Severance

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Series Details
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre | Drama, Dystopian, Mystery, Psychological thriller, Science fiction |
Season | 2 |
Episodes | 19 |
Release date | February 18, 2022 |
Running time | 40–57 minutes |
Age rating | TV-MA |
Starring | Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette, Sarah Bock |
Created by | Dan Erickson |
Showrunner | Dan Erickson |
Directed by | Ben Stiller, Aoife McArdle, Uta Briesewitz, Samuel Donovan |
Written by | Dan Erickson, Anna Ouyang Moench, Wei-Ning Yu, Chris Black, Andrew Colville, Kari Drake, Helen Leigh, Amanda Overton, Mohamad El Masri, Mark Friedman, Erin Wagoner |
Produced by | Patricia Arquette, Aoife McArdle, Amanda Overton, Gerry Robert Byrne |
Executive producers | Ben Stiller, Nicholas Weinstock, Jackie Cohn, Mark Friedman, Dan Erickson, Andrew Colville, Chris Black, John Cameron, Beau Willimon, Caroline Baron, Jordan Tappis, Adam Scott |
Cinematography by | Jessica Lee Gagné, Matt Mitchell |
Edited by | Geoffrey Richman, Gershon Hinkson, Erica Freed Marker |
Music by | Theodore Shapiro |
Casting by | Bess Fifer, Rachel Tenner |
Production Design by | Jeremy Hindle |
Art Direction by | Angelica Borrero, Chris Shriver, Ann Bartek |
Set Decoration by | David Schlesinger, Andrew Baseman |
Costume Design by | Sarah Edwards |
Production Company | Red Hour Productions Fifth Season Westward (season 2) Animals & People (season 2) |
Original Network | Apple TV+ |
Cast & Characters
Main
- Adam Scott as Mark Scout, a former history professor and a severed worker for Lumon Industries in the Macrodata Refinement division, whose “outie” is grieving the death of his wife
- Zach Cherry as Dylan George, Mark’s severed co-worker, who particularly enjoys company perks
- Britt Lower as Helly Riggs, a new severed employee who replaces Petey
- Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick, the supervisor on the severed floor at Lumon
- Jen Tullock as Devon Scout-Hale, Mark’s pregnant sister
- Dichen Lachman as Ms. Casey, the wellness counselor on the severed floor
- Michael Chernus as Ricken Hale, Devon’s husband and Mark’s brother-in-law, an inspirational self-help author
- John Turturro as Irving Bailiff, Mark’s severed co-worker, who is a stickler for company policy and is drawn to Burt
- Christopher Walken as Burt Goodman, another severed employee and the head of the Optics and Design division who is drawn to Irving
- Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel, the manager of the severed floor at Lumon, who has another identity outside of work as Mrs. Selvig, Mark’s next-door neighbor
- Sarah Bock as Miss Huang (season 2), the young new Deputy Manager of the Severed floor
Recurring
- Yul Vazquez as Peter “Petey” Kilmer (season 1), a former severed worker and Mark’s best friend, who left Lumon under mysterious circumstances
- Michael Cumpsty as Doug Graner (season 1), the head of security on Lumon’s severed floor
- Nikki M. James as Alexa (season 1), Devon’s midwife and one of Mark’s love interests
- Sydney Cole Alexander as Natalie, Lumon’s PR representative and speaker for the mysterious Board
- Nora Dale as Gabby Arteta, the wife of Senator Angelo Arteta. She underwent severance to avoid the pain of childbirth
- Claudia Robinson as Felicia, Optics employee at Lumon
- Mark Kenneth Smaltz as Judd, security guard at Lumon
- Donald Webber Jr. as Patton, a friend of Ricken’s
- Annie McNamara as Danise, a friend of Ricken’s
Guest
- Marc Geller as Kier Eagan, the late founder of Lumon Industries, who is worshipped with cult-like devotion within the company; he is represented throughout the series in sculptures, paintings, and recordings
- Cassidy Layton as June Kilmer, Petey’s daughter
- Joanne Kelly as Nina, Petey’s ex-wife
- Ethan Flower as Angelo Arteta, a Lumon-backed state senator who supports legalizing the severance procedure and is married to Gabby Arteta, with whom he has three children
- Karen Aldridge as Reghabi, a former Lumon surgeon who reintegrated Petey
- Grace Rex as Rebeck, a friend of Ricken’s
- Rajat Suresh as Balf, a friend of Ricken’s
