Severance: A Deep Dive into Work, Memory, and Identity
Severance, a psychological thriller and science fiction TV series created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller, has captivated audiences with its innovative storytelling, dystopian setting, and complex exploration of memory, identity, and corporate control. Premiering on Apple TV+ in February 2022, Severance has quickly become a cultural touchstone, sparking discussions about the boundaries between work and personal life, the meaning of autonomy, and the ethical implications of corporate manipulation.
The Premise of Severance
The core concept of Severance revolves around a mysterious procedure that divides a person’s memories into two distinct spheres—one for their work life and one for their personal life. Employees who undergo the “severance” procedure essentially become two different people: one who exists entirely at work, and one who exists outside of work. The idea is that employees who participate in the program can leave their work at the office, as they have no recollection of their time spent at work when they return home. Likewise, their work selves have no memory of their personal lives.
The series follows the employees of Lumon Industries, the company responsible for the severance procedure. The company’s enigmatic CEO and the cult-like corporate culture are key aspects of the show’s world-building. The employees are forced to live by strict rules, and the dynamics of work-life separation come with a host of moral, psychological, and existential dilemmas. At the center of the series is Mark Scout, played by Adam Scott, who begins the show as a relatively mild-mannered middle manager at Lumon. He is tasked with managing a team of workers who perform mundane tasks that seem increasingly detached from any larger purpose.
As the series unfolds, Mark and his colleagues begin to question the ethics and consequences of their severed lives. Their “work selves” (known as “innie” selves) remain unaware of the existence of their “outie” selves (the individuals who live their lives outside the office), and the show explores the disorienting and disturbing nature of this split.
The Themes of Severance
1. Memory and Identity
At the heart of Severance is the question of memory and how it shapes identity. Memory is central to our understanding of who we are, and the concept of severing memories raises profound questions about the role of memory in personal identity. The show forces the viewer to ask: If our memories are removed or divided, are we still the same person?
The severed employees of Lumon live two parallel lives, disconnected from each other. The workers who experience the severance procedure are given a life at work where they have no awareness of the outside world, and when they leave work, they have no knowledge of their day in the office. This fractured existence has profound implications for their personal identities, as the severed “work selves” are essentially unaware of the true nature of their existence.
The show invites the audience to consider what happens when the boundaries of memory and identity are manipulated. Mark’s personal life outside the office—his mourning of his wife and his increasingly fraught relationships—are shaped by memories he cannot access in his work life, and vice versa. The tension between these selves creates a psychological burden that is central to Mark’s character arc. The show also raises the unsettling possibility that corporations could control personal identities through memory manipulation, as Lumon Industries seems to do with its employees.
2. The Dehumanization of Work
The dystopian setting of Severance critiques modern-day corporate environments, where employees often feel dehumanized and disconnected from the larger purpose of their work. The severance procedure becomes a metaphor for the ways in which work can alienate individuals from themselves. In the world of Severance, employees exist solely to perform tasks for the corporation, with no knowledge or connection to their broader lives outside the office.
This reflects a larger societal issue where workers often feel like cogs in a machine, valued only for their productivity and output. In the show, the severed employees of Lumon are reduced to performing meaningless tasks in an office, detached from the larger goals of the company. This dehumanization is underscored by the sterile, suffocating design of the office and the relentless control exerted by the corporation.
The idea of severing one’s memories as a form of corporate control underscores how companies can manipulate individuals to optimize their work output while erasing any sense of individuality or personal agency. The show amplifies the corporate culture of alienation, where work and personal life are split, and employees are reduced to mere functions rather than whole people.
3. Autonomy and Free Will
Severance also explores the issue of autonomy and the limits of free will in a corporate-controlled society. The severance procedure takes away the workers’ ability to make decisions freely, as they exist as two separate entities—one working tirelessly for the company, and the other oblivious to what their “innie” self does.
The characters in the series struggle with their lack of control over their own lives. As they uncover the truth about their severed existence, they are forced to confront the extent to which they are controlled by Lumon and the system that forces them into this divided existence. Even though they have the freedom to live outside of work, they cannot access the memories that would allow them to be fully autonomous individuals. This raises questions about the nature of freedom and how much control individuals truly have in a society dominated by large corporations.
Mark, in particular, embodies this struggle for autonomy. While he initially seems content with his severed life, he slowly becomes more aware of the ethical implications of his actions and the company’s manipulative behavior. As he begins to question his role in the system, he wrestles with the loss of control over his own identity and the choices he makes.
4. Existential Dread and Personal Meaning
Severance also grapples with existential questions about the nature of life and the search for meaning. The characters of Severance are trapped in a system that denies them full access to the richness of life. The severed lives they lead are devoid of meaning, purpose, or connection, and their memories are fragmented. As a result, they are left to question what their existence is for.
The show delves into the idea that, without access to their full memories or the ability to make connections between their work and personal lives, the characters’ existence becomes hollow. Mark’s own struggle to come to terms with the severance procedure is framed by his emotional emptiness and his inability to find meaning in the repetitive tasks he performs. His struggle mirrors the real-life existential crises many people experience when they feel disconnected from their work or purpose.
The series explores how humans seek meaning and how their perception of the world is shaped by memory and experience. The central characters, especially Mark, face the haunting realization that their identities have been manipulated and reduced to something mechanistic. As they seek to uncover the truth behind the severance procedure, they are confronted with the question of whether true fulfillment is possible in a world where memory and autonomy are controlled.
The Visual and Aesthetic Design of Severance
The visual and aesthetic design of Severance plays an important role in creating the show’s unique atmosphere and furthering its themes. The minimalist, sterile design of the office, with its monochromatic color palette and uniform decor, emphasizes the dehumanizing nature of the work environment. The disorienting camera angles and the deliberately slow pace of the show contribute to a sense of unease, reinforcing the psychological tension that the characters experience.
The world of Severance is visually striking because it feels both futuristic and claustrophobic, an environment that seems purpose-built to strip away individuality. The labyrinthine corridors, the stark lighting, and the oppressive architecture serve to emphasize the dystopian nature of the corporate world, making the severed lives of the characters feel all the more suffocating.
Conclusion
Severance is an intelligent and thought-provoking series that explores issues of memory, identity, autonomy, and corporate control. By taking the concept of memory manipulation to its extreme, it presents a chilling vision of a world where individuals are reduced to isolated, fragmented selves, controlled by the whims of corporate interests. The show’s complex characters, intriguing premise, and striking visuals combine to create a deeply unsettling exploration of the modern work environment, the consequences of dehumanization, and the search for meaning in an increasingly corporate-driven society. Through its chilling depiction of severed lives, Severance forces us to confront the question of what it means to truly live and be free.
