The Best Books, Movies, Video Games, and Podcasts to Listen to After Watching ‘Breakup’
From the moment Mark Scout (Adam Scott) first rode the elevator into his office and became a completely different person, we’ve been obsessed with The Disruption . Over two brilliant seasons, Ben Stiller’s sci-fi satire explored the banality of corporate culture (and corporate cults), the impact of trauma, and the power of memory—or lack thereof. The story of a group of people undergoing the Disruption procedure, which results in the creation of a separate work personality called an “Inner,” which is essentially a separate personality stripped of its external memories, culminated in one of the best series finales of all time, the episode “Coldharbor,” which closed out the second season.
But a year has passed since then, and there’s no official word on when we’ll see the third season. If you’re craving more dark corporate atmosphere, mysterious and important work, and a surprisingly subtle analysis of human nature —and you’ve already checked out our list of streaming-like series —let me suggest some equally wonderful books, movies, video games, and podcasts that will fill that void in your head.
Best books similar to The Breakup
Severance’s script is laced with literary references, adding a dense layer of subtext and making each storyline richer (and more complex). Unsurprisingly, there are numerous options if you’re looking for a read that will evoke similar emotions.
Tell Me the Ending by Joe Harkin
One of the reasons “Breakdown” is so gripping is the question its core premise raises: we are the sum of our experiences, so what would we be like if we lacked even some (or most) of them? In “Tell Me the Ending,” a corporation offers a revolutionary memory-wiping procedure, and clients may or may not know their memories have been erased. Around the world, people grapple with the consequences of having important memories erased, including one character who gradually realizes he’s erased much of his existence from his own brain.
“The Room ” by Jonas Karlsson.
If the eerie atmosphere of Lumon Industries’ macrodata refinement department is missing, then “The Room” is the story for you. Björn is a civil servant striving to be the perfect employee, driven by an almost cult-like desire to do whatever is required of him. When he discovers a strange room in the office—one whose existence his colleagues carefully conceal—he begins spending time there, seemingly staring into space and talking to himself. The more he does this, the more his colleagues try to get him fired, but Björn has a plan to protect himself. And it’s connected to what he discovered in the room.
“The Fold ” by Peter Clynes
The dual nature of the characters is one of the main appeals of “The Fracture “: “Inners” and “Outers” share a single body, but have divergent personalities and desires that become increasingly pronounced (and tragic) as time goes on. In “The Fold, “ a man with a photographic memory is asked to investigate a series of strange events connected to a secret project that has apparently invented teleportation by bending dimensions—with strange side effects for those who pass through the “perfectly safe” portal, including one team member who appears to have gone mad from the experience. It’s a dark sci-fi story about a mysterious and important job that turns out to be anything but.
Several People Typing by Calvin Kasulke
If you enjoy Severance’s unusual take on corporate life (and his clever, often hilariously funny humor), then Self People Are Typing is for you. Told entirely through Slack messages (and if you got goosebumps when you read that sentence, this book is definitely for you), it’s the story of a man who somehow uploads his consciousness into his company’s Slack channel. While he tries to figure out what happened, his coworkers continue to act as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened, creating a wonderfully absurd scenario filled with emojis, Slack slang, and insightful observations about the dual nature of our online/offline lives.
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey.
Evelyn Caldwell is a renowned scientist and a happy wife until her clone, Martina, appears on the scene. Martina is intended to embody all that is best in Evelyn—kindness, tenderness, and submissiveness. But everything goes awry when Martina begins an affair with Evelyn’s husband, who soon dies. Like “The Breakup,” “The Echo Wife” explores the nature of identity as the two wives team up to cover up a crime, using the cloning technology that created Martina.
Best movies like “The Breakup”
The film “Breakdown” is distinguished by its unique and meticulously crafted visual style. The transition from the “outside” world (which is relatively normal and reminiscent of our own reality) to the “inside” world of primary colors, outdated computer systems, and eerily empty white corridors is always striking. If you’re looking for more unsettling visual experiences like this, here are a few films worth checking out.
