TV Show review
Review basis: 3 seasons · through March 20, 2025
February 17, 2022 · TV-MA · Returning Series
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Severance follows Mark Scout and his colleagues at the mysterious Lumon Industries who undergo a surgical procedure that completely separates their work memories from their personal lives, creating distinct "innie" and "outie" selves. Across the first two seasons, the story builds a mystery around the company's true purpose while exploring themes of identity, memory, corporate control, and personal rebellion. The series includes a noticeable subplot of a developing gay romance between two older male colleagues that is portrayed as ordinary and low-key, plus season-two satirical elements around corporate diversity gestures and workplace racial dynamics through one Black manager's experiences.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Severance.
Woke representation / casting
Natural ethnic mix fits a modern U.S. office; key Black roles (Dylan, Milchick) and Asian-Australian actress in recurring part appear organic to the story world rather than signaling or mismatched. Season 2 uses one arc to mock corporate tokenism.
Woke political dialogue
Frequent scenes and lines critique corporate exploitation, empty "reforms," cult-like loyalty demands, and how work erodes the self; strong anti-capitalist tone backed by creator comments, but presented as philosophical satire rather than partisan lectures.
Identity-driven story themes
Central premise is about split identity and personal autonomy. The Irving-Burt gay romance is audience-visible, low-drama, and normalized across seasons without messaging. Racial workplace satire in season 2 adds secondary identity layer but stays tied to corporate critique.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Sharp, recurring satire portrays corporations as dehumanizing institutions that steal humanity, co-opt rebellion, and deploy superficial inclusion tactics (e.g., Milchick's performance review and founder reimagining). Focuses on power, class, and alienation rather than specific modern identity frameworks like patriarchy or systemic racism.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Scattered online complaints about "DEI slop," diversity casting, or the Milchick storyline as woke; no major mainstream right-leaning coverage, boycotts, or widespread debate.
Creator track record context
Patricia Arquette's strong activism history and Amanda Overton's LGBTQ+ advocacy raise the average; Dan Erickson, Ben Stiller, Rachel Tenner, and most other writers/directors show low or moderate mainstream liberal profiles without strong identity or activist patterns.
Production
