Severance Takes Place in the Present Day

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In the realm of Severance, both within and beyond Lumon’s office spaces, there’s a sense of the _unusual_, and it can be quite challenging to determine the specific time period in which it unfolds. Yet, the series creator has provided us with a clarification on this matter.

If you learn about the storyline of Severance – employees from a secretive company choose to be ‘severed’, dividing their daily life experiences into work and personal spheres – it would seem as if the story unfolds in a future dystopia (or an episode of Black Mirror).

The show doesn’t specify the exact year it’s set, which adds a layer of intrigue to its detailed, low-fi production design. For instance, cars resemble models from the ’70s and ’80s, while Lumon’s computers mimic the futuristic aesthetic of sci-fi films like 2001: A Space Odyssey. Interestingly, characters are seen using contemporary cellphones as well.

In Severance, many mysteries abound – the fate of Miss Casey being a significant enigma among them. However, the exact timeline isn’t part of those secrets.

This is when Severance takes place

The TV show “Severance” appears to be set in the contemporary era, so it’s speculated that it takes place between 2022 and 2026. This assumption is backed by details within the series as well as confirmed by Dan Erickson, its creator.

He clarified to The Wrap that we deliberately left much open-endedness regarding the specifics of when and where [the event/situation].

Our filming locations were primarily in New York and New Jersey, giving it a somewhat ambiguous, East Coast atmosphere reminiscent of New England. However, we purposefully avoided defining a specific location for the city.

This event occurs roughly in our current timeframe, not too far into the future where severance technology has already been developed and widely used. Instead, imagine it’s a slightly altered version of our present reality.

Interesting note upon second watch… based off of Mark’s Driver’s License, the show likely takes place in the early-mid 2020’s
byu/josh–sacto inSeveranceAppleTVPlus

The interview you’re referring to happened in the year 2022. So, it’s reasonable to assume that the events portrayed in Severance transpired sometime from 2022 up until the present day.

In Season 1, Mark’s driver’s license shows two dates when displayed: April 3, 1978, which matches his birthday; and April 24, 2020, presumably the date it was issued. As actor Adam Scott is 51 years old in real life (born on April 3), it appears that he’s portraying a character around mid to late-40s.

What about that issue of The Kier Chronicle?

While some viewers might jump to the conclusion that the magazine seen in Severance Season 2 Episode 1 provides a clue about the show’s timeline, they would be mistaken to do so without further consideration.

To begin with, The Kier Chronicle isn’t reliable when it comes to information – it’s more like propaganda. According to its front page, it has been in operation since 1983 and has distributed more than 51,000 copies. If it were a genuine daily newspaper, that would place the show’s timeline around 2034 (or close to it). However, as Erickson mentioned about the series not being set a decade in the future, this contradicts that claim.

For what it’s worth, that’s also why we know Milchick lied to Mark in the first episode.

Why Severance isn’t set in the future

Setting “Severance” in the present day lends it a greater impact and believability, since if it were set in the future, it might seem less effective or realistic. By placing it in our current time, it becomes harder to write off as merely fantastic science fiction, making its themes more powerful.

While Severance doesn’t appear to be set in a traditional dystopia, it’s certainly established within a world dominated by the innovative corporation, Lumon, which functions more like a religious institution than a typical company. This is evident through the frequent references to Kier, the apparent deity of this system.

It’s unclear just how wide its influence stretches, but it could be that Lumon limits the technology available to others, making retrofuturistic tech a necessity for people.

In an interview with Thrillist, production designer Jeremy Hindle shared that much of the design was grounded in a realistic portrayal of the pharmaceutical industry.

They have immense wealth at their disposal; it’s colossal funding. It’s intriguing to ponder the potential exploits of an Elon Musk-like figure with such resources, or for today’s billionaires, the secret accomplishments we may never learn about.

Additionally, its retro-futuristic style has another appealing aspect: it’s comfortable, and in the context of the series, the simplicity of it creates a sense of comfort that encourages Innies to flourish.

While waiting, make sure to save the release date for Severance Season 2, discover methods to stream it for free, and delve deeper into the Lexington Letter.

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2025-01-21 02:04