When the first season of Severance (2022) ended, viewers already knew it was a carefully curated piece of work. By the end of the second season—on March 21—and after waiting nearly three years between seasons, the series already had a large following of fans who would patiently wait, if necessary, another three years to continue.
In this science fiction story that navigates between the dark and the humorous, set in an office, color is the perfect setting. It's not part of the setting. It's not an add-on. Color is the plot.
In Severance, the story focuses on emotions. In an attempt to master them to the extreme, Lumon (the company where the protagonists work) has created a chip that allows you to separate your memories when you go to work, creating a part of you that only lives in the office (the 'dentri' or 'innie'), and another part of you that doesn't remember what you do there (the 'fueri' or 'outie'). Mark Scout, the protagonist, decides to undergo this procedure after losing his wife, moving to an apartment in Kier (the city where Lumon is set). Within the Lumon offices, he shares space with Helly R, Dylan G, and Irving B. Each character embodies emotions that guide us through the story. And if emotions are represented with anything, it's with color.
Severance Office. Apple TV Plus. Via polygon.com
In Kier, the fictional city chosen for the series, there is perpetual winter. Cool colors dominate the scenes, and on the rare occasions when we glimpse the outside world, it is always snowing and the sky is gray. As we progress through the series, the viewer understands that this is no coincidence. The few flashbacks in the second season reveal that, in the past, Mark is happy. And when there is happiness, there are warm colors. His old house is full of color and life, a striking contrast to his current apartment.
1. Mark's House. Via Apple TV; 2. Severance 2022. Sequence. Via Apple TV.
Directed mostly by Ben Stiller , Severance uses the Lumon offices as its main setting. Everything there is sterile . A building composed of open spaces and retro elements that leave unsaid the era in which the series is set. Current technology coexists alongside Lumon's computer equipment, more typical of the 1980s. Upon entering the Big Data Refinement Department (the department where Mark works), it becomes a succession of white, retro-futuristic hallways. A set that could easily be the work of Kubrick or Lanthimos, but which the creators of the series manage to make completely their own. Severance's photography is distinctive and identifiable.
1. Print Issue. Severence Hallway Publicity EMBED. 2022. Via Apple TV; 2. Mark S. (Adam Scott) about to participate in a dreaded office ice breaker on the Apple TV+ series "Severance." Apple TV+. Via CNN Entertainment; 3. Mark passing through the reception to head to the Severed Access area (S01E01 at 7-10). Vúa reddit.com
The predominant white is joined by blue, and occasionally, touches of green. In Severance, color segments and orients the viewer. Everything that represents the interior (including the clothing of the dents) is blue. The world of the outskirts is predominantly red. The Mark of the outside wears red, drinks red wine, and has two fish, conveniently colored red and blue, an exact reflection of his own duality.
In Severance, there's no double entendre with color. The series' photography gives so much prominence to color that it becomes part of the narrative at every moment. Feeling anguish and isolation are completely unavoidable in Lumon. The white that permeates the hallways perfectly manages to dehumanize the office environment. Mark lives in a neighborhood financed by the company, which is why the houses look the same. However, his sister Devon's house has a much more welcoming feel, with wood and warm colors. Devon's character (at first glance) is removed from this sterile world. Not surprisingly, one of the crucial themes of the series is life itself, and she has just become a mother, so everything surrounding her creates this familiar aura.
Severance. Helly R. Sequence. Courtesy of Apple TV Plus. Via polygon.com
Red is only introduced in Lumon, as expected, as a form of disruption. When something doesn't happen as it should, when the characters deviate from the established order, the color red appears before our eyes. Whether it's a ball, Ricken's book, the mysterious light in the elevator leading out of Big Data Refinement, or Helly R.'s hair. The elements vary, and the protagonist is the color. Helly embodies rebellion, humanity, emotion. That's why the final scene of this second season has a special impact: the white hallways of Lumon, now lit with red lights that indicate danger, but also rebellion, love, adventure, emotion. The triumph of the 'dentris' reclaiming their autonomy, their humanity. The triumph of emotions in the place where they are so stubbornly hidden.
1. Severance footage. Via Apple TV; 2. Severance footage. Via Apple TV; 3. A behind-the-scenes photo of the elevator lobby, courtesy of Apple. Via reddit.com
So, is it possible that color plays such a decisive role in a series?
Color psychology is rigorously applied in Severance to evoke specific emotions. Viewers already know that the choice of colors is not random, and this creates a communicative bond, a pact between creators and audiences that enriches the narrative.
Color in Severance is the plot, but it's also a character in itself. It's a common thread that drives the story forward. In this fictional world, where the great mystery (what is this multi-million-dollar company really up to?) has barely been revealed, color will continue to be a faithful guide to help us focus our attention, gleaning small clues and unraveling this disturbing office thriller.
