Dan Erickson’s ‘Severance’ goes into production for third season July 27

“Severance,” the hit Apple TV show created by WWU alum Dan Erickson, is just about to go into production for its third season. 

Earlier this year, Erickson, ’07, B.A., English – creative writing, came to campus to talk about his journey from Western to the showrunner of “Severance,” a twisty, dystopian workplace thriller that’s one of the most talked-about shows on television. 

Erickson also accepted a WWU Alumni Award, where he spoke about his student days writing his play "Convention" in a windowless basement computer lab in Arntzen Hall -- one of his most important early creative experiences.

“Convention” debuted with Student Theatre Productions and shares thematic similarities with the Emmy-winning show “Severance.” Erickson’s classmates spoke to Window magazine in 2025 about directing and performing in “Convention” and taking it to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

Also in 2025, Erickson himself spoke to Window magazine, reflecting on his creative time at WWU and expressing thanks for the opportunity to see his play come to life on stage. 

“I sort of wrote it and thought, ‘Only at Western could I get this thing put up.’”