The second season of Severance has really started to dive into areas around the corporate world. It's like peeling the onion layer-by-layer. The characters can't remember their work lives when they're at home and vice versa. It's like they have a secret, split life. So the show is really a blast of sci-fi and a lot of social satire.
When watching the first six episodes of season two, one can't help but feel this is about more than just critiquing corporate life. This is about control and how it is enforced in society. It's a show that has a great sense of style and delves into the world of science fiction.
The second season has hints of groups that are a lot like cults. However, it doesn't pull any punches. It dives in deep into the social dynamics and power plays of these groups. These groups that have these things in common with companies. Lumon, the corporation, works to control what information its employees get. In the real world, there are companies that have a strong following for their founder.
The showrunner and actors admit that they were influenced by cult documentaries. They found a lot of crossover between what is a company and what is a cult. They also found similarities in the power structures of both.
Think about it, a lot of us have worked at a place where there are rules and the boss has a special status. These are examples of power structures that can be seen in corporations.
Patricia Arquette did her research. She watched documentaries about cults and religions and even military schools. She found a lot of similarities. There is this crossover between the two. This is why the show is so good. It brings up questions about what power is and how it is used.
