Severance: What’s For Dinner?
March 31, 2022 7:43 PM - Season 1, Episode 8 - Subscribe
The team prepares a plan. Mark attends Devon and Ricken's party.
So that’s what a waffle party is.
So that’s what a waffle party is.
This show is wildly compelling and totally bonkers weird in the most unexpected ways. That 8 bit animation! The waffle party dancers!
- So Helly's at the Gala, it seems?
- Irving's art, has he been reset/resevered multiple times?
- oh poor sweet Miss Casey I hope she has her revenge
- Where's Burt? We can't have seen the last of him.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 8:01 PM on March 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
- So Helly's at the Gala, it seems?
- Irving's art, has he been reset/resevered multiple times?
- oh poor sweet Miss Casey I hope she has her revenge
- Where's Burt? We can't have seen the last of him.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 8:01 PM on March 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Well that was delicious.
I love that Irving is an artist. (And also house painter? His jeans have a lot of white paint...) It explains both the black on his fingers and also the black goo hallucinations. But also it explains his love for the paintings of Optics and Design. One of my concerns in a show like this is they have all these weird things that are just never ever explained. Well a lot of Irving all got explained and with a parsimonious backstory.
I also love that Harmony has apparently defected entirely. That sure shakes everything up. I suspect that's the hook that makes the Season 2 possible.
By contrast the fate of Miss Casey is just awful. The moment where she says "I've been awake for 108 hours" and fully recognizes her demise coming. And then asks Milchick for some information about her outie, the thing that's ordinarily her job to reassure the innies about.
That's one hell of a waffle party. Even Baphomet's invited!
posted by Nelson at 8:12 PM on March 31, 2022 [5 favorites]
I love that Irving is an artist. (And also house painter? His jeans have a lot of white paint...) It explains both the black on his fingers and also the black goo hallucinations. But also it explains his love for the paintings of Optics and Design. One of my concerns in a show like this is they have all these weird things that are just never ever explained. Well a lot of Irving all got explained and with a parsimonious backstory.
I also love that Harmony has apparently defected entirely. That sure shakes everything up. I suspect that's the hook that makes the Season 2 possible.
By contrast the fate of Miss Casey is just awful. The moment where she says "I've been awake for 108 hours" and fully recognizes her demise coming. And then asks Milchick for some information about her outie, the thing that's ordinarily her job to reassure the innies about.
That's one hell of a waffle party. Even Baphomet's invited!
posted by Nelson at 8:12 PM on March 31, 2022 [5 favorites]
Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog (non 8-bit version)
It seems the waffle party is recreating one of the paintings seen earlier, the one where Kier whips the goat-man.
posted by Monochrome at 8:49 PM on March 31, 2022 [5 favorites]
It seems the waffle party is recreating one of the paintings seen earlier, the one where Kier whips the goat-man.
posted by Monochrome at 8:49 PM on March 31, 2022 [5 favorites]
I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen next at any point in this show and I love it.
posted by simonw at 9:23 PM on March 31, 2022 [11 favorites]
posted by simonw at 9:23 PM on March 31, 2022 [11 favorites]
I started a rewatch, and I noticed that in the team social game for MDR Milchick said that "Helly definitely has a family". I'm guessing she's a Kier, or perhaps related to the pro-Lumon senator.
posted by kandinski at 11:31 PM on March 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by kandinski at 11:31 PM on March 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Clearly, waffles are a gateway food.
posted by Pronoiac at 11:38 PM on March 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Pronoiac at 11:38 PM on March 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
I like the fact that rejection of the company and the promise of revolution have made them into a genuine team.
posted by Grangousier at 3:48 AM on April 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 3:48 AM on April 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
oh Helly is DEFINITELY a member of the Kier family
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:23 AM on April 1, 2022
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:23 AM on April 1, 2022
My interpretation of the other management modes available in the security office:
posted by Rock Steady at 5:45 AM on April 1, 2022 [26 favorites]
- Beehive - Some sort of hyper-focus mode, for when you've really got to refine more data
- Branch Transfer - Delete Innie memories only
- Clean Slate - Delete all memories (what is about to happen to Ms Casey)
- Elephant - Activates enhanced memory forming, useful during training
- Freeze Frame - Either a "screencap" of whatever the person is currently looking at OR some sort of induced paralysis
- Glasgow - ???
- Goldfish - Prevents formation of memories
- Lullaby - Sleep
- Open House - Activates Outie while in Innie space (opposite of Overtime)
- Overtime - Activates Innie while in Outie space (opposite of Open House)
posted by Rock Steady at 5:45 AM on April 1, 2022 [26 favorites]
Glasgow - ???
