A friend recently asked if I’d seen Severance. I said, “I want to, but I don’t have Apple TV.” She rolled her eyes and said in a somewhat incredulous (and I might add a bit condescending ;-), “Dan, it’s $9.99.”
And that’s when it hit me—that’s less than a movie ticket in 2000, yet I hesitated. Meanwhile, I’ll spend $8 on an airport coffee without thinking twice. It’s funny how we sometimes deny ourselves the simplest pleasures because of old habits and ingrained thinking. So I splurged, signed up, and binged on Severance (I am now caught up and waiting for the next drop!).
Is it a metaphor? An allegory? A fever dream about corporate life? I have no clue and am often left scratching my head. But Severance is weird, unsettling, and completely addictive… The premise? A bunch of corporate workers undergo a procedure that literally splits their work and personal selves. One half of you grinds away in a soulless office, completely unaware of the other half who gets to live a normal life. Aside from procedure, it sounds somewhat familiar, right?
It’s confusing and unsettling, and I’m not totally sure what it’s trying to say—but I can’t stop watching.
BTW- If you have any good entertainment tips (books, movies, podcasts, restaurants, etc), whether they are industry-related or not please email them to dan@sassato.com.
