work is decent, gives me something to do and is somewhat fulfilling.

Unless it's in field I'm really interested in, I can't imagine ever being a desk jockey.

 

[Mr Bones Wild Ride]

The criticism I'm going to land on, is that this right here is the type of discussion these types of shows inspire: banal watercooler talk, usually answered with a simple yes or no.

I disagree and you disproved your own point by answering using actual paragraphs.

I also disagree with your assertions that this show is aimed for office workers or that a majority of them would opt for the procedure due to a lack of fulfilment in their work.

A lot of administrators (hospital desk jockeys) that I know watch shit like "Married at First Sight" or "The Block" (reality tv) because when they get home they just want to vegetate and I know this because they talk about it incessantly*
Just so we're clear I'm not trying to make out that Severance is some highbrow intellectual TV show - my opinion has always been that if you want to learn something then you need to read books or watch actual experts.
All TV is entertainment and it doesn't have to have any higher meaning. People can and should talk about things they enjoy without it having to be deep or purposeful either, but should be aware that this means others are open to criticise it all the same (welcome to the Kiwifarms lel)

I can't talk strictly from an "office drone" perspective, because that's not my vocation - but from my short time now working the more clerical side of nursing, people seem to relish the opportunity to tell people about what they have been getting up to outside.
(See *)

I reckon the main people that might consider having Severance done would be anyone who has high security clearance so they couldn't be blackmailed, or someone in the military who didn't want to think about horrors they'd witnessed, or even doctors and nurses wanting to dissociate from the shit that you see come through the ED.

I think the office setting MAKES it novel because in my (albeit limited) experience, those kinds of environments are less likely to want the compartmentalisation of their lives.

Also, double post but a Janny can fix it.

I'm also currently debating whether 'Silo' is worth watching. It's got good reviews, and the genres line up with things I'm usually interested in. I haven't yet seen the first episode but I probably will soon.

I really enjoyed Silo and highly recommend that one too lol
And if you make a Silo thread I'll be there with ya

 

[McMitch]

I disagree and you disproved your own point by answering using actual paragraphs.

I would argue that my post is more inspired by the overall state of media, rather than this specific show. It being the impetus of discussion by happenstance doesn't necessarily mean it inspires discussion on its own. These are almost entirely thoughts I've had before even knowing about this program.

All TV is entertainment and it doesn't have to have any higher meaning. People can and should talk about things they enjoy without it having to be deep or purposeful either, but should be aware that this means others are open to criticise it all the same (welcome to the Kiwifarms lel)

I agree with you on this. There's plenty of media I do and have enjoyed that are simply entertainment. Part of my criticism is that this type of show presents itself as more than the sum of its parts through its mystery box structure, which I have never actually seen pulled off in a satisfactory manner. That being said, I do believe a hallmark of good sci-fi is that it does explore aspects of the human condition through the lens of our interaction with technology and anything else is more science-fantasy instead.

I reckon the main people that might consider having Severance done would be anyone who has high security clearance so they couldn't be blackmailed, or someone in the military who didn't want to think about horrors they'd witnessed, or even doctors and nurses wanting to dissociate from the shit that you see come through the ED.

The demographic of "people that show up to work high" would absolutely be getting this procedure done in droves.
Now, regarding the people who work hard to handle jobs, this procedure would sabotage their ability to handle their job. You need the time to process and develop coping mechanisms to handle such things. If this personality's entire life only exists within the confines of their workplace, they will absolutely self-destruct. And even the more mundane workplaces force us to develop as a person just as much as when we are home: forcing us to problem solve and interact socially. There's a reason why Null's advice for young people feeling disenfranchised is "get a shitty job." The only people who wouldn't have to go through that would naturally be the ones who I said above seem to be the target demo for this show. It appeals to this glorification of compartmentalizing between work and home while also leaning into the Black Mirror-esque writing style of "what if fantastic convenience had contrived inconvenience?"

I think the office setting MAKES it novel because in my (albeit limited) experience, those kinds of environments are less likely to want the compartmentalisation of their lives

It would be novel if it better resembled a real office building full of drones, rather than a Hollywood office building of maybe eight total people.