Maybe an induced coma? As in Glasgow Coma Scale.
posted by good in a vacuum at 6:29 AM on April 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
Maybe an induced coma? As in Glasgow Coma Scale.
posted by good in a vacuum at 6:29 AM on April 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
Current theory is that Mark's wife was braindead but they can revive her with severance (maybe she donated her body to science). When she's not severed she's in a coma
posted by dis_integration at 6:44 AM on April 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by dis_integration at 6:44 AM on April 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
In case anyone else missed this, from the Vulture review:
We find out that the perk he requested from Milchick is one of those laser-cut glass photos of the entire MDR team. Awwww.
posted by ellieBOA at 7:05 AM on April 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
We find out that the perk he requested from Milchick is one of those laser-cut glass photos of the entire MDR team. Awwww.
posted by ellieBOA at 7:05 AM on April 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
We find out that the perk he requested from Milchick is one of those laser-cut glass photos of the entire MDR team.
Before the reveal I was thinking it might be some sort of extendable tool to help him reach and turn the switches in the security office. Like a telescoping baton or an articulated grabber claw thing. But maybe something like that would have made Milchick suspicious, and it certainly would have reduced the tension of the last 60 seconds or so of the episode.
posted by good in a vacuum at 7:34 AM on April 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Before the reveal I was thinking it might be some sort of extendable tool to help him reach and turn the switches in the security office. Like a telescoping baton or an articulated grabber claw thing. But maybe something like that would have made Milchick suspicious, and it certainly would have reduced the tension of the last 60 seconds or so of the episode.
posted by good in a vacuum at 7:34 AM on April 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Oh my god what an episode.
Ok so Irving must have seen the elevator to the training room (I think that's where they sent Ms. Casey) at some point because he obviously has some kind of subconscious memory of it to paint it. I wonder what goes on in there? And his innie has thoughts of the black paint. Obviously some kind of memory leakage happening.
Yes, Helly is someone high-up at Lumon.
This is going to be so interesting. Irving will wake up in his studio, Mark will wake up while talking to Harmony, and Helly will wake up at a Lumon gathering. What then? They just start telling anyone in their vicinity how messed up Lumon is?
That waffle party was not quite what I was expecting.
I love that Irving is into Motörhead.
This show, man. It's so good.
posted by bondcliff at 7:35 AM on April 1, 2022 [8 favorites]
Ok so Irving must have seen the elevator to the training room (I think that's where they sent Ms. Casey) at some point because he obviously has some kind of subconscious memory of it to paint it. I wonder what goes on in there? And his innie has thoughts of the black paint. Obviously some kind of memory leakage happening.
Yes, Helly is someone high-up at Lumon.
This is going to be so interesting. Irving will wake up in his studio, Mark will wake up while talking to Harmony, and Helly will wake up at a Lumon gathering. What then? They just start telling anyone in their vicinity how messed up Lumon is?
That waffle party was not quite what I was expecting.
I love that Irving is into Motörhead.
This show, man. It's so good.
posted by bondcliff at 7:35 AM on April 1, 2022 [8 favorites]
Current theory is that Mark's wife was braindead but they can revive her with severance
"No one gets to just turn you off."
posted by Grangousier at 7:53 AM on April 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
"No one gets to just turn you off."
posted by Grangousier at 7:53 AM on April 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
This probably won’t happen next episode, but it would be funny if it did:
The switch is flipped. Mark S. recoils from Selvig/Cobel into the arms of Ricken. In awe, he tells Ricken-messiah everything. Ricken, with a new sense of purpose, marches right down to Lumon. Right in the middle of the gala, with the celebrities on thered blue carpet, Ricken makes his move. He TPs kelps the place. Just kelps the absolute shit outta it. He stands back and admires his work. Fuck yeah.
posted by Monochrome at 8:11 AM on April 1, 2022 [22 favorites]
The switch is flipped. Mark S. recoils from Selvig/Cobel into the arms of Ricken. In awe, he tells Ricken-messiah everything. Ricken, with a new sense of purpose, marches right down to Lumon. Right in the middle of the gala, with the celebrities on the
posted by Monochrome at 8:11 AM on April 1, 2022 [22 favorites]
We find out that the perk he requested from Milchick is one of those laser-cut glass photos of the entire MDR team. Awwww.
He knows there is a very good chance he will never see them again.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:46 AM on April 1, 2022 [13 favorites]
He knows there is a very good chance he will never see them again.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:46 AM on April 1, 2022 [13 favorites]
I loved it. Great pacing, fade to black left me wanting more.
Thoughts:
posted by hijinx at 9:16 AM on April 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
Thoughts:
- Helly was also sporting Lumon blue on her dress, wasn’t she?
- Irv has so many paintings of that hallway. How often has he been there? How does his outie interpret painting the same thing dozens of times? Where’s the therapist in this town and how busy are they?
- The apartments of Irv and Mark are sad times.
- The Friends of Lumon party is going to be filled with awful people.
- What were Milchick and Cobel looking for while viewing Helly get to 100%? She’s the next chosen one, right? Also, “I love you”? Creepy computer.
posted by hijinx at 9:16 AM on April 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
RIP "Melly" (or Hark?) - we hardly knew ye.
