Don’t sleep on outie Helly R. Her ‘you’re not a *person*’ was absolutely monstrous villainy.

Your Severance videos are helping with my Severance withdrawal symptoms.

You know what I never noticed before, I think Milchick gives me Gus Fring vibes. He can go from smiling and friendly to deadpan and scary in a second

I hope the writers' and others' strikes go well. The irony we can't watch more severance until the writers' concerns about corporate greed, artificial intelligence, etc. are addressed is certainly not lost on me. I live in poverty, but I'm grateful, every day, that I don't have to go to work any more.

Just throwing it out there… I have a massive crush on the actor who plays Milchik. I think it’s the short sleeves that do it for me.

when you trust a Channel so much that you put the like even before watching

I think my favourite moments of season 1 were the moments where we thought Milcheck and Cobel might actually be on the progatonists' side. Their ability to turn on a dime is so chilling.

Milchick also left the book on the floor. He is too smart and keen to details to have done that as a mistake.

I'm literally crying, Severance videos are back on the menu. bless you

That moment that you excerpted at 4:58 was extremely interesting. Cobel had Natalie pinned against the left side of the screen, but that was the moment that the power dynamic shifted in the story, and in the very next shot Natalie loomed over Cobel. Season 2 cast just dropped over at IMDB by the way. Gwendolyn Christie, John Noble coming up on deck, among others.

Best Severance content on KZfaq.

no nautilus, you're a star

Never a bad day with a new Severance analysis

Dylan running at Milchick with all a father's love and rage (yet none of the joy that should be the other half) is right up there with Caesar saying NOOOO in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," and Joker's few minutes on the couch with DeNiro's jerk character. In other words, deeply, viscerally satisfying and endlessly rewatchable. My husband thinks this show has intense and deliberate Gnosticism undertones, and I can't help but agree with him.

What I love the most about Milchick and Harmony is they appear as two different people striving for the same things. Whenever they're together they're using opposite means to get what they want. Milchick appears as a smiling friend, and everything he does is for your benefit. Harmony makes demands under threats of pain, humiliation, shame, and failure. In both cases you know who's in charge but their means are very, very different. Milchick uses kind eyes and smiles. Harmony scowls and stares a hole right through you. The two lives of Harmony Cobel make her even more sinister. Both Milchick and Harmony seem to live for Lumen. We only know about Harmony's life because she's Mark's neighbor. However, Milchick is ever present as well. There's no indication that he's ever taking any time off either. Milchick is inside Dylan G's home during the OTC. Milchick is testing new security doors for MDR well before they arrive. Milchick is also at Lumen when Mark's outie is socializing with friends and family late at night. Does Milchick live at the homes that Petey drew on his map? And for all of the times we see Milchick we know absolutely nothing about him. He knows everyone and remembers even Mark's uncomfortable storytime confessions about how he "loves the game". He knows about Helly R's weak enamel. What about Milchick? He's still a mystery.

This show is brilliant and the writers strike couldnt have come at a worse time. I need more.

Another gem has successfully landed, thank you Brother for another enticing video, just as I finished prepping up my food of the day, perfect timing.

I think that your Nurse Ratchet comparison is spot on, and the actresses are contemporaries.

Harmony Cobel is dominant in the local BDSM club. Every time she appeared on screen, I knew entertainment was on the horizon.

I was going to rewatch Season 1 for the fun and excitement of it. But, now after this tremendously long delay I'm going to have to rewatch it b4 Season 2. My goodness your channel has grown exponentially. SO VERY WELL DESERVED!!!👏👏👏👏👏

Tinfoilhat gang, Ricken is a villain too. I mean the man's name in shorthand is Rick but insists on being addressed by his full name😂

You should analyze the side characters, like Mr. Graner, bonked by Reghabi; Reghabi herself, the unnerving Natalie that speaks with the Board and interrupts Hellys speech, and June, Petey's daughter who seems to be quite aware of Mark. They're quite an important part of the development and have a lot to show in the subsequent seasons to come.

Tramell Tillman and Patricia Arquette did not have to pop off that hard, but they did it for us

