Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 166

Did SEVERANCE Just Reveal the Horrifying Truth About Macrodata Refinement?

What do severed macrodata refiners actually do at Lumon? That was one of Severance season one’s biggest questions. All those employees know is that their “work is mysterious and important.” It’s also weird. It involves fencing off seemingly random numbers, that somehow evoke real emotions, from nondescript, time-sensitive documents into one of five digital buckets. Now we might know something they don’t: what they are actually doing. And it’s as horrifying as we imagined. Severance‘s season two premiere showed Mark’s current file is directly connected to his “dead” wife Gemma.

Apple TV+

The final sequence from “Goodbye, Ms. Cobel” showed Mark working on his latest file. Named “Cold Harbor,” it is seemingly Ms. Casey herself. He placed a batch of random numbers that made him feel good—he smiled as he moved them—into one of the five buckets below. We still don’t know what those different buckets represent, just that each has something to do with Kier Eagan’s Four Tempers.

When Mark deposited the number group into the file it went from 67% completed to 68%. Then, unknown to him, a matching file on a different computer showing Gemma’s photo increased the exact same amount. Only, her side of the document had far more information. The statistics on her screen included her current body temperature and heart rate.

Apple TV+

Macrodata refiners appear to be working on actual humans. At least they are in some cases, though it seems likely they always are. That would explain why those “random” numbers generate real feelings. They’re the real feelings of real people, just as many theorized during season one. But why are human emotions popping up in a digital document? Considering whose file confirmed this possibility and the file’s name the possible answers are chilling. Maybe literally.

Previously we’ve seen macrodata files with names like “Tumwater,” “Culpepper,” “Dranesville,” and “Cairns.” Without context they were essentially meaningless to us even though we know on Severance they all mean a great deal. But “Cold Harbor” in relation to a presumed dead woman who reappeared as the weirdest severed human alive certainly says a lot.

Apple TV+

Is Ms. Casey/Gemma, last seen going to the mysterious Testing Floor, currently in stasis? Possibly on literal ice? Is that why her screen listed “PCKT” rate and time, because she’s “in pocket?” If she’s not in some kind of stasis why monitor her vital signs? If she’s just walking around living an Outie life why is anyone keeping track of her health? And does this file prove Gemma really did die and is being kept alive via some unknown digital process?

If that’s true it means others might also be alive this way, even if they don’t possess bodies the way Ms. Casey does. (It would also explain why Ms. Casey was only alive for 107 hours and is so strange when other Innies are not.) What if Lumon is connecting not just human bodies but brains to computers and having macrodata refiners compartmentalize the emotions they experience? Is that why we never see Lumon’s board? Because they’re all “alive” without being alive?

Apple TV+

There’s still so much we don’t know about the work of severed macrodata refiners. Even if many of our assumptions are true, we don’t know what those digital buckets represent. We don’t know why most never get completed and disappear. Neither do we know how any of this actually works. And yet this single revelation about Mark’s work file makes the possibility that the Founder himself, Kier Eagan is alive in some capacity and is still running Lumon. That would explain why this one department’s work is “mysterious and important.” No one can know they’re doing, but it’s the only thing Lumon cares about.

It’s probably not what Mark S. cares about, though. He begged to go back to work at Lumon. Why? Why would he want to go work for a company that has his supposedly dead wife in its deepest basement? For that exact reason. Mark Scout might have begged to go back specifically because he wants to keep his wife alive. Macrodata refinement might be the only way to do that.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who isn’t sure what his Outie does. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Elijah Wood Heads to C2E2 2025 for a LORD OF THE RINGS Reunion (Exclusive)

Is Elijah Wood not one of the most beloved actors currently working right now. Wood won hearts and minds by playing the gentle yet tenacious and unequivocally good Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. But Wood keeps the love of the people by going on to do some hilarious, wacky, and downright weird movie and TV appearances. Next up, we are beyond excited to see Elijah Wood return to our screens in Yellowjackets season three, where he pairs up with Christina Ricci’s Misty to GREAT success. Wood was one of our favorite parts of season two, for sure. But, if Elijah Wood’s fans want to see him step out of their screens and into the spotlight, they can head to C2E2 in April. Yes, it’s our pleasure at Nerdist to exclusively reveal that Elijah Wood will join Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) 2025 as a special guest and part of an incredible convention line-up of many special guests, panelists, exhibitors, and more.

