Severance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haven’t read a lot of the posts, but, agree that I feel puzzled by what decade it is meant to be set in as well as location. All desolate. Constant winter. Weird light at all times. What are we supposed to be taking away from all of that?

I've entertained the idea that the outies are all actually the first layer down in Severance world, a la The Matrix. So the real world is actually a construct, and not physical, which is why everything is slightly off, it's always winter, etc. But there are a lot of things that also contradict that idea.

I just get the impression that Mark is not a hapless victim of Lumon.

One other thing in hung up on—has there been any indication of what knowledge or information the innies vs. outties retain? I couldn’t work out that the innies believed the waterfall they saw during their outdoor adventure thingy was the biggest one in the world. They seem to possess some sort of baseline knowledge of the world-mark knew what sex was, and when we were introduced to Hellie, we didn’t see her go through some of start up programming to inform her baseline intellect. I guess I feel like I can’t reconcile that bit. Did I fall asleep at some point and miss something?

Yeah -- I've been wondering about this too.

It was explained in episode 1 ("Delaware"), and then dismissed because you have to suspend disbelief to make the story work.


They know about general knowledge of the world (like the names of US states) but nothing about their own lives.

What's never been discussed is whether the innies can access knowledge about Lumon.

Also not discussed is this: if outies and innies both know "general knowledge", can that be used to smuggle information between the severe portions?

Or is general knowledge "read only"?
If Canada becomes the 51st state and the outie reads about that, will the innie know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://nypost.com/2025/02/21/real-estate/severance-building-is-a-real-place-in-new-jersey-and-you-can-even-visit-there/

The shows location is in NJ and you can go into building!!!

DCUM field trip!

Here’s what I’ve been wondering about…why did Irving decide to be severed? We know the reasons that the other characters made this choice, but unless I
missed something, I don’t think we know what led Irving to Lumon.

And why are there so many references to drowning and water — not just Gemma’s response to the nurse’s question about fearing suffocation or drowning more, but also:

Irving torturing Helena by basically water-boarding her in the waterfall,

the comment about outie Irving going on a long voyage (did Milchick say that?),

the eerie whistling of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a song that is about a shipwreck and drowning,

the picture in outie Irving’s apartment of a sailor who might have been his dad;

and Cold Harbor — the name of the supremely mysterious and important project that Mark is working on and the last room that Gemma will enter.

Also, not water-related, but in the episode 7 flashback scene to Mark and Gemma and Devon and Rycken at dinner, why was Rycken so normal then? He and Mark even seemed friendly. What changed after that for him?

And finally, is it cheating if I watch episode 8 tonight while my husband is out of town? I did that once with The Americans and I still feel terrible about it.

Good question. Also, why would Mark's sister even choose Rycken. His personality is completely and utterly unappealing to me. So insecure and needy.

Finally, this is probably obvious, but severing would be such a great tool for the military. No PTSD. Very easy to get severed soldiers to do anything you want, because they have no context.

Black Mirror did a version of this -- hacking soldier brains

And there was a podcast and show about drugs to make soldiers forget their PTSD so they’d sign up for more tours. Forgot what it was called.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This episode was everything. Wow!!!

Milchick came through in that scene! I’m pulling for his character redemption because that actor is crazy talented.

This show has some talent. Wow!

I agree re the Milchick scene! That was maybe the best scene of the season for me so far!

[Anonymous]

I know I am backtracking…but when did Gemma discuss drowning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haven’t read a lot of the posts, but, agree that I feel puzzled by what decade it is meant to be set in as well as location. All desolate. Constant winter. Weird light at all times. What are we supposed to be taking away from all of that?

I've entertained the idea that the outies are all actually the first layer down in Severance world, a la The Matrix. So the real world is actually a construct, and not physical, which is why everything is slightly off, it's always winter, etc. But there are a lot of things that also contradict that idea.

I just get the impression that Mark is not a hapless victim of Lumon.

One other thing in hung up on—has there been any indication of what knowledge or information the innies vs. outties retain? I couldn’t work out that the innies believed the waterfall they saw during their outdoor adventure thingy was the biggest one in the world. They seem to possess some sort of baseline knowledge of the world-mark knew what sex was, and when we were introduced to Hellie, we didn’t see her go through some of start up programming to inform her baseline intellect. I guess I feel like I can’t reconcile that bit. Did I fall asleep at some point and miss something?

I was thinking about that too but I think it’s like amnesia. When someone has amnesia after a brain injury you don’t need to teach them stuff like what sex is or how to use a fork. Even stuff they learned about well after they learned their names and where they are from. So they retain certain baseline knowledge and skill sets. I think they even remember languages they learned. It must all be stored in different parts of the brain, so it makes sense to me that you could sever just one part. I don’t know if people with amnesia remember what the largest waterfall is!

I did think about how every innie is a virgin and most have never been kissed. Also, for the goat people—do their outies wonder why they smell like goat and have animal bites, etc.?