Thanks for making this vid, I only recently watched the series and came to watch all your theory vids a year after they were made because I couldn't stop thinking about the show and was rly glad your channel existed. A couple of things I'm wondering about that I was hoping you could shed light on (or maybe you have a video already): 1. Why was the Lumen card that Dylan stole considered so unbelievably important that Milcheck decided he needed to activate the emergency procedure to retrieve it _immediately, that night_ while Dylan was off the clock, instead of just waiting for him to come in and ask? It seems like a ridiculous unnecessary risk to take (waking Dylan's outy through remote severance) just for that card that had no discernible use. Were they afraid he snuck it past the language scanner or are the cards immune to the scanners somehow? (I assume they would have gone off if Dylan tried to sneak it out). 2. The Mark-Chrissy experiment that Harmony is privately conducting; why is Milcheck helping her if he's more loyal to Lumen than he is to Harmony? Harmony is obviously insanely invested in the ability to remember people you love even if you're severed, she's so invested in fact that when Marc and Chrissy don't seem to recognize each other, Milcheck says "You know it's good right? That they don't remember each other? It means the chips work. It's a win." but she could tell that there was just the _faintest trace_ of emotional recognition in Mark and Chrissy's eyes as they passed each other in the Break Room, and that was enough to convince her that her entire off-the-books experiment had to be restarted, e.g. "Back down to the testing floor." On top of this, Milcheck actually looks nervous earlier on when she refers to him as "Seth" for the only time in the series, then mentions "Mr Granier sits with Kier now" hinting that Milcheck....might be joining them in the graveyard if he thinks of narcing her out... So is Milcheck willingly doing this experiment with her? And if not, what kind of leverage does she have on him that as Lumen fired her he was so nervous he could barely make eye contact after she handed over her keycard? Lastly, what is Harmony trying to prove? Why is she so damn invested in Mark's fate and his ability to remember his dead-but-not-dead wife? This experiment is _so_ important to her that she's going behind Lumen's back and possibly blackmailing Seth Milcheck into helping her. again thanks for this vid, i clearly have a lot of thoughts to put out and am glad you are helping to restart theories and discussion. here's a like and comment for the algo, hope that sub count goes up to where it belongs.

"Off you go". These videos are keeping me sane while I wait for s2 and try not to rewatch the show a fourth time

So, dude I've been lingering/malingering on KZfaq since the early 2000s, and I don't believe I've ever written a comment this vapid, but I'd like everyone to know that I just found this channel and I find the narrator's combination of humor and a very sexy voice fairly enchanting. Cheers to you, Mr. Nautilus!

Im late to the party but my theory building off of theories ive read is this: Charlotte Cobel (3/17/44) assuming the timeline is supposed to be roughly the same as ours only alternate, this could place her as harmony's mom. (Harmony being born 20+/- years later would be the 60s/70s and age appropriate for her appearance). The item we see Charlotte's name on could be a breathing apparatus (any medical ppl feel free to chime in) but it also could be a feeding tube - which the Lexington letters mentions the controversy with. So, if we infer Charlotte was in ill health and was given a feeding tube that led to her dying prematurely, we can start connecting dots on Harmony's obsessive behavior and devotion to Lumon. -Lumon seems to have immortality on their mind. Jame implies it, Keir's quotes hint at it, and as many have theorized Ms. Casey may be a part of it. -Perhaps as an apology to Harmony for her mother's premature death they offer her a possibility: her revival, in some manner, when the tech is ready. This would obviously create a very loyal employee who is fascinated by Severance and the technology associated with it. She never seemed upset or worried by reintegration, but intrigued. She tested the limits of Severance many times with Mark and "Ms Casey" but we only see that AFTER she learns about Petey. And based on Ms Casey's # of active hours, I assume it wasn't happening much before. This implies reintegration would be something she wants to be possible, so that her mother will not be a drone of herself, but have her memories too. -Why would Lumon offer this to the Corbels? I saw a theory that their family has gone back generations working for the company (as a kind of wet nurse?) that seems plausible and works in my line of thinking. The type of work (although the nurse theory would explain her knowledge on lactation and why she was assigned a position practically babysitting since there seem to be no young Eagers) isn't important. If her family goes back generations with Lumon, theyre bound to have bought in to the religious/cult type culture and believe in it fully. This would explain the worship and add to the total loyalty, after all- only gods have the power to raise the dead. - her obsession with Mark is a direct result of her own selfish interests in the progression and viability of the chips. Scent is said to be one of the strongest memory triggers, so she used the candle during his next wellness check and he recreated the tree from the accident with Ms Casey. She wants him to remember. She wants reintegration to be survivable. -there is a lot relating to motherhood with Harmony. She talks about her mother's religion twice with a different story each time, all her time as a lactation consultant which seemed to come from real knowledge, her position over the child-like innies (who were originally much younger), and her nuturing demeanor towards Mark's outie self. how her motivations tie in to the overall plot and the Gemma questions, I'm not entirely sure but those are my thoughts on Harmony and why she's Like That lol

Nautilus, great Severance videos. If I may, I have a few suggestions I’d love to see you explore as we wait for the next season: (1) allusions to the novelGreat Expectations, i.e. “Pip’s” Bar and Grill, being a different person at work than at home like John Wemmick in the book, the hand washing, the names Helena and Estella both meaning light, and several other examples; (2) separation of trash and recycling, emphasizing what we discard as opposed to what we keep and repurpose; (3) healing vs camouflaging. Just some ideas. Keep up the good work.