New Line Cinema

We at Nerdist love C2E2. C2E2 2024 actually played host to the first-ever Hannibal reunion featuring Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy. (There have been several since, including ones we’ve hosted, but the first always has a special sweetness to it!) So we’re not surprised that C2E2 2025 will play host to a wonderful guest like Elijah Wood on its convention floor. At C2E2, Wood will reunite with previously announced The Lord of The Rings cast members Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee) and John Rhys-Davies (Gimli, son of Glóin).

Sam and Frodo probably have one of the most beautiful and wholesome relationships in all of fiction, and Astin and Wood brought it to life in a way that made it even better and sweeter than ever before. We would not miss an opportunity to see a Sam x Frodo The Lord of the Rings reunion at C2E2. Of course, everything is always better with more Gimli.

ReedPop

For now, C2E2 shares that Elijah Wood will make appearances both Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, for Photo Ops and Autographs. You can purchase your panels and autos for Wood today! C2E2 has not yet released its panel schedule for the convention, but fingers crossed for a The Lord of the Rings reunion panel to take shape, or honestly, any panel featuring Wood.

In addition to this The Lord of the Rings fun at C2E2 has already announced a tremendous line-up of guests. Joining Elijah Wood at the convention are some Nerdist favorites such as Futurama cast members Billy West, Phil LaMarr, John DiMaggio, and Katey Sagal; Starship Troopers cast members Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, and Michael Ironside; Critical Role’s Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Matthew Mercer, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, and Travis Willingham; and voice actors from Red Dead Redemption and Baldur’s Gate 3.

Showtime

More guests will be announced between now and April. Tickets for C2E2 2025 are on sale for the general public, with multi-day and single-day options available. Fans who purchase a C2E2 Superfan Membership will also have digital access to the event. This is a great way to touch into the fun of C2E2 and check out what Elijah Wood is up to at the convention, even if you aren’t able to attend in person. As Superfans, members also receive premium access to purchase Select Autographing sessions, Photo Ops, and exclusive merchandise throughout the year for $99 annually. Members also receive perks at C2E2 such as Fast Pass lines for Autographing and Photo Ops.

It’s time to go there (to C2E2) and back again (home), returning with an Elijah Wood auto in hand.

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DC: SUPERMAN Deluxe Book Celebrates the Man of Steel’s Enduring Legacy

The Man of Steel stands ready for a big 2025, especially with James Gunn’s Superman hitting theaters this July. So if you’re in a Kryptonian state of mind this year, then The Folio Society’s new deluxe DC: Superman is something you’re going to want to get your hands on. Like the previously released DC: Batman, this book contains a dozen of the greatest Superman comics ever published, curated and selected by legendary former DC Comics President, Jennette Kahn. It even contains a replica copy of the iconic Superman #1 from 1939. You can check out the first images of DC: Superman right here:

DC: Superman Click To View Gallery Folio Society/DC Comics DC Comics/Folio Society Folio Society/DC Comics DC Comics/Folio Society

This one-of-a-kind book is 312 pages long and features stories from some of the greatest creators in Superman’s history. The reproduction of Superman #1 comes from a scan of an original copy held in the DC Archives. The book also comes with a rarely seen letter written by Superman’s co-creator Jerry Siegel dating back to 1934. It details many of his original ideas for Superman, four years before Clark Kent first appeared in Action Comics #1. DC: Superman also has a foreword by Marjorie Liu, the Eisner Award-winning writer of Monstress and The Night Eaters. As Liu writes in her personal essay, “If there is one superhero who will remain immortal, passed down from generation to generation, it will be Superman.”

Folio Society

The Folio Society has produced DC: Superman following their exceptional production standards. Its slipcase and cover design showcase iconic images straight from vintage Superman artwork. Scanned from original copies held in the DC archives, the comics have been reproduced in 10” x 7” treasury format. DC: Superman will be available for US $100/UK £70 from (11 am EST, 8 am PT, 4 pm UK time) on February 4, 2025. Superman fans and comic book history buffs can purchase it exclusively at this link for The Folio Society.

