Severance (TV series)

Did You Know?

• An epistolary novel related to the series, Severance: The Lexington Letter, was released by Apple Books.
• A fictional self-help book from the series, The You You Are, was released as an e-book and audiobook read by Michael Chernus.
• The official Severance podcast premiered in January 2025, hosted by Ben Stiller and Adam Scott.

Cast and characters

Adam Scott portrays Mark S./Mark Scout, a former history professor working in Lumon's Macrodata Refinement (MDR) department. Zach Cherry plays Dylan G./Dylan George, a co-worker who enjoys company perks. Britt Lower appears as Helly R./Helena Eagan, a rebellious new severed employee. Tramell Tillman is Seth Milchick, the Deputy Manager on the severed floor. Jen Tullock plays Devon Scout-Hale, Mark's sister. Dichen Lachman portrays Ms. Casey/Gemma Scout, the wellness counselor. Michael Chernus is Ricken Hale, an eccentric self-help author married to Devon. John Turturro plays Irving B./Irving Bailiff, a stickler for company policy drawn to Burt. Christopher Walken appears as Burt G./Burt Goodman, head of Optics and Design who is drawn to Irving. Patricia Arquette portrays Harmony Cobel, the severed floor manager who uses the false identity of Mark's neighbor, Mrs. Selvig. Sarah Bock plays Eustice Huang, the young Deputy Manager in season 2. Michael Cumpsty plays Doug Graner, head of security. Nikki M. James is Alexa, Devon's midwife. Sydney Cole Alexander portrays Natalie Kalen, Lumon's PR representative. Nora Dale plays Gabby Arteta. Mark Kenneth Smaltz appears as Judd, a security guard. Donald Webber Jr., Grace Rex, Annie McNamara, Claudia Robinson, Karen Aldridge, Michael Siberry, Darri Ólafsson, Merritt Wever, and Robby Benson also appear in various roles.

Production

Dan Erickson conceived Severance during a period of depression while working an office job at a door factory after completing his master's degree in television writing. He found the work so monotonous that he wished he could skip the eight-hour workday. Erickson submitted his pilot script to Ben Stiller's production company Red Hour Productions in 2015, and Stiller read it at least five years before the series premiered. Stiller described the project as the longest he had ever worked on. Erickson's earlier versions of the pilot were weirder and included elements such as a disembodied pair of legs running by Mark, a charred floor with burnt desks, and a woman trapped in a glass cubicle. Erickson credited Stiller with grounding the show, noting that Stiller felt the concept was weird enough without additional fantastical elements. Apple TV+ gave Severance a series order in November 2019, with Stiller directing and Scott in the leading role. Stiller initially was only attached to direct the pilot but decided to direct more episodes as development progressed. The series was renewed for a second season on April 6, 2022, and for a third season on March 21, 2025. Beau Willimon was hired as an executive producer and writer for the second and potential third seasons. New showrunners Eli Jorne and Mary Laws joined Erickson for the third season, replacing Chris Black and Mark Friedman.

Reception

In 2025, Severance became the most watched series in the history of Apple TV+. Both seasons have received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the overall series holds a 95% approval rating, and on Metacritic it has a score of 85 out of 100. The first season has a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 117 reviews, with the consensus calling it audacious, mysterious, and insightful about corporate drudgery. Metacritic assigned the first season a score of 83 out of 100, indicating universal acclaim. Lucy Mangan of The Guardian gave the series five out of five, praising Stiller's direction, the writing, and performances by Arquette, Turturro, Walken, and Tillman. Rachael Sigee of I also gave five out of five, praising Scott, Arquette, Turturro, and Walken, and highlighting the world-building, cinematography, and design. Huw Fullerton of Radio Times, John Nugent of Empire, Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone, and Anita Singh of The Telegraph each gave four out of five stars. Patrick Ryan of USA Today gave three and a half out of four stars.

Marketing

The second season of Severance was first hinted at during an Apple event on September 7, 2022, with a brief appearance by Helly. The first actual footage arrived on June 10, 2024, in a promo for upcoming Apple TV+ shows. On July 9, 2024, Apple TV+ posted a video on X featuring a blinking light that spelled out "tomorrow" in Morse code, and the next day confirmed the season would premiere on January 17, 2025. The first trailer dropped on October 23, 2024. Three days before the premiere, on January 14, 2025, Apple TV+ built a glass box replica of the Macrodata Refinement office at Grand Central Terminal. Actors Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Patricia Arquette, Britt Lower, and Tramell Tillman spent about two and a half hours inside, acting as Lumon employees, which drew positive reactions. On March 21, 2025, IKEA in India and Australia ran ads for office supplies mimicking the show’s set, poking fun at the "mysterious and important work" line. On March 26, 2025, cast members including Scott, Lower, Tillman, Cherry, and Gwendoline Christie appeared at Tower Bridge in London to celebrate the season 3 renewal, with balloons featuring Scott’s face. That same day, Apple added a Lumon Terminal Pro to its website’s computer section, though it was not available for purchase, serving as marketing for the show and Apple TV+.