"Severance" Thread; "I'm not even here."

[an0maly]

I will be back to this thread a lot, I do think. Here is what I wrote on my initial reaction to Season 1 on the old ZZL:
~
it's second only to DEVS as a science fiction series. DEVS is vastly better, but that is no knock on this one, which really is in the form of a Twilight Zone or Black Mirror episode stretched out into a season. I call it SF, but it has more the feel of metaphorical fantasy, albeit grounded in real world corporatism. As mentioned above, the fantasy element is the blender-izing of tech, fashion, architecture across many decades. The masterpiece film Brazil had this surreal mixing of tech and fashion from the 30's all the way to the 80's as well, and this just more subtle. It's so weird to see my Volvo from the early 90's and also see people with cell phones and brain implants.

The SF premise here is profoundly intriguing, and some findings in neuroscience suggest it's not a crazy idea, though it's decades away from where we are now. One interesting thing is the series suggests there is "leakage" from the severed brain realms (the black paint hallucination is a big example of many). The series also has the human interaction awkwardness that Kubrick loved to put on film, and the surreal bizarre aspects of David Lynch as well. The use of music for meaning has been on point as well, as with all the best series.
~
There are a bunch of good videos, here's one of several on Season 1:

 

[nycfan]

I just binge re-watched the first season with my husband this week (finished last two episodes last night) — a treat for me because he usually hates binge watching.

Looking forward to season 2 starting tonight.

Is this going to be a SPOILER thread (will we discuss details of each episode after it airs)? If so we should add a SPOILER alert in the title?

We should ban anyone who brings spoilers about an episode or detail before that episode airs though!!!

 

[Healing]

Loved the video, anomaly. I had forgotten about my awe at the attention to detail, while watching season 1.

For me, season 1 is the pinnacle of expertly written and produced sci-fi. The Expanse may be my most rewatched and beloved sci-fi, but if Severance maintains season 1 quality through its conclusion it'll sit atop, as I think its rewatchability will be fantastic, expressly due to said details.

I'm not jumping into season 2 until at least half the season has dropped (so this post also serves as a temporary farewell), in part because I rewatch all, or at least the last several episodes, of the prior season as a primer (and I'm still finishing the disappointing season 2 of Silo). In this day of 2+ years between seasons, it's too difficult to for me to carry the through line. Same will soon go for The Last of Us.

Cheers, until late February/early March.

 

[UNCatTech]

Loved the video, anomaly. I had forgotten about my awe at the attention to detail, while watching season 1.

For me, season 1 is the pinnacle of expertly written and produced sci-fi. The Expanse may be my most rewatched and beloved sci-fi, but if Severance maintains season 1 quality through its conclusion it'll sit atop, as I think its rewatchability will be fantastic, expressly due to said details.

I'm not jumping into season 2 until at least half the season has dropped (so this post also serves as a temporary farewell), in part because I rewatch all, or at least the last several episodes, of the prior season as a primer (and I'm still finishing the disappointing season 2 of Silo). In this day of 2+ years between seasons, it's too difficult to for me to carry the through line. Same will soon go for The Last of Us.

Cheers, until late February/early March.

Yes, season 2 of silo has been disappointing.
I really prefer benge watching, but if there is a weekly discussion I might start season 2 of severance.

 

[Geisterfahrer]

I will be back to this thread a lot, I do think. Here is what I wrote on my initial reaction to Season 1 on the old ZZL:
~
it's second only to DEVS as a science fiction series. DEVS is vastly better, but that is no knock on this one, which really is in the form of a Twilight Zone or Black Mirror episode stretched out into a season. I call it SF, but it has more the feel of metaphorical fantasy, albeit grounded in real world corporatism. As mentioned above, the fantasy element is the blender-izing of tech, fashion, architecture across many decades. The masterpiece film Brazil had this surreal mixing of tech and fashion from the 30's all the way to the 80's as well, and this just more subtle. It's so weird to see my Volvo from the early 90's and also see people with cell phones and brain implants.

The SF premise here is profoundly intriguing, and some findings in neuroscience suggest it's not a crazy idea, though it's decades away from where we are now. One interesting thing is the series suggests there is "leakage" from the severed brain realms (the black paint hallucination is a big example of many). The series also has the human interaction awkwardness that Kubrick loved to put on film, and the surreal bizarre aspects of David Lynch as well. The use of music for meaning has been on point as well, as with all the best series.
~
There are a bunch of good videos, here's one of several on Season 1:

DEVS is really good, so will take this under advisement.

 

[Healing]

season 2 of silo has been disappointing

I mean, WTF with some of those actors? Yikes. Even Tim Robbins portrayal is wooden as hell. Ferguson and Zahn are quite good, but they’ve sidelined them for … reasons? Makes me wonder if the season was destined to fail due to scheduling/contract/etc conflicts with the better actors.