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CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Clip Brings America to the Brink of War

Sam Wilson is not Steve Rogers, and that might be the best thing America has going for it in Captain America: Brave New World. The film’s latest promo brings the country to the brink of all-out war exactly when it thinks it’s about to establish lasting peace. And while Steve Rogers was noble and brave, he was also naive and trusting. He saw the best in everyone. A plot this sinister requires a hero who knows how dangerous his own homeland can be.

We love Sam Wilson and we love everything we’ve seen from Captain America: Brave New World so far. This looks like it might be the most intense entry in the Captain America franchise yet. Not even The Winter Soldier featured the destruction of the White House. Nor did any previous Presidents in the MCU turn into a big red rage monster. A lot of bad stuff is going down, and it looks like Giancarlo Esposito’s Seth Voelker is going to be at the center of it.

But as much as even this one trailer seems to reveal, we’re only getting a fraction of the real plot. Things are going to be even worse than they seem. And our bet is Tim Blake Nelson’s returning Samuel Sterns will be heavily involved. The fact we have yet to see him makes us fear him even more.

Marvel Studios

Fortunately Sam has help from an old friend who has taken up his mantle as the Falcon. This teaser offers our best look yet at Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres in his new superhero role. He’s feeling it in his new, colorful Falcon suit and we can’t blame him. The good news is Sam’s Captain America suit also looks so much better than the one he wore the last time we saw him on Disney+.

Ultimately, though, this trailer makes it clear that America won’t need Sam to look great to save it. For that it’ll need him to see the truth about his own country even if no one else can. That’s why it’s a good thing he’s not Steve Rogers.

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Everything We Know About AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH

In 2022, we made our way back to Pandora with Avatar: The Way of Water after many years away. And thankfully, it will not be over a decade before the next film arrives. Avatar: Fire and Ash will further expand this universe with new tribes and more tribulations as Jake and Neytiri continue to navigate all of these challenges and protect their family. What can we expect in this next installment coming our way later this year? Here’s everything you need to know about Avatar: Fire and Ash. 

Dylan Cole/Walt Disney StudiosTitle

The official title of this film is indeed Avatar: Fire and Ash. 

Avatar: Fire and Ash’s Plot 

We don’t have an official synopsis right now. However, writer and director James Cameron recently opened up about the Ash Clan, a new Na’vi clan that we will encounter, and their leader Varang. In an interview with Empire Magazine, Cameron said the following: 

Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship. She’s hardened by that. She will do anything for them, even things that we would consider to be evil. One thing we wanted to do in this film is not be black-and-white simplistic.

EXCLUSIVE 🚨

Avatar 3 will introduce the Ash Clan of the Na’vi, with Varang as their no-nonsense figurehead.

“Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship,” James Cameron tells Empire. “She's hardened by that.”

READ MORE:… pic.twitter.com/vAgcZty6ur

— Empire (@empiremagazine) January 15, 2025

Cameron says Avatar: Fire and Ash will move past the thought that all Na’vi are good and all humans are bad.

There are also the Wind Traders, who ride giant creatures up in the sky. “They’re nomadic traders, equivalent to the camel caravans of the Spice Road back in the Middle Ages,” Cameron revealed. “And you know, they’re just fun. Like all Na’vi, they live in a symbiosis with their creatures.” 

EXCLUSIVE 🌬️

Meet the Wind Traders from Avatar 3.

“They’re nomadic traders, equivalent to the camel caravans of the Spice Road back in the Middle Ages,” explains James Cameron. “Like all Na’vi, they live in a symbiosis with their creatures.”

READ MORE: https://t.co/s9SBVGSsHD… pic.twitter.com/2YxtOhNjRY

— Empire (@empiremagazine) January 15, 2025

Behind the Scenes 

James Cameron will write and direct this film with John Landau as a producer. 

