How Severance’s Original Pilot Script Presented a Darker Concept for the Show

Overview of Severance’s Darker Origins

Severance’s initial pilot script featured a significantly darker tone, including elements such as a disturbing scene involving a pet rat.
The show initially considered a format reminiscent of The Office, but ultimately carved out its unique identity, contributing to its acclaim.
Notable deviations from the final script included a premise where Mark experienced divorce, and a surreal conception involving birth from a giant sphincter at Lumon Industries.

As anticipation builds for the second season of Severance, fans are eager to delve back into its enigmatic sci-fi realm, filled with perplexing inquiries about Lumon Industries. Created by Dan Erickson and helmed by director Ben Stiller, the original pilot script was notably darker than the final product aired on Apple TV+.

In recent discussions, Stiller revealed that season two almost took a drastically different route—initially resembling the comedic style of The Office. While this approach might have attracted an audience due to the impressive cast and talented writers, the series’ distinct narrative has resonated deeply with viewers, earning multiple awards for its thought-provoking portrayal of office workers navigating a dystopian reality where their memories are surgically separated into work and personal lives.

Insights into Severance’s Original Dark Script

According to a report by Kotaku, the surreal universe of Severance could have been even more peculiar had the creator adhered to his original vision from 2015. During a recent episode of The Severance Podcast featuring Ben Stiller and Adam Scott, they shared that the character Mark, portrayed by Adam Scott, was initially conceived as a divorced individual rather than a widower. In an unconventional twist, Mark would be interviewing Hatty at a fictional video store named Crazy Eagle Video instead of the workplace at Lumon Industries. The sequence would have begun with Mark inadvertently hitting a cat that mysteriously disappears, leading him to Ms. Cobel’s residence, where things turn increasingly bizarre.

In the podcast, Erickson divulged, “There’s a sequence of her showing him her pet rat, who she then tortures. But it turns out the rat is severed. So, she switches, and suddenly the rat is now snuggling her. That’s how she explains to him what severance is.” This peculiar interaction would escalate, as Mark would later find the house replaced by a porta-potty serving as an odd communication method between the two characters. This surreal narrative aligns with the show’s established eccentric tone and raises intriguing questions about its potential impact.

This original storyline could also provide insight into the unusual presence of goats at Lumon Industries, suggesting they might be subjects for experimental programs similar to lab rats, emphasizing the theme of severance across various forms of life. Additionally, Erickson noted a significant plot alteration where Mark would awaken on a medical table, experiencing a surreal “birth” from a giant sphincter in the ceiling. This absurd scenario would likely see Mark in a frantic search for escape within the sprawling corridors of Lumon, further amplifying the show’s offbeat narrative style.

Severance Season 2 is set to premiere on Apple TV+ on January 17, 2025. Fans eagerly await the continuation of this gripping story that challenges conventional storytelling and delves into the intricacies of human experience within a corporate framework.

Source: Kotaku

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