- Michael Siberry as Jame Eagan, the current CEO of Lumon Industries
- Bob Balaban as Mark Wilkins (season 2), a new member of MDR
- Alia Shawkat as Gwendolyn Y. (season 2), a new member of MDR
- Stefano Carannante as Dario Rossi (season 2), a new member of MDR
- Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Mr. Drummond (season 2), an intimidating Lumon enforcer who is involved with Severance operations
- Sarah Sherman as the voice of a stop-motion water tower in a Lumon industrial film. (Season 2)
- Adrian Martinez as Mr. Saliba, a manager at a door factory who interviews Dylan for a position. (Season 2)
- Merritt Wever as Gretchen (season 2), Dylan’s wife
- Ben Stiller as an animated version of Kier Eagan in season 1 (voice cameo)
- Keanu Reeves as an animated Lumon building in season 2 (voice cameo)
Storyline
Employees working on highly classified projects at the biotechnology corporation Lumon Industries are required to undergo “severance”, a medical procedure that implants a device causing them to lose all memories of the outside world while working within the basement floors, and having no memories of their work while outside. This creates two separated personalities for each employee: their “Innie” working at Lumon, and their “Outie” living their personal lives.
Severed employee Mark (Adam Scott) leads his coworkers Dylan (Zach Cherry) and Irving (John Turturro) at Lumon’s Macrodata Refinement Division. Mark must balance the challenges of managing his department, including the onboarding of a rebellious new Innie, Helly (Britt Lower), and his increasing disquiet at the cult-like Lumon. Mark’s Outie must deal with the personal tragedies that led to his decision to become severed, and the sudden overlap of his separate lives when mysteries from Lumon begin to intrude into his Outie life.
About Severance TV Series
Severance is an American science fiction psychological thriller television series created by Dan Erickson, and executive produced and primarily directed by Ben Stiller. It stars Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette.
Dan Erickson developed an interest in theater while studying English at Western Washington University, where he wrote short plays and creative works. He later pursued a master’s degree in television writing at New York University. In 2016, Erickson’s screenplay for the pilot of Severance appeared on the Blood List, a compilation of top unproduced genre screenplays. Prior to working on the show, Erickson had an office job, and in interviews, he shared that his experiences, including dealing with a depressive state, inspired the initial ideas for the series. He described his job as so monotonous that he wished he could skip the workday entirely, a feeling that ultimately became the premise of Severance. He also noted that his siblings were key inspirations for some of the show’s characters.
Ben Stiller first read the Severance pilot script over five years before the series debuted, calling it “the longest thing I’ve ever worked on.” Erickson had submitted it as a writing sample to Stiller’s production company, Red Hour Productions, in 2015. The script was passed along to Stiller by development executive Jackie Cohn, who said that Stiller appreciated its contribution to the workplace comedy genre.
In January 2017, Stiller invited Adam Scott to star, marking their second collaboration after The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013). In November 2019, Apple TV+ greenlit Severance for a full series, with Stiller directing and Scott starring. Though initially attached only to direct the pilot, Stiller ended up directing several episodes throughout the series’ development.
The COVID-19 pandemic delayed production, initially scheduled for March 2020. Filming for the first season began in New York City on November 8, 2020, under the working title Tumwater, just after the U.S. presidential election. The opening scene was filmed on January 6, 2021, with additional shoots taking place in Nyack, Kingston, and Beacon. By April 2021, production had moved to central New Jersey, using the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex as a stand-in for Lumon HQ, with filming slated to conclude in June.