Avatar: Fire & Ash’s Cast 

Of course, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are returning as Jake and Neytiri. Sigourney Weaver and CCH Pounder are also reprising their roles as the couple’s daughter Kiri and Neytiri’s mom Mo’at, respectively. And Jake and Neytiri’s other children will be back too! Stephen Lang, Joel David Moore, and Giovanni Ribsi will come back as Colonel Miles Quaritch, Dr. Spellman, and Parker Selfridge as well as Kate Winslet reprising her role as Ronal. As far as newcomers, Oona Chaplin will portray Ash Clan leader Varang and David Thewlis is cast as Peylak, a new Na’vi character. 

Avatar: Fire and Ash’s Release Date 

Avatar: Fire and Ash will hit theaters on December 19.

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BREAKING: Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban, US TikTok to Shut Down on January 19

TikTok swept into the social media landscape with an enviable force. It seemed to totally capture the hearts and minds of the youngest generations among us with its addictive platform that offers you short-form video after short-form video. Even millennials are not immune to TikTok’s wiles. For some, influences and artists alike, TikTok has also been a lucrative place to grow a business and make a living. But now, the TikTok ban threatens to outlaw TikTok from the US. If the ban becomes an active law as planned, TikTok will be banned from the United States beginning on January 20. Currently, only the Supreme Court stands between the federal law being enacted and not. But what’s the state of the TikTok ban? Well, the latest and greatest is the Supereme Court has left the ban in place. Yes, the TikTok ban stands and will become law, shutting TikTok down in the US on January 19.

What’s been happening exactly? Here’s the current State of the TikTok ban Union.

Quick Links:

Latest Updates on the Supreme Court’s TikTok Ban Deliberations: The Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban What Does It Mean That TikTok Is Banned? Will the App Disappear? The Current Overall State of Affairs Regarding a TikTok Shut Down TikTok/NerdistLatest Updates on the Supreme Court’s TikTok Ban Deliberations: The Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban, Putting the Nail in TikTok’s Coffin

It’s final: TikTok is getting banned in the United States. Yes, although it is under a lot of critique and scrutiny, the ban will stand. On January 17, the Supreme Court upheld the TikTok ban after days of deliberations. That means there’s nothing to stop the TikTok ban from becoming law, effectively making the use of TikTok illegal. The Supreme Court unanimously voted to uphold the law, rejecting the idea that banning TikTok infringed on the right to free speech. That means the TikTok ban law will go into effect on January 19. We discuss in more detail below, but in broad strokes, the government signals that it feels the app threatens a risk to national security as long as it is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

The Chinese embassy has criticized the ban, noting in a statement, “The U.S. has never found evidence that TikTok threatens U.S. national security, but it has used state power and abused national security reasons to unreasonably suppress it, which is not fair or just at all. The U.S. should truly respect the principles of market economy and fair competition, stop unreasonably suppressing companies from other countries, and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for companies from all countries to invest and operate in the U.S.”

What Does It Mean if TikTok Does Get Banned? Will the App Disappear?

But what happens no that TikTok will be banned on January 19? Will the app simply disappear from our phones? It’s not likely to work like that. TikTok’s lawyer Francisco noted “On January 19, as I understand it, we shut down. What the act says is that all of the other types of service providers can’t provide service either. So essentially what they’re going to say is that, I think, ‘we’re not going to be providing the services necessary to have you see it.’ So it’s essentially going to stop operating. I think that’s the consequence of this law.”

While no one is sure what this means in full, essentially, it seems to mean that new users will simply be unable to download TikTok. That will be because app stores, such as the ones that will let you download the app onto an iPhone or Android, will no longer be allowed to support or offer the TikTok app. Additionally, users who have already downloaded TikTok will not be able to download updates and bug fixes for the app or be able to improve the security features of their version of TikTok. This will eventually render the use of their current version of TikTok impossible, degraded, and dangerous, creating vulnerability on users’ devices and a poor user experience.

It’s possible the government could also order American internet service providers to block the TikTok website, but it seems this is a much more complicated tactic to take.

Of course, even after the ban, ByteDance could find a new non-Chinese owner for the TikTok app, which would theoretically lift the ban, returning users access to TikTok. Additionally, the next US president signals that he might try to save the app and undo the ban. A president could offer the company an extension to find a new owner, but as ByteDance does not seem to wish to sell. Additionally, they could seek not to enforce the law, but that would not prevent companies from later being held accountable for infractions.

