Adam Scott Finally Addresses Theory That Parks and Rec Predicted Severance a Decade Earlier

Since the premise of Severance first became clear, there have been fan theories exploring its strange connection to another Adam Scott role — Ben Wyatt on Parks and Recreation. Scott finally addressed this idea head-on last week during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and he seemed to validate fans’ suspicions. The idea stems from Parks and Rec Season 6, Episode 12, “Farmers Market,” where Ben asks his wife Leslie and co-worker, Leslie (Amy Poehler) for a conversational “firewall system” so that they only have to talk about work while they’re at the office. Scott acknowledged the similarity here, but assured fans it is just a coincidence.

When Kimmel brought up this viral fan theory, Scott confirmed that he has seen it floating around online. “And it is actually pretty close,” he said. “The thing my character was sort of pitching to Leslie does sound sort of like Severance.” However, when Kimmel asked if this was just a coincidence, Scott replied, “Yes.”

Parks and Rec is a workplace sitcom where Poehler and Scott play the central couple, Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt, who meet through their work in local government and fall in love. By Season 6, they are married, and their positions are work are in flux. “Farmers Market” is a major turning point, as Leslie has just returned to her old job running the parks department, while Ben has just stepped up to a new position as City Manager.

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Ben finds it exhausting to spend all his time with the most pushy department head he oversees, even at home, so he proposes a new rule to leave work talk at the office. He describes this as a “firewall system,” which may have helped lead some viewers to relate it to Severance.

Severance is a near-future dystopia where a corporation called Lumon has developed a neural implant that can completely “sever” a person’s memories from them, essentially creating a new blank slate persona. The implant goes into effect when it is in a certain area — in this case, at the Lumon offices, where severed workers do not risk leaking sensitive information, or bringing personal drama into the workplace. In return, severed workers do not have to experience the toil or boredom of work.

Considering Ben Wyatt’s predilection for odd inventions and sweeping gestures, it’s easy to see how fans connected his off-handed remark to Scott’s new show. It’s a neat parallel, but the writers and producers of these two shows are completely different, and which casts doubt on any fan theories about a shared continuity here. However, one thing fans will often point out is that Scott only directed one episode of Parks and Rec, and it was “Farmers Market.” If there was any episode where he had particular creative input, it was this one.

Scott is now an executive producer on Severance as well as a star, but the show seems to have enough going on without holding back a surprise crossover with a retired sitcom. The theories are fun, but in all likelihood, they’ll continue to exist as reasonable doubt at most, not as a part of the canonical story. That being said, it’s hard to say what exactly is coming next in Severance after the shocking Season 3 finale last week.

Parks and Recreation is streaming now on Peacock, while Severance is available on Apple TV+. Severance has been renewed for a third season, but there’s no word yet on when it will go into production or when we might get to see it for ourselves.