Severance (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Severance |
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| Created by | Dan Erickson |
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| Composer(s) | Theodore Shapiro |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 19 |
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| Running time | 37–76 minutes |
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| Budget | US$200 million (season 2) |
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| Original network | Apple TV+ |
| Original release | February 18, 2022 – present |
Severance is an American science fiction TV show. It's a mystery series created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller. The show features actors like Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, and Patricia Arquette.
The story is about people who work at a company called Lumon Industries. These employees have had a special medical procedure called "severance." This procedure separates their memories. When they are at work, they remember nothing about their outside life. When they leave work, they remember nothing about their job. This creates two versions of each person:
- The "innie" is the work self, who only knows life inside Lumon.
- The "outie" is the outside self, who lives their personal life.
Severance first aired on Apple TV+ on February 18, 2022. Many people loved the show for its unique story and acting. It won important TV awards for its opening titles and music. The second season started on January 17, 2025. A third season was announced on March 21, 2025.
Contents
Characters in Severance
Main Characters
- Adam Scott as Mark S. / Mark Scout: A former history teacher who works in the Macrodata Refinement (MDR) department at Lumon. He is sad about his wife Gemma.
- Zach Cherry as Dylan G. / Dylan George: Mark's co-worker in the MDR department, who likes the company's rewards.
- Britt Lower as Helly R.: A new employee in the MDR department who doesn't like the rules.
- Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick: The assistant manager on the severed floor at Lumon.
- Jen Tullock as Devon Scout-Hale: Mark's sister.
- Dichen Lachman as Ms. Casey: The wellness counselor on the severed floor at Lumon.
- Michael Chernus as Ricken Hale: A unique author, Devon's husband, and Mark's brother-in-law.
- John Turturro as Irving B. / Irving Bailiff: Mark's co-worker in MDR, who follows company rules strictly and becomes good friends with Burt.
- Christopher Walken as Burt G. / Burt Goodman: Another employee, head of the Optics and Design (O&D) department, who becomes good friends with Irving.
- Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel: The manager of the severed floor. Outside work, she pretends to be "Mrs. Selvig," Mark's neighbor.
- Sarah Bock as Eustice Huang (season 2): The young new assistant manager of the severed floor.
Other Important Characters
- Yul Vazquez as Peter "Petey" Kilmer (season 1; voice season 2): Mark's former co-worker and friend, who left Lumon in a strange way.
- 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 helper for new babies and a friend of Mark's.
- Sydney Cole Alexander as Natalie Kalen: Lumon's public relations person and speaker for the mysterious Board.
- Nora Dale as Gabby Arteta (season 1): The wife of Senator Angelo Arteta, whom Devon meets at a birthing retreat.
- Mark Kenneth Smaltz as Judd: A security guard at Lumon.
- Karen Aldridge as Asal Reghabi: A former Lumon surgeon who can reverse severance.
- Michael Siberry as Jame Eagan: The current CEO of Lumon.
- Darri Ólafsson as Mr. Drummond (season 2): A tough Lumon enforcer involved with severance.
- Merritt Wever as Gretchen George (season 2): Dylan's wife.
- Robby Benson as Dr. Mauer (season 2): A doctor on Lumon's testing floor.
- Gwendoline Christie as Lorne (season 2): A severed employee running the Mammalians Nurturable department.
- Sandra Bernhard as Cecily (season 2): A nurse on the testing floor.
Guest Appearances
- Marc Geller as Kier Eagan: The founder of Lumon, who is greatly admired by the company.
- Cassidy Layton as June Kilmer (season 1): Petey's daughter.
- Joanne Kelly as Nina (season 1): Petey's ex-wife.
- Ethan Flower as Angelo Arteta (season 1): A politician who supports the severance procedure.
- 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.
- Sarah Sherman (season 2): The voice of a stop-motion water tower in a Lumon film.
- Adrian Martinez as Mr. Saliba (season 2): A manager at a door factory.
- John Noble as Fields (season 2): Burt's husband.
- James LeGros as Hampton (season 2): An acquaintance of Harmony Cobel.
- Jane Alexander as Celestine "Sissy" Cobel (season 2): Harmony's aunt.
Ben Stiller had a voice cameo as an animated Kier Eagan in season 1. Keanu Reeves had a voice cameo as an animated Lumon building in season 2.
Making the Show: Production Details
How the Idea Started
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Dan Erickson, the creator of Severance, first thought of the idea during a challenging time in his life. He was working a boring office job and wished he could skip the eight hours of work each day.
Erickson sent his script to Ben Stiller's company, Red Hour Productions, in 2015. Ben Stiller read it and loved the story's unique take on workplace comedy. Erickson said his early scripts were "weirder" with many strange elements. Stiller helped to make the show more grounded, focusing on the sad human side of someone who would choose severance.