The Current Overall State of Affairs Regarding a TikTok Shut Down

On January 10th, the Supreme Court heard opening arguments in the case of the TikTok ban, and on January 17, they elected to up uphold the ban law. There’s a lot of legalese involved, but in short, TikTok and ByteDance argued that the TikTok ban/shutdown is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment rights of its 170 million users. While some Supreme Court justices acknowledged the truth of this, the opposition argument is that TikTok does not have to shut down, it simply needs to divest of its owner ByteDance. ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok is a concern to the United States government, which believes the company is using TikTok to spy on Americans for the Chinese government, as well as to spread Chinese-centric propaganda. Ultimately, the Supreme Court upholded the law and will allow the TikTok ban to take effect.

RELATED ARTICLE

U.S. Signs ‘TikTok Ban’ Legislation to Force Sale, TikTok Sues Government in Response

You can listen to the Supreme Court’s discussion about TikTok on YouTube via PBS NewsHour.

On April 24, 2024, President Biden signed the TikTok divest-or-ban bill into law, which also passed in Congress. Since the Supreme Court did not strike down the TikTok ban, the law will go into effect on January 20. That means the use of TikTok will be illegal in the United States, and TikTok will no longer legally be available at the time.

Originally published on January 10, 2025.

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Who Is the Voice of Lumon’s Building? This FAMOUS Actor’s SEVERANCE Season 2 Cameo

This post contains minor spoilers for Severance season two’s premiere concerning a cameo by a famous celebrity, so unless you are severed, watch the episode if you’re hoping to avoid them.

[image error]Keanu Reeves’ Severance Season 2 Cameo, Explained

Whoa. We were not expecting that! And by that we mean basically everything that happened in Severance‘s season two premiere. But in this specific case, we’re talking about Keanu Reeves’s unexpected voice cameo in Severance season two, episode one. Did you miss it? We wouldn’t blame you if you did, and not just because he wasn’t listed in the end credits. It’s because while he certainly sounded like himself, the John Wick stars’ performance came during one of the episode’s most ludicrous moments. Keanu Reeves played the claymation Lumon building during that absurd new employee welcome video.

NetflixKeanu Reeves Voices the Lumon Building in Severance Season 2

The Innies are back at Lumon. Why or how we don’t exactly know, but we do know the company is claiming to take the “Macrodat Uprising” very seriously. Lumon has implemented major reforms to its severed floor. And if you doubt Mr. Milchick’s sincerity, he has a new Innie orientation video that should definitely put you at ease.

That hilarious piece of corporate propaganda is a Rankin/Bass-style claymation video explaining why four severed workers broke out of their office world. It’s a story of anger, inspiration, and love told by an animated version of the 501 branch building, which also mentions it’s the original Lumon headquarters Kier Eagan built.

Apple TV+

A building so important clearly needed a star to voice it, and Severance got one of our favorites. Severance has yet to officially admit it, but they nabbed Keanu Reeves to bring the Lumon building to life. And Reeves delivered a pitch-perfect performance as a literal building full of smiling monsters. As did his Water Tower, played by Saturday Night Live‘s Sarah Sherman. (The episode did name her in the end credits.)

Could Keanu Reeves Appear Again in Severance? (As a Person and Not as the Lumon Building)

If this is the only time either of them ever appear on Severance, we won’t complain. Keanu Reeves as the voice of the Lumon building is better than no Keanu Reeves at all. But we’re also excited by what these voice cameos could mean. Keanu Reeves and Sarah Sherman both work for Lumon in Severance. The company trusts Reeves’ unseen, unnamed character enough they let him recount the Macrodat Uprising, a story Lumon isn’t actually thankful for.

Apple TV+

Could we someday learn that Keanu Reeves is a high-ranking employee of the world’s most evil company on Severance? We certainly hope so. But if he’s just playing a voice actor, and we get more videos of him as the voice of the sinister Lumon building, that’s fine, too.

