Severance is a breakout hit for many reasons – it doesn’t check the boxes for writing formulaic television series. Severance is a standout because of its unique premise exploring work, identity, and personal boundaries in a dystopian corporate world. The show blends psychological thriller with corporate satire.
The show’s creators never set out to create a global cultural phenomenon which makes its success so rewarding for audiences tired of stock standard characters and storylines.
The Anatomy of a Breakout Series
From its inception in a door factory breakroom to becoming a global streaming phenomenon, Severance is an example of what happens when high-concept science fiction meets deeply human storytelling – the heart of every successful TV series.
Creator Dan Erickson revealed that the show’s original idea came from a daydream. “I was working a job at a door factory from which he was fired. I didn’t love it and just wanted to skip to the end of each day. That’s where the seed of the idea came from.” His original pilot, written while working as an administrator, ultimately caught the attention of director and executive producer Ben Stiller.
For TV writers, the takeaway is simple yet powerful: even the most surreal concepts must begin with a universal emotional truth. Severance never loses sight of the emotional core — how much of ourselves we sacrifice for survival, work, and social belonging.
Tone, Visual World, and Story Cohesion
“Dan [Erickson] wrote such a specific tone. The challenge was in protecting that. The long timeline due to COVID and strikes made it harder — but also gave us space to really get it right,” says Stiller.
That time allowed the team to deepen the visual and psychological language of the series: maze-like corridors, retro-futuristic tech, and eerie silence punctuated by absurd rituals. These are narrative tools. Every prop and location is steeped in theme, reflecting the characters’ trapped psyches and core themes of alienation, repression, and rebellion.
Character Duality – Innie Or Outie
Actor Adam Scott spoke about the unique challenge of playing both “Innie” and “Outie” versions of his character Mark. These personas refer to the two distinct characters that a person develops after undergoing a procedure that separates their work and personal lives. The “Innie” is the version of a person that exists during work hours, with no memory of their life outside the office, while the “Outie” is the version that exists outside of work, unaware of what happens during work hours. This creates a surreal divide between a person’s work self and personal self.
“The innie is emotionally raw, like a child. The outie is wounded and closed off. I had to build both parts from the inside out, then pit them against each other,” says Scott.
Some might suggest this is an actor playing two roles, but this is a deeper exploration of work/ life balance. Complex roles aren’t just about what characters say and do, but how they evolve emotionally in relation to each other — even when they are the same person. It’s one character in conflict with himself as he wrestles with identity and freedom of choice.
Writing Through Emotional Ambiguity And Subtle Shifts
Jen Tullock (Devin) and Patricia Arquette (Cobel) discussed how “emotional ambiguity” plays into their performances. Tullock’s arc included a surprising alliance with a former enemy. “She’s desperate, overwhelmed, and making the only choice she can,” she explains.
Arquette added that Severance allowed her to explore indoctrination. “People cut off parts of themselves to survive in cults, religions, or corporations. That’s who Cobel is.” Cobel is making bad choices for ostensibly good reasons.
Balancing Comedy And Drama
Zach Cherry (Dylan) and Tramell Tillman (Seth) offer insight into playing characters who live at the intersection of satire and tension. Cherry, who comes from an improv background, said, “Ben let me experiment a bit to find Dylan’s boundaries. That playfulness helped define his emotional explosiveness.”
Tillman’s Seth, who began as a cheerful enforcer, became one of the show’s most emotionally charged characters. “There’s a humanity under his surface, a cost to his loyalty. That’s what made him interesting to portray.”
Even the antagonistic enforcers need emotional logic to satisfy audiences.
[More: Dan Erickson Talks Work/ Life Balance In ‘Severance’]
Five Key Lessons For TV Writers
- Start With Emotional Truth
High-concept ideas land best when rooted in real human experience. - Don’t Explain Everything
Trust your viewers. Let mystery drive the narrative and character choices. - Characters Must Evolve
The show’s drama is powered, not just by plot but by conflicting emotional truths. Characters should be rich and layered. - Give Actors Space to Discover
Even in a tightly written show, a little improvisation can unlock authenticity. - Build a Visual Language
From lighting to costume to set design, every detail should serve the story’s precise emotional tone.
Severance invites viewers to engage, interpret, and even argue with the material – even when it’s not clear what’s happening on screen. It demonstrates that audiences are hungry for stories that stimulate their intelligence and reward their curiosity.
