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Let's talk about Adam Scott's nuanced portrayal of new love vs. old love in 'Severance'

Give the guy an Emmy for that season finale alone, for the love.

Apple TV/YouTube

Adam Scott plays Mark Scout in "Severance" on Apple TV+

Apple TV+ had had some real winners with their original programming, from "Ted Lasso"" to "Shrinking," but few shows have wormed their way into people's minds as thoroughly and mysteriously as "Severance." The basic premise of the series alone is intriguing—a brain implant that splits a person's psyche in two, completely separating their work life from their home life—but the implications of people's brains being "severed" combined with the strange, cult-like nature of Lumon, the company utilizing the procedure for its employees, makes for riveting television.

Spoiler alert: Stop reading if you don't want to know what happens in the Season 2 finale.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The two seasons (so far) of "Severance" have revealed a growing pile of questions and only a handful of answers, as we've watched the main character, Mark, grapple with increasing unknowns as both his "innie" work self (Mark S.) and his "outie" personal self (Mark Scout). The two Marks, played by Adam Scott, literally live two different lives, with each one trying to uncover secrets about their individual and shared experiences.

In the Season 2 finale, we see the two Marks interact directly and ultimately clash over the one thing they completely diverge on—the women they love—and not only is it a wild ride, but it perfectly demonstrates the differences between new and long-term love. If there was any question about Adam Scott's acting chops before this episode, it was answered in the form of his award-worthy portrayal of Mark being in love in two different ways with two different women in two overlapping realities.


Mark and Gemma have the love of a real-life marriage

This season, we've learned that Mark's wife, Gemma, not only didn't die in a car accident like he'd been told, but she's been part of a big secret project at Lumon that Mark had been working on himself as Mark S. We've now seen Mark and Gemma's backstory, how they met and fell in love, the struggles they went through trying to start a family, and the tensions that can inevitably creep into long-term relationships. We see a loving marriage that's been tested, the devotion and dedication it takes to keep long-term love alive and thriving, and the grief of a man who thought he had lost that lifelong love forever.

When Mark finds out that Gemma's actually alive, he does everything he can to find and get to her. And when he finally does, we see the power of that kind of love. We see how the familiarity of a husband reaching out to his wife seems to break the spell Lumon had over Gemma. This love passionate, but not desperate. It's calm and confident. Solid and enduring. Scott plays it beautifully.

Mark S. and Helly have the love of teenage desperation

Mark's innie, Mark S., however, has formed his own relationship within the walls of Lumon. He and Helly R. have fallen in love, and his love for her causes the tension between him and his outie in the finale. While outie Mark is desperate to save Gemma and take down Lumon the process, Mark S. realizes what that would mean for him and the other innies. Without Lumon, they won't exist, which means he and Helly won't get to be together. The existential threat of non-existence is one thing, but losing love appears to be an even more powerful motivating force for Mark S.

But Mark S. and Helly's love is markedly different than Mark and Gemma's. For one, it's limited to the severed floor of Lumon. It's like when teens fall for one another in the confined, separate world of summer camp. The feelings are intense and real, but the relationship little chance of lasting out in the reality of normal life. The innies' world at Lumon isn't really real, even if their experiences there are.

However, Lumon is the only world they know and Mark S.'s love for Helly is the only love he's ever known. Add to that the fact that innies are simple and innocent with no baggage, no memories, nothing but the here and now, and you have the makings of an early life, immature romance. That fresh, first love is exciting, intoxicating, and desperate. It's the kind of love that makes people lose their minds and defy logic and reason. We see it in Mark S. grappling with what he knows he should do—go with Gemma so his outie that created him can have the life he's meant to have—but the pull to be with Helly (if it really is Helly and not Helena) proves to be too much for him to resist.

Fans of Mark and Helly's relationship may not like hearing it, but this is a Romeo and Juliet love, the all-consuming, self-destructive kind that will eventually end in disaster because desperation only leads to poor choices. And again, Adam Scott plays it perfectly.

Watching one actor play two roles, which are supposed to be two parts of the same person, is impressive enough. But to see him play those two selves in love in such different ways, nailing the subtle differences, is just mind-blowing. Just give that guy the Emmy now. He's definitely earned it with this stellar performance.

And yes, fans, there will be a Season 3 as confirmed by Tim Cook and Ben Stiller. Praise Kier.

