TV Shows Like Severance
Severance is a mind-bending, incredible tour de force, with a solid mystery, excellent visuals and some great acting across the board. That’s before even mentioning the tension and one of the more unique musical scores in recent years. All in all, this show is undoubtedly a must-watch.
If you’re looking for something similar, we’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle, with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing. Oh, and to keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve also added what similarities these have.
Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Severance!
Westworld
Similarities – Mystery & Atmosphere
Based on Michael Crichton’s campy 1973 novel, Westworld is anything but cheesy sci-fi. In fact, Westworld is a heady, thought provoking puzzle box full of intriguing ideas and challenging themes.
At the heart of this lies a theme park known as Westworld where robot inhabitants serve their human hosts’ every desire. What would happen then if those robots start to gain sentience?
This question consumes large parts of Westworld and while the later seasons do lose sight of what made the show so special, season 1 in particular is abut as close as you could get to a perfect sci-fi series.
If you’re in the mood for mind-bending sci-fi with a twist, this one’s well worth a watch.
You can read our thoughts on Westworld in our full season reviews here!
Counterpart
Similarities – Double-Life
The interesting thing with Counterpart is just how normalized its sci-fi elements are. Here, we’re dealing with parallel worlds, and in particular one that’s accessible via a pathway guarded by government authorities.
At the centre of this lies Howard Silk who inadvertently winds up entangled in a big cover up and face to face with his doppelganger from a parallel reality.
Trouble is brewing though, leading Howard and his double to trade places and grapple with a plot line involving powerful forces intent on disrupting the natural flow of both worlds.
This is a smartly written espionage thriller and although only running for 2 seasons, does well to add a slightly different flavour to its parallel worlds idea.
You can read our full season review for Counterpart here!
The Leftovers
Similarities – Mystery, Tone & Themes
If thematic depth is your jam, The Leftovers is definitely worth checking out. Running for three seasons, the story picks up just after a global event called the “Sudden Departure”. This inexplicable event sees the disappearance of 140 million people – or 2% of the world’s population to be precise.
Following that, mainstream religions decline which paves way for a number of cults to emerge. The most notable among them is the Guilty Remnant.
The story only grows more intriguing and interesting over time as thematic questions come to the foreground. However, to give much more away about this would be a disservice to the series but if you haven’t already, you should definitely add The Leftovers to your watch-list.
Dispatches From Elsewhere
Similarities – Atmosphere & Mystery
Dispatches from Elsewhere follows four strangers who stumble into a mysterious game orchestrated by a shadowy organization. What begins as an offbeat, quirky scavenger hunt soon turns into a deeply emotional journey, challenging perceptions of reality and forcing the four to confront personal truths. With surreal twists and compelling character arcs, the series weaves together themes of purpose, connection, and identity.
For fans of Severance, this show offers a similarly enigmatic vibe, exploring mysteries of an overarching system while also adopting an off-kilter visual style. There’s an endearing whimsical tone here, focusing on emotional growth alongside its puzzles. Both shows however, successfully leave you questioning what’s real and what’s just beneath the surface of everyday life.
You can read our thoughts on Disatches From Elsewhere in our full season reviews here!
Devs
Similarities – Atmosphere & Suspense
Produced by Alex Garland, Devs revolves around a girl called Lily working at a tech company called Amaya. When her boyfriend Sergei is invited to join the top secret branch there known as Devs, everything changes.
Unfortunately Sergei stumbles onto something he shouldn’t and his disappearance sparks some big questions, which Lily aims to answer.
While the story is a little overlong and sags in the middle, the thought provoking questions and moody atmosphere are enough to stick it out until the end. There’s an absolutely incredible musical score attached to this one too, which is easily the big highlight of the show, while the acting throughout is exemplary.
You can read our thoughts on Devs in our full season reviews here!
Legion
Similarities – Visuals & Story
Legion is a challenging sci-fi series that exists somewhere within the weird space of the X-Men universe. It’s also one of the more unusual and visually stunning shows you’re likely to see in quite some time. When you’ve watched Legion, you’ll know why this is on here, especially given some of the twists during the latter periods of the show.
The story here revolves around a super mutant named David Haller. This troubled young man spends his time institutionalized after being diagnosed as schizophrenic.
What follows is an unforgettable journey as David tries to make sense of what’s happening and why he’s there. The show has three seasons and ends conclusively too, making for a solid watch that’s very much recommended.
You can read our thoughts on Legion in our full season reviews here!
The OA
Similarities – Mystery & Characters
Speaking of cancellations, The OA’s chop caused quite the stir online. That alone should tell you all you need to know about the power and quality surrounding this utterly bizarre Netflix Original.
The OA is undeniably weird and its mystery does so well to keep you glued to find out what happens next. The main story revolves around a missing blind girl called Prairie returning home. Now in her twenties, she suddenly has her sight restored and no one seems to know why.
From here, the show grows and piles on more mystery, delivering two seasons of utterly compelling TV. Unfortunately, the final episode of season 2 does end on a cliffhanger which could make or break the experience for you. However, in terms of atmosphere and riveting mystery, The OA absolutely nails it.
You can read our thoughts on The OA in our full season reviews here!
Maniac
Similarities – Characters & Visuals
What do you get when you mix A Space Odyssey, Brazil, The Twilight Zone and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind? Probably something close to Netflix’s genre-bending series, Maniac.
While the opening few episodes plunge us head-first into this alternate 80’s world, introducing us to our two protagonists and their personal lives, the rest of the episodes constantly reinvent itself as the series takes a hedonistic trip into a fantastical dream world.
The show centers on two strangers who are drawn to a mysterious pharmaceutical trial for a drug that they’re assured will, with no complications whatsoever, permanently solve all of their problems. Naturally, things do not go as planned!
It won’t be for everyone but the trippy visuals and interesting premise make it a solid watch nonetheless.
You can read our thoughts on Maniac in our full season review here!
Homecoming
Similarities – Style
After the success of Mr. Robot, creator Sam Esmail set his sights on a new venture – noir-thriller Homecoming.
This intriguing thriller essentially splits its focus between the past and present. Main protagonist Heidi works as a waitress in present day America but at a company called Homecoming in the past.
This company, run by sleazy boss Colin, aims to rehabilitate damaged soldiers back into civilian life through an experimental, privately funded program. One of the stars of said program is vet Walter who has all the makings to be the perfect test subject.
With a significant chunk of Heidi’s memory mysteriously missing, Investigator Carrasco begins to piece together what happened in the present day timeline.
With 30 minute episodes and an uneasy dread clinging to large parts of the story, the aesthetic and visual design is very similar to Severance. While the second season isn’t quite as effective as the first, there’s a lot to like here nonetheless.
You can read our thoughts on Homecoming in our full season review here!
Mr. Robot
Similarities – Social Commentary & Characters
Thought provocative, thrilling and incredibly stylish, Amazon exclusive Mr. Robot is a slickly made thriller that depicts the shady underworld of hacking perfectly. With dark, minimally lit scenes and a gripping plot woven throughout its four seasons, Mr. Robot manages to enthral from start to finish.
The story centers on a man named Elliot, a brilliant but unstable cyber-security engineer and vigilante hacker. He becomes a key figure in a complex game of global chaos when he and his shadowy allies try to take down the corrupt corporation his company is paid to protect.
This is not only one of the smarter written shows on TV, it’s also one that closes out its fourth season with a near-perfect finale. The least said about this one the better and if you’re looking for a show on-par with the best in the genre – Mr Robot is a must-watch.
You can read our full season review for Mr Robot here!
So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished watching Severance.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!