# Anyone watching Severance (new show on Apple TV)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, apple\ **Created:** [February 28, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238 "2022-02-28T16:28:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/181 "2022-09-19T23:52:23Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > f the department is that important, then I would think there would be many more eyes on them watching their every move. To me it seemed that, whatever else it might be, it is now a large medical products company. I seem to recall alumni logos on things in Cobel’s shrine. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/182 "2022-09-19T23:54:22Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Irv’s accent turns hilariously to faux-British when in the presence of Burt. His accent the entire time is a put-on not-John-Turturro’s-real-accent. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/183 "2022-09-20T02:36:20Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I thought it was clear from the stairwell scenes that he knew exactly who she was. Yeah, the egg thing was part of the test, since that’s one of the questions they Mark asks her. And Cobel knew who she was, since she went to the gala when she realized they were all awake. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/184 "2022-09-20T09:50:14Z")
> [@Oswald\_Bastable](#): > > Also interesting that it seems apparent that she’s lost someone important to her in the past (from the way she also hugged the respirator tube/hospital wristband combo after she tore up her Kier shrine), maybe even her child (?). The ID on the wristband said, “Cobel, Charlotte DOB: 3-17-44” so I think the consensus is it’s her mother, but I guess we’ll find out. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/185 "2022-09-20T10:11:09Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > A sad thought on the reason for that scene: because this guy took credit for finding Eleanor, no one will know that Mark knew she was found. So their interpretation will be that “she’s alive” refers to Eleanor, not Gemma. I thought that too for a moment but then I realized that as he comes rushing into the room, he’s holding the wedding photo of him and Gemma. Devon seems smart enough to figure out who he meant. Unless… she’s one of them! ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/186 "2022-09-20T10:16:39Z")
And I just want to say how sad it is that, after seeing the scene of topless Mark in his underwear, Adam Scott has really let his abs go since filming Step Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/187 "2022-09-21T19:37:02Z")
I loved this show. One thing I noticed that I haven’t seen people mention is that there’s a clue in the character names that Ms. Casey was Gemma. I predicted it around episode 4, I think. The main character is Mark, and he’s a disciple of Peter. So immediately I started looking at this as a Christian allegory. Then who’s our Christ character? It was interesting that everyone except Ms. Casey was referred to by their first name. Why would that be. Because her first name is Gemma. (soft-G)C = JC = Jesus. Died and risen from the dead. I also thought she’d be the one who had helped Petey reintegrate, that she was secretly unsevered and a mole in the organization but… that was not right. Or at least seems unlikely, since the nature of her “death” and her character remains to be seen. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/188 "2022-09-21T21:23:06Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > And I just want to say how sad it is that, after seeing the scene of topless Mark in his underwear, Adam Scott has really let his abs go since filming Step Brothers. Seriously? You are body shaming an actor for failing to maintain an unrealistic ideal? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/189 "2022-09-21T21:32:58Z")
I’m thinking it’s a joke since his scene in Step Brothers is obviously a body double. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/190 "2022-09-21T23:20:36Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Seriously? You are body shaming an actor for failing to maintain an unrealistic ideal? lol, relax. Like AlsoNamedBort said, it’s a joke referencing another very clear joke in Step Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/191 "2022-09-21T23:22:10Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > it was very clearly a joke in Step Brothers. Only to people who know anything about that movie. If you aren’t going to tip your hand regarding what the joke is, then you should expect such reactions. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/192 "2022-09-22T00:48:31Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Only to people who know anything about that movie. No shit. > [@Acsenray](#): > > If you aren’t going to tip your hand regarding what the joke is, then you should expect such reactions. I would like to except that someones first reaction would be to make sure they understood the context before they found it necessary to level a false and hurtful accusation. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/193 "2022-09-22T01:01:07Z")
