After spending most of the time outside the office last week, Severance brings the story back into Lumon. The instigators of the Macrodata Uprising continue their good work in fighting for innie rights.
The overall feeling of the episode is bizarre. The group’s search for answers further builds the world of the severed floors, particularly a call back to a lone employee feeding baby goats in “The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design.” From the entrance to inside the office to the employees, the weirdness and uncomfortable feeling add to the general aura of mystery surrounding Lumon as if anything could be happening. Through the interactions, despite the guarded nature, we receive a better idea of who Ms. Casey is as the goat department are complementary of the wellness counselor.
Another strange encounter involves Dylan and his reward for his good behavior and work output. It begins blurring the lines between the two separate lives of people in the severance program. The scenes are sweet and provide a child like curiosity. They make you realize, compounded with the goat workers, how sheltered the innies really are. Whether it’s their beliefs or awkward social skills with strangers, many have an immaturity about them.
Speaking of socially awkward, Mark and Helly have been unable to capture the magic that led to their brief moment prior to the overtime contingency in season one. This is the first real time they have spent together recently, and Helly seems too anxious when she’s with him. Love can do that. But can it also cause a painfully uncomfortable minute of an attempted kiss and stupid grins when you already know the feelings are there?
Management isn’t exempt from the bizarre on Severance either. Milchick is as dedicated to Lumon as they come, but there is at least one thing that wavers his loyalty. A well intentioned gift shows how out of touch big time CEOs can be. Despite his words of gratitude, Milchick has no time for that foolishness. I’m surprised how much he kept bottled in. One of the few aspects that didn’t work related to Milchick’s predecessor, Ms. Cobel. Her storyline was long and drawn out, and didn’t lead to anything. It’s more to remind people she’s still around rather than evolving into anything significant.
At least Irving is around to lift our spirits during his heartwarming reunion at the Optics and Design division. In Felicia, he has another person to reminisce with about the good times with Burt. We know how crushed Irv was in the season two premiere, and it only further reinforces how much Burt meant to him. It’s good to see him genuinely smiling and laughing. But the meeting has another purpose as we receive a possible lead on his outties paintings and Ms. Casey.
Severance saves the best for last with a completely out there development. It is unexpected, or at least so soon, and it showcases outtie Mark’s desperation to learn about his wife. There are some trippy special effects and references to previous events, and overall, a cool way to end the episode.
“Who Is Alive?” is a bizarre experience all around that advances many mysteries surrounding the series.
New episodes of Severance release Fridays on Apple TV+.
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