#severance spoilers
— maggneto (@maggneto_) February 28, 2025
maybe they're creating a chip that kicks in and severs you during moments of fear or discomfort. they put gemma in these situations and the chip feeds the data to MDR to confirm the precise moments of fear/discomfort. they'll market it as a "perfect" life
Severance (Apple TV)
115,179 Views |
1056 Replies |
Last: 1 hr ago by Stat Monitor Repairman
Cinematographer (and ep 7 director) Jessica Lee Gagne with a little behind the scenes insight. Really cool interview.
This would be a terrible product. "Oh, $h1t! The house is on fire! I better get out of here.... No, wait, my severance just kicked in. I'm all good."TCTTS said:#severance spoilers
— maggneto (@maggneto_) February 28, 2025
maybe they're creating a chip that kicks in and severs you during moments of fear or discomfort. they put gemma in these situations and the chip feeds the data to MDR to confirm the precise moments of fear/discomfort. they'll market it as a "perfect" life
My guess is that you would be able to choose when to sever or not. The testing simply seems to be if the chip can withstand the fear/discomfort, not to test if the chip automatically severs at the first sign of fear/discomfort.
It's also not completely science fiction concepts either. I know there have been studies of medication being able to pinpoint and block out traumatic memories or PTSD.
Not exactly a "live blocking" but generally follows the "severed" theme of reliving them I guess.
Not exactly a "live blocking" but generally follows the "severed" theme of reliving them I guess.
Blocking out traumatic memories makes a lot more sense than live blocking fear/discomfort (which what that tweet seems to be suggesting). Fear and discomfort are ways our body tells us something is wrong. If you didn't have fear, you'd have people unintentionally killing themselves all over the place.
The Innie version of Gemma on the turbulent airliner seems to reinforce the holodeck theory for the ORTBO.
I think a lot of people theorized some multiple Innie storylines, but now that they've gone there, it opens up a lot of interesting ideas for the show.
I think a lot of people theorized some multiple Innie storylines, but now that they've gone there, it opens up a lot of interesting ideas for the show.
I don't know, that to me just looked like a physical model of an airplane, with hydraulics, like some kind of simulator or ride at Universal Studios or whatever. Also, it seems pretty apparent that the ORTBO was in the woods we've seen dozens of times in the distance behind the Lumon building. In both cases I'd bet the simplest answer is the probably the correct one, rather than some kind of elaborate holodeck technology.
This was an entirely practical shot/transition. All physically done. No CGI.
just a genius transition from her https://t.co/hoURFOMhiW pic.twitter.com/G7pkQTdqoq
— Cris ✨ (@lionesspike) February 28, 2025
Amazing. There were 3 or 4 transitions in this episode that were ridiculous. The more I've thought about it I think this is one of my favorites of the entire series. And I think she might win some awards.
apparently jessica lee gagné’s favorite shot is the last shot of episode 10! after the beauty of this episode, what is she cooking #severance pic.twitter.com/BVwuvojBOu
— Cris ✨ (@lionesspike) February 28, 2025
They've used shadow extensively this whole series to great effect.
Guess I'm in the minority but that was by far my least favorite episode of the season. Not sure what the big answers and cliffhangers were that everyone is referring to? They're doing testing on Gemma and holding her hostage and now Mark is probably fully reintegrated.
That's pretty much all we got right?
That's pretty much all we got right?
What a horrible take
We've been wondering for three years if Gemma was actually alive or not, if Ms. Casey was a clone, etc, and we know definitively now that not only is Gemma alive, but that Lumon has been holding her prisoner while essentially torturing multiple other severed identities of her, each based on her fears/history with Mark.
That's major, major information, the likes of which we've never been given before.
We also got all kinds of behind-the-scenes teases at what Lumon is up to, which has helped further advance multiple theories as well.
That said, it's not all about plot answers.
For instance, before this episode, I - and even Damon Lindelof, re: the video I posted - was convinced that this show, at its heart, was going to be about the Mark/Helly/Hellena relationship, that Ms. Casey was likely a clone of some sort, and thus the Mark/Gemma (relation)ship had sailed. Mark would of course fight to save Gemma, but ultimately he'd end up with Helly/Hellena, let go of his past, his grief, and thus Gemma, etc.
But now?
This episode changed everything in that regard. And like I said earlier, I now not only have a seething hatred for Lumon I didn't have prior, but a new-found empathy for Gemma I didn't have prior, and no f-ing clue where this love triangle (sextuple?) will end up.
As invested as I was in this show prior to last night, it's nothing compared to my investment generated now.
