like james upthread i see my theory has already been posted on mefi a month ago... guess it's too obvious!
this is giving me brazil vibes but i see that's been posted on mefi already too!
― 龜, Saturday, 2 April 2022 02:37 (two years ago) link
I think nothing is too obvious? It seems like a deep thoughts show where it could quickly pivot to a simple premise with esoteric trappings, or gesture toward a much more complex conspiracy with simple methods
― mh, Saturday, 2 April 2022 03:46 (two years ago) link
I like 龜’s theory, sorry if it was scooped.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 13:18 (two years ago) link
Yeah, me too. I don't know what metafilter is, so this is all exciting and new to me.
― trishyb, Saturday, 2 April 2022 13:36 (two years ago) link
I don't think the jobs have any deeper meaning. I think it's all meant to be inscrutable.
I binged episodes 3-8 yesterday and it was quite the experience. It's interesting how the political angle gets very little airtime in the show but you can pause on all the news articles and read them if you want.
― adam t. (abanana), Saturday, 2 April 2022 14:29 (two years ago) link
Feel like it would be a totally wasted opportunity if it turned it that what MDR does is really only just busy work.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 15:11 (two years ago) link
I wouldn’t mind. Shows where everything has to mean something get tiring
― mh, Saturday, 2 April 2022 15:12 (two years ago) link
Not saying everything ever has to mean something, just this particular case, because of the way it has been set up.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 15:15 (two years ago) link
-I think the macrodata refinement is one facet of a study on the employees, who are doing meaningless work to which they have attached great importance. super cult like vibes permeate. i think the curation of the art is part of the cult's myth-building, and another way to give the workers a sense of importance. The goats, I think I agree that they are probably for chip testing?
-the break room feels to me like a Sc13nt0logY-allusion, to e-meters and repeating things until you have cleared the "blockage." the feeling of coercion and surveillance also give me this very unpleasant vibe.
-part of the severance procedure remind me of the protagonist of PKD's "A Scanner Darkly" whose mind undergoes a similar division.
-i think parts of this are intended as a brutal satire of workplace culture, particularly the meaningless incentives and office-sponsored funtime.
-the implications of the severing can get really dark really quickly; my mind immediately thought about evil people using the procedure to force people (women mostly) into sex slavery. but the idea that they can turn you on and off whenever is also pretty wild, suggesting that they could "kill" either half of you whenever they wanted.
― ian, Saturday, 2 April 2022 15:31 (two years ago) link
i'd be happy to be wrong about what the macrodata refinement is for xpost.
My other theory, which is mine: always thought Helly was a big shot, probably some kind of Lumon insider and this last episode only seemed to confirm this.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 17:31 (two years ago) link
And of course a cursory google search seems to find a youtube video with a similar theory which I didn't want to click on.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 17:32 (two years ago) link
So… Helly R is an Eagan right? Cobel mentioned an Eagan family gala in the previous episode and it definitely looked like Helly’s outie was at some kind of formal event there. Explains why the board was pissed that Cobel didn’t tell them about her suicide attempt.
Also Cobel is keeping a hospital wristband with the name Charlotte Cobel on it among the things in her shrine. A dead relative she’s hoping Lumon can revive?
This stuff making me feel like I’m watching LOST all over again.
― Roz, Saturday, 2 April 2022 17:40 (two years ago) link
Yes and yes. Keep wondering what happens on the testing floor. I decided to call it a reboot although now I am may lengthen it to remake/remodel
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 17:44 (two years ago) link
I was saying to my wife yesterday, “I hope this doesn’t end up like Lost.”
― ian, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:39 (two years ago) link
i keep wanting to push dylan’s glasses back up
― mookieproof, Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:20 (two years ago) link
really bothered me that the security guy's card wasn't deactivated
― 龜, Sunday, 3 April 2022 03:16 (two years ago) link
that's fair
there are a lot of things that don't bear too much inspection tbh
― mookieproof, Sunday, 3 April 2022 03:32 (two years ago) link
I tried not to let that card thing bother me and succeeded, mostly, but yeah. Plot devices gotta come from somewhere though.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 3 April 2022 10:27 (two years ago) link
You may have a similar experience if you watch this other show during the SEVERANCE downtime: COUNTERPART: Alternate History w/ Creepy Cold War Vibe
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 3 April 2022 10:29 (two years ago) link
Now thinking that if they actually had come up with some kind of cockamamie explanation for why it wasn’t deactivated it would have only made things worse. Trying to think of some myself now and the results are not pretty.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 3 April 2022 10:44 (two years ago) link
Unless that key card was already off the grid, as somebody I know just suggested.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 3 April 2022 11:35 (two years ago) link
I quite like the idea that the organization is so weird that only one person would immediately think to deactivate that security card, and that person is no longer there.
