The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design
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Episode 5
| "The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design" | |
|---|---|
| Severance episode | |
 Irving and Burt in O&D | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | Aoife McArdle |
| Written by | Anna Ouyang Moench |
| Cinematography by | Jessica Lee Gagné |
| Editing by |
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| Original release date | March 11, 2022 |
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
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"The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design" is the fifth episode of the American science fiction psychological thriller television series Severance. The episode was written by Anna Ouyang Moench, and directed by producer Aoife McArdle. It was released on Apple TV+ on March 11, 2022.
The series follows employees of Lumon Industries, a biotechnology corporation that uses a medical procedure called "severance" to separate the memories of their employees: at work, Lumon employees, called "innies", can't remember anything outside of work. Outside work, Lumon employees, called "outies", can't remember anything about work. As a result, innies and outies experience two different lives, with distinct personalities and agendas. In the episode, Helly survives her suicide attempt, while Irving tries to find more about Optics and Design.
The episode received highly positive reviews from critics, who praised the writing, character development and tone. For the episode, Christopher Walken received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Mark (Adam Scott) goes to leave for the day, but is shocked to find Helly (Britt Lower) hanging in the elevator. As he holds her, Graner (Michael Cumpsty) arrives to cut the extension cord and forces Mark to get into the elevator to leave. A shaken Mark soon shifts into his outie personality.
The following day, Mark finds Cobel (Patricia Arquette) and Milchick (Tramell Tillman) waiting for him. Cobel informs him that Helly has been hospitalized, and that she will return in a few days since her outie refused to quit in the wake of the suicide attempt. Cobel blames Mark for the incident, telling him it happened under his watch. However, she neglects to tell Lumon's board about the suicide attempt. Graner, who Cobel assigned to investigate Petey's chip, confirms that Petey's memory was reintegrated. Mark continues secretly reading Ricken's self-help book in the office, finding that it encourages the reader to challenge authority.
After his shift is over, Mark goes to a birthing lodge where Devon (Jen Tullock) has gone after beginning labor. Devon goes for a walk and meets a fellow expectant mother named Gabby (Nora Dale) in the cabin next to hers. When Ricken (Michael Chernus) asks why Mark has not yet thanked him for his book, Mark reveals that he never received the book and posits that someone stole it from his doorstep. Early the next morning, Mark waits outside while Devon gives birth to a girl.
Helly returns to Lumon, and Mark helps her innie transition back into the office. Per Cobel's instructions, Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman) is assigned to observe Helly. While using the printer, Irving (John Turturro) discovers a disturbing painting depicting O&D workers slaughtering MDR workers, consistent with rumors of a violent coup by O&D years ago. Milchick arrives and apologizes, claiming he sent the painting to the wrong printer by accident and that it was intended as a joke for Cobel, but he is soon revealed to have intentionally shown Irving the painting to discourage him from spending time with Burt. Irving, however, decides to visit O&D for answers.
Mark intentionally spills coffee, forcing Ms. Casey to leave the room to find new notepads. While she is gone, Mark takes Helly on a walk through Lumon's hallways, where he shows her that he has tried to reassemble Petey's map and asks for her help, but she refuses. As he tries to convince her, they find a room where a man is feeding baby goats, claiming "they are not ready." Cobel watches them on the cameras; Graner admonishes her for letting the innies discover other departments, but she replies that "the best way to tame a prisoner is to convince them that they are free."
Irving finds Burt (Christopher Walken) in the conference room, having been tipped off by Ms. Casey. Before they can talk, Dylan (Zach Cherry) locks Burt in the room, confronting him over lying about the number of employees at O&D. Burt admits they do not trust MDR due to rumors circulating around their office. Irving releases Burt, who in turn takes them to O&D. There, they find a painting nearly identical to the one Irving found, except it instead depicts MDR slaughtering the O&D workers. Meanwhile, Mark tells Helly he is happy to have her on his team and apologizes for not being able to do more to help her; Helly agrees to help Mark complete Petey's drawing, just as Ms. Casey returns to continue the observation. Burt takes Irving and Dylan to O&D's back room and introduces them as friends to the rest of his team.
Development
Production
The episode was written by Anna Ouyang Moench, and directed by producer Aoife McArdle. This marked Moench's first writing credit, and McArdle's second directing credit.[1]