Severance, Season 1

What’s it about?

Severance is a psychological thriller series about the consequences of work-life balance taken to an extreme. Employees at Lumon Industries undergo a procedure called “severance,” which surgically divides their memories and consciousness between work and personal life.

The facts

• Directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle
• Stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken
• English language
• Runtime: 9 episodes, between 40min – 1hr long.

Why did it get this rating?

This series was self-rated by Apple TV+. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Cruelty

The “innie” (work persona) of a character has no knowledge of their outside life. They have no say in their existence, effectively becoming a permanent worker with no autonomy or life beyond the workplace.

Cruelty is a core element of the series, mainly depicted through psychological and emotional manipulation. Lumon Industries has control over its employees. Employees who are disobedient are sent to a room where they are psychologically tortured for hours.

Offensive language

In Severance, swearing is infrequent. The words “sh*t” and “f*ck” are used occasionally.

Sex scenes

Season One of Severance contains minimal sexual content. There are a few brief references and interactions that touch on sexual themes including a growing attraction between two characters, and a scene that implies that characters had spent the night together after a date.

Suicide and self-harm

Themes of suicide and self-harm are depicted for characters who struggle with their severed existence. A character’s mental decline and feeling of hopelessness due to the severance procedure are key plot points. A character threatens to cut off their fingers with a guillotine, and later attempts suicide. The scene is brief but clear and may be upsetting for younger viewers and those affected by suicide.

Horror

Each episode contains psychological and dystopian horror elements. The characters’ "innie" personas are trapped at work forever, with no access to personal experiences, relationships, or even rest. The surgical procedure of severance may disturb younger viewers as it depicts the process of surgically altering the brain with the insertion of a device.

The office setting is sterile and empty with endless white hallways making the workplace seem like a labyrinth. The strange tasks and rules give the impression of something sinister and employees know little about their own existence or the company's true purpose.

Violence

There is mild violence depicted in this series, including scenes where characters are physically restrained or dragged against their will. There are brief physical altercations involving shoving and punching, though the scenes are not prolonged or particularly graphic.

Helplines:

Suicide themes could be upsetting for some viewers, especially for those who have gone through similar experiences. If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen please reach out for help. If you or someone you know needs to talk:

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• How the Team Behind Severance Made the Second Season Worth the Wait (Time Article)