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9 unforgettable movies that people adore but absolutely wouldn't recommend to others

It has nothing to do with quality.

Photo by Anastasiia Nelen on Unsplash

People adore these movies, but they have intriguing reasons not to recommend them.

When you finish a good film, a natural first reaction is to tell someone about it. I don’t even feel like I’ve seen a movie until I nerdily break down the plot with a friend. But for one reason or another, sometimes you can’t make that recommendation—a unique scenario illustrated in a viral post.

The prompt: "What’s a movie you think is incredible but wouldn’t recommend to anyone?" The picks ranged from too-guilty pleasures to stories too heavy and taxing for the general public. Here, listed in no particular order, are 9 of the most fascinating choices.

1. Aftersun (2022)

Most people in the Reddit thread seemed to mention heavy, dark dramas—films they thought were powerful but took a piece out of them. One example was Charlotte Wells’ coming-of-age project Aftersun, which, per IMDB, follows a character named Sophie as she "reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier." The Reddit user wrote, "Amazing film, felt genuine grief for about 3 days after it."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

2. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)

Directed by Kimberly Peirce and starring Hilary Swank, the Oscar-winning Boys Don't Crytells the story of Brandon, a young transgender man who "navigates love, life, and trying to pass as a boy in rural Nebraska." One Redditor wrote, "Watched it once, 24 or 25 years ago. That was enough."

3. Schindler's List (1993)

Lots of these films are highly acclaimed—including Steven Spielberg’s historical drama Schindler’s List, which boasts a rare score of 95/100 on Metacritic—and the reputation for being a particularly emotional watch. The movie is set during WWII in German-occupied Poland, where "industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis." A Redditor called it "a superb movie" but added, "I’m happy to just remember that fact and not actually experience it again."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

4. Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Darren Aronofsky's psychological drama is...a lot. A whole lot. This would also be my personal pick. I watched it shortly after it came out, thought it was incredible, and now have no desire to experience it again.

5. American History X (1998)

Same feelings about Tony Kaye's intense crime-drama exploring neo-Nazism. Given the subject matter alone, this was a tough one.

6. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

This satirical David Wain comedy, set at a summer camp in 1981, features a cast of heavy hitters, including Janeane Garofalo and Paul Rudd. But it was a critical and box office flop, only later developing a cult following. I love this movie, but I do realize the humor is very specific and might translate to the average moviegoer.

7. Beau Is Afraid (2023)

I savored every second of Ari Aster's divisive tragicomedy epic. But like the Redditor who picked this one, I would find it hard to recommend—at least outside of my small circle of likeminded friends. I just assume most people wouldn't be open to a surreal, three-hour film with a very non-linear story.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

8. Skinamarink (2022)

Other users also said they wouldn’t recommend a beloved film for practical reasons—they realize their taste is somewhat niche. Naturally, multiple horror movies made the cut, including Kyle Edward Ball’s debut, Skinamarink: "I thought it was the scariest movie [I’ve] seen in a few decades," someone wrote. "I can also see why others think [it’s] the worst movie in decades. It requires all your patience and attention and still [doesn’t] give much back."

9. Battlefield Earth (2000)

On the other end of the spectrum, someone picked the universally panned sci-fi flick Battlefield Earth—partly because they want to keep their guilty pleasures a private matter. "What? I like garbage," they wrote. "[I]t’s dumb and it's fun. I don't recommend it purely because I don't want to be judged for enjoying it."

There’s also the opposite scenario to consider: It’s natural to think some films are terrible on a technical level—perhaps a B-movie filled with plot holes and cringe-worthy dialogue—yet want to watch them over and over again. In fact, as someone who recently attended a 24-hour "so bad it’s good" marathon at my local art-house cinema, I can attest that many of us feel this way.

But why? What’s the difference between a bad movie that you would’t recommend and one you would? Actor/comedian Paul Scheer, who hosts an incredible podcast about this very topic called How Did This Get Made?, discussed this subject with The Cut in 2017. “There’s the type of movie we don’t really like, which is being bad for bad’s sake, because then I feel that’s cheating,” he said. “I feel like that’s ‘I don’t care.’ When you look at Birdemic or The Room, they care! They just missed the mark.”