I referred to that reveal as Chekhov's Gala. And now Inside H. will learn she's one of the evil group that's done terrible things to her friends, including a man she's falling in love with - and his "dead"(?) wife. Although she might not know the latter. I feel bad for Inside H.
And Mark won't immediately recall his wife. So how will he learn of her? (Sister? Cobel?)
When Irving "wakes up" (that's how I think of it), is he just going to look for Burt? Will we find out why his subconscious recalls Testing?
After that creepy corporate S&M waffle party , I joked on Twitter last night, "That was one weird Severance / Parks and Rec crossover.
posted by NorthernLite at 9:37 AM on April 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
I referred to that reveal as Chekhov's Gala. And now Inside H. will learn she's one of the evil group that's done terrible things to her friends, including a man she's falling in love with - and his "dead"(?) wife. Although she might not know the latter. I feel bad for Inside H.
And Mark won't immediately recall his wife. So how will he learn of her? (Sister? Cobel?)
When Irving "wakes up" (that's how I think of it), is he just going to look for Burt? Will we find out why his subconscious recalls Testing?
After that creepy corporate S&M waffle party , I joked on Twitter last night, "That was one weird Severance / Parks and Rec crossover.
posted by NorthernLite at 9:37 AM on April 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
Irv has so many paintings of that hallway. How often has he been there? How does his outie interpret painting the same thing dozens of times?
It might not even be that he's gone very many times, it might be that the experience itself is just so traumatic that any visits to it managed to leak out and scar his outtie self without him knowing. I bet Harmony would be interested in seeing his work since it's a pretty good bit of evidence that the Severance isn't as clean as they claim it is (and at this ponit I thin kthe Board knows and wants it to be this way so they can influence outties in the long run, in addition to the babies they're severing and whatnot)
posted by GoblinHoney at 9:48 AM on April 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
It might not even be that he's gone very many times, it might be that the experience itself is just so traumatic that any visits to it managed to leak out and scar his outtie self without him knowing. I bet Harmony would be interested in seeing his work since it's a pretty good bit of evidence that the Severance isn't as clean as they claim it is (and at this ponit I thin kthe Board knows and wants it to be this way so they can influence outties in the long run, in addition to the babies they're severing and whatnot)
posted by GoblinHoney at 9:48 AM on April 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen next at any point in this show and I love it.
posted by simonw at 5:23 AM on April 1
If you love Severance but you've not watched The Leftovers, then you absolutely need to watch all 3 seasons once Ep. 9 of Severance is out of the way next week.
posted by essexjan at 10:12 AM on April 1, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by simonw at 5:23 AM on April 1
If you love Severance but you've not watched The Leftovers, then you absolutely need to watch all 3 seasons once Ep. 9 of Severance is out of the way next week.
posted by essexjan at 10:12 AM on April 1, 2022 [10 favorites]
The waffle party reveal makes me deeply concerned about what might be going on with the finger traps.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 2:52 PM on April 1, 2022 [11 favorites]
posted by Parasite Unseen at 2:52 PM on April 1, 2022 [11 favorites]
wait is this not what “waffle party” means to some people
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:42 PM on April 1, 2022 [21 favorites]
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:42 PM on April 1, 2022 [21 favorites]
Thoughts:
-Ah, the black goo Irving sees at Lumon echoes his outie's black paint
-I would not have pegged Irving as a Motorhead fan
-More of Mark S. as a manager trying to do right by his team
-Lumon has cameras inside of the refiners' monitors - a la _Nineteen Eighty-Four_
-love the 8-bit Kier cutscene
-retiring = death ("Mr. Graner has retired")
-the death corridor (down which Ms. Casey exits) is horrifying, mythic
-Dylan, "a man whose mind is as sharp as his incisors"
-love the egg bar music and decor
-the revenge of Natalie!
-the Board reminds me of a spirit box
-Irving's smooshing the egg into the book is just, yet so so terrible
-Milchik is so, so cold to Ms. Cobel as she exits
-Helly's desperate kiss
-the Zardoz-like waffle party
-Ms. Cobel's iconoclastic frenzy
-the real sweetness of what Dylan requested for his award
-CLIFFHANGER
posted by doctornemo at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
-Ah, the black goo Irving sees at Lumon echoes his outie's black paint
-I would not have pegged Irving as a Motorhead fan
-More of Mark S. as a manager trying to do right by his team
-Lumon has cameras inside of the refiners' monitors - a la _Nineteen Eighty-Four_
-love the 8-bit Kier cutscene
-retiring = death ("Mr. Graner has retired")
-the death corridor (down which Ms. Casey exits) is horrifying, mythic
-Dylan, "a man whose mind is as sharp as his incisors"
-love the egg bar music and decor
-the revenge of Natalie!
