Cinematic Point Of View

It’s been so long between seasons of Severance, that I’m rewatching season 1 before embarking on the second season.

In case you haven’t seen it, this AppleTV+ series is a psychological sci-fi thriller that explores the concept of separating work and personal memories through a surgical procedure called “severance.”

This show. I didn’t think it was possible but it’s even more impactful the second time around. I’ve given up drinking since the last watch. It’s not that you notice more when you haven’t had a beer or bourbon, but the messages hit different seen through the sober mind.

At least they did for me.

Watching Severance a second time, under these different mental conditions, also really falls in line with the duality theme of the show. Like my mind, it’s all the more clear. The shades and shadows of myself, and the world at large, are less transparent.

The inherent dangers of routine. The delicate balance of work and personal life. Corporate subjugation. Avoiding responsibility. Mental health. Society in a nutshell.

Isn’t it funny the things we do and say and justify for our jobs that we would never do in our personal lives? I’m not talking lying and stealing but the little manipulations we accept in order to reach our goals.

And then you have the religious themes. Only the corporate handbook matters. The good book. You have shrines built to the founders. How about women in the work place? It takes Helly B.’s introduction into the team and her desire for knowledge starts to crumble the infrastructure. Just the tip of the iceberg. I will spoil no further.

Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, and Patricia Arquette are all playing on another level under Ben Stiller‘s masterful direction.

Speaking of Stiller, I truly appreciate The Cable Guy, and Jim Carrey, but I wonder how that film would play out today if he made it less of a showcase for Carrey and more in line with tone of Severance. I’d be on board for that remake.

I love Theodore Shapiro‘s soundtrack. Bossa Nova elevator music from hell. Quiet moments of reflection in the middle of the night. I hear that main theme periodically playing in my head throughout the day. Maybe I should have that checked.

Jessica Lee Gagné‘s melancholic cinematography of the “outies” perfectly captures a world of endless winter Mondays.

I live in Kentucky and we’ve had snow on the ground for more weeks than I care to count. I love winter and I love snow, but it can start to feel pretty bleak after a while. It’s not hard to lose track of the days. Every morning can start to feel like a Monday.

Then you have the minimalist office world of Lumen.

When Mark S wanders down those hallways, it reminds me of a million generic office park buildings I went to as a kid in the 70s/80s. Dragged to some random dentist office or dropped off to attend driver’s education. A winding maze of a mousetrap, full of doors to unknown, mysterious places.

Oh man, it’s all so good and expertly crafted. The attention to detail in every shot really sets this show apart. I can’t wait to watch the second season and go further down the Severance rabbit hole.

What was your experience with season 1 like?