Severance gripped viewers from its premiere in 2022 with its sci-fi twist on the concept of a work-life steadiness. The collection follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), who agrees to have his reminiscence surgically divided between his job and his private life—a course of referred to as Severance—alongside along with his fellow co-workers, for his job at Lumon Industries. Their “innie” is the model of themselves at work every single day with no reminiscence of their “outie,” or who they’re within the exterior world. The precise nature of their jobs at Lumon is a thriller, and one thriller has led to a different within the two seasons the present has aired thus far.
The dialogue in Severance usually options some nice strains. As is the case with memorable quotes from any TV present, the perfect of them are good representations of the present’s characters. However additionally they go even additional, hinting on the present’s bigger plot and themes. It is no shock that a few of the better of them come from Mark’s brother-in-law, Ricken, and Lumon supervisor Concord Cobel, two drastically completely different characters.
Severance
- Launch Date
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February 18, 2022
- Showrunner
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Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman
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“However absolutely beer and juleps can not fill the void left by love. Certainly solely wine can obtain this, however it’s famously pricey, which is why disappointment is among the many most recurrent points dealing with the poor.”
Ricken Hale – Season 2, Episode 3 (2024)
Within the Season 2 episode “Who Is Alive?” Natalie (Sydney Cole Alexander) reads a passage from Ricken’s (Michael Chernus) e-book, “The You You Are,” wherein he talks about “the void left by love” and the way beer can not fill it—however wine can. The passage goes on to say that wine is pricey, nonetheless, which is why the poor are unhappy. Finally, the e-book led Lumon staff to insurgent.
Regardless of its mysteries and their implications, Severance has some fantastic moments of humor—loads of them come from Ricken and his e-book. Right here, he shares his ideas on love and heartbreak. He not solely manages to have horrible perception on what is actually self-medicating to fight loneliness, however he additionally impressively manages to be out of contact relating to points of cash and poverty, implying individuals are unhappy not due to their circumstances however as a result of they lack wine.
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“Beneath my literal nostril unfolded a human drama of hazard and intrigue, inspiration and love.”
The Lumon Constructing – Season 2, Episode 1 (2024)
Season 2 kicks off with Mark, Helly (Britt Decrease), Dylan (Zach Cherry), and Irving (John Turturro) assembly with Milchick (Tramell Tillman) 5 months after the occasions of Season 1 within the Break Room, now modified from the darkish, unsettling place it was when it was proven earlier than. There, Milchick performs the group a brand new orientation video that can be proven to all new staff, which incorporates the Lumon constructing itself, voiced by the long-lasting Keanu Reeves, summing up the Innies’ rebel.
The Lumon constructing’s recap of Season 1 was an important second, and it included probably the greatest strains in not solely the episode however the collection thus far. It splendidly sums up the occasions of the primary season with out actually saying a lot in any respect. It hints on the mysterious work of Lumon and the Innies’ makes an attempt to search out out what’s actually occurring, in addition to the budding romance between Mark and Helly.
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“The work is mysterious and vital.”
Mark Scout – Season 1, Episode 4 (2022)
From the beginning of Severance, new worker Helly struggles with not having any reminiscence of her life exterior of labor and her obvious lack of ability to go away or give up. Within the Season 1 episode “The You You Are,” she dismisses the work of Macrodata Refinement as “bulls**t.” Mark replies that the work is “mysterious and vital,” a phrase which is repeated by different characters later within the collection, and that Kier needed them to face it collectively.
The precise nature of what Lumon and its staff do every single day is certainly a thriller, and any solutions the characters and viewers get solely result in extra questions—and there are many fan theories as to what’s actually occurring. The insistence that the work is “mysterious and vital” hints at one thing bigger occurring, even when the duties staff are given appear mundane and arbitrary, and it completely sums up the present.
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“It’s vital as a result of it truly is or since you’re saying it’s?”
Helly Riggs – Season 1, Episode 6 (2022)
The staff of Lumon are informed their work is mysterious and vital however don’t know the precise nature of that work. A Season 1 episode reiterates this concept, when Helly, Mark, and the others go to O&D and Irving says every part the staff do on the firm is vital. Helly pushes again on this and challenges its significance by questioning if it truly is or if it’s solely vital as a result of Irving and others insist that it’s.
The quote highlights the methods issues might be given significance merely based mostly on one’s perspective, in addition to the truth that what Lumon and its staff are doing stays unknown—it’d solely maintain significance to the Board with out being really vital. Nevertheless it’s additionally very typical of Helly. Her whole season as an worker had been marked by her resistance to being severed and dealing there, and it’s not shocking she would query the “significance” of the work.
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“The excellent news is hell is simply the product of a morbid human creativeness. The unhealthy information is no matter people can think about, they’ll often create.”
Concord Cobel – Season 1, Episode 1 (2022)
Within the first episode of Severance, Mark is promoted to division chief, and his first day in his new position doesn’t go so nicely. In a gathering along with his boss, Concord Cobel (Patricia Arquette), Concord shares some clever phrases from her atheist mom, saying hell was made up by people—however that people can convey their imaginings to life. Mark doesn’t perceive her level, and she or he explains {that a} division’s individuals are what make it good or unhealthy.