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17 Gen X memes for the generation caught in the middle

Gen X is so forgotten that it's become something of a meme. Here are 17 memes that will resonate with just about anyone born between 1965 and 1980.

Photo from Reddit

Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z

"Generation X" got its name in the early '90s from an article turned book by Canadian writer Douglas Coupland. And ever since, they've been fighting or embracing labels like "slacker" and "cynic." That is, until Millennials came of age and all that "you kids today" energy from older generations started to get heaped on them. Slowly, Gen X found they were no longer being called slackers...they weren't even being mentioned at all. And that suits them just fine.

Here are 17 memes that will resonate with just about anyone born between 1965 and 1980.

Gen X basically invented "Whatever."

gen x memesSOURCE: TWITTER

Until recently, Generation X has been sitting back and watching as Millennials and Boomers eat at each other with an amused, non-confrontational attitude. But recently, Millennials and Gen Z became aware of their presence, and dubbed them "The Karen Generation."

They seem to be embracing the Karen thing.

SOURCE: X

While I'm pretty sure the "Karen" thing is not complimentary—as BuzzFeed puts it, it's meant to communicate someone who is "the middle-aged white mom who is always asking for the manager and wondering why kids are so obsessed with their identities,"—lots of people landed on a different Karen to represent the generation: the martini-guzzling, wise-cracking Karen Walker.

Get it right!

SOURCE: X

Well [expletive] me gently with a chainsaw, she's right. The 1980s cult classic starring Winona Ryder and Shannen Doherty really is the Mean Girls of the '80s and a much better term than Karen.

The disdain is mutual...

The Breakfast Club

SOURCE: X

Most of my Gen X friends have Gen Z kids and they are intergenerationally very chill with each other. However, Gen X is the generation most likely to have Boomer parents and younger millennial kids, and this meme seems to be resonating a bunch with Xers of a certain age.

A lot of Xers are enjoying the "OK boomer" squabble.

SOURCE: X

The media tends to ignore Generation X as a whole—as a few tweets coming up demonstrate—and that's nothing new. After all, they're used to it. They were latchkey kids whose parents both worked long hours, so they're used to being somewhat neglected.

"No one cares what we think anyway..."

via GIPHY

This GIF of Janeane Garofolo mocking her classmates at the high school reunion is basically a whole Gen X mood and definitely captures how a lot of this generation caught in the middle feels about the "OK boomer" wars.

A whole mood.

SOURCE: X

Gen X: "Look, don't pull us into this. You'll make me spill my beer."

Gen X: Get used to it.

SOURCE: X

Perhaps Gen X's blasé attitude to the generation wars has something to do with being called "Slackers" for a full decade.

Pass the popcorn.

SOURCE: X

Aside from this whole "Karen generation" blip, Gen X continues to be largely overlooked, and that fact—as well as their silent delight in it—is possibly one of the most Generation X things to happen.

Pay no attention to the man behind the venetian blinds.

SOURCE: X

Back in the '90s, Gen X bore the same kind of criticism Boomers tend to heap on Millennials and Gen Z now. It's not necessarily that they want to watch a cage match. It's just they're so relieved the heat is aimed elsewhere.

See?

SOURCE: TWITTER

Although this chart doesn't list the generation names, the approximate age ranges are all there...except for a big gap between the ages of 35 and 54 where apparently no humans were born? Poor Gen X (and some elder Millennials) apparently don't have political beliefs worth examining.

Don't you forget about me...

SOURCE: X

If Millennials are the "burnout generation," I guess Gen X is truly the invisible generation. I'm starting to feel inspired to write a science fiction novel where everyone born from 1965 to 1980 inhabits a totally different dimension.

There are perks to being invisible...

SOURCE: X

Being overlooked can be an advantage when you just want to sit in the corner and be immature.

Party on.

SOURCE: X

Before Brené Brown was telling us all how to dare greatly, Gen X got their inspirational advice from a different kind of Ted and his pal Bill, who taught us all how important it is to learn from history and be excellent to each other.

Too late and yet too early.

SOURCE: X

Romance—or getting lucky—was never easy for Generation X. They were the generation most impacted by the AIDS epidemic when it comes to anxiety about casual sex. Whereas Boomers had the free love of the late '60s, Gen X was about safe sex, which usually meant less sex. And even when having safe casual sex, singles in the '90s had to meet people the old-fashioned way or, if they did meet online, they felt shame over it. Now online dating is the norm.