-the Board reminds me of a spirit box
-Irving's smooshing the egg into the book is just, yet so so terrible
-Milchik is so, so cold to Ms. Cobel as she exits
-Helly's desperate kiss
-the Zardoz-like waffle party
-Ms. Cobel's iconoclastic frenzy
-the real sweetness of what Dylan requested for his award
-CLIFFHANGER
posted by doctornemo at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
the real sweetness of what Dylan requested for his award
And kudos to (yet another great) actor. His demeanor has profoundly changed, and the way he carried that box! As if it held a single, tiny, delicate, lone baby bird; so precious, so desperate. It was perfect.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:59 PM on April 1, 2022 [21 favorites]
And kudos to (yet another great) actor. His demeanor has profoundly changed, and the way he carried that box! As if it held a single, tiny, delicate, lone baby bird; so precious, so desperate. It was perfect.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:59 PM on April 1, 2022 [21 favorites]
Oh, Irving was falling asleep during the day because he would drink coffee, listen to metal, and paint black paintings at night. Wow.
posted by armacy at 6:08 PM on April 1, 2022 [26 favorites]
posted by armacy at 6:08 PM on April 1, 2022 [26 favorites]
One small detail that jumped out at me (perhaps it's been seen and widely discussed before and I missed it): One of the things displaced by Cobel's outburst of rage is what looks like an intubation... um... tube and a patient's wristband with the name "Charlotte Cobel".
My read of Irving is that his outie is effectively a vegetable and the resets have rotted his mind - even the Motörhead song, is Ace of Spades, which is representative of black ("The only thing I see / The ace of spades").
posted by Grangousier at 3:10 AM on April 2, 2022 [6 favorites]
My read of Irving is that his outie is effectively a vegetable and the resets have rotted his mind - even the Motörhead song, is Ace of Spades, which is representative of black ("The only thing I see / The ace of spades").
posted by Grangousier at 3:10 AM on April 2, 2022 [6 favorites]
That bit of medical gear was creepy indeed, Grangousier. Reminded me of some intimate religious relics.
posted by doctornemo at 6:54 AM on April 2, 2022
posted by doctornemo at 6:54 AM on April 2, 2022
-Helly's desperate kiss
"In case we don't see each other again... or in case we do" is a terrific (and very hot) line.
posted by entropone at 7:46 AM on April 2, 2022 [17 favorites]
"In case we don't see each other again... or in case we do" is a terrific (and very hot) line.
posted by entropone at 7:46 AM on April 2, 2022 [17 favorites]
Charlotte Cobel, and the dob looks like 3-17-44. Harmony’s mother?
posted by mochapickle at 7:49 AM on April 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mochapickle at 7:49 AM on April 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
If that's her mom... Something something severance chip something something Clark Gable something something eternal life?
posted by Acari at 8:22 AM on April 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Acari at 8:22 AM on April 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
And though Clark Gable’s appeal was pretty timeless, he was contemporary to what would have been Harmony’s grandmother’s generation, as he was born in 1901.
Charlotte’s generation would have moved on to, I dunno, Peter Fonda? Rock Hudson? Sean Connery?
posted by mochapickle at 8:49 AM on April 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Charlotte’s generation would have moved on to, I dunno, Peter Fonda? Rock Hudson? Sean Connery?
posted by mochapickle at 8:49 AM on April 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Those masks were one of the most horrifying things I've ever seen. Perfectly proportioned to make the limbs of the dancers look off in every dimension.
posted by minsies at 8:56 AM on April 2, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by minsies at 8:56 AM on April 2, 2022 [8 favorites]
Paul Newman, maybe.
posted by mochapickle at 8:56 AM on April 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mochapickle at 8:56 AM on April 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Thinking about it more, because I don't seem to be able not to... I wonder whether the reason they're keen to keep departments separate from each other is that they're used to regularly wiping and rebooting people depending on departmental need, and they don't want people to recognise each other. It's not 100% perfect - like tape that's been erased and re-recorded on too many times you get warps and drop-outs and echoes of earlier recordings. Mark and Gemma don't remember each other, but they've not been rebooted so many times. I wonder whether Irving has been rebooted lots of times, which is what has rendered his outie... his innie is a real person, but his outie isn't, any more, not really. Perhaps he was in Optics and Design at one point, perhaps he has (genuine) history with Burt in earlier incarnations. Following the painting theme, what veteran severants are are palimpsests.
Oh, and for future reference - the conversation between Cobel and Graner about Petey's chip establishes (I think) that it's possible to keep back-ups of innie personae.
posted by Grangousier at 9:34 AM on April 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
Oh, and for future reference - the conversation between Cobel and Graner about Petey's chip establishes (I think) that it's possible to keep back-ups of innie personae.
posted by Grangousier at 9:34 AM on April 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
I wonder whether Irving has been rebooted lots of times, which is what has rendered his outie... his innie is a real person, but his outie isn't, any more, not really.
