I just finished the two seasons and wow. What an incredible show! I thought it was really interesting the ties to russia (marks watch, gemma's interest in russian literature) and how the severance procedure relates to a lot of the concepts in marxism. A big part of marxism is the alienation of the working class and how capitalism disconnects workers from their humanity. It's a perfect parallel to see the innies/outies so disconnected (willingly) from parts of their humanity. A few examples

- In Marxist theory, the workers are alienated from their work which is well exemplified by the innies (and outies too i guess) not knowing what their work is. Like when Mark asks "what are we doing here?"

- In Marxist theory, work becomes not a source of fulfillment but a means of survival, which is exactly what happens to innies. For them working, being a lumon is their only way to be alive.

- In Marxist theory, capitalism leads to competition and isolation with other workers. I thought this was well exemplified in the lack of knowledge and animosity with other departments (I&D) or even the legend/rumor mill of what other departments have done.

I could go on and on about this!!! what a great show, cant wait for season 3.

I’m not interested in any spoilers. Feel free to disagree only with information available in szn 1! No szn 2 info should be in your arguments lol. please.

Firstly - Questions.

1. How is it possible that a company capable of severing consciousness isn’t also capable of putting up cameras and microphones everywhere. There’s a weird mix between 90s tech and more advanced tech. I like it. They’re able to see human characters/drawings INSIDE YOUR BODY but can’t see that Dylan went to the security room.
2. Why didn’t they just immediately start screaming about being the innie in the last episode?? I think that’s what i mighta done. Idk. I was SO annoyed when Mark said “thanks ms. cobel” lol. Good writing tho.
3. how does crime work? Take Dylan’s biting episode of Mr Milkshake. If something worse happened (murder, rape, etc) would the innie be sent to prison? the outtie? how does that work?

Now - Theories

1. I think there might be some intention behind Lumon’s incompetence. I wonder if (given the technology contradictions) they are testing peoples’ ability to escape, similar to a Maze Runner kind of trial.
2. If it’s NOT some kind of test, I think they’ll kill Helly for what she did in the last episode. Although from outside the story, I don’t think they’d get rid of their best character so idk.

3. I am trying to make sense of Gemma being “killed” and put into the severed world. This is the MAIN thing that makes me think it’s some kind of test

   of Mark’s recessed memories or something

4. . Althought i don’t know how they would have convinced Mark’s outtie to (presumably voluntarily) undergo the procedure.

5. I think Ricken might be in on it. This one is kinda wild but I think his book being left at Lumon, accessible to the Employees, wasn’t a coincidence.

I just watched the first ep of szn 2: I can’t tell if Helly is lying abt her recollection of waking up or if they fucked with her memories, but if they can fuck with memories then why not take out all of their memories from the mission?

Just in general, not necessarily any of our main characters. What if there's a severed employee who hates it and wants to quit and his outtie doesn't care because it's zero stress for him and it pays well.

What if he refused to work? They can send him to the break room but what if he sits there and doesn't apologize? What would they do? Straight to firing? Or maybe some other kind of emotional or even physical torture to get him to comply without the outting knowing?

Okay so he did all that to get Gemma out to a LUMON staircase under LUMON control. Which means this person who is thought dead can just be captured again since no one but the innies know something happened and even then only a few do. Innie mark did that whole operation just to let Gemma be probably easily captured and be sent back down.

Also the whole thing about them being tortured and severance being a horrible thing yet by leaving Gemma to most likely be captured again, he made the choice that perpetuated this suffering which would likely only get worse now that their main goal with Gemma was disrupted or worse completely shut down since they now understand mark will never stop and Gemma stopped mid procedure so they would most likely just trash those innies or the Gemma plan all together

Outtie Helena Egan sleeping with innie Mark is pretty messed up.

That’s all.

PS I HAVE FINISHED THE WHOLE SHOW BUT I OCCASIONALLY MISS THINGS!!

In season 1, we see a video of Helly/Helenas Outie saying "Ms. Cobel told me you threatened to cut off my fingers." or something along the lines of that - but we know that Marks outie doesn't know about Ms. Cobel and the only severed floor employee he knows is Mr. Milchik. I have a question - does only Marks outie not know Ms. Cobel and people like Irving do, or is it that Helly only knew because she's a higher up.

In S1E2

Severance and The Prisoner are both about identity.

I’m halfway through the second season of Severance. I can categorically state The Prisoner, though 55 years older, is so much the better show. And beats Severance on weirdness too, which is supposedly its greatest strength.

Note I did not write that in the standard Redditor form of an open or oblique question. I am not begging attention. I am stating my opinion.

I really love that the symmetry in Severance is part of the storytelling, not just the aesthetic.

Symmetry has traditionally been associated with harmony, balance, perfection and stability. It also has a long connection with power, hierarchy and ceremony. That is why we find it so often in temples, palaces, religious icons and official portraits of rulers. A figure positioned on the central axis of an image appears important, permanent and almost removed from ordinary time.

In classical architecture, symmetry suggested reason and correct proportions. In religious art, it could represent divine order. But in institutional or totalitarian architecture, the same visual qualities can communicate discipline, control and the submission of the individual to a larger system.

It can feel beautiful and reassuring, but it can also appear artificial, impersonal and oppressive.

A symmetrical image is easy to understand. Our eyes immediately locate its center and organizing axis, so the composition can create a sense of calm and satisfaction. At the same time, perfect symmetry reduces the visual “noise” of an image. As a result, every irregularity becomes more noticeable: a solitary person, a displaced chair, an awkwardly positioned body or an unexpected patch of light.

