Can’t Stop Thinking About 'Severance'? Fill The Void With These Mind-Bending Shows
'Severance' is over for now – but these twisty shows will have you (and your innie) hooked.
If you’d asked me before Severance came out what I loved in a television show, unsettling office corridors, cryptic corporate overlords, and soul-crushing data refinement would not have made the list. But now, I can’t get enough of the surreal tone and slow-burning tension that the show delivers each week.
Among the unique elements like waffle parties, defiant jazz, and baby goats, there’s a through-line between Severance and a number of series from the past decade that tackle deep, existential questions. In these clever, twist-laden shows, identity, morality and the many puzzling facets of modern life are explored with beautifully stylised storytelling.
After the success of Severance's first season, fans were left to ponder the fate of our severed floor favourites for almost three years before we were given the second instalment. So, in case we have to linger in Lumon limbo for a while to find out what happens to the innies and outies, here are a few series that tap into the same mind-bending, off-kilter energy.
1. Maniac
Where Can I Watch It? On Netflix
If you love Severance, you probably love a show that’s strange, stylish, and surprisingly moving. Maniac is all of these things, blending sci-fi, dark comedy, and emotional drama into one mind-bending ride. Starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, the story follows two strangers – Annie and Owen – who sign up for a mysterious pharmaceutical drug trial promising to solve all their problems, no therapy required (remind you of something?). Like Severance, Maniac explores the human condition, our need for connection, and the slippery nature of reality in a world not too far removed from our own. Plus, this is a limited series, so there’s no end-of-season cliffhanger or need to wait for a new instalment, you can binge all 10 episodes in one go.
2. Dark
Where Can I Watch It? On Netflix
Dark feels like if you took Stranger Things, added a touch of quantum physics and turned up the existential dread to ten. As the name suggests, the series isn’t a light watch. This German sci-fi thriller starts with a small-town mystery, but quickly unravels into a sprawling, time-travel saga that spans generations. Dealing with themes of fate, free-will and time as a construct, Dark is a masterclass in expertly crafted storytelling across three tightly woven seasons. If Severance left you craving something equally cerebral, Dark is that and more, with an intricate and mind-bending twist to boot.
3. Living with Yourself
Where Can I Watch It? On Netflix
Living With Yourself is a show that’s heavier on the (albeit, dark) comedy, but still has a distinct sci-fi edge. Dealing with themes of identity, self-worth, and why we’re all in pursuit of a “better version” of ourselves. Paul Rudd stars as Miles, a disillusioned man who undergoes a mysterious spa treatment promising transformation – only to discover he’s been replaced by a clone. This forces Miles to have to find a way to awkwardly coexist with this version of him who's better in every way: more motivated, more optimistic, and somehow even better at being him. Living With Yourself is a bingeable eight-episodes that offers laugh-out-loud moments as well as musings on ambition, dissatisfaction and the messy complexity of personal growth.
4. The OA
Where Can I Watch It? On Netflix
With only two seasons and a devoted cult following, The OA has gone down in history as one of the most enigmatic and beloved shows of the streaming era. A genre-defying blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and spiritual mystery that unfolds like a fever dream, the show follows Prairie Johnson, a young blind woman who returns home after disappearing for seven years – now inexplicably able to see. As she gathers a group of misfit locals to share her incredible story, the series uncovers layers of reality, exploring near-death experiences, alternate dimensions, and the power of belief. Poetic, strange, and emotionally resonant, The OA is perfect for fans of Severance who are drawn to the mysteries that live between science and the soul.
5. The Consultant
Where Can I Watch It? Prime Video
If you’re ready to jump back into a corporate nightmare post-Severance, The Consultant is a darkly comic thriller that navigates the absurd and unsettling terrain of office culture. When a beloved CEO of a mobile gaming company is suddenly killed, a mysterious new consultant, Regus Patoff (played with menacing precision by Christoph Waltz), takes over. A strange managerial shake-up quickly spirals into psychological warfare, and employees start questioning their ethics, their jobs – and their sanity. Sharp, satirical and sinister, The Consultant explores power, manipulation, and the often-blurred line between ambition and obedience.
6. Upload
Where Can I Watch It? Prime Video
Continuing the theme of technology tinkering with your mind, Upload is a witty, thought-provoking sci-fi series that imagines a future where you can cheat death by uploading your consciousness into a digital afterlife. When Nathan, a young app developer, dies unexpectedly, he wakes up in a luxurious virtual heaven controlled by a shady tech company. However, the afterlife isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. A genre mash-up of satire, mystery, and romance, Upload raises points about the commodification of death and the ethics of technology. Think: Severance meets Black Mirror meets The Good Place.
7. Mr. Robot
Where Can I Watch It? ITV
The breakout role that made Rami Malek a star, Mr. Robot follows Elliot Alderson, a brilliant but socially isolated cybersecurity engineer who moonlights as a hacker. Struggling with mental illness, including experiencing a fractured sense of reality, Elliot is recruited by the mysterious Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) to join an underground group of ‘hacktivists’ aiming to take down one of the world’s most powerful corporations. Filled with paranoia, conspiracies, and exploring themes of identity and control, Mr. Robot is essential viewing for fans of Severance who love their sci-fi to delve deep.
8. The Leftovers
Where Can I Watch It? NOW
Imagine waking up tomorrow to discover that 2% of the world’s population has mysteriously disappeared. The Leftovers takes this premise and uses it to explore how we move forward as a society when the unexplainable happens. The story isn’t about the event itself, but rather, as the name suggests, those left behind and the grief and confusion they are left to confront. Set first in a small town in New York and later expanding to Texas and beyond, the series follows a group of interconnected characters grappling with their new reality as they wade through loss, guilt, and questions of faith. It’s little wonder that The Leftovers is one of television’s most profound and unforgettable dramas – ideal for Severance fans drawn to mystery, complexity, and existential themes.
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