Severance

Weird ‘Severance’ trailer will blow your freakin’ mind

Severance is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed shows on Apple TV+, despite being flat-out weird.

The Premise

Warning: SPOILERS. The show centers on a small group of workers at the harrowingly evil firm Lumon Industries. The employees agreed to a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives … before they found out what type of company they’d be working for.

Mark Scout leads the team of employees, and finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work … and of himself.

The stars

Adam Scott plays Scout, and other stars in the show include Patricia Arquette and Oscar-winner Christopher Walken.

Ben Stiller serves as both executive producer and director of the Apple TV+ series. The creator and writer of Severance is Dan Erickson.

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Severance:

Severance season 2 on Apple TV+ just got a little closer

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Adam Scott in Severance on Apple TV+
Adam Scott plays Mark S. in Severance on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

One of the most popular, critically acclaimed and flat-out weird shows on Apple TV+ — the darkly comedic workplace thriller Severance — has resumed production on season two after pausing for the recent writers strike.

Apple posted on X (formerly Twitter) about it Monday. Take a look below.

The 15 best shows on Apple TV+

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Best shows on Apple TV+
Looking for something to stream? Check out the best shows on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s programming slate seems like a crazily oscillating slate of highs and lows. But the highs thus far prove dizzying indeed.

Directors like M. Night Shyamalan, Rupert Wyatt and Kim Jee-Woon, writers like Min Jin Lee, Paul Theroux, Emily Dickinson and Isaac Asimov, high-concept premises and legendary ensembles all meet on Apple’s streaming service.

The result is a collection of art worth signing up for. On the fourth anniversary of the service’s launch, here’s a look at the best shows on Apple TV+.

Severance fans get ‘8 Hour Work Day Innie Mix’ of theme song

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Adam Scott stars in
Adam Scott stars in "Severance." While you wait (and wait) for season 2, treat yourself to 8 hours of the show's theme music.

Fans who miss the psychological dark dramedy Severance on Apple TV+ can now drone out to a full day of the show’s ghostly piano-based theme song with the “8 Hour Work Day Innie Mix,” which Apple released Tuesday on YouTube.

Get it, innies? You can play the eerie mix for your whole 8-hour workday. It’s like having the show’s credits roll all day in your head as you start to question your choices in life.

Severance severed: Writers strike starts to affect Apple TV+ production

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From left, Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, John Turturro and Britt Lower star in “Severance.”
"Severance" season 2 is on hold because of the writers strike.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Writers Guild of America is on strike, causing problems both immediate and long-term for TV and movie production. And Apple TV+ certainly is not immune.

Production on two Apple series already stopped because of picketing, including the bugle popular Severance. And that raises questions about other series and movies.

On-set ‘hatred’ could delay Severance season 2

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Zach Cherry, left, Adam Scott and John Turturro star in
Zach Cherry, left, Adam Scott and John Turturro star in Severance on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Production on the second season of Severance, the Apple TV+ thriller about a profoundly creepy workplace, has seen delays because the series’ two showrunners hate each other, according to a recent report.

Scripts were scrapped amid the two not speaking to each other as director Ben Stiller searched for help. And it seems he finally found it. Stiller also downplayed on-set drama in a tweet.

The 6 best science fiction shows on Apple TV+

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A collage showing scenes from the best sci-fi shows on Apple TV+.
These sci-fi shows make Apple TV+ better, smarter and more fun.
Image: Cult of Mac

Looking for your next science fiction binge? Apple TV+ offers some excellent sci-fi series to keep your eyes popping and (more importantly) your brain humming.

From mythic procedurals to New Testament space operas, Apple TV+ gives viewers a number of exciting science fiction series worthy of a watch. Some seem hilariously literal, while others prove truly fantastical. No matter your tastes, there’s something for every sci-fi fan.

Here are our picks for the best science fiction shows on Apple TV+.

Here are the most popular Apple TV+ shows that aren’t Ted Lasso

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Apple TV+
These 10 Apple TV+ shows reached the peak of popularity on the streaming video service.
Photo: Apple TV+

Although Ted Lasso is amazing and wildly popular, it’s not the only hit show on Apple TV+. A search engine focused on movies and TV released a top 10 list of everything on Apple’s streaming service, revealing which other series also draw plenty of viewers.

Subscribers to the streaming service might use it to find additional shows worth watching.