Irving has said that he's been a department head before being a data refiner. And Miss Casey knows that she's only been alive for 107-ish hours (despite being dead/missing/whatever for two years). I think there's trauma associated with being retired or whatever happens in that hallway, and it might only be the sense that you're awake for fleeting blocks of time before existing in a limbo without knowing how much time has passed. Maybe Irving could return to full-time innie/outie existence because there was no longer anyone waiting for him. Miss Casey could be a part-time innie (someone with no outie existence) because she can't be seen in the outie world.
I love how scary and sad this world is without giving us all the details. So much of that is the performances and production design. And even though I am ruminating on the mystery, my enjoyment of the show isn't depending on it. I just like spending time with it.
Also, Dylan's half-hearted attempt to keep his prize a secret from the rest of the team ("My prize, my eyes"). I love how they've come together.
posted by gladly at 10:07 AM on April 2, 2022 [11 favorites]
Irving has said that he's been a department head before being a data refiner. And Miss Casey knows that she's only been alive for 107-ish hours (despite being dead/missing/whatever for two years). I think there's trauma associated with being retired or whatever happens in that hallway, and it might only be the sense that you're awake for fleeting blocks of time before existing in a limbo without knowing how much time has passed. Maybe Irving could return to full-time innie/outie existence because there was no longer anyone waiting for him. Miss Casey could be a part-time innie (someone with no outie existence) because she can't be seen in the outie world.
I love how scary and sad this world is without giving us all the details. So much of that is the performances and production design. And even though I am ruminating on the mystery, my enjoyment of the show isn't depending on it. I just like spending time with it.
Also, Dylan's half-hearted attempt to keep his prize a secret from the rest of the team ("My prize, my eyes"). I love how they've come together.
posted by gladly at 10:07 AM on April 2, 2022 [11 favorites]
I've discovered via Twitter* the Adam Scott Universe includes multiple times a certain actress has tried to hurt him and escape.
And actor Josh Malina found another link to Parks and Rec.
* Google tells me Lower played his wife, who'd been abducted by aliens and then held in a government facility.
posted by NorthernLite at 11:23 AM on April 2, 2022 [6 favorites]
And actor Josh Malina found another link to Parks and Rec.
* Google tells me Lower played his wife, who'd been abducted by aliens and then held in a government facility.
posted by NorthernLite at 11:23 AM on April 2, 2022 [6 favorites]
That’s amazing! Also, apparently Adam Scott can never escape the itchy green carpet, seen in the gif grid immediately below the post linked above. Some sort of barnes & noble.
posted by mochapickle at 11:51 AM on April 2, 2022
posted by mochapickle at 11:51 AM on April 2, 2022
It looks like Irving’s easel is a pallet. Is that a visual pun?
posted by snofoam at 12:11 PM on April 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by snofoam at 12:11 PM on April 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
One would think firing Mrs. Cobel is a bad idea because she knows too much. Unless they know she can't turn on them for some reason.
posted by Obscure Reference at 3:50 PM on April 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Obscure Reference at 3:50 PM on April 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Or that they can turn her off or on for any reason?
posted by mochapickle at 5:26 PM on April 2, 2022
posted by mochapickle at 5:26 PM on April 2, 2022
Regarding the team portrait that Dylan claimed as his prize:
I don't see how the team's plan would benefit from having Dylan switch to his outie and show him the faces of his innie coworkers so he can recognise them. But I do see how the show's writers have set themselves up with a loaded Checkhov's gun there.
posted by kandinski at 12:38 AM on April 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
I don't see how the team's plan would benefit from having Dylan switch to his outie and show him the faces of his innie coworkers so he can recognise them. But I do see how the show's writers have set themselves up with a loaded Checkhov's gun there.
posted by kandinski at 12:38 AM on April 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
Kandinski, at this stage of the plan, the other three are being swapped to their innie state while they are outside. Dylan is operating the system to do it, but he isn’t flipping his own state. Even if he had also selected himself, presumably the overtime protocol wouldn’t do anything to him since he is still inside.
posted by snofoam at 2:30 AM on April 3, 2022
posted by snofoam at 2:30 AM on April 3, 2022
They are clearly setting up that Cobel will to try to crash the gala with breaking news once she catches Mark's switch, which will lead to hijinks with Helly. I wonder if Irving will see his paintings and get clued in by them or recover some memories. The Mark/Rickon bit is also obvious. Still on the edge of my seat. And what's the doctor doing? Furious that there are not more episodes in the season.
posted by prefpara at 7:32 AM on April 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by prefpara at 7:32 AM on April 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
Is it just me, or does Halley have the same facial structure as Kier? It seems like at least 8-bit Kier looked like a male Halley.
posted by umbú at 6:15 PM on April 3, 2022
posted by umbú at 6:15 PM on April 3, 2022
Cobel's driving-home-while-screaming-profanities scene was very relatable. That's basically how I handle bad days at work too.
Before the reveal I was thinking it might be some sort of extendable tool to help him reach and turn the switches in the security office.
I was certain Dylan was going to improvise with the glass trophy by using to prop up one of the two switches. Granted it would have been painfully on-the-nose to have the power of friendship save the day.
posted by dephlogisticated at 9:10 PM on April 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
Before the reveal I was thinking it might be some sort of extendable tool to help him reach and turn the switches in the security office.
