Screenshot of Google’s “Severance” takeover
If you need to look up something about severance pay, leave it for a while, because now Google will just take over your screen with an ominously cheery nod to the Apple TV+ series.
“Severance” is deservedly the most-watched show on Apple TV+, and it’s one that has broken out to be featured on other networks. It’s one that has taken over New York’s Grand Central Terminal.
Now it’s taken over Google’s search results. Not only does searching for the word “severance” return results about the show, it mainly returns them. While everyone’s mileage may be different depending on the gods of Google’s algorithm, every time AppleInsider tries it, the entire first page is about the show.
Surely this is weighted because we’ve searched for that show before, but actually, across the first ten full pages of Google results there are only three results that are not about the series. Two of those are dictionary definitions of the word.
And now there is yet more, as noted by executive producer Ben Stiller on Twitter. “Google Severance for blue balloons,” he instructs.
If you do, you get all of these “Severance” results, plus a large blue button with a white party icon. Click that, and hoards of blue balloons will float up over your screen.
Once that starts, the blue button is joined by a pair of further controls. One is an exit, but the other is a “share this experience” button.
Amongst all of the very many promotions for the “Severance” second season, the balloons are to promote its finale, which begins streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, March 21, 2025. The season began with blue balloons being included in certain scenes and that’s where we should stop in case you’re way behind on watching the show.
Although you could, of course, just Google it.