When you are online it’s your responsibility to provide the context if it isn’t already apparent. A joke like that looks exactly like the kind of sincere comment that appears online all the time. > **[Poe's law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe's_law)** > > Poe's law is an adage of Internet culture saying that, without a clear indicator of the author's intent, any parody of extreme views can be mistaken by some readers for a sincere expression of the views being parodied. > Poe's law is based on a comment written by Nathan Poe in 2005 on christianforums.com, an Internet forum on Christianity. The message was posted during a debate on creationism, where a previous poster had remarked to another user: "Good thing you included the winky. Otherwise pe... ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/194 "2022-09-22T01:24:54Z")
If you were unaware of the context, why did you think he was referring to an unrealistic body image? It was clearly an over-the-top comment that tipped itself to a possible joke. Best to admit you didn’t get the reference and ask for clarification than accuse someone of such a comment. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/195 "2022-09-22T01:41:27Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > It was interesting that everyone except Ms. Casey was referred to by their first name. Why would that be. Because her first name is Gemma. (soft-G)C = JC = Jesus. Died and risen from the dead. Hmm… If it were the case, wouldn’t it have been more logical to name her Julie or Jennifer? It doesn’t make sense to name her “G…” and hope people make the leap. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/196 "2022-09-22T02:04:52Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > If you were unaware of the context, why did you think he was referring to an unrealistic body image? It was clearly an over-the-top comment that tipped itself to a possible joke. Best to admit you didn’t get the reference and ask for clarification than accuse someone of such a comment. I’m going to stop responding after this:Tthis is the internet where you are speaking to strangers who don’t know you and can’t see your body language or hear your tone of voice. It is _your burden_ to ensure that your motives are not misunderstood. It is apparent that I didn’t get the reference; it requires no “admission” on my part. It was the other speaker’s burden to provide the context to ensure that it was interpreted as a joke and not taken on its face. There’s nothing so over-the-top about that comment that one wouldn’t expect to see something like it sincerely expressed online. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.E](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.e/32/8932_2.png) [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/197 "2022-09-22T02:24:39Z")
Here’s my theory, long after the fact: the severance chip has a secret off-label function in that it can reboot a comatose brain. Victims wake up exactly like any other severed with amnesia, but they’re awake and functional again. Mark’s wife didn’t die in a car accident, she was in a coma and her death was faked and her body taken by Lumon for testing. I suspect all “part-timers” like Ms. Casey are coma victims that have no “outie” life and are just woken up as needed on an hour-by-hour basis, which is why Ms. Casey has only had about 100 hours of conscious existence. Ms. Cobel has someone close to her in a coma. This is indicated by the medical equipment and hospital band on her basement shrine. She took a special interest in Mark because she’s invested in the idea that severance can be subverted. She accepts that re-integration is possible against the insistence of the board, and she was hoping that she could induce some kind of response between Mark and Ms. Casey. It’s why she stole the candle from Mark’s basement and exposed his innie to it with Ms. Casey. It’s why she assigned Ms. Casey to hang out in Mark’s department. In the end, she concluded they could not remember each other and sent Ms. Casey back to storage. Lastly, this may be obvious and/or a reach, but it’s pretty clear the Eagans have been messing with consciousness for a long time, probably via occult rituals. Old Eagan mentions his “revolving” to Jelly, which sounds like code for “time to transfer my mind into a new body” or something. The severance implants are just their newest technique, possibly built on the old rituals. It remains to be seen if wide adoption of Severance is fueled by capitalist greed or evil ambition (then again, what’s the difference am I right?) ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/198 "2022-09-22T05:21:49Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > When you are online it’s your responsibility to provide the context if it isn’t already apparent. As proven by AlsoNamedBort, it was clearly apparent. I have no responsibility to make sure it is apparent to every. single. person. who reads the post. Or is pathologically strict adherence to Poe’s law part of the rules of this forum? Every sarcastic opinion needs an asterisk? Every ironic utterance needs an emoji? Every inside joke needs a footnote? ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/199 "2022-09-22T05:31:45Z")
nm * * * ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238/200 "2022-09-22T15:41:14Z")
I agree that would be more obvious, but it still seems quite intentional to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-severance-new-show-on-apple-tv/960238.md?page=11)