Ultimately, I'm not saying you shouldn't like it. I am saying I won't and why I won't. That's how a forum should work, in between posts (or as posts I guess) containing words we can't say at work.

 

[HyperboreanRightsActivist]

Gnostic hellyweird goyslop

 

[Ocean's 9/11]

every scary number deleted is a tranny 41%ing

 

[Mr. A. L. Mao]

Only good show I've seen in years, will have to watch again before the new season comes out.

It really touches on the mentality of the white collar desk jockeys that these types of shows are aimed for. These people are so unfulfilled at work, beyond the simple obligation to show up, that they would rather sacrifice a third of each day from their consciousness to not have to deal with it. I would bet the target audience is in an Office Space situation, where they spend more time pretending to work than actually working, and even the work they do is dull. Add to the fact that the average person holds no pride in their work, and they're just waiting for the clock to run out. But to get this procedure means to not just fragment who and what you know, but fragment your growth as a person; a concept which would actually be interesting in a sci-fi setting, but this show has no signs of exploring. You know what show did do this premise? The Prisoner, from the fucking 60's!
Seriously, if you want to not be miserable for most of your day, convince yourself to develop a pride in the work you get done. You can hate your job and your coworkers and whatnot, but pride in what you've accomplished with your own two hands will at least keep you afloat to where you don't want to be effectively lobotomized.

It's been a few years since I watched this show, but as I recall, the reason for the main character getting severed was to forget about the death of his wife totally during the work hours, while drowning it away with booze whenever he wasn't working. The reveal in the final episode that

Spoiler

his wife is alive down there

will be an interesting plot point in season two I hope.

 

[McMitch]

Only good show I've seen in years, will have to watch again before the new season comes out.

It's been a few years since I watched this show, but as I recall, the reason for the main character getting severed was to forget about the death of his wife totally during the work hours, while drowning it away with booze whenever he wasn't working. The reveal in the final episode that

Spoiler

his wife is alive down there

will be an interesting plot point in season two I hope.

I would absolutely consider this the type of mystery box twist that drives me away from media like this.

 

[Wendell X]

I know this isn't the Black Mirror thread (Is there one?) but I am interested in your perspective - are you saying that you felt that it was obvious what was going to happen/what the twist was going to be?

Yeah basically. If I could be bothered watching it again I'd give examples, but in essence there is a point where visual storytelling turns into signposting, and black mirror crosses it far too often. Partly the issue is like McMitch said, black mirror was built in "cosmic irony" style, so a twist is a necessary component. And when you work with twists you have to dial back the visual storytelling, because the viewer already has expectations of the show. And because I watch far too much TV, (I'm the mirror mirror version of McMitch it looks like, in my defense it's partly professional) it all looks formulaic.

But to get this procedure means to not just fragment who and what you know, but fragment your growth as a person; a concept which would actually be interesting in a sci-fi setting, but this show has no signs of exploring.

I see further down you mention that you just don't care for the mystery box style, and that's fair. I'm willing to give something a try no matter its format, as long as the creator has a plan and end goal in sight, which the creators of Severance claimed was also important to them. So I'm not going to try to convince you to watch it, it's definitely mystery box style genre fiction. But I do want to say, the show absolutely explores that concept. Not particularly deeply so far, but it is a bit deeper than you are expecting. And three body problem, unless they changed it drastically from the book, is the same genre as rendezvous with rama, and explores similar themes, but it's also very different. But even if it was a rip off, I found the book engaging just for a Chinese perspective on various sci fi concepts. There's this uncanny valley effect to the way people behave, it's recognisable, but something is off, you know? If you liked rwr I reckon you'd get a kick out of the book.

 

[Pale Empress]

I enjoyed it and am keen for the next season which is very overdue.
I thought it was supposed to have already been filmed?

It had stalled production when the writers strike hit, although supposedly most of the filming had been completed. According to wikipedoa they actually didn't finish filming until the end of last month, so I'd wager they're aiming for a release late this year but realistically it'll probably be early next year.

I don't get why nowadays it takes four years to produce an eight episode "season," back in the 90s The X-Files were churning out 20+ episode seasons every year. The concept of "prestige television" is a garbage can and a shit meme.

Gnostic hellyweird goyslop

That's kind of why I like it tbh