Graphic by Lauren Miller

After a long-awaited second season that delivered on its promise, Severance has solidified itself as the best series on TV right now. Created by Dan Erickson and largely directed by comedy icon Ben Stiller, the Apple TV+ series follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), who has elected to undergo the mysterious procedure known as severance, wherein a microchip will be placed into his head that “severs” his work life and his home life. Each day when he goes to work, he becomes his “innie,” a version of himself who doesn’t remember anything about the world outside of the Lumon Industries building, and when he leaves, he’s an “outie,” oblivious to what happened inside the building or what he is working on. It’s quite hard to explain on paper, but the show completes all the setup within its stunning pilot episode, simultaneously hooking viewers and easing them into the wild ride ahead.

In the first scene of the series, we see a woman unconscious atop an office table, a speaker placed atop an office table. After a brief silence, we hear a voice on the other side ask, “who are you?” This is perhaps the defining question of the series: who are we depending on our environment, the people around us, and the information we are given?

The “innies” are effectively born on the first day they start their job, and they understand no more than what they have seen or been told. It’s a fascinating character study of how we react to the situations we are put in. If you see the same three people every day, wouldn’t you inevitably fall in love with one of them? Would you come to hate your “outie” self if they refused to let you resign? These are just some of the questions the show encourages the viewer to consider.

Anchoring these heavy questions is a cast ready to take them on. With the extra challenge of portraying two versions of the same person, the series ensemble delivers on the show’s wacky concept, bringing different nuances to both their “innies” and “outies.” Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) delivers one of the best pivots to a dramatic role by a former comedic actor, carrying the weight of the show on his back as series’ lead, Mark Scout. Without an actor as capable as Scott, the show would not succeed, and Scott perfectly understood the importance of the task. Zach Cherry (Fallout) brings a razor-sharp comedic relief to the series, providing levity to its usually solemn tone. John Turturro (The Big Lebowski) is the beating heart of the show, portraying a character very easy for the audience to empathize with and root for. But the performance that sells the entire series, and is largely the reason it remains one of the best on television, is breakout star Britt Lower as Helly R. 

Helly is the woman we see in that first shot, sprawled out on the office table. The viewer’s first experience of the show is Helly’s first day. Our first time seeing the Lumon office building and meeting the coworkers is her first time seeing the Lumon office building and meeting the coworkers. We experience the show through Helly’s eyes, and there is an argument to be made that she is therefore the protagonist. Lower does everything the other cast members due and more. She’s essentially the full package: funny, likeable, and provides emotional depth.. Helly exerts control over the Lumon employees as Lower does over the series. 

“Helly is one of my favorite characters because there are so many intricacies in both her ‘innie’ personality and her ‘outie’ personality,” Spanish teacher Ms. Kerry Castello, an avid fan of the show, stated.

While Helly may come off as one-note because she is defined by a singular emotion, anger, Lower is fun to watch because she displays so many complexities within her performance, making it impossible for the viewer to tear away when she’s on the screen. She should be lauded with praise and awards as a compelling contender for one of the best TV performances of the 21st century.

The performances all serve the show’s conceptual and visual aspects. Severance’s science fiction premise is unique yet surprisingly simple; it’s almost astounding that it hasn’t been executed until now. The series creators don’t miss a beat when it comes to the mythology of the show, however. The amount of care, on-screen and off-screen, they poured into the series has set a new precedent for television producers in the modern era. 

The show had a neurosurgeon consultant to ensure that the brain procedures we see and hear are scientifically accurate. Production designer Jeremy Hindle drew from the 1967 French film Playtime to create a distinct visual aesthetic for the show, characterized by long white hallways and neon green carpets that are now easily recognizable. This attention to detail and care for the craft can also be seen in the show’s excellent use of foreshadowing, as well as the subtle clues scattered throughout the episodes. Severance forces the viewer to think about how a painting in the background of a shot can hint at Lumon’s true intentions or how the split-second facial expression of a character can convey different emotions than their words. 

“There is not a single episode thus far where every single detail does not mean something,” says Castello.

It’s the type of show that requires active watching, a rare treat in our modern landscape full of Netflix series that seem intentionally designed for people to passively consume while scrolling on their phones.

Despite being the most watched series on Apple TV+, receiving near universal critical acclaim and being nominated for 14 Emmys for the first season alone, the show is still nowhere near is a big as middling action dramas like Amazon Prime Video’s Reacher. The fact that a $200 million television series in 2025 that was able to maintain its quality between two far-apart seasons (over three years passed between the two seasons, largely due to SAG and WGA strike setbacks) and boasts a supporting cast full of TV and movie stars alike is not the biggest show in the country is quite shocking. Unfortunately, it’s locked behind a streaming service not many people subscribe to. But if you’re looking for a show that is perfect for discussing with friends and family, that serves great as both a binge and a weekly watch, and that has more passion poured into it than every Netflix phone-scroller combined, Severance is well worth your time.

A Spring 2025 Watch Guide 

The current state of TV is arguably better than it has ever been in the last five years. So many great shows rarely air at the same time, but the first few months of 2025 have been an exception to this precedent. With so much content dropping and even more to look forward to (I personally can’t wait for the second seasons of The Last of Us, Andor, and The Rehearsal, all of which drop later this month), it can be hard to decide where to start. To help ease this choice paralysis, I’ve curated a watch guide of almost all (I say almost, notably missing The Pitt) of these current shows and broken them down into categories. Below, you will find them sorted into “must watch,” “maybe watch,” and “should skip,” as well as a student recommendation from junior Sydney Saeed, so you can get the best out of your viewing time (after you finish binge-watching Severance, of course).

Must Watch:

The White Lotus

• Watch If You Like: Rich-people problems, exploring the world through your TV screen, engrossing characters and performances
• For Fans Of: Nine Perfect Strangers, Big Little Lies, The Perfect Couple

Adolescence

• Watch If You Like: Masterful cinematography, heart-wrenching drama, explorations into social media and our modern society
• For Fans Of: Unbelievable, Boiling Point, Presumed Innocent

The Studio

• Watch If You Like: The inner workings of Hollywood, celebrity cameos, cringeworthy comedy
• For Fans Of: The Franchise, The Bear, 30 Rock

Maybe Watch:

Daredevil: Born Again

• Watch If You Like: Superheroes, legal dramas, “case of the week” structure
• For Fans Of: Netflix’s Daredevil,