In January 2020, several actors joined the cast, including Patricia Arquette, Britt Lower, Jen Tullock, and Zach Cherry. Tramell Tillman was added in February 2020, with John Turturro and Christopher Walken joining later that year. Turturro, who recommended Walken for the role of Burt, noted their long-standing friendship.
Apple renewed Severance for a second season on April 6, 2022, and in April 2023, Beau Willimon was brought on as an executive producer and writer. Filming for season two began in October 2022, but production was temporarily halted in May 2023 due to the Writers Guild of America strike. It resumed on May 13, 2023, in Newfoundland before being delayed again by the dual actors and writers strike. Production finally wrapped in April 2024.
A new cast for season two was announced in October 2022, including Gwendoline Christie, Bob Balaban, Merritt Wever, Alia Shawkat, Robby Benson, and others. The season was teased during Apple’s September 2022 event, showcasing Helly (Britt Lower). The first footage from season two was unveiled on June 10, 2024, with the official season two release date confirmed for January 17, 2025. The season’s trailer debuted on October 23, 2024.
Severance Release Date
Severance premiered on Apple TV+ on February 18, 2022. It received acclaim from critics and audiences for its cinematography, direction, production design, musical score, story, and performances. The first season was released in the UK on Blu-ray and DVD on December 2, 2024, in Australia on December 4, 2024, and in the United States on December 17, 2024.
The second season premiered on January 17, 2025.
Severance Episodes
Season | Episodes | First released | Last released |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 | February 18, 2022 | April 8, 2022 |
2 | 10 | January 17, 2025 | March 21, 2025 |
Severance Season 1 Episode List
Episode | Title | Air Date | Plot |
---|---|---|---|
S1.E1 | Good News About Hell | Fri, Feb 18, 2022 | Mark is promoted to lead a team who’ve had their memories surgically divided between work and personal lives. |
S1.E2 | Half Loop | Fri, Feb 18, 2022 | The team train new hire Helly on macrodata refinement. Mark takes a day off to meet with a mysterious former colleague. |
S1.E3 | In Perpetuity | Fri, Feb 25, 2022 | Mark takes the team on a field trip, but Helly continues to rebel. A deteriorating Petey struggles to tell Mark about Lumon’s misdeeds. |
S1.E4 | The You You Are | Fri, Mar 4, 2022 | Irving finds an intriguing book at work. Helly aggressively pursues a meeting with her Outie. Mark attends a funeral with Ms. Selvig. |
S1.E5 | The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design | Fri, Mar 11, 2022 | Irving and Dylan confront Burt about his lies. Mark and Helly discover a strange new department. |
S1.E6 | Hide and Seek | Fri, Mar 18, 2022 | The team angers Cobel by forming an alliance. |
S1.E7 | Defiant Jazz | Fri, Mar 25, 2022 | Mark and the team encounter new security measures from Cobel. |
S1.E8 | What’s for Dinner? | Fri, Apr 1, 2022 | The team prepares a plan. Mark attends Devon and Ricken’s party. |
S1.E9 | The We We Are | Fri, Apr 8, 2022 | The team discovers troubling revelations. |
Severance Season 2 Episode List
Episode | Title | Air Date | Plot |
---|---|---|---|
S2.E1 | Hello, Ms. Cobel | Fri, Jan 17, 2025 | Mark returns to work under different circumstances. Secrets from the Outie world come to light. |
S2.E2 | Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig | Fri, Jan 24, 2025 | Outie Mark contemplates the meaning of a message. Lumon grapples with the fallout of the Overtime Contingency. |
S2.E3 | Who Is Alive? | Fri, Jan 31, 2025 | Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan search for answers. |
S2.E4 | Woe’s Hollow | Fri, Feb 7, 2025 | The team participates in a group activity. |
S2.E5 | Trojan’s Horse | Fri, Feb 14, 2025 | Tensions emerge after the team suffers a loss. |
S2.E6 | Attila | Fri, Feb 21, 2025 | – |
S2.E7 | Chikhai Bardo | Fri, Feb 28, 2025 | – |
S2.E8 | Sweet Vitriol | Fri, Mar 7, 2025 | – |
S2.E9 | The After Hours | Fri, Mar 14, 2025 | – |
S2.E10 | Cold Harbor | Fri, Mar 21, 2025 | – |
Where to Watch Severance Online?
