If Severance has always been about the compartmentalization of identity, Chikhai Bardo pushes that concept to its most unnerving extreme. In an episode that shifts fluidly between past, present, and an uncertain in-between state, the show delivers one of its most ambitious and emotionally harrowing installments yet. Chikhai Bardo masterfully intertwines Mark’s unraveling psyche with the sinister machinations of Lumon, creating an hour of television that is as heartbreaking as it is deeply unsettling.
The fragmented narrative structure mirrors Mark’s (Adam Scott) reintegration-induced mental collapse. His memories of his life with Gemma (Dichen Lachman) return in fleeting bursts, painting a picture of a love story that feels both warm and doomed. The revelation that Gemma’s miscarriage put a strain on their marriage—leading her to seek out fertility treatments at a Lumon-run clinic—adds a devastating layer of irony to their relationship. Lumon was present at every step, a lurking shadow in their most intimate struggles, and ultimately, the force that would tear them apart.
Meanwhile, Chikhai Bardo offers the most substantial look yet at the horror show that is the testing floor. Gemma’s daily torment, as she is shuffled between artificially constructed “rooms” where different versions of herself endure bizarre, unpleasant experiences, is nothing short of nightmarish. Each scenario is a calculated test, overseen by the disturbingly clinical Dr. Mauer (Robby Benson), whose own infatuation with Gemma adds an extra layer of discomfort. The introduction of Cecily (Sandra Bernhard) as her handler reinforces the idea that the testing floor isn’t merely an experiment—it’s an entire ecosystem of control, one designed to push the boundaries of severance in ways no one above truly comprehends.
Perhaps the most haunting revelation comes from Mr. Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson), who reveals that the completion of the Cold Harbor MDR file will mark the end of Gemma’s time on the testing floor. The file, now stalled at 96% due to Mark’s unexplained nosebleeds, feels like a ticking time bomb—one that, when completed, will change everything. It’s here that the show pulls off one of its most gut-wrenching moments: Gemma’s realization that she may never see Mark again, leading to an impulsive, desperate escape attempt. Watching her transform back into Ms. Casey the moment she ascends into the Exports Hall is devastating, a brutal reminder that severance erases not just memories, but agency itself.
Outside Lumon, Devon (Jen Tullock) and Reghabi (Karen Aldridge) debate the ethics of trying to revive Mark after his seizure, culminating in one of the season’s most tension-filled exchanges. Reghabi’s warning not to involve Cobel makes sense—Cobel is still too much of a wild card to trust—but Devon’s desperation to help her brother puts them on a collision course with forces beyond their control. When Mark finally awakens, still clutching fragments of his lost life with Gemma, the show leaves us in a state of breathless anticipation. What does reintegration look like when the process is incomplete? And what will Mark do now that he knows the truth?
Chikhai Bardo is Severance at its most ambitious—both narratively and emotionally. It dismantles the idea of identity piece by piece, forcing both Mark and the audience to confront the terrifying reality of a self divided. With only a few episodes left, Severance has never felt more unpredictable, or more heartbreakingly human.
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