Severance: what to know before you start
The office show everyone recommends, explained without spoilers. What the procedure is, who the innies are, and where to watch it.
Severance is the show people describe badly and then say “just watch it”. Here’s what you actually need to know, with no spoilers.
What is severance?
In the show, a company called Lumon Industries offers its employees a surgical procedure that divides their memories. When you walk into work, you forget your outside life. When you leave, you forget everything about work. Your day at the office is over the moment it starts.
Innies and outies
Each severed worker becomes two people sharing one body. The outie lives the person’s normal life and never remembers a minute of the job. The innie exists only at work. They have never seen the sun, never met their family, never had a weekend. The show is mostly about the innies, and what it means to be a person who only exists to work.
Who’s who
- Mark (Adam Scott) runs a small team in Macrodata Refinement. His outie took the job to escape grief.
- Helly (Britt Lower) is the new hire whose innie refuses to accept any of it.
- Dylan and Irving are the rest of the team, one competitive and one devoted to the company.
- Ms Cobel (Patricia Arquette) is the manager, and much more than a manager.
Do I need to pay attention?
Yes. The show hides clues everywhere: in paintings, in company slogans, in what people don’t say. You can enjoy it on the surface, but it’s much better if you watch closely.
Where to watch
Severance is an Apple TV original. Apple TV is available in Uganda. See our streaming guide for how to pay without a bank card.
Then read our review.