The Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller & Adam Scott

Who Are You? (with SZA, Dan Erickson, and We Know Severance)

Mar 28, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Dan Erickson, the brilliant creator of Severance, dives into the show's exploration of identity and consciousness, revealing the quirky origin of his infamous brain-in-a-jar. Grammy-winner SZA, a passionate fan of the series, shares how the themes of self-discovery resonate with her life. The conversation also touches on the real-world science behind severance, as hosts from We Know Severance examine the ethics of memory and identity. Expect laughter, insights, and a captivating take on what it means to truly know oneself.

01:05:33

Episode guests

SZA

Dan Erickson

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Dan Erickson discusses the challenges of following up the first season of Severance, emphasizing the importance of character identity amidst societal expectations.

The show's weekly release format enhances community engagement among viewers, fostering ongoing discussions that deepen the collective viewing experience.

SZA shares her personal journey of self-identity, illustrating how the themes of Severance resonate with her own struggles for authenticity.

Deep dives

The Impact of Confluence

Confluence by Atlassian is highlighted as a game-changing tool for team collaboration. It serves as a connected workspace designed to enhance productivity by giving teams easy access to resources and important contexts necessary for their projects. This platform integrates AI to streamline processes, allowing teams to generate and organize their work more efficiently. Statistics indicate that teams using Confluence can experience a notable productivity boost of 5.2% within a year, showcasing its potential to revolutionize the workplace environment.

Intro

2min

Humor and Reflections on 'Severance' and Daylight Saving Time

13min

Character Dynamics and Holiday Humor

7min

Survivor Symbols and Sponsorships

5min

Exploring Memory and Identity in 'We Know Severance'

15min

Exciting Season Preview and Tech Tools

4min

Creative Collaboration and Dark Humor in 'Severance'

2min

Performing at the Edge of Identity

17min

Season Finale and Ad for Tax Act

3min

The second season may be over, but the Severance Podcast is back with an extra special bonus episode, where Ben and Adam look at all of season 2 with some incredible guests. First, they welcome back everyone’s favorite brain-in-a-jar, Severance creator Dan Erickson, to answer your hotline questions and uncover the origin story behind how his brain got in a jar. Then, Ben and Adam are joined by the hosts of the podcast We Know Severance (Josh Wigler, Dr. Melissa Woodward, Dr. Amanda Rabinowitz) to talk about the real-world science of Severance — and two of the hosts are literal doctors, so they know what they’re talking about. Finally, Grammy-winning artist SZA comes on the pod to share how Severance has impacted her life and meditate on one of the central themes of the show: who are you?

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