That's major, major information, the likes of which we've never been given before.
We also got all kinds of behind-the-scenes teases at what Lumon is up to, which has helped further advance multiple theories as well.
That said, it's not all about plot answers.
For instance, before this episode, I - and even Damon Lindelof, re: the video I posted - was convinced that this show, at its heart, was going to be about the Mark/Helly/Hellena relationship, that Ms. Casey was likely a clone of some sort, and thus the Mark/Gemma (relation)ship had sailed. Mark would of course fight to save Gemma, but ultimately he'd end up with Helly/Hellena, let go of his past, his grief, and thus Gemma, etc.
But now?
This episode changed everything in that regard. And like I said earlier, I now not only have a seething hatred for Lumon I didn't have prior, but a new-found empathy for Gemma I didn't have prior, and no f-ing clue where this love triangle (sextuple?) will end up.
As invested as I was in this show prior to last night, it's nothing compared to my investment generated now.
— paul (@paulswhtn) February 28, 2025
The Milkman said:
Guess I'm in the minority but that was by far my least favorite episode of the season. Not sure what the big answers and cliffhangers were that everyone is referring to? They're doing testing on Gemma and holding her hostage and now Mark is probably fully reintegrated.
That's pretty much all we got right?
If you want everything to be spoon fed to you all at once, this isn't the show for you. If you aren't okay with details and expanded context which add complexity to the overarching narrative and will almost always pay off later, again, not the show for you.
So just scatter shooting some things here, in no order whatsoever...
- Helena now holds that sexual encounter with Mark as a potential card to throw back in living Gemma's face. She knew the whole time that Gemma was alive.
- y'all keep saying Gemma is being held prisoner. We don't know the circumstances of her disappearance. My wife was thinking she maybe voluntarily left. Some of the scenes last night make this plausible. Perhaps she left with a certain idea or intention in mind but it's gone out of control now.
- more on that...was Gemma leaving to kill herself because she thought Mark might be better off and Lumon intervened with the promise of something that could fix things?
- is MDR refining their own memories or someone else's?
- is the whole point of the show to prove the strength of human love? Is that what Lumon is trying to break?
- Helena now holds that sexual encounter with Mark as a potential card to throw back in living Gemma's face. She knew the whole time that Gemma was alive.
- y'all keep saying Gemma is being held prisoner. We don't know the circumstances of her disappearance. My wife was thinking she maybe voluntarily left. Some of the scenes last night make this plausible. Perhaps she left with a certain idea or intention in mind but it's gone out of control now.
- more on that...was Gemma leaving to kill herself because she thought Mark might be better off and Lumon intervened with the promise of something that could fix things?
- is MDR refining their own memories or someone else's?
- is the whole point of the show to prove the strength of human love? Is that what Lumon is trying to break?
Pahdz said:
So just scatter shooting some things here, in no order whatsoever...
- Helena now holds that sexual encounter with Mark as a potential card to throw back in living Gemma's face. She knew the whole time that Gemma was alive.
- y'all keep saying Gemma is being held prisoner. We don't know the circumstances of her disappearance. My wife was thinking she maybe voluntarily left. Some of the scenes last night make this plausible. Perhaps she left with a certain idea or intention in mind but it's gone out of control now.
- more on that...was Gemma leaving to kill herself because she thought Mark might be better off and Lumon intervened with the promise of something that could fix things?
- is MDR refining their own memories or someone else's?
- is the whole point of the show to prove the strength of human love? Is that what Lumon is trying to break?
Personally, I don't buy either of these things.
Gemma simply wasn't giving off any vibe/indication that she was leaving Mark, or that he'd better off without her. Yes, she had obviously been depressed, but not nearly to that level. Still, even if she did go voluntarily, and her Lumon stint has "gone out of control now," she's absolutely being held prisoner at this point. They're straight up not letting her leave, not letting her see Mark, and have privately alluded that they're going to kill her upon the completion of Cold Harbor.
AustinAg2K said:
You know. I am going to be the first to say what I know everyone is thinking. If you can end suffering in the world by kidnapping and torturing just one person, isn't it worth it? Every minute that Mark isn't working on Cold Harbor is another minute millions of people have to deal with the pain of a dental appointment, or the horror of writing Christmas cards. Mark is the bad guy, not Lumon. Praise Kier!
Just to double down on my theory that Mark is actually the bad guy... Not only is he the one who is actually torturing Gemma by building the torture rooms, he's also banging the new girl at work while his wife is going through the worst life ever. Good luck to Mark trying to explain to his wife that it was actually his Innie who was banging Helly R.
