“Severance” On Apple TV+

[ssdesigner]

Sometimes I think the Firefly fans are lucky. They'll always have their one perfect season and the dreams of what might have been, unsullied by messy reality.

I think of video media the same way that I do about my favorite bands. One or two clunkers on an album doesn’t ruin the album or band for me. A bad album with one or two decent songs? I just listen to them and skip the rest.

I wish they would have continued with Firefly, for better or worse. I’d just select the episodes that I like and ignore the rest. Someone else might like the episodes that I do not, and it’s not my place to tell them that their opinions aren’t valid. For me a couple of good examples are The Acolyte and Bad Batch. Not my jam but I know that other folks like them. I wouldn’t petition to let Star Wars die because of my personal opinion on one or two bodies of work. My .02.

 

[renaissance_man]

By the light of Kier, WHAT A FINALE!
So glad the show has already been renewed for season 3.

 

[Noeland]

I gotta say, I don't think any show in history where characters moved from a room on one floor, to the stairwell on another floor felt like such a victory!!

 

[ssdesigner]

I gotta say, I don't think any show in history where characters moved from a room on one floor, to the stairwell on another floor felt like such a victory!!

Please try to enjoy each floor victory equally.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

By the light of Kier, WHAT A FINALE!
So glad the show has already been renewed for season 3.

Great writing, great characters, and a compelling story.

 

[Bloop]

Yeah, great combination of drama and weirdness. I hope we learn more about Mr. Milchick (Seth!!) next season. He's obviously got some backstory that deserves exploring, and Tranwll Tillman's performance of the character is outstanding.

I don't know about anyone else, but I was thinking that reintegration was going to be the path forward for everyone. This episode shot that theory down. And, in doing so, it creates more conflict and even more of a moral dilemma for everyone involved.

 

[renaissance_man]

Yeah, great combination of drama and weirdness. I hope we learn more about Mr. Milchick (Seth!!) next season. He's obviously got some backstory that deserves exploring, and Tranwll Tillman's performance of the character is outstanding.

I don't know about anyone else, but I was thinking that reintegration was going to be the path forward for everyone. This episode shot that theory down. And, in doing so, it creates more conflict and even more of a moral dilemma for everyone involved.

We definitely need a Milchick backstory episode. Why is this intelligent, articulate man working for a company that clearly doesn't value him and is institutionally racist.

There was a big swerve away from reintegration, so much so that it almost felt like the writers got cold feet and decided to go down this new route of having the conflict between Innie and Outie Mark.

I hope they bring Reghabi and Irv back for season 3.
Certainly in Irv's case there is a lot more story to tell, with a lot of unanswered questions surrounding his character.

 

[Uridium]

Not reading this thread as my wife an I are late to the party and are currently in the early episodes in season 2.

Just thought I would share a pic I snapped on my commute this morning (London, crossing London Bridge), there were a couple of 'severed' employees walking along with the rest of us heading to work.

Seems to be some viral marketing in London today.

 

[jts1031]

The big question I'm still waiting for them to answer is "why Mark and Gemma?" For season 3, both show runners have been replaced and the entire writers room as well. I'm hoping that doesn't impact the quality, but I do find it a bit concerning.

 

[TimDRX]

The big question I'm still waiting for them to answer is "why Mark and Gemma?" For season 3, both show runners have been replaced and the entire writers room as well. I'm hoping that doesn't impact the quality, but I do find it a bit concerning.

Dan Erickson is still the main showrunner, and Ben Stiller is still executive producer alongside him.

 

[Noeland]

It's Dan and Ben's party, so as long as they are not replaced, I think the show will be just fine creatively.

 

[renaissance_man]

The big question I'm still waiting for them to answer is "why Mark and Gemma?" For season 3, both show runners have been replaced and the entire writers room as well. I'm hoping that doesn't impact the quality, but I do find it a bit concerning.

Sounds like they are trying to reduce costs, I read somewhere that the production company lost a lot of money keeping the show going during the pandemic and multiple strikes over the years.
It's a weirdly expensive show for one that has limited sets and location work and no VFX. Costing $20 million an episode.
Don't get me wrong the show is excellent, but compared to another Apple show like Foundation which shoots globally, has elaborate sets, costumes and props and a larger cast it's harder to see where Severance spends the money by comparison.

 

[TimDRX]

Sounds like they are trying to reduce costs, I read somewhere that the production company lost a lot of money keeping the show going during the pandemic and multiple strikes over the years.
It's a weirdly expensive show for one that has limited sets and location work and no VFX. Costing $20 million an episode.
Don't get me wrong the show is excellent, but compared to another Apple show like Foundation which shoots globally, has elaborate sets, costumes and props and a larger cast it's harder to see where Severance spends the money by comparison.

Season 2 presumably cost a lot more than it ordinarily would have because of the interruptions by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. While Season 1 took about 6 months to film, Season 2 took 1.5 years. All the time they're not filming isn't free - they're paying rent on sets and having to pay out contract clauses for anywhere and anyone they had engaged for work that they currently can't do.

 

[AnubisGuard]

It's a weirdly expensive show for one that has limited sets and location work and no VFX. Costing $20 million an episode.

There's quite a lot of VFX, actually. But I agree it's more expensive than seems reasonable.

 

[renaissance_man]

There's quite a lot of VFX, actually. But I agree it's more expensive than seems reasonable.

There's no CGI, the Severance podcasts with Adam and Ben are quite adamant about that.

 

[renaissance_man]

I just saw this interesting article.

Apple 'Launches' Lumon Terminal Pro from Hit Apple TV+ Series 'Severance'

 

[AnubisGuard]

There's no CGI, the Severance podcasts with Adam and Ben are quite adamant about that.

It...it literally shows CGI in the VFX breakdown in my post you're quoting.

 

[renaissance_man]

It...it literally shows CGI in the VFX breakdown in my post you're quoting.

I'm not disputing that but if you listen to the podcasts they often make reference to not using CGI.
There's a scene in episode 7, a transition from MDR down to the floor below where the character doubles were monitoring the team along with Drummond and Maur apparently had "no CGI" according to Ben Stiller, until you listened to an interview with the episode's director Jessica Lee Gagne when she said there was one shot where they used CGI as a transition.
I think it is that fairly common thing now where creatives like to say "we didn't use CGI". It's all about invisible VFX as opposed to something very obvious like a CG creature or environment in something more overtly sci-fi.

 

[3Dsf]

Have you noticed that the Lumon computer terminal keyboard is prominently missing keys on the left side?

Specifically "control" and "escape".

Talk about attention to detail!

 

[renaissance_man]

Have you noticed that the Lumon computer terminal keyboard is prominently missing keys on the left side?

Specifically "control" and "escape".

Talk about attention to detail!

Yes, that was clearly a deliberate choice, as the characters themselves have no option of escape. They've thought through a lot of detail.

I saw a panel with the whole cast along with Ben Stiller the other day and Ben said that Cat Miller the prop master was the one who added the pop-up waffle in Mark's card that he received from Milchick in episode 10, that wasn't in the script. The art department clearly enjoy their work and will go the extra mile for the show.