"Severance" is an American science fiction psychological thriller television series created by Dan Erickson and primarily directed by Ben Stiller. The series centers around Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries, a biotechnology corporation that offers its employees the option to undergo a "severance" procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This creates two separate identities for each employee: an "innie" who exists only within the workplace and has no knowledge of their outside life, and an "outie" who lives their personal life without any memory of their work. The show explores themes of identity, memory, and the dark side of technology, set in a dystopian corporate environment. It blends black comedy, mystery, and psychological drama. "Severance" premiered on Apple TV+ on February 18, 2022.
Here are the main cast members and their character names:
- Adam Scott as Mark Scout
- Britt Lower as Helly Riggs/Helena Eagan
- Zach Cherry as Dylan George
- Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick
- John Turturro as Irving Bailiff
- Christopher Walken as Burt Goodman
- Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel/Mrs. Selvig
- Dichen Lachman as Ms. Casey/Gemma Scout
- Michael Chernus as Ricken Hale
- Sarah Bock as Miss Huang
"Severance" has received critical acclaim for its cinematography, direction, production design, musical score, story, and performances. Season 2 currently holds a 100% critic rating. The show has received numerous accolades, including 41 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Britt Lower and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Tramell Tillman.
As of February 2026:
- IMDb: 8.6 with 375,187 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes: Season 2 has 100%
- Metacritic: 85
"Severance" has been renewed for a third season. As of February 2026, the show has aired two seasons:
- Season 1 (2022): 9 episodes
- Season 2 (2025): 10 episodes
Here is the official trailer for Season 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHoHkwiAAAo
Here is the official trailer 2 for Season 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUZIYQHh39QfS0lhTcVKrgsppvHBJsSReCCvlu860-0o5-f5cn_ZsR1chV4eb6p6EOw_Q1Em4LvyAryjUw6zDutj54PMbBJNug6vyfBTGiitKxPV8BQLq6tpQiYjM3wHu8qBf5cL07OFPLg=
Viewers who enjoy "Severance" might also enjoy:
- "Black Mirror": An anthology series that explores the dark side of technological advancements.
- "Counterpart": A sci-fi thriller about a man who discovers a parallel world.
- "Westworld": A science fiction series about AI control where people's consciousness is programmed into androids.