Severance Makes Me Want To Work From Home

I am a person, in my house and inside my workplace. Both coincide in the episode memory I hold that reframes the identity I know myself to be. If I had a bad day at work, I had a bad day in general and I take it home with me. My bad day at home though lingers, can't take priority over my productive day at work. Severance ties all these memories and identities into one cute bundle where the doors to the outside world are locked shut and I'm not sure if season 2 will open them. But here's what I think just based on the 1st episode (that will drop periodically so we don't binge it)

Season 1 introduced viewers to the enigmatic lives of these “severed” individuals, delving into the ethical ramifications of splitting a person’s consciousness in two. As the curtain rose on Season 2, it promised to unravel the mysteries left unanswered and deepen the story’s themes of identity, corporate control, and human connection.

Season 2 begins precisely where its predecessor left off, with Mark Scout’s “innie” self regaining control in the “overtime contingency.” However, what feels like a momentary shift for Mark represents a five-month gap for the outside world. This disorienting time leap raises questions about how Lumon manipulates time and memory. Mark’s immediate mission becomes clear: finding Ms. Casey, a wellness counsellor revealed in Season 1 to be his deceased wife, Gemma. Her mysterious “firing” and disappearance into a black hallway marked by a red triangle hints at a shadowy part of Lumon’s operations yet to be explored. The notion of “cold storage” and the ominous file labelled “Cold Harbor” suggest that Lumon can strip individuals of their memories and rebuild them, potentially linking Ms. Casey’s fate to the tasks performed by Macrodata Refinement (MDR).

This brings us to one of the most compelling theories of the season: Is MDR reconstructing Kier Eagan, the enigmatic founder of Lumon? Season 2 hints that the data refinement process could be tied to Eagan’s four temperaments, woe, frolic, dread, and malice. These temperaments seem to influence the severed employees' emotional states while working with numbers. This idea raises the possibility that each severed individual carries a fragment of Kier’s consciousness, suggesting that Lumon may be pursuing a collective rebirth of their founder. The show’s focus on Kier’s legacy and its influence on employees emphasizes Lumon’s intent to mould its workers—and potentially the entire world, into Kier’s image.

One of the overarching mysteries deepens in this season’s premiere: the concept of “revolving.” Jame Eagan, a descendant of Kier, mentions this term while speaking cryptically about Helena (Helly R.) sitting beside him. This suggests memory, awareness, or even consciousness transfer between individuals. James’s frail health and veiled references to past revolvings hint at a form of immortality being pursued by the Eagan family. Could Lumon’s experiments be leading toward the ultimate goal of consciousness transfer? Perhaps the enigmatic board, which never speaks directly, is a collective of past Eagans whose minds now reside within a digital or metaphysical network.

The season premiere also introduces several new characters and settings. Among them is Ms. Huang, a mysterious young worker whose name invokes the symbolism of rebirth, much like the phoenix. Her presence aligns with the unsettling theory that Lumon might be experimenting on children or even resurrecting them as part of their broader plans. Mark’s replacement coworkers, who come from other branches of Lumon’s global network, reinforce the idea that the corporation’s reach is vast and that its severed employees are not unique to one location.

The lies and manipulations of Seth Milchik, Lumon’s smooth-talking middle manager, add another layer of intrigue. His recounting of the five months Mark supposedly begged to return to work feels intentionally disingenuous, compounded by a doctored photograph of employees celebrated in a ticker-tape parade. Lumon’s control over the narrative, both in the workplace and the broader world—remains a central theme, as seen in the fabricated headlines of the “Kier Chronicle.” The show subtly explores the dangers of unchecked corporate propaganda and its ability to reshape reality for its workers and society.

One of the most significant revelations of the episode comes when Mark and his reunited team, Dylan, Helly, and Irving, return to the breakroom. Despite Milchik’s earlier claims that the others didn’t want to return, they inexplicably reappear, leaving viewers questioning the reliability of Lumon’s timeline and whether the employees themselves are being manipulated or cloned. The breakroom, now remodelled, becomes a symbolic space for Lumon’s narrative control, with a new video narrated by what sounds like Keanu Reeves’ voice, showcasing the team’s exploits as heroic while subtly surveilling their every move.

Helly’s lie about her “innie” experience during the overtime contingency adds complexity to her character. By omitting the truth, that she is Helena Eagan, the heir to Lumon’s leadership, she protects her dual identity while fueling suspicion among her colleagues. Her decision to stay, ostensibly to help Mark, is undoubtedly layered with ulterior motives tied to her family’s ambitions.

The show’s themes of control and resistance are further exemplified by the question posed at the end of the episode: Why do the employees stay? Each has their reasons, Mark seeks the truth about Gemma, Irving wants to uncover the significance of his repeated visions of the black hallway, and a sense of justice drives Dylan for his stolen life. However, Lumon’s ability to manipulate their choices and memories suggests that their autonomy may still be an illusion.

Ultimately, the Season 2 premiere of Severance sets the stage for a deeper exploration of its central questions: What defines identity in a fractured mind? How far will a corporation go to control the lives of its employees? And what is Lumon’s ultimate goal? I unfortunately can't even spoil it for myself because the Wikipedia page doesn't have the information until the episodes are released. I hope my short attention span doesn't ruin my life again.

Also, I wanted to point out how effective and intriguing the marketing for season 2 was considering I sort of forgot about the show for a couple of years till I was bombarded with 40+ posters on the way home from…work.