Severance – Episode 3, In Perpetuity

Petey Kelmer, Yul Vazquez (“The Outsider (TV)”, “I Am the Night (TV)”), who during this episode is given a surname, is suffering more effects from the joining of his mind. He keeps flipping to and from work and he talks and acts like he’s there, when he’s not.

He informs Mark Scout, Adam Scott (“Big Little Lies (TV)”, “Between Two Ferns: The Movie”), that he found a department in Lumon where the people never leave, they are still there now. He asks Mark why he doesn’t want to know what they do down there all day, what if they spend eight hours a day killing people?

Mark isn’t convinced and doesn’t want to go back to how he used to be. He tells Petey about losing his wife to a car accident a few years ago. Petey says Mark used to arrive at work with red eyes, he tells him he still feels the sadness whilst at work, he just doesn’t know what it is down there.

Back at work and Helly R, Britt Lower (“High Maintenance (TV)”, “Future Man (TV)”), has officially handed in her notice, but it seems like the outie you needs to say yes and obviously they have no idea what’s going on in work and we don’t know if they are even asked. Helly’s request is denied, which she struggles to believe.

Mark’s sister and brother-in-law drop off a parcel for him, leaving it outside his front door, but Peggy / Ms Cobel, Patricia Arquette (“Boardwalk Empire (TV)”, “Boyhood”), his neighbour, steals it, not only that but she makes her way into his house, with a key. Petey sees her, recognising who it is, he manages to get out before she sees him.

Helly is doing everything she can to leave Lumon, Mark continues to try and intervene as best he can and Irving, John Turturro (“Transformers: The Last Knight”, “Barton Fink”), thinks it would be a good idea to take her to the Perpetuity Wing.

This is a kind of museum of Lumon’s CEO’s, including a replica house of the founder and Madame Tussaud’s-esq wax-works of CEO’s past and present. Irving is loving it, the rest, not so much, then Helly does a runner.

Mark thinks he’s saved her but Mr. Grainer, Michael Cumpsty (“Tommy (TV)”, “Madam Secretary (TV)”), comes along and takes her to the break room and we finally see what actually goes on in there.

Peggy / Ms Cobel is under pressure from the board, by proxy of a woman who arrives in her office, to ensure the department makes their targets but also to find Petey. She tells them there are rumours that he’s reversed his Severance and she is severely reminded that it is not possible.

Whilst changing the staff photos meanwhile, Mark finds something unexpected, something his outie would recognise, we’re not sure if he does.

There’s a lot going on here and I think we can now say that Peggy / Ms Cobel is not severed and that perhaps none of the people besides the workers are, perhaps it’s even just that team?