Awards & Nominations
Award | Year | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
AACTA International Awards | 2023 | Best Drama Series | Severance | Nominated |
American Film Institute Awards | 2022 | Top 10 Programs of the Year | Severance | Won |
Art Directors Guild Awards | 2023 | Excellence in Production Design for a One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera Series | Jeremy Hindle (for “Good News About Hell”) | Won |
Artios Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Pilot and First Season Drama Series | Rachel Tenner, Bess Fifer, Rick Messina | Nominated |
Cinema Audio Society Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Series – One Hour | Bryan Dembinski, Bob Chefalas, Chris Fogel, George A. Lara (for “The We We Are”) | Nominated |
Critics’ Choice Awards | 2023 | Best Drama Series | Severance | Nominated |
Critics’ Choice Awards | 2023 | Best Actor in a Drama Series | Adam Scott | Nominated |
Critics’ Choice Super Awards | 2023 | Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie | Adam Scott | Won |
Critics’ Choice Super Awards | 2023 | Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie | Patricia Arquette | Won |
Directors Guild of America Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series | Aoife McArdle (for “Hide and Seek”) | Nominated |
Directors Guild of America Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series | Ben Stiller (for “The We We Are”) | Nominated |
Dorian Awards | 2022 | Best TV Drama | Severance | Nominated |
Dorian Awards | 2022 | Most Visually Striking Show | Severance | Nominated |
Golden Globe Awards | 2023 | Best Television Series – Drama | Severance | Nominated |
Golden Globe Awards | 2023 | Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama | Adam Scott | Nominated |
Golden Globe Awards | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical or Drama | John Turturro | Nominated |
Golden Reel Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Broadcast Long Form Dialogue and ADR | Jacob Ribicoff, David Briggs, Gregg Swiatlowski (for “The We We Are”) | Nominated |
Golden Reel Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing – Broadcast Long Form | Missy Cohen, Sam Zeines, Felipe Pacheco (for “The We We Are”) | Nominated |
Gotham Independent Film Awards | 2022 | Breakthrough Series – Long Form | Severance | Nominated |
Gotham Independent Film Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Performance in a New Series | Britt Lower | Nominated |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Streaming Series, Drama | Severance | Won |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama | Adam Scott | Nominated |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama | Britt Lower | Won |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama | Zach Cherry | Nominated |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama | Tramell Tillman | Nominated |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama | John Turturro | Won |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama | Christopher Walken | Nominated |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama | Patricia Arquette | Nominated |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama | Dichen Lachman | Nominated |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Directing in a Streaming Series, Drama | Aoife McArdle (for “The You You Are”) | Nominated |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Directing in a Streaming Series, Drama | Ben Stiller (for “The We We Are”) | Won |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2022 | Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Drama | Dan Erickson (for “The We We Are”) | Won |
Hollywood Music in Media Awards | 2022 | Original Score — TV Show/Limited Series | Theodore Shapiro | Nominated |
Hugo Awards | 2023 | Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form | Dan Erickson, Ben Stiller, Aoife McArdle, and writing staff | Nominated |
Independent Spirit Awards | 2023 | Best New Scripted Series | Severance | Nominated |
Independent Spirit Awards | 2023 | Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series | Adam Scott | Nominated |
Independent Spirit Awards | 2023 | Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series | Tramell Tillman | Nominated |
Irish Film & Television Awards | 2023 | Director – Television Drama | Aoife McArdle | Nominated |
Peabody Award | 2022 | Entertainment | Severance | Won |
People’s Choice Awards | 2022 | The Bingeworthy Show of 2022 | Severance | Nominated |
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Rachel Tenner and Bess Fifer | Nominated |