Anywho, sorry to derail. Back to regularly scheduled programming (which I now realize is a very middle age reference)

 

[aGDevil2k]

I just binge re-watched the first season with my husband this week (finished last two episodes last night) — a treat for me because he usually hates binge watching.

Looking forward to season 2 starting tonight.

Is this going to be a SPOILER thread (will we discuss details of each episode after it airs)? If so we should add a SPOILER alert in the title?

We should ban anyone who brings spoilers about an episode or detail before that episode airs though!!!

I mean they come out at 9pm Thursday so... If you are late to watch don't read

 

[duluoz]

I just rewatched it over the last month. The first time around, I found it worthwhile and even good, but highly overrated relative to what friends and the whole world was saying about it. The second time around I enjoyed it a little more.

But I still found it overrated, with the pacing being the biggest problem. Not enough of the puzzle is revealed soon enough. It takes hours upon hours to feel like it’s finally moving. It almost becomes a slow, long, monotonous exercise like one a Lumon employee would be tasked with. If that was their goal, they nailed it.

Either way, looking forward to season 2 which I’ll be watching little by little. I’m not a binger, I can usually only do 2-3 episodes of the same show, at most.

 

[duluoz]

Incidentally, I was rewatching Jacques Tati’s “Playtime” a couple months ago, an old French classic I highly recommend — very unique, fun, and prescient. So when I started rewatching Severance a few weeks later, it was fresh in my mind and I noticed a huge influence from Playtime. I looked it up and it turns out Stiller and team were in fact highly influenced by Tati, and incorporated some of his themes and visuals.

 

[ChapelHillSooner]

I need to watch the last episode of S1 again. I kind of remember what happened but need a refresh.

I couldn't get my girlfriend into it. It was too slow for her. I kept telling her the payoff is worth it but couldn't get her to stick through 2-3 episodes.

 

[aGDevil2k]

I need to watch the last episode of S1 again. I kind of remember what happened but need a refresh.

I couldn't get my girlfriend into it. It was too slow for her. I kept telling her the payoff is worth it but couldn't get her to stick through 2-3 episodes.

I had that problem with a lot of people too. It was so so so slow. The payoff was worth it but I get why people couldn't endure

 

[chawkheel]

did Helly actually return or is it Helena?

 

[fourheels]

Anybody watched it yet?

 

[nycfan]

Anybody watched it yet?

I watched last night.



SPOILERS FOLLOW

Not sure whether we have a brainwashed Helly, a Helly who won’t admit who her outie really is or just Helena playing at being Helly.

Irv seemed suspicious of her story (a night gardener?).

We also don’t have a true sense of Mark’s intentions IMO — though saving his outie’s wife seems to be the goal(?)

The video about the Macro Dat Uprising was hilarious — did they actually use the Heat Miser music or just something really similar?

Ms. Huang is weirdly unsettling.

Can we believe that the temporary new Macro Data team were really from all over the world?

Lots of great small humorous moments — I was afraid they might lose that in pursuit of bigger plot lines.

What is Irv up to? — I wasn’t convinced that Dylan’s entreaty was why he stayed.

Interesting that Harmony seems to be the scapegoat (or is portrayed as such inside Lumon).

Solid opening episode to reset the direction of the second season.

 

[fourheels]

I watched last night.



SPOILERS FOLLOW

Not sure whether we have a brainwashed Helly, a Helly who won’t admit who her outie really is or just Helena playing at being Helly.

Irv seemed suspicious of her story (a night gardener?).

We also don’t have a true sense of Mark’s intentions IMO — though saving his outie’s wife seems to be the goal(?)

The video about the Macro Dat Uprising was hilarious — did they actually use the Heat Miser music or just something really similar?

Ms. Wong is weirdly unsettling.

Can we believe that the temporary new Macro Data team were really from all over the world?

Lots of great small humorous moments — I was afraid they might lose that in pursuit of bigger plot lines.

What is Irv up to? — I wasn’t convinced that Dylan’s entreaty was why he stayed.

Interesting that Harmony seems to be the scapegoat (or is portrayed as such inside Lumon).

Solid opening episode to reset the direction of the second season.

Wondering the same thing about Helly. She didn't seem to have the same breathtaking arrival off the elevator as the others. I'm also wondering if Miss Huang is actually a younger version of Ms. Casey/Gemma.

 

[nycfan]

Wondering the same thing about Helly. She didn't seem to have the same breathtaking arrival off the elevator as the others. I'm also wondering if Miss Huang is actually a younger version of Ms. Casey/Gemma.

Wooops on my assumed spelling of her name.

I thought about that but the girl didn’t really look much like Gemma. Maybe Mark & Gemma’s child somehow???

 

[fourheels]

Good thought

 

[nycfan]

Just noticed that the girl who plays Ms. Huang is from Raleigh.

 

[nycfan]

Bluesky

bsky.app

 

[nycfan]

Severance Balloon Generator | Apple TV+

There’s more to work than life.

severanceballoon.com

Fun