Severance Season 1 Review : This eerie starry affair is just perfect and hits all the right notes

Story: ‘Severance’ is about Mark who leads the Corporate Archive Division at Lumon, a mega-corporation, and leads a team of workers whose memories have been surgically segregated into work life and personal life. Things take a turn when a colleague of Mark meets him outside work. Nothing is as it seems.

Review: ‘Severance’ is a peek into the future and talks about a situation that could happen with technological advancements galloping every day in various corners of the world. It talks about the power of mega-corporations and how those working at such places are mere cogs in the wheels who are only expected to obey diktats from higher-ups. This sci-fi drama is actually eerie and can be considered as a figment from a dystopian world.

This thriller is about Mark who is employed at Lumon, a mega-corporation, and leads a team of workers whose memories have been surgically segregated into work-like and personal life. This also means that when they are outside of their office they have absolutely no recollection of their office life and often come across people in their daily lives and not knowing that they are the same people who are office colleagues to each other. When Mark meets Petey, a friend and colleague, outside work, things slowly start to unravel of a sinister plot. As per the two episodes available for viewers on the streaming platform, it promises a great build-up and the two episodes are potent enough to keep you waiting for future episodes. ‘Severance’ is a slow burner. It slowly builds up the tension in a way that could only be considered novel. The writers are in no haste in jumping to things and thus successfully are able to lay the foundation of a riveting plot without any loopholes.

Adam Scott in the role of a History professor-turned-corporate executive is able to successfully maintain a balance between his office role and personal role. Both the roles are distinct from each other and he is able to make that fine demarcation. After ‘Escape at Dannemora’, Patricia Arquette can be seen in another meaty role and her all-white-hair appearance looks truly menacing. A lot can be expected from her from future episodes and there is every possibility that Peggy will be a terrifying character. Hollywood stalwarts Christopher Walken and John Turturro also appear in this thrilling drama and it appears that they will have important roles to play in subsequent episodes. But one who shines amid these Hollywood luminaries is Britt Lower in the role of Helly, a new joinee at the corporation. She is angry, vulnerable but finally comes to terms with her fate and this has been portrayed by her with an élan. Full marks to Ben Stiller for coming up with this series and picking a subject that could easily have gone haywire. Stiller’s direction is top-notch and there is every possibility that this thrilling drama will certainly raise stature as a director.

This series will remind you of ‘Counterpart’ – a brilliant series that starred JK Simmons and Olivia Williams and talked about two alternate realities with the cold war forming the backdrop. Severance is not an easy watch. It is thrilling, thought-provoking and will make you very scared. ‘Severance’ is quite perfect and does not leave a false note anywhere. It's hands down the best that we have seen in 2022.