I’m still reeling from the Severance season finale. I thank everyone who saw it and did not spoil it because I would have been so upset if that had been revealed to me. As a courtesy, I will only post one cryptic spoiler in the last sentence, and even then it’s just a theory. I cannot account for the comments so please write SPOILER at the start of your comment if there is one.
Severance on AppleTV+, for those who haven’t watched it, suggests a workplace dystopian future that asks what if you could severe all your memories from work and home. So, your Innie (your work version of you) has no idea what your Outie’s (who you are outside the Lumon offices) life is like. Beyond that, there are many questions about the work they do at Lumon, and why the Outies decided to get severed in the first place. The series mainly follows Adam Scott, who plays Mark S. However, in the last few episodes we learn so much. Most of which is highly disturbing, and I would like to shake the hand of anyone that guessed some of the more shocking twists. Hint: I did not. At the party for the series finale, Ben Stiller, who directed six of the series’ nine episodes, said the reaction among fans has been visceral. So much so, they’ve taken to shouting “f*ck you!” at him all over Twitter. But Ben’s cool with it. In fact, he loves it.
Ben Stiller has received some strong reactions to his latest project.
The Emmy Award winner, 56, told PEOPLE that he appreciates “all the expletives” he’s read on social media from fans of his Apple TV+ series Severance as he attended the season 1 finale screening Friday in Los Angeles.
“I just like all the expletives that come back on Twitter. A lot of damn you, damn you, ‘F’ you. I love it,” Stiller said. “When people react like that, you know they care.”
“I think that there were so many levels that we didn’t know how the audience would react to in terms of giving away things,” Stiller said during the PaleyFest panel hosted by Judd Apatow. “And so that was one of the reasons we had to sort of play around in terms of like, the littlest sort of gesture or littlest acknowledgment.”
“I assumed with going into, the audience would be like watching closely, but we really found as the show has aired that the audience is so clued into the specifics and looking for every little thing. So it was really an interesting process, trying to regulate all that and that’s why I think everybody did such an amazing job and then also being able to be with these actors for such a long time and see their strengths come out,” he added.
It is clear from the beginning that the show respects the viewers intelligence, and they never stop. There are so many unanswered questions but my husband, who is very picky about screenwriting, called the finale a “Master Class,” and brought it up several times the day after we watched it. Ben’s right, we care. My gawd do we care. I would not shout “f*ck you” at him or any of the actors, but I’ve started carrying a pocket full of finger traps that I intend to throw at Ben until Season Two comes out. So far, we only know about season two. I am not aware how many seasons were pitched by creator Dan Erickson. At this point, they could refocus the series and do a season on each character, so we could go for several. But my guess is we’ll get three tops. I’ll be happy with whatever they give us. The cast, you guys: Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman (Michick), Michael Chernus (Ricken), Dichen Lachman (Ms. Casey) and Britt Lower as Helly R, whom I didn’t know before this show but my gawd!
Unfortunately, Adam was not at the finale for anyone to shout at. The poor guy got Covid and is in Costa Rica until he can travel home. But did his Innie or Outie catch Covid?
*ONE SPOILER* because it’s the only theory I have, and it’s not even mine (my husband suggested it): I think Milchick and Dylan are related.
That season finale was one of the best television episodes I’ve ever seen. Irv + Burt 4 ever!
Christopher Walken has never been weirder and that’s just the beginning of how fun this show is.
Ooooh, that’s a really good theory! I believe that. They have alot of material to work with.
We just started watching this last night,right after I finished episode 5 of Pachinko so I was not able to switch my focus I guess.
Just saying thanks for writing this because I’ll be giving this a second chance,I just didn’t get it (episode one is as far as I got).
I had no idea people loved the show this much.
This show is a slow burn. The first few episodes are slow but it really starts to pick up after the first 2 or 3. Every episode will make you go WTF. Wait until you see the break room. You’ll see what I mean.
Same thing happened to me, I watched the first episode and was unimpressed. But I decided to give it a second chance and watched the second episode. My expectations were low, but by the end of it I was hooked! I watched the whole season in one day. It is weird, funny, smart, mysterious, and sometimes heartbreaking. It was a perfect season of television. I’m gonna watch it all over again soon.
You’re on to something with Milchick. Apple released some companion reading and it’s clear that the Milchick‘s have been involved from the beginning.
Google “The Lexington Letter”
I was speechless over the finale. The whole show was brilliant, the cast amazing.
PS re your spoiler I hadn’t thought of that one.
This show was a random one that my mom and I tuned in together, my mom has been watching the weird show Servant on Apple TV which I really don’t get and I thought this show would be more of that weirdness. It IS weird but omg we were not prepared for the roller coaster ride it was haha! Adam Scott is amazing in this as are all the other characters. A lot of them were unfamiliar to me, embarrassingly I did not know who John Turturro was before this and he’s been in so much stuff! That season finale is probably the best season finale of TV that I’ve see in a long time. Every time I bring up this show to friends I tell them you have no idea what you’re in for. I don’t want to spoil anything and I’m so glad I got to watch it without any spoilers.
The one thing my mom kept commenting on was how the actor who played Milchick always wore short sleeved shirts on the severed floor when the show took place in the middle of winter. It drove her nuts haha. Not sure if there’s any reason for it but I thought it was interesting. Also I hope we see more of Tramell Tillman, he hasn’t been in a lot of stuff but can’t wait to see where his career goes. And I remember when Christopher Walken popped up for the first time we were so confused hahaha. It seemed so random but it works.
My husband “made” me watch it because it’s his wheelhouse (vaguely dystopian and sci-fi) and not really mine (since the pandemic, but also before, fluff, reruns of sitcoms I can recite by memory, and cooking/baking shows) and I am glad he did. In fact, all of the “great” shows I’ve watched since I’ve known him have been because he said, “I want to watch this. With you. So we can talk about it.” and I am always glad.
I can’t figure this one out, but it is compelling and I definitely want to know what the hell is going on!! The Waffle Party was so much to take in, and then that season finale! I suspect we’ll rewatch it. I’m not good at picking up the little throw-away clues on a first watch. But MY GOD!!
****SPOILER**** When Mark said, “thanks Ms. Coburn” at the party my stomach just DROPPED. And the Milchick-Dylan connection is an interesting theory. I want to know all the things!!!
I agree with your husband, that was a screenwriting dream, but the whole execution is excellent too. The series takes it’s time, it doesn’t spoon feed information and the whole eerie atmosphere!! So good. I was spoilered on one big thing, but that didn’t really matter, the series stays exciting and uncomfortable in the best sense nonetheless.
Apparently I need to watch this.
I just watched the trailer, as I hadn’t heard of it. Looks like yet another streaming service I need to buy.
When Irving calls out, ”you’re a smug motherf*cker,” I was ALL IN. The show is amazing!
All I know is that I need more Milchick dancing next season. Defiant Jazz all day.