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Being a fan of Apple TV+’s Severance requires endurance. Hopefully the wait till season three is launched will not be as interminable because the three-year drought between seasons one and two, however you by no means know, so we gotta simply dangle in there.
There’s nothing fairly like Severance. The collection makes use of the head-spinning sci-fi premise of individuals having mind surgical procedure to take care of their rattling jobs to discover identification, company management, and the character of humanity itself, whereas sustaining an unsettling vibe and managing to be darkly hilarious. That mentioned, these 5 exhibits mix mind-bending ideas, office satire, and existential dread, and could enable you scratch that Severance itch whilst you anticipate season 3 to drop.
Mr. Robotic (2015-2019)
Mr. Robotic follows the story of Elliot Alderson, a younger cyber safety knowledgeable with psychological well being issues who goes rogue to attempt to take down the mega company he works for. Just like the re-integrated characters in Severance, Elliot is not at all times positive the place actuality ends and his delusions start. Viewers aren’t, both. The 2 exhibits share thematic floor—a bleak view of late capitalism, the final embers of humanity being floor out by forces past anybody’s management—however Mr. Robotic lacks the coldly eliminated vibe of Severance. It is all instructed from the point-of-view of the principle character, so it is extra intense and private. You may stream Mr. Robotic on Tubi.
Darkish (2017 to 2020)
On the floor, German sci-fi drama Darkish resembles Netflix’s Stranger Issues greater than Apple TV’s Severance—it is partly a few group of youngsters who uncover a bizarre lab on the outskirts of their city the place one thing supernatural appears to be happening. However Darkish is sensible and fascinating all through its three seasons as a substitute of falling off after season one. Like Severance, Darkish options advanced characters and an intricate plot the place the improbable ingredient at its middle can be a strategy to discover themes of loss, time, reminiscence, and identification. And I actually recognize any present that does not insult its viewers’ intelligence by over-explaining all the things. You may stream Darkish on Netflix.
The Prisoner (1967-1968)
In case you’re the sort who likes to discover the supply of the factor you like, it’s a must to watch The Prisoner. The title character is a British undercover agent being held in a surreal jail for causes he would not perceive. It is exhausting to overstate how progressive and forward of its time this present was when it aired within the late Sixties: It is mainly the blueprint for each mind-fuck TV present that adopted, from Misplaced to the X-Recordsdata to Severance. Whereas The Prisoner is clearly dated, there is a allure to the old-school cheesiness. It is a low-budget James Bond with sci-fi components and critical ambitions—how might you not like it? You may stream The Prisoner on Prime, Tubi, Sling, and Plex.
What do you suppose to date?
Silo (2023-present)
Apple TV+’s different bold, unique science fiction present tells the story of a civilization that has lived in an enormous underground silo for therefore many generations, they are not even positive why they’re down there anymore; they solely know that returning to the floor means demise. Or does it? The best way Silo’s corrupt authorities tightly controls info has particular similarities to Lumon Industries’ petty authoritarianism. Whereas Silo is, general, a much less nuanced present than Severance (it is nearer to thrilling, YA fiction storytelling than Severance’s fastidiously plotted puzzle of a plot), when you want a sci-fi collection repair, try Silo. You’ll find Silo on Apple TV.
The Kingdom (1994)
Filmmaker/provocateur Lars Von Trier’s The Kingdom is the one TV collection I do know of that balances comedy and surrealism in addition to Severance. Whereas The Kingdom‘s characters work in a Danish hospital constructed on a cursed burial floor as a substitute of an evil cult’s company workplace, each exhibits function a robust establishment corrupting its workers, and each are, on some stage, absurdist, darkly hilarious office comedies. Severance has a bizarre cult, a mind operation, and a goat room; The Kingdom has patient-led seances, a ghostly ambulance, and a monster child. You may stream The Kingdom on Mubi.