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Main Title Design | Oliver Latta and Teddy Blanks | Won |
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) | Theodore Shapiro (for “The We We Are”) | Won |
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music | Theodore Shapiro | Nominated |
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) | Jeremy Hindle, Nick Francone, Angelica Borrero-Fortier, and Andrew Baseman (for “Good News About Hell”) | Nominated |
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Erica Freed Marker and Geoffrey Richman (for “In Perpetuity”) | Nominated |
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Geoffrey Richman (for “The We We Are”) | Nominated |
Primetime Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Drama Series | Ben Stiller, Nicholas Weinstock, Jackie Cohn, Mark Friedman, Dan Erickson, Andrew Colville, Chris Black, John Cameron, Jill Footlick, Kari Drake, Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Aoife McArdle, Amanda Overton, and Gerry Robert Bryne | Nominated |
Primetime Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Adam Scott (for “Good News About Hell”) | Nominated |
Primetime Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | John Turturro (for “Defiant Jazz”) | Nominated |
Primetime Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Christopher Walken (for “The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design”) | Nominated |
Primetime Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Patricia Arquette (for “What’s for Dinner?”) | Nominated |
Primetime Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Ben Stiller (for “The We We Are”) | Nominated |
Primetime Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Dan Erickson (for “The We We Are”) | Nominated |
Producers Guild of America Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama | Severance | Nominated |
Satellite Awards | 2023 | Best Drama Series | Severance | Nominated |
Satellite Awards | 2023 | Best Actor in a Drama / Genre Series | Adam Scott | Nominated |
Saturn Awards | 2022 | Best Streaming Horror/Thriller Television Series | Severance | Nominated |
Saturn Awards | 2022 | Best Actor in a Streaming Television Series | Adam Scott | Nominated |
Saturn Awards | 2022 | Best Actress in a Streaming Television Series | Britt Lower | Nominated |
Saturn Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Television Series | Zach Cherry | Nominated |
Saturn Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Television Series | John Turturro | Nominated |
Saturn Awards | 2022 | Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Television Series | Patricia Arquette | Nominated |
Screen Actors Guild Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | Adam Scott | Nominated |
Screen Actors Guild Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Patricia Arquette, Michael Chernus, Zach Cherry, Michael Cumpsty, Dichen Lachman, Britt Lower, Adam Scott, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, John Turturro, Christopher Walken | Nominated |
Set Decorators Society of America Awards | 2022 | Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a One Hour Contemporary Series | Andrew Baseman and Jeremy Hindle | Nominated |
Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Score for Television | Theodore Shapiro | Nominated |
Television Critics Association Awards | 2022 | Program of the Year | Severance | Nominated |
Television Critics Association Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | Severance | Nominated |
Television Critics Association Awards | 2022 | Outstanding New Program | Severance | Nominated |
Television Critics Association Awards | 2022 | Individual Achievement in Drama | Adam Scott | Nominated |
Venice TV Awards | 2023 | Best TV Series | Severance | Nominated |
Visual Effects Society Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode | Vadim Turchin, Nicole Melius, David Piombino, David Rouxel (for “Pilot”) | Nominated |
Webby Awards | 2022 | Best Actor | Adam Scott | Won |
Writers Guild of America Awards | 2023 | Drama Series | Chris Black, Andrew Colville, Kari Drake, Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman, Helen Leigh, Anna Moench, Amanda Overton | Won |
Writers Guild of America Awards | 2023 | New Series | Chris Black, Andrew Colville, Kari Drake, Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman, Helen Leigh, Anna Moench, Amanda Overton | Won |
Writers Guild of America Awards | 2023 | Episodic Drama | Dan Erickson (for “The We We Are”) | Nominated |