When Gen X replaces the Boomers.

SOURCE: X

This is probably an optimistic view—because the truth is there are "Boomers" in every generation, and many of them tend to find their way into powerful positions. Let's call this a best case scenario, though.

The Nihilism Generation

SOURCE: X

There is no generation more over it than Gen X. They are ready for the apocalypse, but don't expect them to, like, help or anything!

Now we have Generation Alpha to contend with, so let's hope they're more chill about the generation wars than their predecessors. And as of 2025, an even newer generation is starting: Generation Beta. Hopefully, the fighting will have died down.


This article originally appeared five years ago.

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Fans binge Tom Holland and Zendaya's epic 2017 lip sync battle to celebrate their engagement

NO ONE expected this performance from Tom Holland.

Image credit: Lip Sync Battle/YouTube

Tom Holland and Zendaya competed on Lip Sync Battle in 2017.

Every once in a while, a celebrity will pull out a surprising talent that hasn't really been showcased in their work, like Jake Gyllenhaal having a lovely singing voice or Steve Martin playing the banjo or Mark Ruffalo being able to ride a unicycle. But few celebrity surprises have delighted fans as much as Tom Holland's unabashed dance talent in his epic Lip Sync Battle performance against Zendaya.

The couple went head-to-head on Lip Sync Battle in 2017, the same year they met and first began dating. With the official announcement of Holland and Zendaya's engagement, fans have been binge-rewatching Holland's number, calling it a pivotal moment in his and Zendaya's relationship. Whether that's true or not, it's definitely a must-see, as the Spider-Man actor's unexpected moves and 100% commitment to the act still has people marveling years later.

After Zendaya held her own with a "24K" Bruno Mars impersonation in the Lip Sync Battle episode, Holland started his off with "Singin' in the Rain." Donning a classic suit and fedora and dancing with an umbrella, he appeared to be going for an ode to Frank Sinatra's original performance. But after about 20 seconds, Holland ducked behind a group of open umbrellas at the back of the stage, a group of backup dancers came out, and the music suddenly changed to Rihanna's "Umbrella."

When Holland burst back onto the stage in fishnet tights, a leotard, and a wig, the whole vibe shifted drastically, and it's safe to say no one expected the performance that was to come. Watch:

The confidence. The commitment. The slapping of the water. The backflip. Holland comes from a theater and dance background, so his stage talents shouldn't come as too much of a shock, but even Zendaya appeared floored by the sheer boldness and how Holland owned that dance number. Since their engagement was announced, some fans have pointed to Zendaya's delighted reaction as the moment she knew he was "the one."

"He owned this performance. And her reaction is so cute."

"He did the mating dance ritual, it was set in stone."

"She killed it with Bruno Mars then he comes out like this. It was insane. They both went all in. Go big or go home. They are perfect for each other."

"For many women, seeing a man be that secure and confident in who he is not be stupidly preoccupied with what others may think of his masculinity is very much a turn on."

"This felt like a man that would do anything to make his woman smile and that my friends, is what we call a keeper."

You can watch the entire Lip Sync Battle, including Zendaya's performance, here:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

People have been enamored with Holland and Zendaya's relationship for years. Despite trying to maintain some privacy in their personal lives, their genuine adoration for each other comes across clearly in the way they speak about one another publicly.

The couple started off as friends during the filming of "Spider-Man: Homecoming," with Zendaya helping Holland navigate his burgeoning fame.

"We are like the best of friends. She's so great and amazing," Holland told People magazine in 2017. "I'm a little worried [about dealing with fame … but] Zendaya is super famous and she's been through this, and I just call her up and say, 'How do I manage being famous?' I'm very glad I have a friend like her."

The two began dating in secret and have attempted to shield their relationship from the pitfalls that come with the public eyes, which isn't easy to do in the age of paparazzi and social media.

""Our relationship is something that we are incredibly protective of and we want to keep as sacred as possible," Holland told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. "We don't think that we owe it to anyone, it's our thing, and it has nothing to do with our careers."

Fair enough. Fan do enjoy seeing them make each other laugh in interviews together, though, and the engagement news has been met with lots of congratulations and good wishes. Here's to the happy couple—may they continue to delight and surprise one another for years to come.

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