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SEVERANCE Season 2 Premiere Recap: 4 Revelations and 3 Questions

“She’s alive!” And now, after a very long wait, so is Severance once again at Apple TV+. The show’s second season finally premiered at Apple TV+ with a fantastic episode that brought our four favorite microdata refiners back to work at Lumon. Why were they allowed back after they managed to wake up in the outside world? Why did they even want to go back? And what new questions did the show raise with “Hello, Ms Cobel?” These are the biggest revelations and questions from the first one of Severance season two.

[image error]REVELATIONSThe Innies Are Famous (Maybe) and Lumon Claims It’s Making Changes Apple TV+

Mark, Helly, and Irv’s Innies all got to experience the outside world in season one’s finale, but their escape ended when Milchick tackled Dylan back at Lumon. Turns out Dylan had still given them enough time to reveal what was going on. The press not only covered the Innie’s successful plan, the four became the faces of Severance reform. They’re famous! Or so Milchick says. That newspaper had a pretty fake photo on it.

Whatever the truth of their notoriety, it took five months for any of them to find out. That’s when Mark, whose Outie begged, returned to Lumon still yelling about how his wife is alive. For his Innie it was like no time had passed at all since he saw his wedding photo at his sister’s house. No time had passed for the others when they finally returned to work eventually, too. Lumon never used its remote severance awakening tech to speak to any Innie about what they’d done.

Apple TV+

When they did come back to the office, Lumon claimed they had returned to a much freer place where they’d been forgive for their actions via a terrifying painting of Kier. New severed floor manager Seth Milchick told his employees they will no longer be spied on by cameras and recording devices. They can also quit whenever they like without their Outies approval. He’s also planning to create a secret Outie Family Room Visitation Suite so Dylan can meet with his wife and kids (a clever way to subtly divide the group of refiners). And every new severed employee will see a delightful Claymation video about the Innie Uprising that led to these wonderful new reforms.

Reforms that definitely aren’t suspicious and almost certainly a load of crap in service to a sinister grand plan.

Cobel Did Not Save Her (Old) Job at LumonApple TV+

Despite the Board itself firing her, Harmony Cobel came to Lumon’s rescue when she realized the severed employees had hacked the system and woken up in the real world. Without her, the Innie uprising would have gone on longer. Yet despite her devotion and quick action, she did not get her job back as the severed floor manager. That job now belongs to Seth Milchick, who blamed Harmony for the inhumane treatment the Innies previously experienced.

Lumon dealt with its biggest public scandal ever by making Cobel its scapegoat. But that might also be why the company now employs her in a different, more covert capacity. It would be risky to blame everything on someone who knows so many dirty company secrets. If she is out there without any official connections to Lumon, Cobel might still be helping it. She previously displayed her true loyalty is to Kier Eagan and not Lumon.

There Are Severed Floors All Over the WorldApple TV+

For a brief moment Mark had three new severed co-workers in microdata refinement. They came from other Lumon offices around the world. We also saw just how ubiquitous the company is around the globe during the new Claymation video. There are severed employees everywhere, not just at the show’s main location. Lumon is a true worldwide conglomerate and severance is a worldwide problem.

Helly R. Doesn’t Want Her Co-Workers to Know Her Real IdentityApple TV+

Mark told his severed co-workers about how Ms. Casey is his Outie’s dead wife Gemma. A heartbroken Irv told them how he tried to reach Burt but failed. (He was still banging on Burt’s home door when the elevator door opened.) But Helly R. completely lied about being Helena Eagan, heir and daughter of Lumon CEO Jame Eagan.

She’s ashamed of her Outie and cares about her friends. She doesn’t want them to think less of her or worse. It’s easy to understand why. Helena Eagan is a monster who told her own Innie she’s “not a person.” Helly R. can’t even trust “herself,” so she can’t expect others to trust her. How long can she keep that secret? How long will she want to? And what will happen if they do find out the truth? All of this is now weighing on Helly R. while she tries to help Mark, whom she kissed right before their uprising, find his Outie’s wife.