In November 2019, Apple TV+ ordered Severance as a series, with Stiller directing and Adam Scott starring. Stiller initially planned to direct only the first episode but ended up directing more. On April 6, 2022, Apple announced a second season. A third season was confirmed on March 21, 2025.
Writing the Story
The writers of Severance were inspired by many different stories. These included the video game The Stanley Parable, movies like Office Space and The Truman Show, and the Black Mirror episode "White Christmas". Older influences included classic stories about control and difficult situations. The look of the show was inspired by films like Brazil and Dark City.
Erickson shared that his own experiences working in an office inspired the show. He thought about how much companies ask of their employees, often expecting them to act like a "family" without giving much back.
Choosing the Actors
In January 2017, Ben Stiller asked Adam Scott to star in the show. They had worked together before in Stiller's 2013 movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
In January 2020, Patricia Arquette, Britt Lower, Jen Tullock, and Zach Cherry joined the cast. Tramell Tillman joined in February 2020, followed by John Turturro and Christopher Walken in November 2020. Dichen Lachman was cast in December 2020. John Turturro suggested Christopher Walken for the role of Burt because they were old friends.
On October 31, 2022, new cast members for season two were announced. These included Gwendoline Christie, Bob Balaban, Merritt Wever, Alia Shawkat, Robby Benson, and John Noble. Ben Stiller even asked former U.S. President Barack Obama to do a voice cameo, but he declined. The role eventually went to Keanu Reeves.
Designing the Sets
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Production designer Jeremy Hindle mixed corporate styles from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s to create the show's unique look. He was inspired by architect Eero Saarinen for the building designs. The Bell Labs Holmdel Complex in New Jersey was used for the outside shots and ground floor of Lumon Industries.
The main sets for Severance were built in The Bronx. One large soundstage was used for the hallways, which could be rearranged to create a maze. Another soundstage held the main rooms, like the Macrodata Refinement Division. This room was designed to feel like a trap, with a low ceiling. It had green carpeting to make it feel like a playroom for new employees. Other areas in Lumon were inspired by the art of M.C. Escher.
Erickson wanted the mix of old and new cars and technology to make Lumon feel "unmoored from time and space." The team found 400 cars, mostly common boxy vehicles from the 1980s and 90s. All the office equipment had Lumon branding. The prop designers rebuilt old computers with working trackball devices. These computers famously lacked an escape key, showing how little control the innies had.
Filming Locations and Schedule
The COVID-19 pandemic caused delays in filming, which was supposed to start in March 2020. Filming for the first season began in New York City on November 8, 2020. Some scenes were shot in Nyack, New York, Kingston, and Beacon, New York. In April, filming moved to central New Jersey, using the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex as Lumon HQ. Filming for season one finished on June 23, 2021.
The second season started filming on October 3, 2022, in New York City. Production was paused in May 2023 due to industry strikes. Filming resumed on January 29, 2024, and finished on April 23, 2024.
Promoting the Show
The second season was hinted at during an Apple Event on September 7, 2022. The first video from season 2 was released on June 10, 2024.
On July 9, 2024, Apple TV+ teased an announcement about season 2 on social media. A video showed a light blinking "tomorrow" in Morse code. The next day, Apple TV+ announced that season 2 would start on January 17, 2025. The first trailer for season 2 was released on October 23, 2024.
On January 14, 2025, just before the second season premiered, Apple TV+ recreated the show's 'Macrodata Refinement' office inside a glass box at Grand Central Terminal. Actors from the show, including Adam Scott and Patricia Arquette, worked inside the box for hours, acting like their characters. This unique event was very popular.
On March 21, 2025, IKEA India and Australia posted ads promoting office supplies that looked like the Macrodata Refinement office. The ads made a fun joke about the "mysterious and important work" from the show.
On March 26, 2025, some cast members appeared at Tower Bridge in London to celebrate the renewal of season 3. Apple also updated their website to include a "Lumon Terminal Pro" computer, as a fun marketing trick.
When the Show Came Out
The official release dates for second season episodes were on Fridays. However, Apple TV+ released episodes a day earlier, on Thursday evenings.
Watching at Home
The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK on December 2, 2024, in Australia on December 4, 2024, and in the United States on December 17, 2024.
Other Stories from Severance
A novel related to the series, Severance: The Lexington Letter, was released by Apple Books. It's a story told through letters, pretending to be a tell-all about secrets at Lumon Corporation.
A fictional self-help book from the series, The You You Are, was also released by Apple Books as an e-book and audiobook. The audiobook was read by actor Michael Chernus, who plays Ricken Hale in the show.
The official Severance podcast started in January 2025. It's hosted by Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. Each episode talks about a show episode and features interviews with actors, crew, or fans.
See also
In Spanish: Severance (serie de televisión) para niños
