Hide and Seek – The show begins with Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) in a room. It appears as if she attaches Petey Kilmer’s (Yul Vazquez) implant chip to a necklace. After putting the necklace on, her cellphone rings. Mr. Graner (Michael Cumpsty) informs her, Lumon’s console was utilized to hack Petey’s chip. He was able to trace it back to Regabhi (Karent Aldridge). He promises to find Regabhi if she figured out how to crack reintegration. Breathing deeply, Cobel prays in front of a shrine for Kier.

Mark Scout (Adam Scott) rushes down the steps into the basement. He retrieves Petey’s cellphone from a cardboard box. A list of missed calls appears on the phone screen. He removes the sim card from the phone and tosses it in the trashcan, followed by Petey’s phone before leaving.

Irving “Irv” (John Turturro) and Burt (Christopher Walken) visit a room filled with plants. Burt admits to finding the room a while back. He says it can be their “secrete place.” Irv changes the submits to his Optics and Design colleagues. He calls them nice, but… Burt finishes his sentence, “Always around.” Grabbing Irv’s hand, Burt explains how Lumon Industries’ employee handbook says nothing about kissing. Irv reminds him of its discouragement of romance between employees. Burt assures him this is not romantic. Irv agrees but he isn’t ready yet. Burt pleads with him to stay with him.

Devon (Jen Tullock) walks around with her baby. She waves at Gabby Arteta (Nora Dale) but doesn’t get a response. Gabby appears to not recognize her. When she refers to the Baby as William, Gabby corrects her, saying the baby’s name is Bradley. Angelo Arteta (Ethan Flower) introduces himself to Devon and asks if they know each other. Devon says they met at the retreat. He tells Gabby they should go.

Mark is reading a book by Ricken “Rick” (Michael Chernus), where he explains his definition of camaraderie. He says it represents unity in difficult times, recognition of a struggle in another individual, and offering them a hand.

Irv suggests Macrodata Refinement visit Optics and Design without delay to work on uniting the departments. Dylan (Zach Cherry) tells Irv a ghost may officiate his wedding to Burt. Irv threatens to self-report their conversation, calling it inappropriate. Mark asks Irv about them making things. He says it was some kind of machine but didn’t ask what. Helly (Britt Lower) tells Dylan to shut up. She agrees with Irv that Optics and Design is the next piece of the map. Irv says he doesn’t approve of mapping. Shrugging off his comment, she asks Mark about another mental health walk. Mark isn’t sure because there is a lot of work to do. She mocks him, describing their work important and mysterious. Laughing he agrees it sounds just like him. She orders the slackers to get back to work before saying “praise Kier.” Dylan asks Mark if he is fraternizing with Helly. Denying the allegations, Mark calls him a caring leader. Dylan calls him “dewy mouth.” Irv agrees with Dylan.

Milchick (Tramell Tillman) approaches and asks what their conversation is about. They all muddle around until they claim to be discussing Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman). Mark questions her whereabouts.

Cobel explains to Mark how he may be more sophisticated and socialized than part-time innies. Ms. Casey was given an order to supervise Helly, which she failed to do. Mark accepts the blame for sneaking Helly out of Macrodata Refinement. He believes Ms. Casey shouldn’t be in the breakroom, but himself. She describes his valiance as “sweet.” She tells him Ms. Casey is only a wellness counselor. When he admits to taking Helly on a walk, she shows him surveillance footage of him and Helly snooping around other departments. He reminds her of Helly’s near-death experience. She assures him his job is not to look after every new refiner. He asks what they do at Lumons Industries. Raising her voice, she says, “We serve Kier, you child.” After revoking their mental health privileges, she orders him to get back to work.

Helly sketches a desk lamp while Dylan admits he will mourn the energy he and Ms. Casey shared. He believes his outie picked his “nice-ass shirt” for Ms. Casey. She reminds him that his outie doesn’t know she exists. Teasingly, he asks if she liked sneaking out with Mark, baby goats. She questions if he is implying baby goats are a coat for sex between her and Mark. As Mark returns, they inquire about Ms. Casey. He informs him she is in the breakroom. Helly asks if Ms. Casey was punished because of them. Raising his voice, Mark tells them they are no longer to visit other departments until their quota is met. Looking down, Irv apologizes for setting a bad example for others. Mark asks about the directions to Optics and Design.

Cobel alerts Milchick when she sees Mark, Dylan, Helly, and Irv walking to Optics and Design.

Burt escorts them into Optics and Design, where people are working on computers. Helly this is the first time she has seen so many people. Mark agrees. Burt assures everyone it is okay before welcoming them to their department. He encourages his co-workers to ask them questions. Elizabeth (Rachel Addington) asks what Macrodata Refinement refines. None of them can answer. Irv asks if they are working with a watering can. Burt says they believe it is supplies for the executives upstairs. When he describes the hatchets being more aggressive last week, Elizabeth disagrees. Felicia (Claudia Robinson) warns them to be quiet. Helly asks, what are hatchets while Mark explains how they have been trying to determine how everything fits together. He informs them about the department with the baby goats. Burt admits they are not aware of everything either.

Burt describes their work as “important” and Irv agrees. Helly questions if it is really important. Mark suggests they join forces. Felicia asks him to explain. He says to figure out why they are raising baby goats, how big Lumon Industries is, and how many workers are there. Mark questions why Lumon isn’t telling them what they are doing there. Burt suggests he and Mark contact the department with the baby goats to determine what they know. Dylan picks up a card, with two people and red arrows. There are other cards, with people performing different actions. When Milchick enters, Dylan places the card in his pocket. He leads them all back to Macrodata Refinement. Mark tells him they are not children, denying they did anything wrong.