I was certain Dylan was going to improvise with the glass trophy by using to prop up one of the two switches. Granted it would have been painfully on-the-nose to have the power of friendship save the day.
posted by dephlogisticated at 9:10 PM on April 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
One of the things displaced by Cobel's outburst of rage is what looks like an intubation... um... tube
Yeah, a tube and a holder, something very similar to this. You can see the clear plastic mouthpiece and the straps if you pause the video.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:10 PM on April 3, 2022
Yeah, a tube and a holder, something very similar to this. You can see the clear plastic mouthpiece and the straps if you pause the video.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:10 PM on April 3, 2022
That's basically how I handle bad days at work too.
If you just got severed, you'd never need to do that.
It's all about the work/life balance, see? We employ you, so obviously we have your best interests at heart.
posted by flabdablet at 2:39 AM on April 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you just got severed, you'd never need to do that.
It's all about the work/life balance, see? We employ you, so obviously we have your best interests at heart.
posted by flabdablet at 2:39 AM on April 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Cobel’s exit hit me right between the eyes. My own past being part of startup and the tribal identity thst comes with spending one’s twenties building something successful and how it warps you with t-shirts, coffee mugs and the little shrine in your home office to through company. Then suddenly one day it is just over. They’ve decided to go in a different direction and you are out of the tribe.
Even though they give me a generous exit package. Even though I tried to keep my work and personal lives separate and have an identity for myself beyond guy who works for X. Even though I knew the t-shirts, mugs etc were just corporate bullshit and that a company can never see you as a person and you are not really part of a tribe.
Kudos to the actor for that scene, it really resonated.
posted by interogative mood at 8:40 AM on April 4, 2022 [23 favorites]
Even though they give me a generous exit package. Even though I tried to keep my work and personal lives separate and have an identity for myself beyond guy who works for X. Even though I knew the t-shirts, mugs etc were just corporate bullshit and that a company can never see you as a person and you are not really part of a tribe.
Kudos to the actor for that scene, it really resonated.
posted by interogative mood at 8:40 AM on April 4, 2022 [23 favorites]
In the thread for the last episode, I put forth an observation that Graner, Cobel, and Milchick represent three different methods of control - Physical violence, Authority, and Manipulation.
I note that Security-man Graner was beaten to death.
This episode may establish a pattern, as we see Cobel, wielder of Authority, fired by a greater authority.
The pattern is that these characters are undone by the same type of power they wield.
If the pattern holds, Milchick's reckoning will take the form not of physical violence or firing, but by a crisis of conscience, as someone else opens his eyes to the true horror of Lumon's severance system...
posted by rustcrumb at 12:01 PM on April 4, 2022 [18 favorites]
I note that Security-man Graner was beaten to death.
This episode may establish a pattern, as we see Cobel, wielder of Authority, fired by a greater authority.
The pattern is that these characters are undone by the same type of power they wield.
If the pattern holds, Milchick's reckoning will take the form not of physical violence or firing, but by a crisis of conscience, as someone else opens his eyes to the true horror of Lumon's severance system...
posted by rustcrumb at 12:01 PM on April 4, 2022 [18 favorites]
Severance Renewed for Season 2. Please try to enjoy the seasons equally.
posted by nathan_teske at 8:59 AM on April 6, 2022 [27 favorites]
posted by nathan_teske at 8:59 AM on April 6, 2022 [27 favorites]
From the feeding tube I take that Cobel's mother is brain dead or in a coma. Presumably Gemma was the same following her car accident. Lumon discovered they could restore some function back through severance, though it would mean no memories of her life. Cobel is desperately hoping that reintegration exists because it would be a way to restore her mother. That explains why she was so disappointed Mark S and Ms. Casey didn't recognize each other, to the extent that Milchick noticed. Also why she's so fixated on Mark's situation.
It positions Cobel as a really interesting wild card / third party in this scenario. I'm not sure what she'll do upon realizing something is up with Mark - maybe she'll misread it as reintegration and go to the board with evidence. Or perhaps try to help him find a way to save his wife.
As an side, Cobel's "I'll drive myself so that I can leave if I get scared or nervous" was so relatable.
posted by Emily's Fist at 12:55 PM on April 6, 2022 [11 favorites]
It positions Cobel as a really interesting wild card / third party in this scenario. I'm not sure what she'll do upon realizing something is up with Mark - maybe she'll misread it as reintegration and go to the board with evidence. Or perhaps try to help him find a way to save his wife.
As an side, Cobel's "I'll drive myself so that I can leave if I get scared or nervous" was so relatable.
posted by Emily's Fist at 12:55 PM on April 6, 2022 [11 favorites]
It would make no sense but it would be kind of awesome if Ricken was behind everything.
posted by shothotbot at 3:23 PM on April 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by shothotbot at 3:23 PM on April 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
You can refine your own macro data at: https://lumon-industries.com/
posted by shothotbot at 4:03 PM on April 6, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by shothotbot at 4:03 PM on April 6, 2022 [4 favorites]
"The egg bar is fucking coveted."
