Apple TV has established itself as a streamer committed to quality across genres. From the spy thriller Slow Horses to the crime dramedy Your Friends & Neighbors, Apple TV has proven time and again that it prioritizes quality over quantity, focusing on stories that are well-told all the way from their scripts to their cast.
Apple TV has managed to attract stars like Gary Oldman, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Aniston, Idris Elba, and many others, not in an attempt at flashy stunt casting, but by piquing their genuine interest with quality stories. Their performances, in turn, have proven to be a new milestone in the actors’ already storied careers.
This has been especially true of the sci-fi genre, where Apple TV has found its niche in high-concept plot lines that are grounded by deeply human characters. Shows like For All Mankind, Silo, and Foundation run the gamut of what the sci-fi genre can entail, proving that Apple TV can excel at everything from historical fiction to a sprawling, distant future, intergalactic world.
Yet despite those shows’ success, nothing has become more symbolic of Apple TV’s brand and modern sci-fi as a whole than Severance. The mind-bending exploration of “work-life balance” is both visually stunning and narratively haunting, bringing star Adam Scott and director Ben Stiller to new levels of fame.
Severance Solidified Apple TV’s Sci-Fi Reputation
While Apple TV’s other sci-fi outings are strong, Severance is one of the streamer’s most ambitious and most successful projects. The show features a completely original premise, and Apple TV has embraced all of its quirks, allowing it to be completely itself.
The idea of a split consciousness of one’s work and personal life seemed at first like a straightforward idea, but Severance has made a point to explore every ramification of the decision to “sever“. Lumon, and the show’s world at large, are dark and deeply mysterious, a sprawling mystery that has yet to fully unfold.
Yet despite its drab setting, Severance is full of life, with characters like Dylan and even Mr. Milchick bringing unexpected humor and humanity to the world. The juxtaposition of these vibrant people in this stark world is not only entertaining, but at the emotional core of the series. Ultimately, Severance is about the big picture of what makes us human and the free will we deserve.
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With its one-of-a-kind delivery, the message of Severance has landed for viewers. As the show’s second season progressed and the innies grappled with their identities, weekly discussions among fans became more than mere speculation around the show’s mysteries, but philosophical musings about what it means to be an individual.
After the explosion of Severance‘s popularity, it would be hard to imagine Pluribus, Vince Gilligan’s newest sci-fi series/thought exercise, finding a home anywhere other than Apple TV. Severance proved not only that the streamer was willing to produce quirky, heady series, but that it had viewers who would love them.
Pluribus has gone on to become Apple TV’s most-watched series ever, proving that the “Severance brand” of content is only growing for the streamer.
Severance Is A Modern Classic
Image via Apple TV+
Severance‘s visuals are painstaking and cinematic. Meticulous attention to detail is paid to everything from the visual and sound effects on Lumon’s elevator to its sprawling yet sparse hallways and office spaces. The show is a spectacle both to watch and to think about, and the finales of seasons 1 and 2 have offered a thrilling payoff to Severance‘s sometimes odd emotional buildup.
The season 2 finale in particular depicted a heart-pounding heist, complete with action, death, and romance. Yet the episode’s most notable moment was also its most visually understated. Via a handheld camcorder, Mark Scout’s innie and outie had a powerful conversation.
In the scene, Adam Scott was essentially talking to himself, yet the moment delivered the thematic message that drove the emotional stakes of the episode: everyone in this world who has severed has become two distinct individuals.
The riveting scene was a testament to Scott’s acting ability, firmly establishing him as one of TV drama’s most compelling performers, and Severance as a series that will stand the test of time.
- Release Date
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February 17, 2022
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman
- Writers
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Anna Ouyang Moench, Wei-Ning Yu