In these seemingly unending days of COVID, the boundaries between work and life haven’t just blurred; they’ve dissolved altogether to make a morass of our waking lives. Now, what if that boundary was not only back in place but also induced by a medical procedure, so our professional and personal lives remain permanently divided?
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That’s the crux of “Severance,” a new series coming to Apple TV+ next month. The show stars Adam Scott as a team-lead whose employees undergo such a procedure. But, of course, there are unforeseen consequences–for both work life and Marks’ sense of self.
Here’s an official synopsis from AppleTV+:
In “Severance,” Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in ‘work-life balance’ is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work… and of himself.
“Severance” also stars Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, Britt Lower, and Zach Cherry. Dichen Lachman, Jen Tullock, Tramell Tillman, and Michael Cherbus also star. Of note: Christopher Walken is also on board.
Dan Erickson writes “Severance” and serves as the series showrunner. Ben Stiller shares co-directing duties with Aoife Mcardle. Stiller also has an executive producer credit for the show.
The real world’s concept of work-life balance may be in flux right now, but it’s not as troubling as the set-up for “Severance.” Check out the show’s take on corporate hellscape when the series premieres on February 18 with two episodes, followed by new episodes weekly for its nine-episode season. Watch the trailer below.