― trishyb, Sunday, 3 April 2022 11:49 (two years ago) link
Fair enough.
― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 3 April 2022 12:02 (two years ago) link
trying to think of the last show i’ve enjoyed on every level as much as this, maybe better call saulthe motorhead needle drop was so fucking fantastic, just goddamn delightful i am cutting carbs & all i could think was what a ~stressful~way to have to eat your waffles
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 3 April 2022 19:18 (two years ago) link
i love every scene w adam scott & the sister, the way they care abt each other & make sarcastic jokes to each other is so good & v real
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 3 April 2022 19:19 (two years ago) link
turturro is still my fave but the guy who plays milchick is great too - doesn't look like he's done a ton of stuff before this.
Nice article on him here
The one plot hole that bugs me slightly is that they have surveillance everywhere except, it seems, in the MDR office? They sometimes go in the storage cupboard to plot but not always.
Hope we get some answers this week but second season so maybe not
― groovypanda, Wednesday, 6 April 2022 07:48 (two years ago) link
That was nice to read thanks, although weird that they spelled Lumon *Lumun*.
― Came Here to Roll the Microscope (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 April 2022 10:49 (two years ago) link
To be honest, unlike some other 'mysterious' shows, I don't mind too much if they just keep spinning their wheels forever and never figure out anything satisfyingly concrete. It's thematically appropriate.
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Wednesday, 6 April 2022 14:25 (two years ago) link
Good point.
― Came Here to Roll the Microscope (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 April 2022 14:29 (two years ago) link
officially renewed for s2 https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2022/04/apple-tv-announces-season-two-renewal-for-global-hit-series-severance/
― 龜, Wednesday, 6 April 2022 16:06 (two years ago) link
the tuturro outie scenes were great. i totally get why a guy like him would want to completely dissociate from the mindless day job that pays for his artistic fulfillment.
― in places all over the world, real stuff be happening (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 6 April 2022 16:14 (two years ago) link
Have any of you read THE LEXINGTON LETTER yet?
― Came Here to Roll the Microscope (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 April 2022 16:56 (two years ago) link
Some of you should be able to read here: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=1613220757
― Came Here to Roll the Microscope (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 April 2022 19:07 (two years ago) link
HI DERE
― Came Here to Roll the Microscope (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 02:28 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsMD8taQ1qA#onethread
― Came Here to Roll the Microscope (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 03:01 (two years ago) link
that was fuckin tense
― mookieproof, Friday, 8 April 2022 05:09 (two years ago) link
Like an MDE on steroids
― Mr. Uncut Risin’ (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 10:58 (two years ago) link
Nice interview with Zach Cherry/Dylan here, contains spoilers for Ep9.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77YwQqgd9Mk
― Maresn3st, Friday, 8 April 2022 12:47 (two years ago) link
I feel like the line about pregnancy in this EP might be the biggest clue as to the motivations of Lumon yet.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 8 April 2022 12:52 (two years ago) link
I didn't know about this thread! That episode was maybe the best episode of TV I've ever seen.
― dan selzer, Friday, 8 April 2022 13:29 (two years ago) link
Welcome, daniel s! We are so happy to have you with us, it's a great thing you are doing by coming here.
― Mr. Uncut Risin’ (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 13:33 (two years ago) link
Not looking forward to the withdrawal symptoms.
― Mr. Uncut Risin’ (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 13:34 (two years ago) link
Guess I'll just have to break out the coffee cozies.
― Mr. Uncut Risin’ (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 14:36 (two years ago) link
Jesus christ, Patricia, stop clicking the thread about the programme you haven't watched yet!
― trishyb, Friday, 8 April 2022 15:11 (two years ago) link
Why hello, Mrs. Selvig.
― Mr. Uncut Risin’ (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 15:13 (two years ago) link
https://www.vulture.com/article/how-severance-filmed-defiant-jazz-dance-sequence.html
“We wanted more and more stylistic juxtaposition: something that seems really, really nice and beautiful next to something that’s horrifying and scary,” Erickson says. (His other group-bonding idea of a “touch tank,” similar to the Halloween haunted-house gags, included bowls of spaghetti masquerading as brains but was put aside after “there was so much confusion over what the hell I was talking about.”)
― Mr. Uncut Risin’ (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 15:25 (two years ago) link
I wonder how one would dance to 'Spooky Ambient'?
'Effusive Ska' would have been fun. Love to have seen Irv skanking to the beat, or all of them (minus Dylan, of course) doing the Madness 'Nutty Boy' train.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 8 April 2022 16:00 (two years ago) link
I think there is an example of Hootin' Tootin' Country at the beginning of this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTNGg0Tj5Aw
― Mr. Uncut Risin’ (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 April 2022 16:07 (two years ago) link