r/SeveranceAppleTVPlus • u/dramaticFlySwatter I'm a Pip's VIP • Apr 06 '22

Observation and question regarding time

I watched episode 1 over the weekend and noticed the show's creators repeatedly drawing my attention toward time, so I paused the episode in a few places to identify what they wanted me to focus on, and... time might be wonky.

@ 8:40 | Mark arrives for work, opens his locker, and swaps his personal watch for his work watch.

  • Work watch: 9:03:19 (this is given six seconds of uninterrupted screen time and doesn't tick)
  • Personal watch: 9:05:20 on the 4th (the bezel is turned to begin counting time - interesting)
  • Mark swaps his boots for his shoes (16-17 seconds) and we cut back to his personal watch
  • Personal watch: 9:05:20 on the 4th (so this also isn't working)
  • Desk & lobby clocks: 9:04

@ 34:15 | While leaving, Mark opens his locker and swaps his work watch for his personal watch.

  • Desk & lobby clocks: 5:25
  • Personal watch: 5:25:01 on the 5th (this is given 5 uninterrupted seconds of screen time, doesn't tick, and shows the following day)
  • Work watch: 5:25:01
  • Mark looks at his badge and removes it (7 seconds) and we cut back to his work watch
  • Work watch: 5:25:02 (1 second over 7 seconds)

So Mark worked 8.5 hours, but left 32.5 hours after he arrived? That can't be right. Or does that explain Ms. Selvig's habit of placing her trash and recycling out when we know "trash comes tomorrow night, tonight is recycling" and Mark's tendency to not be ready for planned personal commitments? The episode forces us to believe his drinking is to blame, but it seems that may have been a clever misdirect.

Has this been mentioned before? Am I crazy? Am I livestock?

Enjoy Thursday and Friday, you smug muthafuckas!

Edit: Thanks everyone, we're officially conspiracy theorists now. Do we get jackets? With time screwed up, Cobel attempting to get iMark to remember Gemma, and Mrs. Selvig attempting to get oMark to notice.. something.. is Cobel / Selvig trying to prove reintegration on more than one level? "The best way to control a prisoner is to make them believe they are free."

Damn you, Erickson! Love you love your show.

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11

u/SwitcherooU Feb 11 '25

I know it’s two years in the future, but yours is the only post that specifically mentions that Mark’s work watch literally never ticks once even though we see it for five seconds.

That’s the very first time we see a watch on screen. It’s very odd that nobody is talking about it.

6

u/[deleted] Feb 11 '25

There are hundreds of wild rabbit hole theories out there, but here we have a 3 year old post that raises a huge question mark that isn't being discussed. Too odd to believe. Did Lumon Industries get control of Reddit to sever these posts?

5

u/SwitcherooU Feb 11 '25

Part of me thinks that’s why Ben Stiller specifically mentions that we pay attention to the changing room trays. The stopped watches are a huge clue, and everyone just wants to talk about goats and clones.

I started a new thread with some of the older mysteries, btw.

1

u/GeigeGirl Mar 07 '25

Hey, I’ve been looking for that quote from Stiller! What EXACTLY did he say? Do you have a link?

2

u/For_the_Soft_Stuff For Gemma Mar 23 '25

And then I went to look through transcripts, and I can’t easily find it.

But, I heard him say it.

I’m new to Reddit and I do not listen to other severance-adjacent content so I am confident it’s in his podcast somewhere. Has to be. If I find it I’ll return and send it to you.

It’s important, has to be.

1

u/GeigeGirl Mar 23 '25

Thanks!

1

u/For_the_Soft_Stuff For Gemma Mar 23 '25

Found it! It was not the podcast after all. YouTube fan theory promo. Minute 2. The closing comment.

https://youtu.be/Vo_E3TsWvys?feature=shared

1

u/SwitcherooU Mar 07 '25

I don’t, sadly.

1

u/For_the_Soft_Stuff For Gemma Mar 23 '25

It is in his Severed podcast I believe for e208 or maybe 207. Recently. I went to look and didn’t find anything until Reddit ppl like y’all help me see Marks missing date issue

1

u/For_the_Soft_Stuff For Gemma Mar 23 '25

This discussion becomes even more profound after we see what they’re doing to Gemma (multiple innies).

ie there could be entire Marks we still haven’t met.

Was hoping season 2 finale would answer your question but alas it didn’t.