‘Severance,’ Apple TV+’s Eerie Workplace Thriller, is a Perfect Halloween Binge

Looking to enhance your annual fall lineup of scary movies, under-appreciated seasonal gems, and comedic horrors? Apple TV+‘s Severance is the uncommon, yet exceptional Halloween watch you need.

The mysterious thriller from the mind of Dan Erickson may be gore and ghost-free, but it centers around one of life’s greatest, most relatable horrors: work. If you’ve ever wondered, “What’s worse than a soul-crushing job?” Severance finds the answer in Lumon, a company that not only crushes employees’ souls, but also literally severs their brains.

Season 1 follows Lumon’s Macrodata Refinement team, comprised of Mark (Adam Scott), Helly (Britt Lower), Irving (John Turturro), and Dylan (Zach Cherry). After undergoing the company’s “Severance” procedure, the group’s memories are divided between work and personal. When severed employees are home and have no memory of work, they’re called “Outies.” And when they’re at work with no recollection of who they are outside the building’s walls, they’re “Innies.” This double life — an over-the-top quest to achieve work-life balance — may sound like a dream, but once you learn the surplus of secrets trapped in Lumon’s basement, you’ll realize it’s a nightmare.

Few things in life are more frightening than the unknown, and Severance masterfully grasps and explores that truth over the course of its first nine episodes. As the MDR team tries to uncover what exactly they do at work, and who they are outside (or inside) of Lumon’s walls, the series builds from a suspenseful slow-burn to a high-stakes apex.

In the first episode, “Good News About Hell,” ruthless MDR boss Ms. Cobel (Patricia Arquette) shares some concerning words of wisdom from her mother with Mark. “The good news is, hell is just the product of a morbid human imagination,” she explains. “The bad news is, whatever humans imagine, they can usually create.” In a nutshell, that’s Severance. The show doesn’t need jump scares, supernatural elements, violence, or monsters to terrify. Its horror is the product of morbid human imagination. The show elicits fear using mind games, enigmas, unanswered questions, and the idea of an endless workday for a company that incentivizes finger traps, caricatures, and melon balls. It’s a different kind scare, but just as effective, if not more so.

Severance‘s eerie premise will quickly captivate fans of a good thriller, but powerful performances from a stellar cast and intricate creative details are what really work to heighten its horror. The dark, perplexing title sequence by Berlin-based artist Oliver Latta (aka Extraweg) at the top of each episode serves as a reminder that what follows will be a relentlessly weird, one-of-a-kind viewing experience. From Lumon’s long, winding hallways and beaming white walls to a sea of green carpets and keyboards with no “Escape” keys, the set and production design creates a cold, confining prison for the Innies. And a chilling, curious score from Theadore Shapiro marries sinister strings and haunting piano chords to manipulate moods, elevate anxiety, and magnify even the smallest scenes.

Though the series starts off slow, the Season 1 finale remains one of the most gripping episodes of television I’ve ever seen. A seamless string of meticulously crafted tension unfolds over 40 adrenaline-pumping minutes. You’ll find yourself screaming from stress, and eventually, about a massive cliffhanger. Though the Apple TV+ thriller can (and should!) be enjoyed year-round, with less than nine hours of episodes to binge, you could easily make space in your fall schedule for this spooky show. Every October, before celebrating Halloween, celebrate Helly-ween with a Severance binge.