Commentary: ‘Severance’ Demonstrates What Ultimate Control Looks Like
by Frank Martin
The great thing about science fiction is that it can orchestrate unique circumstances in order to drive a point home. In terms of science fiction, nothing can be off limits with how technology is used and the world is structured. Severance is a great example of this. It created a situation that is a dystopian nightmare for certain characters. The show is no doubt a commentary on corporate overreach and individual freedom. In doing so, the program has crafted a plot depicting what complete control can look like that is also a reflection of reality for many.
Severance is about several individuals who work at a company called Lumon. These employees have undergone a process in which a separate identity is created that awakens when they are at work. That persona has no knowledge of the outside world, just as their regular self has no idea what happens at work. When they are on the job, Lumon is in complete control of their environment, even going so far as to fabricate news from the outside world.
At some point in the story, a severed worker named Mark S. (Adam Scott) and his co-workers revolt against their superiors. They manage to escape the confines of their work life and try to bring awareness to their situation. They ultimately fail, but since they are completely cut off from the outside world, they have no knowledge of this. Lumon manages to cover up the story and then create a fake narrative about how their endeavors actually succeeded and led to reform within the company. This is a creepy parallel to how many governments operate around the world. The control of information is vitally important to controlling people’s lives, and it’s disturbing just how much Severance can depict this fact.
Severance is now streaming on Apple TV+.