Playtime (1967)
This brilliant comedy from legendary French director Jacques Tati undoubtedly influenced the aesthetic and tone of the series. In the virtually dialogue-free story of “Playtime,” Tati’s silent character, Monsieur Hulot, navigates mid-century Paris, depicted not as the glorious City of Lights but as a modern labyrinth of office cubicles, sterile buildings, and museum-like apartments. It’s hilarious, but beneath the farcical atmosphere lies a bleakness that resonates even sixty years later. Watch “Playtime” on the Criterion Channel or rent it on Prime Video .
Synecdoche, New York (2008)
Charlie Kaufman’s masterpiece anticipates the exploration of identity in “The Disconnect” and how our physical environment affects us, even when it’s artificial (or perhaps especially when it’s artificial). In “Synecdoche, New York,” the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a director who, faced with a life crisis, stages a massive theatrical production that utilizes a replica of New York City built on a massive set, populated by actors who essentially live out their entire fictional lives within it. Over time, the replica becomes more real than the city outside, and stand-ins are brought in to play the roles of the actors portraying the characters—leading to a darkly funny ending you won’t soon forget. Watch “Synecdoche, New York” on the Roku Channel or rent it on Prime Video .
Sorry to Disturb You (2018)
If you enjoyed “The Breakup” for its biting satire on the modern workplace, then you definitely need to watch “Sorry to Bother You.” Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) is a Black man struggling to land a job at a telemarketing company until he learns to speak in a “white” voice on the phone. As his performance skyrockets, he delves deeper into the corporate world, discovering a truly bizarre atmosphere. Visually inventive and offering a deeply negative perspective on what it’s like to be an employee in modern America, this series is the perfect companion to our favorite Apple TV series. Watch “Sorry to Bother You” on Kanopy or rent it on Fandango at Home .
The Truman Show (1998)
The Innies working at Lumon Industry are part of an experiment they don’t understand (or even know it exists at first); the mysterious and important work they perform has a purpose they only begin to understand in the second season. In The Truman Show, the same can be said for Truman Burbank, who is essentially like Innie: he never leaves the office, his entire life a lie created around him so he can be filmed, his life the perfect reality show. And, like Lumon’s Innie, Truman gradually realizes something is wrong and takes drastic steps to uncover the truth. Watch The Truman Show on Peacock or rent on Prime Video .
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Another sci-fi story exploring the role of memory in shaping our personalities, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind thematically echoes A Breakup —and when Joel (Jim Carrey) begins fighting to keep his memories of a failed romance with Clementine (Kate Winslet) from being erased by a controversial medical procedure, the atmosphere also echoes. The captivating and often hilarious scenes of Joel attempting to hide Clementine within his other memories have the uncanny energy of Lumon’s most unusual melon-themed parties. Watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind on Hulu or rent it on Prime Video .
Coming soon: Behind the scenes
If you’ve used the internet at all in the past few years, you’ve likely encountered “Backstage” —the eerie vision of a mysterious, endless liminal space that just doesn’t feel right . Numerous memes and games (see below) have been created based on the concept, and A24 is planning to release a film based on “Backstage” on May 29, 2026. Its eerie, unrealistic atmosphere will likely be perfect for fans of “The Breach.”
The best video games like Severance
Severance definitely has a “secret level” vibe, and many of the Lumon teams’ adventures feel like frantic speedruns from video games. Why not enhance that feeling by playing these kinds of unique games?
The Stanley Parable
Dan Erickson, one of the creators of Severance , confirmed that The Stanley Parable served as an inspiration for the series, and it’s easy to see why: you play as employee #427, aka Stanley, who discovers that all the other employees in his office have disappeared. As you investigate, a wry voice comments on your actions and clearly tells you what to do. You can choose to follow these instructions or not, and the plot branches off into many different and unexpected directions that upend almost every gaming cliché imaginable.