Severance grabs top Writers Guild awards

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From left, Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, John Turturro and Britt Lower star in “Severance.”
From left, Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, John Turturro and Britt Lower star in Severance.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ correctly referred to its hit psycho-drama Severance as a “cultural phenomenon” Sunday when it pointed out the show nabbed Best Drama and Best New Series at the Writers Guild Awards. It’s the only show to win two major categories this year.

What to expect from Apple in 2023, plus our best of 2022 picks [The CultCast]

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This year was good for Apple, but 2023 looks even better!
This year was good for Apple, but 2023 looks even better!
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re talking about all the Apple gear we’re certain will arrive in 2023 — and some we just hope will materialize.

Also on The CultCast:

  • An Apple Watch Ultra clone for less than $50?!?
  • More on Apple’s penny-penching strategy of skimping on cloud storage by serving up lower-resolution files.
  • Our picks for best of 2022 — part two!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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What alternative app stores will mean for iPhones [The CultCast]

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The CultCast 573: Will sideloading and alternative app stores be a good thing?
Will sideloading and alternative app stores be a good thing?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: If the EU does indeed force Apple to open up the iPhone to allow alternative app stores, is that a bad thing? Some people think sideloading apps will be fantastic.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Cool new stuff to try in iOS 16.2.
  • Why web browsing might be in for radical changes on iOS devices.
  • How to get Apple TV+ for free so you can watch Severance, our favorite show of the year.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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Apple TV+ nabs 10 Critics Choice Award nominations

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Severance nabbed nominations for Best Drama Series and for Adam Scott's acting.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Critics Choice Association showered Apple TV+ Tuesday with 10 nominations for the upcoming 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards. They include Best Drama Series nods for workplace psycho-drama Severance and dark comedy-drama Bad Sisters, plus Best Foreign Language Series noms for Pachinko and Tehran.

Nominations honored six series in total. The other two nominations covered acting in prison suspense thriller Black Bird and family drama The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. See more specifics below.

iPhone 15 rumors will get you thinking about the future [The CultCast]

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The CultCast Apple podcast: iPhone 15 rumors: Coming soon to an iPhone near you?
Coming soon to an iPhone near you?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest iPhone 15 rumors make it sound like we’re getting some major changes on the design front. And, while the switch from Lightning to USB-C sounds like a winner, Apple might pull one of its irritating tricks by making a handy feature exclusive to the iPhone Pro models next year.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on your favorite Apple gear.
  • COVID-19 chaos in the Chinese factory complex known as “iPhone City” points to further supply-chain disruptions for Cupertino.
  • Find My miracles!
  • Mondo’s Severance collectibles look like a really cool way to dig deeper into the most creative show on Apple TV+.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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Mondo drops ‘innie’ and ‘outie’ vinyl soundtracks for Severance

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Get your work done? Now you can have your dance-party reward.
Get your work done? Now you can have your dance-party reward, courtesy of Mondo.
Photo: Mondo

Collectibles seller Mondo will release a soundtrack Wednesday for Apple TV+’s Severance season 1 in two versions, both on vinyl: Innie Edition and Outie Edition.

On the show — sort of a dark-comedy psycho-thriller — a Lumon Industries employee who has undergone the Severance brain surgery is an “innie” at work and an “outie” away from work, and neither has any awareness of the other.

Does the season 1 soundtrack match that weirdness? Now’s your chance to give it a focused listen on your turntable.

Filming begins on Severance season 2 with 8 new stars

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Filming begins on 'Severance' season 2 with 8 new stars
Production is officially underway for Severance season 2 on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Fans of the hit Apple TV+ series Severance can rejoice that production on season 2 started this week. More of what Stephen Colbert called a “dystopian workplace sci-fi mystery black comedy psychological thriller” is on the way.

Upcoming episodes of the Emmy-winning – and very creepy – series will feature the original stars as well as eight new ones.

Apple TV+ nabs 5 Gotham Awards nominations

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Britt Lower got a Gotham Awards nomination for her work in
Britt Lower got a Gotham Awards nomination for her work in Severance.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ received five nominations for the 32nd Annual Gotham Awards Tuesday, including two nominations apiece for the series Pachinko and Severance and one for the film Causeway.

This comes after Apple took two wins in the 2021 Gotham Awards, which recognize visionary work in indie film and TV. This year’s awards ceremony takes place November 28.

