15 Shows Like Severance You Need to Watch
Severance is the newest TV show with sci-fi elements because we are looking at characters whose memories have been divided between their work and personal life, and that means that they compartmentalize both aspects of their lives. If you’re looking for something that’s similar to Severance because you’ve already breezed through it, then we have a good list of the best shows like Severance.
15. Brave New World (2020)
Brave New World is a series that was based on a novel of the same name but was modernized because the novel was written in 1932. That said, this series explores a world where things such as privacy, family, and monogamy are a thing of the past but society is still governed on a hierarchical level because there are still people dictating what to do and what not to do. Of course, while this series was modernized to fit the times we live in, it was able to capture the essence of the book properly.
Why It’s Like Severance: Brave New World is like Severance because you are looking at movies that are both sci-fi and are set in worlds that are different from ours. While Brave New World is set in a dystopian world, Severance is set in a world that isn’t too different because of how it divides the private and work lives of the people involved in this series. On the other hand, Brave New World is about a story where normal social norms don’t even exist.
14. Electric Dreams (2017)
Electric Dreams is a series that is actually more like Black Mirror in the sense that every episode is a different story. This anthology series follows stories where you get to see people and their relationship with technology and how such a relationship affects the way they live. Every episode tells a different tale, and we can be sure that this is a very intriguing series that is quite eye-opening in a lot of different ways.
Why It’s Like Severance: Electric Dreams is similar to Severance due to the very fact that we are looking at two different shows that allow us to see how technology affects the lives of people. While technology affects the people in Severance in the sense that it allows them to have memories that have been compartmentalized, Electric Dreams affects the lives of the people in different ways, depending on the story that we are looking at in each episode.
13. Lost (2004 – 2010)
Lost is one of the most riveting sci-fi shows in the sense that it follows a story about a weird phenomenon that the characters do not understand or cannot explain. The series starts with people getting stranded on an island after their plane crashes. However, what they don’t know is that there is something mysterious going on and that there is something bigger happening. This is one of the shows that leave viewers wondering what is happening in the entire story, as this is one of the greatest sci-fi shows ever made because of how it allows you to keep on guessing what is happening.
Why It’s Like Severance: The reason why Lost is similar to Severance is the fact that this is a series that keeps you guessing. Severance is a show that will put you on the edge of your seats because you are also wondering what’s happening. That is the very same premise that Lost has because the show just keeps on making you guess and wonder why things are happening and who is behind what is happening.
12. Dispatches From Elsewhere (2020)
Dispatches From Elsewhere is a sci-fi series that lasted for only a single season because of how low its ratings were. Nevertheless, it still is an interesting series to watch if you want to enjoy a show that is quite unique in terms of how it looks at technology. This series follows the story of a group of strangers who stumble upon a real-life alternate reality game called The Jejune Institute, which changes their perception of reality. As such, it’s a unique take on sci-fi and is quite interesting if you prefer something that isn’t entirely similar to some of the other series you may have seen.
Why It’s Like Severance: If you look at both Dispatches From Elsewhere and Severance, the one thing in common between them is the fact that they both follow stories where reality is somewhat altered. In Dispatches From Elsewhere, the perception of reality is altered by an AR game. On the other hand, the people in Severance have realities that are altered because their memories have been altered.
11. Dollhouse (2009 – 2010)
Dollhouse is a sci-fi series that seems to be unique compared to the other shows that you could watch during the 2000s. This series follows the story of a group of people called “dolls,” whose memories and personalities have been erased. From there, they are hired by rich clients and are given new memories and personalities depending on what they are hired to do. However, one doll becomes self-aware, and that’s where we end up seeing how the dolls tackle questions that are related to identity.
Why It’s Like Severance: Basically, Dollhouse is very much like Severance because we are looking at stories that tackle the memories of the people involved. Dollhouse focuses on how the dolls are tackling with their own identities as they become more self-aware. On the other hand, Severance focuses more on how the stories of the people have become affected by the fact that their memories in work and in their personal lives are compartmentalized.