Platforms: PlayStation 5, macOS, PC, Xbox
Portal and Portal 2
The Portal games, while more expansive and sci-fi than Severance , share a common absurdist tone, centered around working in a strange, eerily empty office space. In both games, you navigate a series of increasingly dangerous challenges using a portal gun to teleport between various flat surfaces, turning each room into a treacherous physics-bending puzzle. But it’s the slowly unfolding story and the secrets you uncover as you navigate ancient, crumbling labs and office spaces that truly capture the atmosphere of Severance .
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Steam
Exit 8
One of the strange delights of Severance is the gradual uncovering of seemingly “strange” details and atmosphere, merging into a nightmarish revelation of what’s really going on down below, in the Macrodata Refinement. The Exit 8 offers a similar experience, though it veers much more quickly into outright horror. Your goal is to exit the subway station, but the corridor leading to the exit seems to repeat endlessly, and when you notice “anomalies,” you must immediately turn around and flee, or face the consequences. The sense of borderline disorientation is perfect for fans of Severance .
Platforms: Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox
Limbo and within
Both games take place in worlds that initially seem familiar but gradually become more bizarre and menacing—much like Innie’s underground world initially appears like a typical, outdated office. Both games create an eerie, suffocatingly ominous atmosphere as the nameless boy you control navigates giant spiders, brain-controlling slugs, and an entire economy seemingly powered by zombies.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, macOS, PC, Xbox One
Get out of hiding
The Lumon Industries offices feel like they were built in a Backrooms -like setting—strange and eerie spaces filled with eerie wallpaper and oatmeal-colored carpeting. While the memes were unsettling, Escape the Backrooms adds more overt horror elements, such as the various deadly creatures you encounter while wandering these strange, empty spaces. It’s this atmosphere of navigating a space that perhaps shouldn’t exist that makes Escape the Backrooms a compelling addition to the series.
Platforms: GeForce Now, PC, Steam
Best podcasts like Severance
One of the great things about Severance is the depth of the topics it discusses and its ability to inspire similar stories exploring the same issues. If you’re not only a Severance fan but also an avid podcast listener, here are a few worth listening to.
Returning home
If you enjoy the slow-paced detective element of “The Break,” you’ll love this popular podcast. “Coming Home” takes place in an experimental center designed to help veterans transition back to civilian life, run by a mysterious organization. The podcast also boasts a creepy atmosphere. It masterfully blends voicemails, overheard conversations, and therapy sessions, narrated by some of today’s best actors. And after listening, you can watch the film adaptation starring Julia Roberts on Prime Video.
The Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller and Adam Scott
If you really want to dive deep into the behind-the-scenes world of Breaking Bad , why not go straight to the source material ? Star Adam Scott and writer/director Ben Stiller have prepared a detailed breakdown of each episode, providing all the necessary insight into the characters, as well as separate sections on the influences and inspirations that shaped the script and acting. It’s the perfect complement to rewatching.
Enlightenment above all else
If you’re looking for a deeper look at Severance , including episode breakdowns and broader discussions of themes and references, the Illumination Above All podcast is a great option. If you don’t have friends who share your obsession with the show, it’s probably the best alternative.
Inside the wires
Within the Wires is a series of self-contained stories set in a shared alternate history universe. Like Severance , it features a finely crafted world, with visual and audio cues playing a vital role. In this universe, the world has changed dramatically since World War I: much of the population has been wiped out, and most old traditions and social structures have been lost. All the details are revealed through a series of in-game recordings—for example, relaxation guides and audio tours of museums. It’s a deep dive into the strange that any Severance fan will appreciate.
SAYER
A near-catastrophic event, a secretive and devious corporation, a self-aware and unreliable AI— SAYER has it all. After an asteroid collision devastates Earth, Ærolith Dynamics builds an artificial satellite called Typhon, where its employees double as research subjects. Filled with dark humor and an original plot, this series might just help you tide you over in the months leading up to the release of Severance season three.