I’m so sad for the prison guard wife. And also for Miss Huang—she is so sad she has to leave her family. I guess she wasn’t at the creepy boarding school. I guess this is how you make a Natalie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haven’t read a lot of the posts, but, agree that I feel puzzled by what decade it is meant to be set in as well as location. All desolate. Constant winter. Weird light at all times. What are we supposed to be taking away from all of that?

I've entertained the idea that the outies are all actually the first layer down in Severance world, a la The Matrix. So the real world is actually a construct, and not physical, which is why everything is slightly off, it's always winter, etc. But there are a lot of things that also contradict that idea.

I just get the impression that Mark is not a hapless victim of Lumon.

One other thing in hung up on—has there been any indication of what knowledge or information the innies vs. outties retain? I couldn’t work out that the innies believed the waterfall they saw during their outdoor adventure thingy was the biggest one in the world. They seem to possess some sort of baseline knowledge of the world-mark knew what sex was, and when we were introduced to Hellie, we didn’t see her go through some of start up programming to inform her baseline intellect. I guess I feel like I can’t reconcile that bit. Did I fall asleep at some point and miss something?

I was thinking about that too but I think it’s like amnesia. When someone has amnesia after a brain injury you don’t need to teach them stuff like what sex is or how to use a fork. Even stuff they learned about well after they learned their names and where they are from. So they retain certain baseline knowledge and skill sets. I think they even remember languages they learned. It must all be stored in different parts of the brain, so it makes sense to me that you could sever just one part. I don’t know if people with amnesia remember what the largest waterfall is!

I did think about how every innie is a virgin and most have never been kissed. Also, for the goat people—do their outies wonder why they smell like goat and have animal bites, etc.?

I’m so sad for the prison guard wife. And also for Miss Huang—she is so sad she has to leave her family. I guess she wasn’t at the creepy boarding school. I guess this is how you make a Natalie.

I think the goat people are permanent innies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This episode was everything. Wow!!!

Milchick came through in that scene! I’m pulling for his character redemption because that actor is crazy talented.

This show has some talent. Wow!

I agree re the Milchick scene! That was maybe the best scene of the season for me so far!

Yeah. I wonder if Milcjick went to one of their weird schools or not. It seems like maybe not because he seems a little on the outside and trying to fit in. He seems very well read with his syntax and vocabulary and it’s clearly driving him crazy to have that boss that seems to do nothing essentially tell him to be less upoity in how he speaks. I hope this is the beginning of a take this job and shove it moment for Milchik (or maybe the weird black Eagan picture was the start of that).

Did everyone notice the weird egg scene? So clearly Helena hates eggs and her father gets off on watching her eat them. He is just the worst. I think outie Helena will eventually rebel but it may be more of a game of thrones deposing rather than rebellion. And from the birthing suite security guard, I guess daddy eagen has a bunch of women he is secretly impregnating like a real cult leader? He is gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I am backtracking…but when did Gemma discuss drowning?

In the beginning of the previous episode, that perilous looking nurse was asking her questions - I think it was how she would prefer to die - and drowning was an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New episode.

I'm starting to feel like we're never going to know.

Jame Eagan? I have no idea what on earth he is about, but he's definitely creepy and threatening.

Mark? Seems doomed at this point.

I don't have much hope for this going anywhere good. Like, in four seasons we'll still be hoping Gemma and Mark will meet again or something?

Mark is the main character so obviously he’s not going anywhere

[Anonymous]

So, was Irving's confession to Burt that he never felt loved by anyone supposed to suggest that Irving chose to be severed because he was so lonely? Is it possible that he chose severance because he was involved in a resistance movement against Lumon and being on the inside would give him access to the building? Does anyone have a theory on who Irving was talking to on the payphone when he said "I think they know what my innie has been up to."?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I am backtracking…but when did Gemma discuss drowning?

In the beginning of the previous episode, that perilous looking nurse was asking her questions - I think it was how she would prefer to die - and drowning was an option.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This episode was everything. Wow!!!

Milchick came through in that scene! I’m pulling for his character redemption because that actor is crazy talented.

This show has some talent. Wow!

I agree re the Milchick scene! That was maybe the best scene of the season for me so far!

So well written!

It gives me hope that spines can regenerate. If only he would inspire the lackeys in DC!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Was anyone else terrified by the massive cliff they kept showing? I was like why are you parking so close to that cliff!!!

Also, severance would be so great for authoritarian regimes. Think about if Trump could server us all and then we all just thought everything he was doing was totally normal. Without personal history and context, people are incredibly malleable.

[Anonymous]

Why did Jame (Helena's father) say to Hely R, "You tricked me, my Hely R" when he sneaks up on her while she's alone in the MDR office? How did she trick him? How is she "his" Hely R?

[Anonymous]

Why did Jame (Helena's father) say to Hely R, "You tricked me, my Hely R" when he sneaks up on her while she's alone in the MDR office? How did she trick him? How is she "his" Hely R?

Think she's pregnant and hiding it from him. Lots of theories on Reddit that it could be Helena not Helly down on the severed floor again. But I don't buy that because Helena knows what happens on the testing floor -- she doesn't need to memorize the path to the elevator to sneak there.