Apple TV+ bags 9 Emmys including another best-comedy win for Ted Lasso

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“Ted Lasso” on Apple TV+ took home four wins at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, including back-to-back wins for Outstanding Comedy Series for both its first and second seasons.
“Ted Lasso” took home four Emmys, including back-to-back wins for Outstanding Comedy Series for its first and second seasons.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ took home nine Emmys at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards Monday night, including Outstanding Comedy Series for Ted Lasso for the second year running.

The streaming service won four Emmys for Ted Lasso and others for Carpool Karaoke: The Series, SeveranceSchmigadoon! and Home Before Dark.

Severance and Ted Lasso rake in awards from Hollywood critics

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Christopher Walken, John Turturro and Zach Cherry in “Severance” on Apple TV+. It won 5 awards from the Hollywood Critics Association.
Christopher Walken, John Turturro and Zach Cherry in “Severance” on Apple TV+. The series won 5 awards from the Hollywood Critics Association.
Photo: Apple TV+

Two of the best-loved shows on Apple TV+ — Severance and Ted Lasso — took home honors over the weekend from the Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards.

Severance won five awards, including Best Drama, and Ted Lasso won two awards, including Best Comedy. Apple TV+ topped all streaming services with 53 nominations overall.

Stephen Colbert’s mashup of Severance and The Office is hilarious

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"Stephen C." annoys Irving B. at Lumon Industries in "Severance" parody.
Photo: Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert created a parody Thursday night of the psychological thriller Severance on Apple TV+. The segment’s a must-see for fans of the show, or for fans of nouveu-comedy classic The Office, which figures into the mashup heavily.

I just called Severance a psychological thriller. In his lead-in to the video, which you can watch below, Colbert was probably more accurate.

Severance is easily one of the top dystopian workplace sci-fi mystery black comedy psychological thrillers I’ve ever seen,” he deadpanned, getting a laugh.

Apple TV+ bags 51 Primetime Emmy nominations

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Apple TV+
With 51 nominations, Apple TV+ stands to do well at the primetime Emmy Awards.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Television Academy said Tuesday Apple TV+ received 51 Primetime Emmy nominations, including 20 for the hit comedy Ted Lasso.

That matches the show’s record-breaking number of Emmy nominations in 2021. And the psychological thriller Severance received 14 nominations this year, second most among the streaming service’s titles.

Apple TV+ nabs record 53 Hollywood Critics Association Awards nominations

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Apple TV+ will clean up at this year's Hollywood Critics Association Awards.
Apple TV+ will clean up at this year's Hollywood Critics Association Awards.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ garnered a record 53 nominations for 16 shows across a range of genres — comedy, drama, documentary, anthology series, variety-sketch series — for the upcoming Hollywood Critics Association Awards.

Psychological thriller Severance and comedy Ted Lasso led the way with a dozen nominations apiece.

Shining Girls thriller could be another hit for Apple TV+

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'Shining Girls' thriller could be another hit for Apple TV+
Kate Moss stars in Shining Girls, an Apple TV+ series attracting lots of viewers.
Photo: Apple TV+

The metaphysical-horror-thriller Shining Girls only premiered on Apple TV+ a few days ago, but the Elisabeth Moss series is already in the top 10 most streamed shows. And it’s drawing positive reviews, too.

Plus, the Apple TV+ hit Severance remains on the weekly list of popular shows, despite wrapping up its first season more than three weeks ago.

Two Apple TV+ shows beat anything on Netflix and Disney+ in Q1 2022

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Apple TV+, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+
Apple is managing to stand out in the streaming market in Q1 2022.
Photo: Cult of Mac

More streaming viewers watched the drama CODA on Apple TV+ than any other movie or series during the first three months of 2022, according to a ratings tracker. And the thriller Severance on Apple’s streaming service came in third place overall.

That means Apple TV+ streamed two shows with more viewers than anything on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu or Disney+.

These 3 hits prove Apple TV+ is a serious streaming contender

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3 hits show Apple TV+ is now a serious streaming contender
CODA, Slow Horses and Severance are popular because they are some of the best streaming shows available.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

CODA, Severance and Slow Horses all showed up in this week’s top 10 most-watched movies and TV shows. Each is from Apple TV+, and they show the streaming service has become a strong competitor against Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.

Perhaps this will silence any lingering doubts about Apple’s foray into film and TV.