Cobel begins to sing, “Kier, chosen one, Kier, brilliant one, Kier brings the bounty to the plain through the torment, through the rains. Progress, knowledge, show no fear, Kier, chosen one.” She accuses Mark of breaking her trust when Mr. Graner arrives to take Mark to the breakroom.

Mark and Graner walk to the breakroom. When Mark enters, he sees Ms. Casey at the end of a long, dark hallway. They pass in the hallway. As he reaches for the door handle, his injured hand appears on the screen briefly. He is having dinner with Alexa (Nikki M. James) who asks about the abrasions on his hand. He admits to punching the water cooler at work. They discuss Devon’s lactation issues and her baby. She asks if he and Gemma ever thought of having children. He admits they tried but it didn’t work out. They chose to work with what they had. He describes Gemma as “pragmatic” and always having a plan. She assures him it is okay to talk about his wife. He tells her he gets mixed signals from Gemma.

Devon conducts an online search on Gabby whose husband, Angelo of a state senator. A news article titled “State Senator Becomes Leading Figure in Severance Debate” appears on the screen. Angelo publicized his support for Severance. When Rick approaches, she shuts her laptop. Mrs. Selvig (Patricia Arquette) arrives to speak with Devon about lactation. They know she is Mark’s neighbor. Mrs. Selvig speaks with little Eleanor. She hands Devon a special cream for her nipples. When Eleanor cries, Mrs. Selvig takes her. Within seconds she calms her down.

A young boy counts while he watches cartoons. Dylan appears on the screen inside his closet. He is confused that Milchick has visited his home. Milchick tells him he opted to wake him to find out where he put it. Looking around, Dylan questions what he is talking about. Milchick says the ideographic card from Optics and Design. He tells Dylan he was seen in surveillance footage taking the card. Surprised, Dylan asks if this is his home. Milchick warns him of the sensitivity of the ideographic card. Denying being paid to smuggle the card out, he tells Milchick the card is in the restroom. The young boy calling daddy rushes into the closet. Angrily, Milchick grabs the young boy out of Dylan’s arms and scolds him for not counting to a thousand. Dylans asks if the boy is his just in time for Milchick to order the session to end. As the session ends, the young boy runs into Dylan’s arms He asks Milchick if they are good.

 

Mark asks Alexa if they should call their cars. He sees a poster of a band and asks if they should go. The band is performing when they arrive. Mark orders two beers. Mark is ordered to stop filming. Lead singer (Michael Caiazzo) trashes Lumon. The crowd repeats the lyrics, “Fu** you Lumon, I hate you Lumon.” Mark and Alexa begin to repeat the lyrics as well. After the performance, Mark stops June Kilmer (Cassidy Layton) to speak with her. She instantly remembers him as working at Lumon, with her father, Petey. He assures her Petey would like their song. She asks how the heck he would know when a fight breaks out in the crowd. As Mark tells Alexa about June and Petey, she kisses him. On bass is Margaret Chardiet, guitar Tye Miller, and Drummer Charles Henry Wood.

Mr. Graner knocks on Cobel’s door. She asks if he located her. He informs her of a tip from a Ganz College security officer. He asks what the heck she is wearing. Admitting having done some research, she questions why their conversation couldn’t have been done over the phone. He says someone is hanging out in one of the old lab buildings at Ganz College. The college dean told security officers to ignore it. He suggests it may be Regabhi. She refuses to go with him to check out the building. He says maintenance is installing something tonight. Staring at her outfit, he asks if she is a nurse. She slams the door in his face.

Mark is in bed with Alexa when he has a vision of Petey. He goes to the trashcan to retrieve Petey’s phone and sim card. As soon as he installs the sim card, the phone rings. When he answers the phone, Regabhi asks him to identify himself. He says Petey’s friend. She asks if he is Mark Scout. He acknowledges she is right. She asks what Petey told him before he died. He denies Petey told him anything. When he admits to wanting to know more, she asks if he could meet her now.

Something is being installed inside the elevator at Lumon.

Mark walks down several flights of stairs. As he walks down a hall, Regabhi appears behind him. She asks if he came alone. He informs her of his being a teacher at the school. She is aware of it. He asks her to identify herself. She orders him to follow her. As he hesitates, the episode comes to an end.

 

Severance Review

Cobel, Graner, and Milchick are beginning to show how desperate they are to keep Lumon’ secret, or is it their secret? Whatever the case may be, the trio is willing to get involved with Mark’s outie’s family to determine if they know something, they shouldn’t.

Now, Graner and Cobel know Regabhi is responsible for Petey’s reintegration. As Mark delves a little deeper into Severance, he is putting his life in deeper danger. One must question why the dean at Ganz College is protecting Regabhi.

Gabby is definitely a mysterious individual. Her husband, Angelo who is a Senator is affiliated with Severance. Her not remembering Devon from the birth retreat brings a lot of questions. Is her husband more involved in Severance than just being part of the debate?

So early in the series, it is difficult to determine if Lumon is a corrupt corporation, its upper management is corrupt or both.

Milchick was so desperate to locate the ideographic card, he was willing to interrupt Dylan’s outie’s life. They were probably concerned the detector sensors integrated into the elevator weren’t powerful enough to detect the card. So, they updated the system to ensure no one gets anything out of Lumon. Will Dylan remember when he returns to work? Will his outie remember? There is also the question if his son will remember mean Milchick.

The episode deserves a 6.5. Get more Severance recaps here. Support ReelMockery by clicking the link to learn more.