When most viewers think of Severance, the mind immediately jumps to its dark, dystopian atmosphere and psychological thriller vibes. But what if I told you that lurking beneath the show’s eerie corridors and corporate mind games lies a clever homage to other classic office comedies?
Director Ben Stiller, in the official Severance podcast, revealed that part of what drew him to the show was its inventive twist on the traditional office comedy genre. Yes, Severance wears the suit of a dystopian thriller, but it’s tailored with threads of dry humor and absurdity that will remind fans of shows like The Office.
Twisting Office Comedy Conventions with Dark Humor
One of the fascinating things about Severance is how it amplifies the quirks of office culture into something surreal and unsettling. The show finds humor in the mundane and exaggerates the banal into bizarre spectacle. Characters like Dylan, who becomes childishly thrilled about trivial office perks - think finger traps or eccentric teambuilding exercises - bring that recognizable, awkward office vibe to Lumon’s severed floor. Who hasn't been promised a pizza party for hitting quarterly targets?
Mr. Milchick, the ever-cheerful yet slightly off-kilter manager, is another source of dark comedy. His odd rewards, ranging from musical dance experiences to egg and melon bars, feel like a twisted version of the quirky incentives you might find in a classic office sitcom or office in the real world. It's almost as if the rich billionaires on the Lumon board heard from a consultant about rewarding employees and missed the mark in the only way the uber rich can.
These moments create an atmosphere that, while chilling, is peppered with a strangely familiar levity!
Director Ben Stiller, in the official Severance podcast, revealed that part of what drew him to the show was its inventive twist on the traditional office comedy genre.
Severance's Subtle Nod to The Office’s Iconic Characters
The connection to The Office goes beyond just tone and setting. In a clever visual and narrative nod, the scene between Dylan and his wife, Gretchen, evokes memories of one of The Office’s most iconic moments. In Season 3, Episode 16 of The Office, Pam dresses in a purple roll-neck sweater and black pinafore for an art show, receiving an awkward hug from Michael Scott who was the only one to turn up.
In Severance, Gretchen’s outfit closely mirrors Pam’s look, and Dylan’s awkward desire to be there for her has the Michael Scott feel to it. Is this a wardrobe coincidence? Or is it a playful wink from the creators, blending the familiar awkwardness of office life with the unsettling tension of Lumon’s world? When Severance is directed by Ben Stiller, known for his comedy work alongside his father Jerry Stiller, this call back to The Office seems less of a coincidence.
Adam Scott Must Love Claymation By Now
The layering of office comedy influences continues in Severance Season 2, Episode 2, with another amusing reference: the Macrodat Uprising portrayed through a claymation training video. This stop-motion sequence could be seen as a nod to Adam Scott’s character in Parks and Recreation, Ben Wyatt, who obsessively creates a claymation video during his unemployment, only to get frustrated when it’s too short.
In Severance, this claymation video attempts to spin a rebellious uprising into a motivational tool, urging the MDR team back to work. The Lumon building is also voiced by the least problematic man on the planet, Keanu Reeves here! It’s a darkly ironic twist, blending the office comedy trope of motivational videos with the show’s underlying themes of control and resistance.
How Severance Reinvents the Office Comedy for a New Era
Severance isn’t your typical office comedy, but it cleverly integrates familiar elements - awkward characters, quirky rituals, and mundane absurdities - and transforms them through a dystopian lens. The subtle Office references Severance fans will catch add layers of humor and depth, reminding us that even in the bleakest corporate landscapes, the ridiculousness of office life persists.. (Or maybe Office "culture" is inherently bad!)
By weaving these callbacks into its dark narrative fabric, Severance both honors and reinvents the office comedy genre, creating an experience that’s unsettling, intriguing, and unexpectedly funny all at once.
