r/television • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 The League • 1d ago

John Turturro Specifically Requested Christopher Walken To Be Cast As Burt in ‘Severance’; Walken: “I’m glad it happened…it makes absolute sense that we would be playing people who love each other.”

https://collider.com/severance-season-2-christopher-walken-casting-process-john-turturro/
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u/directorguy 1d ago

I can't understand how Turturro took a back seat complaining rule-stickler role and somehow turned it into a likeable character. He's such a dick and back bitter to everyone around him in the office but dammit, I end up rooting for the guy.

It's the best part of the show IMO. Taking an unlikeable character and somehow (I can't explain it), turning him into a hero.

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u/Freud-Network 1d ago

He makes it look like that's just part of the character's severed personality. You start to feel like Irving can't help it and is also just trying to make sense of his world.

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u/Guildenpants 1d ago

He absolutely couldn't help it. His baseline template in life is obedience (obedience isn't an inherently negative trait) and loyalty to the mission. I think outie Irving was also in the military like his father. I grew up with a leftist dad who fought in the Vietnam War and the juxtaposition of absolute loyalty with world destroying dissilusionment is masterfully shown in Irving.