QUESTIONSWhy Are the Escaped Severed Employees Back at Lumon?Apple TV+

It’s easy to understand why Mark. S begged to go back to work at Lumon. His “dead” wife Gemma is there and he wants to find her. That was the first thing he tried to do during his desperate run through Lumon’s never-ending hallways. But that’s exactly why it’s not obvious why Lumon would let him return there. Why would they want Mark to find Ms. Casey? Is it simply a PR matter? Is Lumon hoping to use Mark’s return to get some good press? To show severance is still a viable, safe, and desirable option? Or do they need Mark back at his desk for their own nefarious secret reasons?

We also don’t know why the other Innies came back after (at least) half a year away. Mark refused to work with the new refiners, going so far as to even try and frame the other Mark. He then spoke to the Board about wanting Helly, Irv, and Dylan back. But just because Mark wanted them back doesn’t mean any of their Outies would agree to return to Lumon. How did Lumon convince them? Why did Lumon let them?

The return of the escaped macrodata refiners is a serious of mysteries piled on top of one another.

Why Does a Child Now Work on the Severed Floor?Apple TV+

Why would Lumon bring a literal child to work on it’s severed floor? Or, you know, any floor? What is the deal with Ms. Huang? It makes no sense at all and it’s so weird we’re willing to get real dark with what it could mean, because we can’t rule out Lumon is making clones or moving consciousness from one brain into another. What if Ms. Huang isn’t really some kid but an adult put into a child’s body? Or a kid clone of someone we’ve known as an adult?

At a company that has figured out how to make two people out of one, there are even stranger things going. And that brings us to our last major question from the Severance season two premiere.

What’s Going on with Ms. Casey and Mark’s File?Apple TV+

Ms. Casey and her Wellness Center are gone from Lumon’s severed floor. Is Gemma still in the building, though? Is she on the company’s mysterious Testing Floor, the one Outie Irv keeps painting over and over?

More importantly, what does the missing Ms. Casey have to do with the file Mark is working on? In the episode’s final moments the show implied his current “mysterious and important” work is connected to his “dead” wife. He was refining macrodata and after fencing off a series of random numbers that we know elicit an emotion we saw Ms. Casey’s file.

Apple TV+

Are the macrodata refiners looking for literal human emotions connected to real people? Are those people currently in digital form? Is Ms. Casey totally digital? Partially?

Before the season we wondered if those macrodata files that evoke real emotions in employees were coming from real people. That might be exactly what’s going on. If it is the implications go well beyond Ms. Casey. If they can keep her alive this way, they might be able to keep anyone alive, including Kier Eagan himself.

To think, all of that after the four severed employees were back at work together for just a single day. Imagine what we’ll learn and questions after they’re together for a whole week or month.

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THE WIZARD OF OZ TAROT DECK AND GUIDEBOOK Will Unlock Your Inner Magic

The recent success of the Wicked and the high-anticipation of the film’s sequel Wicked: For Good has many fans wanting to dive more into the (not-so) wonderful world of Oz. The backstory of Glinda the (Not-So) Good Witch and Elphaba the (Not-So) Wicked Witch of the West certainly makes us all look at our childhood classic fave The Wizard of Oz (1939) a little differently. Still, we love the journey that Dorothy goes on with the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion, and her doggie Toto. A world full of wizards, fortune tellers, and witches is the perfect one to base a tarot deck off of. And that’s exactly what Insight Editions gives fans with The Wizard of Oz Tarot Deck and Guidebook.

Insight Editions/Simon & Schuster

Written by Erica Davis and illustrated by Davide Ortu, this is quite the aesthetically pleasing set that works for experienced divinators as well as those new to tarot. Personally, I find myself in the middle ground as someone who has read tarot for a few years. I certainly don’t consider myself an “expert” in any sense of the word but I am not a novice, either. The knowledge I’ve built so far is what I lean into the most; however, I also keep my guidebooks close for confirmation. I own a few decks and this is a welcome addition to my collection.  

The Wizard of Oz Tarot Deck and Guidebook plays fully into the land of Oz—and Kansas, too!—by using its own unique terminology for the typical names of suits and card descriptions. The deck has 78 cards covering the major and minor Arcana, with four suits: Cans (typically Cups), Brooms (Wands), Spears (Swords), and Bricks (Pentacles). Like the film, the artwork divides itself between sepia tones and vibrant colors with iconic characters like Dorothy and Glinda. Some cards also feature recognizable objects from the film, including the Kansas twister and Dorothy’s house. 