Cobel makes the purpose that a spot that’s alleged to be everlasting punishment, the worst attainable place an individual might be, doesn’t exist—however that if individuals can think about such a spot, they’ll and doubtless will create it. She makes use of her mom’s perception as a parallel for Mark’s work. However the quote additionally hints on the atrocities humanity has dedicated over centuries, basically creating hell on earth, and the truth that Lumon is one such place.
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“You do not worth me. You concern me.”
Concord Cobel – Season 2, Episode 2 (2024)
Season 2 begins with the repercussions of the Season 1 finale—whereas the premiere focuses totally on the Innies, episode 2, “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig,” takes place within the exterior world and incorporates a assembly within the convention room between Cobel and Helena. Helena thanks Cobel for her loyalty and work and asks if she’d wish to return. Cobel tells Helena, “You don’t worth me. You concern me.” Helena replies, “We concern nobody.”
Cobel is a formidable character all through the collection—one may very well be forgiven for, certainly, fearing her. She doesn’t imagine she’s a valued Lumon worker; quite, she believes Helena and her household are afraid of her, possible due to how a lot info she holds as a consequence of her place, and the tense second between her and Helena highlights the high quality line between the 2 emotions. The second additionally demonstrates the placing distinction between Helena and Helly.
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“If you need a hug, go to hell and discover your mom.”
Concord Cobel – Season 1, Episode 4 (2022)
After Petey’s (Yul Vazquez) demise from an “unknown ailment”—or reintegration illness—Cobel expects to listen to from the board relating to what occurred within the Season 1 episode “The You You Are.” Graner affords her some consolation, telling neither of them have been responsible for Petey’s demise and assuring her the Board will perceive. He doesn’t get the response he anticipated, nonetheless, as Cobel merely retorts, “If you need a hug, go to hell and discover your mom.”
What is likely to be a honest second with one other character is something however with Cobel. She has loads of nice quotes all through the collection, and her intense, ice-cold supply is unmatched, however that is simply considered one of her finest. It’s an unbelievable, harsh insult, and it’s laborious to consider a worse one. It’s one to file away to make use of in actual life, and it completely sums up Cobel’s character—chilly, harsh and indifferent, even merciless.
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“Combat for the liberty of the soldier subsequent to you.”
Ricken Hale – Season 1, Episode 5 (2022)
Within the Season 1 episode “The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design,” Mark continues to secretly learn “The You You Are,” a self-help e-book written by his brother-in-law Ricken, which incorporates various platitudes which range of their diploma of depth and perception. One of many phrases that stands out probably the most to Mark is “struggle for the liberty of the soldier subsequent to you,” which is the push he must be extra useful to Helly.
Ricken’s e-book is filled with knowledge—a few of which is fairly foolish—however his feedback on preventing for another person’s freedom are literally insightful. In addition they have an effect on Mark, or not less than on Innie Mark. And naturally, in true Ricken style, this flicker of intelligence is cheapened by what comes subsequent, which is his thought that preventing for another person would make a warfare “inspiring,” as if that’s a precedence.
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“Your so-called boss could personal the clock that taunts you from the wall, however, my associates, the hour is yours.”
Ricken Hale – Season 1, Episode 8 (2022)
As Season 1 nears its finish, “What’s for Dinner?” options extra snippets from Ricken’s e-book, “The You You Are,” which the Lumon staff had discovered within the workplace—and it’s basically the one e-book they’re conscious of. Mark passages from it to his coworkers, and amongst people who resonated with them was one wherein Ricken feedback on the quantity of management an employer has over staff. In the meantime, Mark’s Outie attends Ricken’s book-release celebration.
It’s a reminder that though one is likely to be spending their time at work, time remains to be theirs they usually select what to do with it. It is an empowering sentiment and a strong reminder of 1’s freedom to decide on the right way to spend their time. It’s additionally a very attention-grabbing sentiment in a present like Severance, the place Lumon staff haven’t any reminiscence of their lives exterior of labor, they’re being surveilled and their choices are restricted.
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“The surest approach to tame a prisoner is to let him imagine he is free.”
Concord Cobel – Season 1, Episode 5 (2022)
In “The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design,” Mark reassembles the map Petey drew after having destroyed it and asks Helly for her assist. All of the whereas, Cobel is watching them on cameras in her workplace, one thing Milchick. Cobel channels some knowledge from Kier Eagan, saying, ”The surest approach to tame a prisoner is to let him imagine he is free.” Graner notes that there’s a Kier quote for every part.
Cobel makes use of Kier’s phrases to make a chilling statement on freedom and manipulation—whereas the quote can discuss with a literal jail, it’s additionally concerning the methods individuals might be managed in the event that they imagine they’re free. It’s a transparent reference to the staff and their work at Lumon and suggests Cobel is aware of rather more than she lets on. The quote can be a paraphrased model of an identical one by Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky.
