“Severance” has redefined expectations for what a television series should be.

In 2022, the now critically acclaimed series “Severance” premiered on Apple TV+. Now, in 2025, there are two seasons, a third season on the way, 15 awards and countless nominations.

In case you haven’t seen it, “Severance” is a TV series that focuses on Mark Scout, played by Adam Scott, a man who gets a job and undergoes “severance” to handle the grief of losing his wife.

“Severance” is a procedure done by a company called Lumon, and it effectively splits your consciousness into two selves: your “innie” which is who you are at work, and your “outie” which is who you are outside of work.

“Severance” focuses on the lives of four innies: Mark S. (Mark Scout), Helly R., Dylan G. and Irving B.

Employees at Lumon who undergo “severance” have no recollection of their “innie’s” life while at home, and no recollection of their “outie’s” life while at work.

Initially, this doesn’t sound too bad. It sounds nice to never have to worry about work while at home and never have to worry about personal life issues while at work. However, this isn’t the way it plays out.

While “severed” employees don’t have a lot to worry about in the outside world, innies lives are a completely different story. Their lives are marked by confusion, desire to escape and psychological torture.

I won’t get into specific spoilers for the series; however, I am going to tell you why it has changed television for the better.

Severance excels at three things that make it a redefining moment in television history: writing, acting and cinematography.

The thing I find most fascinating about the writing in the series is that it highlights how much the environment we grow up in impacts who we are. Mark’s innie is bright and chipper, while his outie is weighed down by grief and jaded by disdain for his brother-in-law.

Helly’s innie is empathetic, funny and vehemently anti “severance,” which is in direct contrast to her outie who is no-nonsense and serious. The same goes for other severed characters as well, their innie is who they are without the influence of environment.

This is a fascinating thing about the show from a psychological perspective. We often talk about the “nature vs. nurture” debate, and “Severance” displays how much nurture impacts who we are as people.

The writing for the series is introspective and gets deep into each of the characters, but it’s also funny. Many moments in the series are hilarious and give you a nice break from the suspenseful nature of the series overall.

The writing for the series is incredible, but the acting and the cinematography are what make it such a notable piece of media.

Each of the four main characters are noticeably different as innies and outies, and this would not be possible without the performances from Adam Scott, Brit Lower as Helly R., Zach Cherry as Dylan G. and John Turturo as Irving B.

This is especially noticeable through Britt Lower as Helly. As an innie, the way Helly walks is completely different from her outie. Innie Helly walks with a confident stride, while outie Helly walks with much more reserve.

It’s also noticeable through Zach Cherry as Dylan. Dylan’s innie is snarky but caring, both of which are shown through his demeanor and actions. However, Dylan’s outie is much more standoffish and jaded by difficulties he’s experienced in life.

Tramell Tillman, who plays Mr. Milchick, is another great example of the acting in the series. He is the supervisor of the people working on the “severed floor” at Lumon and has a direct, authoritative air, combined with an unnerving jovial quality while working with the innies. Yet when Mr. Milchick interacts with his superiors, he clearly struggles from insecurity and anxiety that he isn’t good enough.

Tillman does a fantastic job at simultaneously portraying superiority and inferiority in a way that is very compelling.

Finally, the thing that sets the series apart from any other series I’ve seen: the cinematography.

The cinematography is incredible from the beginning of the series. There are scenes that deftly switch between the office setting and the outside world. These scenes kind of make you wonder “what is real?”  

Each shot seems to be filmed in a way that provokes a feeling in the viewer; whether that be anxiety, urgency or any number of other feelings, each shot is deliberate. From shots of Helly entering and leaving the severed floor, to shots of severed employees switching between their innies and outies, each little detail is compelling and makes you want to watch more.

The way “Severance” is shot and edited is truly like nothing I’ve ever seen done in a television series.

It’s difficult to fully explain the depth of the writing, acting and cinematography without spoiling major aspects of the series which is why I highly recommend watching it.

Seasons one and two of “Severance” are now available to stream on Apple TV+, with a third season on the way. But don’t worry, you have time to catch up before season three.