Always so excited when I see a new video on this channel 😊

Man your killing it. Keep it up, love these!!

After binge watching the whole first season I must say that Milchick didn't trigger my villain alarm. He is a tight part of the system and definetly enabling the situation of innies, but he doesn't seem to do it because he is evil. He has had many chances to missuse his power or make the innies' life worse, but all we see him doing it to follow the protocoll and try to keep them happy. After he was assaulted and bitten he doesn't try to revenge and get Dylan into any serious trouble. Mostly he feels like a servant robot with a detailed hand book about handling the situations with innies. Even when he is operating the punishments in the break room, he doesn't seem to enjoy it one bit. He is stern, but normally you see the villain showing their enjoyment of that kind of act. He has had zero smirks or evil frownings when others are not watching, unlike Harmony, whose obsession and cunningness bacame very clear at the start of the series.

going through all of your severance content and man! great videos, great channel. good luck on your youtube journey bro.

can i just say, you're so cool. love how much thought you've put into all your severance videos! ill have to check out more of your work - honestly pretty inspiring in how to present a well rounded video essay!!

Don't forget that Mrs Selvig is also super creepy by litteraly stalking Mark. The scene where she comments that Mark doesn't usually take out his trash in the morning whe he is throwing his clothes gave me he chills

What a sunday treat!

Im glad the algo gave me this i had forgotten about this channel!

I'm subscribed to you and spend all day on KZfaq. It's such bullshit my algorithm didn't tell me one of my favorite video essayists updated until a day later. This website is bunk. But as always, you're fantastic.

I love your severance videos so much!

Consider doing analysis videos on Silo. It is compelling. Plus the nautilus is a symbol used in the series.

The "congenial manner" is something cops/investigators use in interrogation in order to establish relativity with the person being interviewed and bring down their guard in the hopes that person slips up and reveals information. In cases where someone was k!lled, the interrogator will say "hey, I get it. We all have our bad days...we've all been there" to create a falsehood where the suspect might feel like they're understood and almost comfortable...which character sounds like they'd use this tactic? Milcheck. With Cobel, she has her two personas which is fairly genius (in an evil way) and uses a similar interrogation false-empathy tactic where that congenial manner while she's "Selvig". I distinctly remember Selvig always asking Mark if he's okay or feeling alright. We'd NEVER hear Cobel asking this cause she doesn't give AF if the employees are okay so long as they're meeting quota and are quiet lol Both are such excellent characters, outstanding writing and the actors delivered above and beyond so I agree that I wouldn't be surprised if these character from Severence start becoming a popular referenced example of quality villian/antagonist writing.

Great editing in this video!

I love your perspectives. As a writer (not claiming to be good, just claiming to enjoy writing) it's really helpful to me to know what intrigues an audience. Most of these theories are amazingly fun no matter if they pan out or not. I suspect as season 2 rolls out and some of the answers come to light, even the stuff that no one suspected, the clues will have been there all along. They've really thought this through, and played it close to the vest. I am really curious about the food situation in this world though. The foodless dinners, the diner, the melon/waffle parties and other food based work incentives... All of it is super strange, and I can't help but wonder what's going on with the food in this world.

Amazing video, amazing show, cant wait.

Really enjoyed this!

Clever comparison to make between milchek and hans landa! I find his character very intriguing and wonder to myself what makes him such a compelling villain compared to Harmony and you gave me great insight here.

I personally love Milchik. I realize he is doing something wrong but I dont think its veen revealed what exact role he plays in that yet. But he is oddly welcoming as well as sincere in all his actions. Im not sure how to explain it. His actor is phenomenal and I really hope that both Milchik and Cobels development as characters isnt sabotaged (I have terrible doubts in writers after many shows have lost its buzz after 1 or 2 seasons). This is an incredibly refreshing show and I think all of us are excited to see how it pans out.

This was great as usual, my friend! I just had a thought I never had. What if Milchick and Reghabi were married or in some kind of relationship? Maybe they disagree(d) on severance ? Anyway, just a thought I had. Thank you for the great work. I cracked up when you said “Co- “🔔” 😂 I always enjoy your videos. Can’t thank you enough. 🥳🥳

w00t!! Nice to see you!!!

It was horrifying watching milchick dance.. he looked crazy AF

Great great great video!!

Have you done any videos on Love, Death, + Robots, I feel like that's right up your alley. I just watched a couple episodes from the 3rd and 2nd seasons. Like one where a giant washes up onto shore. I saw the first season when it came out, which was really good.

Milcheck is a mix of Hans Landa and Dr Pendanski from Holes 😂 definitely hope we get some deeper Milcheck backstory next season

Hey, have you ever considered doing videos about Deadwood? Would definitely watch your takeaways!