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The cardstock is good and thick quality with a surface that feels pleasing to the fingertips and allows easy shuffling. (To me, shuffling improves as you handle the cards more.) Are the cards a little on the big side? Sure, at least for my personal tastes. But the intricate details in the artwork and the guidebook more than make up for that one slight dislike. For those who are new to tarot, the short-yet-sweet “Understanding Your Tarot Deck” section will give you the overall rundown of how this specific deck is set up.

Tai Gooden/Nerdist

The meat of the guidebook that covers every single card gives you a solid understanding of what they mean both in their normal orientation, which means a straightforward (upright) reading and when they are drawn upside down, which means an opposite (reversed) meaning. The introduction for each card gives you the lowdown on how a character or scene represents the card’s overall meaning. Yet there is still room to dig into the artwork and form your own interpretations based on your current mood and what you are seeking from the cards (confirmation, clarity, etc.) It’s clear Davis is a legit fan of The Wizard of Oz and an experienced tarot reader and guidebook writer. 

Check out a few more of The Wizard of Oz Tarot Deck and Guidebook Cards below:

Click To View Gallery Insight Editions/Simon u0026 Schuster/Davide Ortu Insight Editions/Simon u0026 Schuster/Davide Ortu Insight Editions/Simon u0026 Schuster/Davide Ortu Insight Editions/Simon u0026 Schuster /Davide Ortu Insight Editions/Simon u0026 Schuster/Davide Ortu Insight Editions/Simon u0026 Schuster/Davide Ortu Insight Editions/Simon u0026 Schuster/Davide Ortu

The deck comes with a great protective box to make sure your cards stay dust-free and pristine. And, its very reasonable price point of $27.99 is the cherry on top of a lovely deck. The Wizard of Oz Tarot Deck and Guidebook will release on March 11 and you can pre-order your deck here.

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You Can Listen to All of David Lynch’s Daily Weather Reports From 2020-2022

David Lynch, who passed away at the age of 78 on January 16, left an incredible legacy of film and television. Twin Peaks, Dune, Blue Velvet, the list goes on. But along with those things, not to mention music and books, over the past several years, Lynch produced something equally odd and delightful — his daily weather reports. Lynch began these daily weather forecasts in 2005, in the form of a daily phone call to LA radio station INDIE 103.1. He later moved them to his own website, producing them until 2010.

Then, suddenly, during the COVID pandemic in 2020, he brought them back. Since David Lynch was quarantined with the rest of us, for the next 2 1/2 years, the eccentric and strangely lovable filmmaker gave Angelenos his daily weather report. He did this all the way until the end of 2022. Sometimes he spoke of other things that struck his mind, in typical Lynch fashion. Just as often, he kept it simple. Here are a couple of our favorites:

Known for the darkness and horror in his work, Lynch nevertheless had polite Midwestern charm to spare. This was a man who used phrases like “by golly” totally unironically. “Here in LA, by golly, we’ve got rain, gray, and gloomy with a slight breeze… This should — I hope — burn off by this afternoon and we’ll have sunshine back and 70 degrees. Have a great day.” Often, you could see the steam from his cup of coffee, no doubt black as midnight on a moonless night, rising up. We hope there were occasional donuts to go with them.

One particularly heartbreaking weather report came after his friend and frequent collaborator, composer Angelo Badalamenti passed. Lynch reported no weather conditions that day, instead simply saying “Today, no music.” It wasn’t long after that that David Lynch stopped his daily weather reporting. And from that point on, we didn’t hear much from the man publicly.

David Lynch Theater

Luckily, all of his post-2020 weather reports on DAVID LYNCH THEATER are collected in one big YouTube playlist. So if you need to hear the man’s iconic voice today talking about sunshine, or lack thereof? They are here on YouTube, preserved, hopefully, for all time. And by golly, that’s just a wonderful thing. You can find the whole playlist here.

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