Where have they alluded they'll kill her? The comment made to the sweater guy about not seeing her again? I mean, Lumon is probably evil AF but I didn't automatically think that meant they'll kill her.
Like I said though...was just throwing things out there wife and I discussed post show, not anything definitive. I don't watch all these videos you guys post because I choose to have my own thoughts and treat the thread and you guys/gals as the water cooler in the office.
Like I said though...was just throwing things out there wife and I discussed post show, not anything definitive. I don't watch all these videos you guys post because I choose to have my own thoughts and treat the thread and you guys/gals as the water cooler in the office.
The Lumon doctor (Robby Benson's character) previously worked at the fertility clinic that Gemma and Mark used. Leading me to believe that the IVF clinic was a ruse by Lumon to target lab rats for the Cold Harbor experiments.
I believe Lumon kidnapped Gemma the night she left.
I believe Lumon kidnapped Gemma the night she left.
Class of '91 (MEEN)
Pahdz said:
Where have they alluded they'll kill her? The comment made to the sweater guy about not seeing her again? I mean, Lumon is probably evil AF but I didn't automatically think that meant they'll kill her.
Like I said though...was just throwing things out there wife and I discussed post show, not anything definitive. I don't watch all these videos you guys post because I choose to have my own thoughts and treat the thread and you guys/gals as the water cooler in the office.
I haven't watched a single video yet either (saving a couple for this weekend), and no, they didn't explicitly say they were going to kill her.
But that's exactly what they meant.
Drummond to Dr. Mauer (the creepy dentist/doctor): "When he's done you're going to have to say goodbye to her." Followed by them both saying "For Keir" as Dr. Mauer has a pained look on his face, all clearly indicating that Gemma is a sacrificial lamb.
Not to mention earlier when Gemma asks Dr. Mauer, "So, I'll see Mark?" To which Dr. Mauer doesn't directly answer, only ominously saying instead, "Mark will benefit from the world you're siring."
Sure, all of this could mean that once Cold Harbor is done they're going to send Gemma to live peacefully on a farm upstate, but IMO it's beyond obvious that's not what they intend.
That comment definitely meant they plan to kill her when whatever Cold harbor is finishes.Pahdz said:
Where have they alluded they'll kill her? The comment made to the sweater guy about not seeing her again? I mean, Lumon is probably evil AF but I didn't automatically think that meant they'll kill her.
Like I said though...was just throwing things out there wife and I discussed post show, not anything definitive. I don't watch all these videos you guys post because I choose to have my own thoughts and treat the thread and you guys/gals as the water cooler in the office.
Also, Gemma is already legally dead. It's not like they would have a lot of loose strings to tie up.
Good point.
Interesting, source?TCTTS said:
This was an entirely practical shot/transition. All physically done. No CGI.just a genius transition from her https://t.co/hoURFOMhiW pic.twitter.com/G7pkQTdqoq
— Cris ✨ (@lionesspike) February 28, 2025
Because I'd assume practical shot up to the ceiling, animating the ceiling with a digital comp, digital camera down through the CG wires then composited into a practical floor shot that they pan up from.
jessica lee gagne the GOAThttps://t.co/VYfBCx6Jco pic.twitter.com/KWPpgUPsyj
— 𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 (@shereeny) February 28, 2025
Very cool, but honestly why? It looks computer generated anyway and probably costs way more to do it practically.
I'm not 100% certain it cost way more to do practically. CGI is expensive. That, and she calls it a "side project," indicating a chunk of it could have been built/done in their spare time.
All good points, I just leave my mind open because this show has already duped us enough.
Totally appreciate that they did it practically but I'd bet this cost way more than doing it digitally. This isn't a complex photorealistic thing that would take days to model, texture, light, and render, a decent artist probably knocks this out inside a day.
My god this show doesn't miss. What an episode.
One of the best episodes of the series. The cinematography was next level.
fav13andac1)c said:The Milkman said:
Guess I'm in the minority but that was by far my least favorite episode of the season. Not sure what the big answers and cliffhangers were that everyone is referring to? They're doing testing on Gemma and holding her hostage and now Mark is probably fully reintegrated.
That's pretty much all we got right?
If you want everything to be spoon fed to you all at once, this isn't the show for you. If you aren't okay with details and expanded context which add complexity to the overarching narrative and will almost always pay off later, again, not the show for you.
I've been watching from when it debuted. I didn't say I don't like the show or get it. I just wasn't as wow'ed by this episode as everyone else.