10. The Twilight Zone (1959 – 1964)
The Twilight Zone is the OG when it comes to shows that are weird because of how it is one of the first sci-fi shows that was actually able to properly portray bizarre happenings in an anthology format. This series follows different stories every single episode as these episodes have mind-bending themes that are literally out of this world. So, if you’re into stories that are weird, bizarre, and downright strange, The Twilight Zone should be right up your alley.
Why It’s Like Severance: The Twilight Zone is very similar to Severance in the sense that you are looking at themes that dwell in the bizarre in both of these shows. While The Twilight Zone tells different weird stories every episode, Severance tells a bizarre story the entire series as we get to see sci-fi themes that tend to break the norms of what we usually see in sci-fi movies and shows.
9. Stranger Things (2016 – Present)
Stranger Things is the most successful Netflix series of all time because of how it has become a show that tends to hit all types of people at the right spot with its good combination of humor, action, adventure, horror, and drama. The series follows the story of kids who are in the middle of an investigation surrounding the disappearance of one of their friends. This leads them to discover a girl with psychic abilities and the existence of an entirely different world full of monsters and hideous creatures.
Why It’s Like Severance: Yes, we know that grouping Stranger Things and Severance together sounds weird but bear with us because they actually have some similarities. They both have Lovecraftian themes that are actually used well enough to the point that they are quite similar. Nevertheless, Stranger Things is still one of the most unique series that you can watch and is actually a lighthearted watch compared to the heavier Severance.
8. Maniac (2018)
Maniac is a limited series that explores a lot of different themes that will surely cater to the people who love sci-fi shows. It might not be the most popular show out there but you’re going to love how it was able to showcase different themes surrounding two different people. The show follows the story of two employees working for a company that asked them to take part in an experiment that allowed them to go on a psychedelic trip across time and space. It looks at different themes like depression and death while taking on the challenge of exploring different genres.
Why It’s Like Severance: The reason why Maniac is like Severance is the fact that we are looking at employees whose lives were changed due to work. While Severance looks at people whose work and personal lives were made to be separate literally, Maniac looks at people who took part in a company experiment that allowed them to take on a psychedelic trip across time and space.
7. Homecoming (2018 – Present)
Homecoming is another one of those hidden gems that you might want to watch if you’re interested in shows that are actually quite grounded on realism but still have a few elements of mystery. This show explores the life of a waitress who doesn’t understand how she became a waitress when she was previously working as a social worker for a huge company. This prompts her to try to investigate the things that were happening around her as she discovers a bigger conspiracy behind it.
Why It’s Like Severance: Like Severance, Homecoming explores the life of a person who works for a shady and mysterious company. As such, the person’s life while working for that company becomes a series of deception and mystery as their memory actually gets affected. Nevertheless, Homecoming is a little more grounded in reality compared to the Severance, which is more sci-fi in its nature.
6. Upload (2020 – Present)
Upload is on the lighter side of the sci-fi genre because it mixes comedy with its sci-fi elements. This series follows the story of a futuristic Earth where humans can upload themselves into a virtual afterlife. Meanwhile, the main character ends up dying prematurely but is uploaded into an expensive virtual afterlife where he is forced to live with his still-living girlfriend, who is quite possessive. However, he ends up bonding with his customer service representative, who shares her problems with him and ends up falling for him.
Why It’s Like Severance: You can look at Upload as a more lighthearted version of Severance because you are looking at themes that are quite similar. Both Upload and Severance look at stories that explore people who are able to live different lives thanks to the effects of technology. While Severance looks at people who live different lives due to how their memories of work and personal life are compartmentalized, Upload looks at people that can upload themselves into a virtual world.