Deviled eggs and punch, followed by a full stack of waffles. DINNER OF CHAMPION REFINERS. I have absolutely no idea where this ends up on Friday and I'm here for it.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:09 PM on April 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
Deviled eggs and punch, followed by a full stack of waffles. DINNER OF CHAMPION REFINERS. I have absolutely no idea where this ends up on Friday and I'm here for it.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:09 PM on April 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
Oh I got that wrong, it should be "The egg bar is coveted as fuck."
Right up there with "Page 197 slaps."
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:16 PM on April 6, 2022 [12 favorites]
Right up there with "Page 197 slaps."
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:16 PM on April 6, 2022 [12 favorites]
Wow. I know they like to end on cliffhangers, but why did that have to be so cliffhangery? Argh! Some questions I'm still thinking about -
- If it takes two people to work the switches, who was the second person the night they overtimed Dylan?
- How were there no consequences for Dylan biting Milchik? He didn't even get sent to the break room. Milchik made a joke about it.
- If Helly was so upset to be stuck there with no exit that she literally tried to hang herself, and no one took her to a hospital or got her any help, how did that turn to her being a helpful and productive staff member? What changed? How did that make any sense - you would think it would make you feel more depressed and trapped. I get that it was turned into "let's beat the system" energy, but to see her seem so happy about meeting quota for its own sake makes her former very real pain feel cheap and I think that's a bad take to go for with suicide.
- Helly mentioned the goats again, so I'm hoping that means they'll give us more answers on why they're there. Chekhov's goats.
One note I haven't seen mentioned, but would be a funny coincidence - in Yiddish, "milchik" (or "milchig") with the "ch" sounded in the back of the throat like in Bach, means "dairy," and is often used to mean ineffectual or weak (a milchedicker is kind of like a milquetoast). Not sure if it's intentional or a coincidence, since they've never made it clear whether Milchik has any power at all or if he's just a conduit, but I keep thinking about it.
posted by Mchelly at 12:23 PM on April 7, 2022 [4 favorites]
- If it takes two people to work the switches, who was the second person the night they overtimed Dylan?
- How were there no consequences for Dylan biting Milchik? He didn't even get sent to the break room. Milchik made a joke about it.
- If Helly was so upset to be stuck there with no exit that she literally tried to hang herself, and no one took her to a hospital or got her any help, how did that turn to her being a helpful and productive staff member? What changed? How did that make any sense - you would think it would make you feel more depressed and trapped. I get that it was turned into "let's beat the system" energy, but to see her seem so happy about meeting quota for its own sake makes her former very real pain feel cheap and I think that's a bad take to go for with suicide.
- Helly mentioned the goats again, so I'm hoping that means they'll give us more answers on why they're there. Chekhov's goats.
One note I haven't seen mentioned, but would be a funny coincidence - in Yiddish, "milchik" (or "milchig") with the "ch" sounded in the back of the throat like in Bach, means "dairy," and is often used to mean ineffectual or weak (a milchedicker is kind of like a milquetoast). Not sure if it's intentional or a coincidence, since they've never made it clear whether Milchik has any power at all or if he's just a conduit, but I keep thinking about it.
posted by Mchelly at 12:23 PM on April 7, 2022 [4 favorites]
How were there no consequences for Dylan biting Milchik? He didn't even get sent to the break room. Milchik made a joke about it.
I assumed it's because Milchik messed up on Dylan finding out about his outie kid, and because Milchik brought in the dance experience early. Dylan says as much when he offers/threatens to go to Cobel with Milchik to explain what's going on.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 12:33 PM on April 7, 2022 [3 favorites]
I assumed it's because Milchik messed up on Dylan finding out about his outie kid, and because Milchik brought in the dance experience early. Dylan says as much when he offers/threatens to go to Cobel with Milchik to explain what's going on.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 12:33 PM on April 7, 2022 [3 favorites]
- If Helly was so upset to be stuck there with no exit that she literally tried to hang herself, and no one took her to a hospital or got her any help, how did that turn to her being a helpful and productive staff member?
She discovered that Mark actually cared about her in a friendly way (which probably goes a long way when you're only several dozen hours old); she became interested in what was going on at Lumon behind the scenes and needed the facade of toeing the line; and they all had to complete the quota for the quarter to get Dylan named Refiner of the Quarter and have him stay for the Waffle Party.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:17 PM on April 7, 2022 [5 favorites]
She discovered that Mark actually cared about her in a friendly way (which probably goes a long way when you're only several dozen hours old); she became interested in what was going on at Lumon behind the scenes and needed the facade of toeing the line; and they all had to complete the quota for the quarter to get Dylan named Refiner of the Quarter and have him stay for the Waffle Party.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:17 PM on April 7, 2022 [5 favorites]
Also I'm really hoping that innie+outtie Mark doesn't have a complete flip out at the party when he realizes that his nice neighbor is his awful boss (even if he doesn't realize just how awful she is) (or does he?). Because I think he's such a genuine person that he'd be able to give Ricken exactly the right compliment about his book once he's able to remember having read it. And I'd like to know what that is.
