So now finishing up the season, I want to revisit some of my issues with the show and see if they have been resolved with the resolutions we have gotten so far.
Issue 1: The Insane Incompetence of Lumin Management
We all know or work for companies that can have terrible management, and I think part of the show is a satire on corporate america. But from a narrative standpoint, I mean especially on the security side it really is comically bad. Just a few security guards on the floor would have prevented 90% of the shenanigans that go on. Lumen literally decides to create propaganda to make the various departments think they will kill each other to keep them apart....as opposed to...you know.... a locked door.
This is made even more hilarious in that in season 2 we get exactly that....a frickin locked door!!! How crazy is that???
Now at first there is a possible inkling that this is a "rat's in a maze" kind of scenario, its more about watching how the innies react than it is their work. That could make some sense. However, now that we know how incredibly important the work of Mark's team is to Lumen management....that theory goes out the window. Maybe for some of the other departments such "rat in the maze" kind of notions might still make sense....but not for Mark's team. Nope good security would be demanded for such a critical part of the Lumen plan.
The best rationale I can offer is....Lumen isn't a company, its a cult. Ultimately its managers are acolytes of Kier, and so loyalty is more rewarded than competency. So the management just literally is that bad, its a bunch of crazed zealots that don't actually know how to run a business in any real sense. And when we see Milchick's review.....yeah maybe the simple answer is none of them actually know how to run a company, its just "Praise Kier!"
Issue 2: The Book of the Brother in Law
Mark's brother in law writes a book. It is stolen by Milchick, but then the book shows up in the middle of a conference room table, and Mark's team picks it up. Its words are part of the catalyst that causes their little rebellion.
So why was such a loaded item just laying in the middle of a public conference room table for anyone to find? Why wasn't it in Milchick's office....or in a drawer....or in a frickin safe....???
For a long time I believed this was an indicator that Milchick was actually rogue...that he was secretly helping the Innies. But....after two seasons...no it looks like Milchick is firmly in camp Kier. And so the only explanation I have is back to Issue 1....just a complete dropped ball by Milchick, complete incompetence.
Issue 3: Why Mark?
As the titular character, obviously Mark gets a lot of attention, but especially in the second season.... why go to the trouble of bringing him back? Lumen convinces Outie Mark to rejoin the company, bends over backwards to keep Innie Mark happy including bringing the old team back together (and once again endangering the daughter of the CEO). Why go through all that effort?
Now one idea would be that Mark is so important because of his connection to Gemma, and so Mark is the one needed to complete Cold Harbor. But if that's the case, why does Mark need a team in the first place? And heck in season 1 Dylan was actually one of the best techs they had, and was one who completed a large number if not the most files. Sure maybe Mark does it a little bit better....but that's an awfully lot of risk and effort when you could just bring in a number of other people and get the work done.
Ultimately this one is still stewwing for me....it is possible we get more answers here. Perhaps Mark is important in a way that we have not yet seen, so the jury is still out on this one.
Issue 4: How has no one outside of Lumen checked on the Innies?
I get that the government gets a bad rap in terms of "looking out for the little guy", but there are so damn many systems in place now a days to prevent workers from being abused by corporations (as opposed to the dawn of teh industrial revolution where workers were more cattle than people).
there are regulations, inspectors, certifications etc. You cannot tell me that there exists a system where people walk into a building, walk out 8 hours later with NO memory of what happened...and that company is not required to allow inspections and video evidence showing everything is well and the workers are treated properly. I mean hell, worker's comp alone would have people checking out Lumen after the injuries Mark has had, not to mention others.
Now at the beginning of the 1st season, you might go with the notion that Lumen is so big and so powerful that it owns the government, all the senators are bought and paid for, etc. Ok a reasonable idea.... but as the first season unfolds we find this not to be the case. Oh Lumen is big, but not invincible. They are apparently on shaky ground with Severance, to the point where there is enough concern about stopping Severance that Lumen launched that PR campaign. That's not the kind of thing that a company with a stranglehold on the government would need to do. Especially as people are debating to keep severanance or not....gee wouldn't you think people would want to see how Severed people work? Don't you think there would be a documentary or two?
My only answer here is....this is an Alternate Earth where Kier and Lumen are a thing, and so the world is just different. The government is even colder, there is no concern for workers right at all, absolutely no one cares. Its not a great answer, its a pretty crappy one tbh, but its the only one I got for this.