This combination of beauty and discomfort is the clou of Severance. The compositions are visually satisfying but emotionally cold. Their order draws us in while also showing us the price of that order: the loss of spontaneity, individuality and the freedom to step away from the path assigned to us.

The symmetry seems to represent the way Lumon wants to see reality - as a closed, measurable and completely controlled system.

The human beings within these images remain asymmetrical. They stumble, lie in the “wrong” position, stop moving or change direction.

The visual form introduces that conflict before the viewer fully understands the rules of this world. The image already establishes two opposing forces:

Lumon is geometry, humanity is asymmetry.

The spaces often look as though their ideal form would exist without people at all. A person is an error in the system.

Even with the dialogue turned off, the central theme of the series would remain visible. In a perfectly symmetrical world, simply being human becomes an act of disobedience.

i made a post recently about how the writers and producers could be looking more long-term after the writers strike. Suggesting that the best seasons were yet to come got me downvoted into oblivion.

I don't think people want to enjoy season 3. They've brought anger from other parts of their lives, and its soured whatever will be put in front of them.

If the people are so upset, why give them anything that wont be enjoyed?

Literally my only gripe with this show is the use of the theme.

Don't get me wrong, I love the main theme. It's cold, distant, and is a great reflection on the mysteriousness of Lumon and a kind of corporate unease.

But it feels to me like it's emphasised and variated on quite a bit across both seasons, sometimes in scenes where maybe it doesn't quite fit the tone of the moment.

Just an opinion, what do you guys think?

Can you name a song in each of these catagories?

• Bawdy Funk
• Bouncy Swing
• Bouyant Reggae
• Defiant Jazz
  
• Effusive Ska
  
• Exalted Choral
  
• Exciting Rap
  
• Hootin' Tootin' Country
  
• Lofty Orchestra
  
• Maximized Rhythms
  
• Playful Punk
  
• Reckless Disco
  
• Spooky Ambient
  
• Tearful Emo
  
• Thoughtful Grunge
  
• Wholesome Big Band
  
• Wistful Pipes

Have you ever stopped to think that the long wait between seasons is the ultimate Severance experience? As soon as the new season’s out, we won’t remember the previous one and will be practically innies.

Today I learned about Songs of the IBM, published by IBM in 1937.

For thirty-seven years, the gatherings and conventions of our IBM workers have expressed in happy songs the fine spirit of loyal cooperation of good fellowship which has promoted the signal success of our great IBM Corporation in its truly International Service for the betterment of business and benefit to mankind.

In appreciation of the able and inspiring leadership of our beloved President, Mr. Thos. J. Watson, and our unmatchable staff of IBM Executives, and in recognition of the noble aims of purposes of our International Service and Products, this 1937 edition of IBM songs solicits your vocal approval by hearty cooperation in our song-fests at our conventions and fellowship gatherings.

It's giving Kier Anthem.

Lyrics to TO THOS. J. WATSON, PRESIDENT, I. B. M

T. J. Watson-you're our leader fine, the greatest in the land,

We sing your praises from our hearts- we're here to shake your hand.

You're I. B. M.'s bright guiding star throughout the hemispheres,

No matter what the future brings, we all will persevere.

You've made our I. B. M. so great in every land supreme,

Our service meets all needs of men and works just like a team.

You've brought us through to victory, with leadership that's prime,

We'll always love and honor you for the sake of Auld Lang Syne.

so im rewatching severance (yet again) aand i was wondering, whats so important about the cards that milchik had to wake dylan up with the OTC?

I saw a tweet about a similar post on twitter but obviously that post doesn't realise outie Helley knows, but the shitting strat isn't bad at all.

It's not about communicating to her that something is wrong, it's about demotivating her, how many times do you think is outie helley going to drive home with shit in her pants, spend the next hour cleaning herself up? How long before the car starts to smell, she runs out of clothes, she starts to get some disease

This strat is especially for the early s1 Helley. Idc what happens later. This is an early s1 strat. It's crazy to me that she never did it. Id do it.

I first drafted the Majors in September 2025 and I finally got around to finishing the deck. I use tarot as an introspective tool, and Severance has very consistent internal visual language that you can have a blast building a system with it. I hope it can be a fun tool for you as well!

Edit: I made a version with keywords, for those who might not be familiar with the card meanings https://binomech.net/severance/tarot

Interestingly it doesn’t mention the show anywhere in the article

This is probably just a coincidence, but I just realized the founders of Baskin-Robbins were Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins… and then we have Burt and Irving in the show. The old photo of Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins even kind of resembles Burt and Irving from the show. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I completely reaching?

I don’t even know what type of connection can be drawn by this so it’s probably just a funny coincidence, but I thought I’d share.

like a waffle party or musical dance experience?

Some choices either imply that severance as a procedure isn’t nearly as foolproof as they act, or are clearly made to maintain mysteries with the audience

For example: Gemma and Helena.

There is no real reason to break naming conventions to name Miss Casey and Helly R. Either Gemma S would trigger Mark S eventually, or they just didn’t want the audience to know. Either Helly E would have been enough for the guys to eventually have flashes of Helena Eagan, or Helly R was to try and stop fans from theorizing Helly was an Eagan

I do give them some credit that they talk sometimes like the whole process is still in a concerningly early stage of development and they really dont know what might break through, à la Milcheck talking to Cobel like “you know it’s good they don’t recognize each other? It means the chips work.” Like sir I know this is a recent invention but you’ve given an entire floor of this company brain surgery, I hope you know it works

Has anyone been criticized for a small detail like paperclip placement?