The Severance Experience at Comic-Con Was Like Walking Into the Show

Though you might think the entrance to the activation is in the front of the Hard Rock, this big sign tells you otherwise.

The entire side of the hotel has been converted to let you know where the activation begins.

Once you go up the steps to the actual activation, the theming beings immediately.

Once inside, the theming continues not only with these signs but with multiple TVs featuring words of wisdom from Lumon founder Kier Eagan.

Several TVs spread the word of Kier and also set the stage.

Once you get to the front, an iPad allows you to sign in, and sign your outie self away.

Mr. Milchick did a nice, specialized orientation video for you.

The first room is the conference room, just like in the show. There Mark’s voice asks you some questions from the speaker, just like on the show, and the first actor comes in and gives everyone their “Innie” name. I was “Noah P.”

After getting your new name, you enter Lumon’s very bright, very white hallways. We were greeted by another actor basically playing Christopher Walken’s part who welcomed us and brought us to the first room.

(Of note, the security guard pulled a few of the group off and told them another story, they joined the rest of the group later. It was unclear how their experience was different.)

The actor brought us to Optics and Design, just like on the show. On the way, there was a door to the “Break Room” but it was closed.

Optics and Design is filled with paintings. Some are okay, some are not, but you can open and close all the drawers in the office until you’re asked to leave. One person opened this drawer and the worker was not pleased.

Every shelf of the Optics and Design office has fun things to check out. One small example was a bunch of finger traps, much like the ones Dylan enjoys on the show.

Next was the Wellness Center (which was not down a long hallway) where one of the actors chose a member of the group and told them all about their outtie. “Your outtie conditions her hair every day” was one just piece of information. If anyone laughed, as I did, points were arbitrarily deducted.

Once you get out of the Wellness Center, you pass the door to security. You don’t go in but, fans of the show know it’s important to know where security is.

At this point, another actor greeted us. He had been feeling down so he went into Lumon’s smile room where he could enjoy all the smiles that his work at Lumon was doing to the world. It’s a very awkward, weird encounter, but funny.

Finally, it was time. Two actors greeted us to go into the Macrodata Refinement lab where we’d be spending most of the work day.

Four desks make up the office and two of them have group photos on them. Here’s one.

The refinement computers work and you can press buttons, move the mouse and interact.

Every inch of the exhibit has weird little jokes and asides. One of the funniest examples was these post-it notes.

I tried to file some numbers but couldn’t figure out how it worked. Which, maybe, was the point.

The office also has a kitchen with a working vending machine.

I had to stop with the numbers because the actors decided we’d earned a dance party. So he put on some music and started to dance. We were encouraged to join in.

As the dance party was happening, I snagged a photo of the music playlist. Every detail is accounted for.

As I said, not every desk is the same, which is part of the fun. Spoilers!

The four desks all have different decorations, including this memorable one.

Once the dance party is over, so is the work day. So you take an elevator out and emerge back as yourself. On the way out you get your own office work photo and Lumon badge.

The Severance experience is open through San Diego Comic-Con. Read more here.