Because I realize that every time they show or especially quote that damn book, it's more obvious that it's idiotic. But the innies are seeing it as profound. And I just can't figure out how to square that. Being an innie just means you don't remember your outside life. It doesn't make you a moron. You should still have your intelligence and ability to detect bullshit, shouldn't you? Would none of them really realize that cameraderie can't come from the Latin word camera which means a device for taking a photo, because cameras weren't invented in ancient Rome when Latin was spoken, because being an innie means you've never heard of ancient Rome? I feel like I've fallen into a pattern of believing that the innies are somehow dumber than their outties. It seems pretty clear that outtie Mark would never read that book and think that Ricken was anything other than full of shit. He's certainly in no hurry to read the book now that he missed receiving it. But somehow I forgive innie Mark for being inspired by it. Why?
posted by Mchelly at 1:22 PM on April 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
Because I realize that every time they show or especially quote that damn book, it's more obvious that it's idiotic. But the innies are seeing it as profound. And I just can't figure out how to square that. Being an innie just means you don't remember your outside life. It doesn't make you a moron. You should still have your intelligence and ability to detect bullshit, shouldn't you? Would none of them really realize that cameraderie can't come from the Latin word camera which means a device for taking a photo, because cameras weren't invented in ancient Rome when Latin was spoken, because being an innie means you've never heard of ancient Rome? I feel like I've fallen into a pattern of believing that the innies are somehow dumber than their outties. It seems pretty clear that outtie Mark would never read that book and think that Ricken was anything other than full of shit. He's certainly in no hurry to read the book now that he missed receiving it. But somehow I forgive innie Mark for being inspired by it. Why?
posted by Mchelly at 1:22 PM on April 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think the key thing is the innies are living in this constructed world with only one ideology, that of Kier. They're totally primed to fall for some belief system and the moment they're exposed to a second one they fall for that one too.
posted by Nelson at 1:43 PM on April 7, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by Nelson at 1:43 PM on April 7, 2022 [10 favorites]
But somehow I forgive innie Mark for being inspired by it. Why?
Ricken's book was written for outies and apparently there are enough regular people receptive to mumbo jumbo to write a book. I don't think it's being stupid so much as filling a void.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:08 PM on April 7, 2022
Ricken's book was written for outies and apparently there are enough regular people receptive to mumbo jumbo to write a book. I don't think it's being stupid so much as filling a void.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:08 PM on April 7, 2022
... or what Nelson said.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:08 PM on April 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by oneirodynia at 3:08 PM on April 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
How would an Innie know current trendy language like "it slaps"? Is Dylan a young Innie?
posted by armacy at 5:56 PM on April 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by armacy at 5:56 PM on April 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
When you're young and haven't read much (or have no memory of what you've read), a charismatic book purporting to have all the answers is very seductive. This explains most of the sales of Ayn Rand, Jack Kerouac, and Sun Tzu's books.
posted by Stanczyk at 5:57 PM on April 7, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by Stanczyk at 5:57 PM on April 7, 2022 [5 favorites]
It’s up, buckaroos. :)
posted by Silvery Fish at 6:08 PM on April 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Silvery Fish at 6:08 PM on April 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
Excited and also weirdly dreading it!
See y’all on the other side!
posted by mochapickle at 6:37 PM on April 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
See y’all on the other side!
posted by mochapickle at 6:37 PM on April 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
How would an Innie know current trendy language like "it slaps"? Is Dylan a young Innie?
This usage has been around for about 20 years.
posted by snofoam at 2:31 AM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
This usage has been around for about 20 years.
posted by snofoam at 2:31 AM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Anne Helen Peterson interviewed head writer and show creator Dan Erikson.
posted by ellieBOA at 2:36 AM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 2:36 AM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
And linked there is this interesting Variety article on the design which answered a question I’ve had the whole series about where it was shot with the Scandi looking housing, it’s in Nyack, New York. Off to watch the last episode now!!
posted by ellieBOA at 2:45 AM on April 8, 2022
posted by ellieBOA at 2:45 AM on April 8, 2022
Someone who’s very online will have to confirm, but I bet you there’s a picture of the goat man for a definition of “quirked up white boy busts it down sexual style... goated with the sauce”
posted by Monochrome at 1:04 PM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Monochrome at 1:04 PM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
ellieBOA, now I have to go find those houses in Nyack!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:25 PM on April 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:25 PM on April 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
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Interesting seeing the glance of Helly all glammed up while the others are regular schlubs.
posted by Marticus at 8:00 PM on March 31, 2022 [4 favorites]