What you're watching

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Severance

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11280740/?r..._sr_srsg_1

About 5(of 9) episodes into the first series.

This is, interesting, it does a fairly good job of building suspense and setting up a lot of questions, so many theories about the actual meaning, I for one think it's of a spiritual nature.

That said, it's amazing, so far, but I fear it's setting up this slow boil and the will fail to deliver and let it simmer to draw it out. At this pace, it's a 2 season, maybe 3 at most. But given the high ratings and "hit" nature, I don't trust them to not try to dilute and draw this out over 5 + seasons.

I was hooked after episode 1 because it was so freakin wild, strange, unique + Christopher Walken had me all the more intrigued as a curator of sorts with those esoteric paintings giving off dark vibes. No doubt this is a (dystopia) wet dream for many big corporations. Note the "black goo" scenes that go back to some X-files episodes. The show definitely has some occult spirit vibes mixed with dark emotions, but is at the very top of my must watch list. At least for season 1.

The last episode ending pissed me off (and you'll feel the same suspense) as we now gotta wait till season 2.

It's still unclear why Lumon's Macrodata Refinement employees classify numbers in the assumed "corporate archives division." My hunch is that it's not about archiving, but all about machine learning theory suggesting that the real data Lumon is interested in aren't the numbers themselves, but how the employees profile/classify them based on their feelings. The split minds prevent the employees input from being corrupted/influenced by non-work related memories.

Macrodata Refinement's "mysterious and important" work is reminiscent of Google's approach to its algorithm: no one employee has the whole picture, and the show is about conditioning people to unquestioningly and zealously complete tasks they know nothing about. Very similar to the bleeding edge tech world of compartmentalized layers I worked in. I was the lead tasked with creating the overall test plan on how a software project needs to be validated as it moves through the software lifecycle & time required to meet task quotas. My immediate team only ever seen the sanitized versions of my plan once approved by the stakeholders.

Them waffle parties brought back (weird now but not back then) personal memories as the big corp I worked for would have kudo awards which sometimes was waffle parties. HR dept was always coming up with silly, weird shit like that, but no masks.

Episode 8 has a scene where Dylan is "treated" to a sexualized dance by performers wearing masks.


The Four Tempers

The show was filmed at the old Bell Labs building in Holmdel, New Jersey. The water tower out front was supposedly shaped like a transistor.

The address on google maps, 101 Crawfords Corner Rd Holmdel NJ, and from the aerial view you'll also see the roadways look like a transistor (as does the water tower). The transistor was invented there and the design pays tribute to it.

Severance's creator, Dan Erickson is originally from Olympia WA, which has had a string of drive thru fast food restaurants owned by the Eagan family since 1948. The owners of Lumon are the Eagan family.

Let's hope S2 doesn't go woke or bring in some new age nonsense ideology.