Burt G has a fever, and the only prescription is more Cobel

The theory about Milchek flipping checks out. My questions are innumerable but I wonder what MDR is really doing and I wonder what the bosses are really doing and how they got their and what their end game is. Clearly the board silently controls them and watches them just as they watch MDR. I could write another really long comment with more theories but alas it is late and it’s time to start watching the season 1 for a 3rd time as I drift off..

seen this show 3 times already. So sad it wont come out until late 2024.

This show is very special 😮😊

The defiant jazz scene made me feel like outie Dylan and Milchick have a history of some sort. While outie Dylan gave a generalized annoyed response at Milchick's visit to his house (anyone would be annoyed at management making a personal visit), Milchick's antagonizing of innie Dylan during the song made me feel like it was personal......i dunno, i got the feeling he was antagonizing outie Dylan in that scene, not inne Dylan

I miss this show sooo bad. Your videos keep my hopes alive 😂 Also..have you seen They Cloned Tyrone? And would you ever make a video on it….😅😬

Okay okay okay.. Tinfoil is super tight, like cutting circulation off tight, just a thought, What if Cobel has Dissociative identity disorder? 😶😐 I said that because she got fired went home and went to that book reading look like she was still severanced. Especially when she goes at find Helly. I was just wondering because she so was so different after getting fired but she didn't go back to that nice lady next door who cared for Mark.

Are we even getting a second season?!

You uploaded a Severance video and I didn't see it? What's up with notifications on yt? They started recommending me things in the notifications, but doesn't let me know when someone uploads... Anyway thank you for giving us a fix for now. Season 2 isn't even annouced with a release date yet...

they remind me of the network from the hit british 2013 conspiracy drama series called “utopia” which aired on channel 4 and is not uploaded in its entirety on youtube

I love Milchick

Milkshake is good but he makes errors. He lost or misplaced the book that Harmony stole from Mark. He misreads Dylan's response to the dance, and gets bitten because of it. And he doesn't believe Harmony when she says that Petey's severance was broken

OBRA MAESTRA

I think Cobel is chipped, but with a modified programming that allows her to flip between Harmony and Selvig. Dual personality is well within the ability of that technology and it would much easier to program a split-personality psychopath than find one in the wild that would also put Lumen first in their lives. On a tangent, there were many specialized functions besides "Overtime" available in the control room - hopefully those will get explored in Season 2.

Helena is going the be the big bad, not her father.

Where is season 2? First show I’ve seen on apple worth me keeping apple + lol

The simpler a villain's obstacles are and the more direct and sensible their response, the better the villain. I was playing FF16 and while I'm having an okay time... these villains make choices that don't make sense and give the heroes rope to hang them with.

Im here before this video gets famous 😊

Me the rest of the day to anyone: DIRTY BIRDY! DIRTY BIRDY!

Outie Helly was a villainous character. She was scary and cold and had the agency and the information to be a villain. But, Milchick and Cobel aren't really villains. They are creepy at times, but I never found them scary, especially MIlchick. They are cogs in the wheel. They are clearly following orders. They have questionable agency for their actions and are, at times, overruled or dismissed. What is scary is what is unknown. The unknown is the real villain, not these two employees who may not have much actual power.

I hope Milcheck is just Milcheck. Working day to day to pay his rent. A society too demanding for any single income house to live a fulfilling life. Keep your nose down to keep your income consistent in a middle America city where losing that income would mean homelessness. No sci-fi metaphor to deconstruct. Banal, every day corporate poverty: Working at the mill to make a check.

9:41 my favorite scene man caught me completely off guard and of course my man’s can “cut the rug up “ I mean LOOK AT HIM 🤣🤣🙏🏾🫡

how does she have time to run a shop?

I bet there really are clones of him

Am I the only one who doesn't associate "robot" with "doesn't dance"? 🤔

Milchick is an innie

What do y’all think Lumon pays their workers? Lol 7 figures?

Milcheck is the best, in all the worst ways 😈

Arquette is the weak link in the cast. I don't know if it's the direction or the botox, but she delivers her lines artificially. I know Stiller likes to use her. She was in Escape at Dannemora, which was also outstanding. But, yeah: weak link in an otherwise stellar cast.

For me, Cobel is the least favorite part of the series because I do NOT see her as relatable at all. She is always too fake with the manner she speaks. At first I even thought that it is bad acting, not just intentionally fake character. I don't understand what they were trying to achieve with it - hopefully season 2 will explain it, too.

This show is such an embarrassment of riches.

Didn't realize until now that Petey must've stolen that tape from Milchick! We can guess how he managed that + got it outside, difficult tho not impossible. More puzzle pieces🧩