Well, that’s quite a show.

At first glance, the idea is appealing. You split your memories so that you can go to work, get paid, and essentially spend your entire life not at work.

But then you start to think about this other you.

They never leave.

They never sleep.

They never have a life outside of work.

And that–is terrifying enough even before you start getting into the whole cult’y aspects. And the hallways. And the goats.

I have no idea where they’re going–(I hope they know)–but I’m looking forward to it. Onward!

Episode by episode review (potential spoilers in later episodes for earlier ones)

1. Good News About Hell

Five questions.

Crying in a car.

Going down.

A lot of hallways.

Macrodata Refinement.

More hallways.

Leave. Stay. Leave. Stay. Leave. Stay.

Watching her watch her.

[reading calmly into camera]
Helly Riggs: My name is Helly R. I’m making this video roughly two hours before it will be shown .. to me.
Helly Riggs: I have, of my own free accord, elected to undergo the procedure colloquially known as Severance. I give consent for my perceptual chronologies to be surgically split, separating my memories between my work life and my personal life. I acknowledge that, henceforth, my access to my memories will be spatially dictated. I will be unable to access outside recollections whilst on Lumon’s severed basement floor, nor retain work memories upon my ascent.
Helly Riggs: I am aware that this alteration is comprehensive and irreversible.

Pip’s VIP.

Helly!

A dinner party. Without dinner. Ricken… is weird.

A businessman in the night. Maybe.

Housework.

Petey.

This… is going to be a show.

2. Half Loop

Oh hey. The “before” perspective.

Oh. Hey. Brain surgery.

The realization that the worker half doesn’t get to sleep. Ever.

And quitting is suicide.

Certainly something.

The drunk philosophical debate was amusing.

Mark: The fyck is that? Petey: That’s the break room.

And then Christopher Walken.

Helly: They were scary. The numbers were scary.

3. In Perpetuity

So… other than the fact that we literally see them there’s really no way for Innie Mark to have any proof whatsoever that Outie Mark actually exists.

Petey is a lot. Neighbor/boss boss lady is a lot. This show is a lot. The board is a lot. Or possibly not. It’s hard to tell. Milchick is a lot.

It’s really easier on you both if he knows which end to start with.

…

I mean I’m 99% sure there was no coup.

…

Seems like they’d recognize my face. Maybe if you wore it inside out.

…

This is most certainly a show.

4. The You You Are

Another level of the warped Severance is: you can take “break”, go home, and immediately go back. Again and again. You don’t even get time to sleep or eat.

Helly: I could not, with a razor to my throat, be less interested in being your family.

Speaking of which…

Oh my goodness the Hellys. That is quite the video to oneself.

5. The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design

What separates man from machine is that machines cannot think for themselves. Also, they are made of metal, whereas man is made of skin.

This show is a lot.

Ricken is a lot.

And that’s not even to mention the Hellys plot. I wonder if/when we’ll get to meet her outie.

And then… goats.

This show is a lot.

6. Hide and Seek

So… a shrine. She’s bonkers.

This show is bonkers.

Christopher Walken is in the first (not!) romantic scenes in the show… not what I expected.

This show is now what I expected.

Hatchets.

They… can remotely sever switch.

What in the fuckity fuck?

Exactly.

7. Defiant Jazz

A swing…. and a hit!

Should have gone for the castanets.

That… was an Experience.

And that ending. Who is it? Who IS IT? WHO…

Oh my.

8. What’s for Dinner?

So that’s Outie Irv.

And that’s the plan.

And that’s a kiss.

And that’s a Waffle Party.

9. The Way We Are

Innies Out.

That’s… such an insane twist. Twists. So many twists.