5. Mr. Robot (2015 – 2019)
One of the most complex sci-fi-like series of the 2010s is Mr. Robot, which is a show that isn’t exactly sci-fi but still dabbles in some themes that some people can still qualify as sci-fi. This series follows the story of a young anti-social computer programmer who works as a cybersecurity engineer but is actually a vigilante hacker that ends up getting recruited by an organization to bring down corporate America. One of the companies he was tasked to bring down was the very same company he works for, and that’s where it becomes confusing for him as his personal beliefs get in the way.
Why It’s Like Severance: While Mr. Robot doesn’t have the sci-fi elements that Severance has, it is important to note that they are very similar in the sense that they both tackle themes involving a person working for a company and how that job affects the person’s personal life. Mr. Robot presents itself as more of a drama series that looks at the world from the perspective of the main character, who sees corporations as the root of all evil in the world.
4. Westworld (2016 – Present)
Westworld is one of HBO’s most popular series, despite the fact that it might have flown under the radars of some people. This sci-fi series takes place in a futuristic world where androids have been employed in a theme park-like scenario that wealthy humans go to if they want to have the time of their lives. However, these androids didn’t even know that they were not human, as they lived in secluded environments that took on different themes, such as old western America and feudal Japan. And when the androids became self-aware, they began mounting a rebellion against the human population.
Why It’s Like Severance: The first reason why Westworld is like Severance is the fact that they are both sci-fi shows that take place in time periods where technology is already so advanced. However, the most glaring reason why they are very similar to one another goes into the very core of what these shows are all about. Westworld explores a world where the androids are sort of slaves to humans who use them for their own amusement. On the other hand, the people in Severance are kind of like robots in the sense that their personal memories have been separated from their work memories.
3. Counterpart (2017 – 2019)
Counterpart is a series that is sort of underrated because it isn’t the most popular but is actually quite entertaining when you look at the core of what this show is all about. This series follows the story of a UN spy who discovers that his organization is actually keeping a secret a gateway that allows people to travel to a parallel world. As such, he becomes involved in a larger secret that involves espionage, intrigue, and conspiracies that force him to trust only one person—his counterpart from the parallel dimension.
Why It’s Like Severance: While Counterpart and Severance are very different from one another when it comes to their stories, these sci-fi shows are still quite similar in the sense that we are talking about smaller secrets that lead to larger conspiracies. As such, we get to see thrilling sci-fi shows that are able to deliver amazing stories that have at their core powerful organizations harboring secrets.
2. Devs (2020)
Devs isn’t exactly the most futuristic or most sci-fi out of all of the sci-fi series we have on this list, but it is one of the best when it comes to delivering a unique story that focuses on conspiracies and secrets. This series follows the story of a woman whose boyfriend disappeared as she is forced to investigate and unravel the mystery behind it when the entire matter was swept under the rug. It’s a series that makes you wonder just how much a company values its employees and how far people are willing to go just to unravel a larger mystery.
Why It’s Like Severance: Out of all of the series that we have on this list, Devs is probably the one that’s closest to Severance in terms of its overall story because of the fact that it looks at the relationship that people have with their employers. In Devs, the story follows a character whose disappearance has been swept under the rug by the company he works for, as this prompts his girlfriend to investigate what happened to him. As such, she ends up discovering a larger conspiracy and a web of corruption involving the company.
1. Black Mirror (2011 – Present)
Black Mirror is one of the most popular sci-fi shows on the planet as it allows you to see just how dangerous technology can be and how it can affect the way you live. Nevertheless, a few episodes of Black Mirror allow us to see the good effects of technology in this world. In that regard, this is a series that follows an anthology format that has different stories per episode, and that is what is so cool about Black Mirror. Each episode has a different story that will allow you to understand the way technology can affect the world.
Why It’s Like Severance: Black Mirror is like Severance because it allows you to see a different side of technology that can be harmful to human society. Specifically, episodes like Nosedive and White Christmas look at the effects and implications of technology in a manner that relates to the socioeconomic and psychological aspects of society. This allows you to see how some of the elements tackled in Black Mirror are eerily similar to the ones you can watch in Severance.