# Severance (Apple TV+)

29 Hacker News commenters recommended Severance (Apple TV+) and 9 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 10 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Workplace sci-fi drama that many readers call some of the best TV they have seen. Critics say the second season stretches the story thin and loses focus.

## Why people recommend it

- Called some of the best TV (7 comments): "Ted Lasso , Severance , and For All Mankind are huge stand-outs in their scope, depth, and ambition" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47865899)) "Severance is some of the best television I've seen in a long time." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46913396)) "My favorite TV of the past five years is probably Severance." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49985303))
- Sharp satire of workplace identity (3 comments): "Severance considers things like self-identity and the fake personalities, and fake social constructs of our workplaces" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46167911)) "Big shout out to Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller for speaking to my soul in Severance." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47666806)) "It's a wonderful show that shows us a sick truth" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48574411))
- Strong, innovative sci-fi storytelling (4 comments): "some superb sci-fi on the screen in recent years like Severance" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46928568)) "Severance really captured that vibe." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48474546)) "Innovative? Check Blade/Severance." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46821899))
- Eye-opening and worth watching (2 comments): "it is good time to start watching that show" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47859311)) "Give it a watch, it's very eye opening" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49777571))

## What people warn about

- Second season weaker than first (4 comments): "Further complexity to the show to stretch it for two seasons, or worse dillute it, really feels now like a net negative for the show." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46993205)) "Too much "weird for the sake of being weird". You could tell the first season had a plan, and the second was just winging it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46990654)) "things that started strong but lost their way (stranger things, severance)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49145058))
- Story stretched thin, threads unresolved (4 comments): "they opened much more new story than they resolved" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46990125)) "the show has now turned into Lost and nothing will get resolved" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46989393)) "stretch a 2 hour movie's plot across a 12 - 16 hour season" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47547165))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Halt and Catch Fire](https://hackerapproved.com/p/halt-and-catch-fire.md): 166 recommend
- [Babylon 5](https://hackerapproved.com/p/babylon-5.md): 86 recommend
- [Silicon Valley (TV series)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/silicon-valley.md): 52 recommend
- [Andor](https://hackerapproved.com/p/andor.md): 52 recommend
- [The Wire](https://hackerapproved.com/p/wire.md): 39 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Severance (Apple TV+)", https://hackerapproved.com/p/severance/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).