Some men hold the women they love captive: it’s a tale as old as time, unfortunately. And it’s one thatSeveranceemployed to bring dramatic stakes to themajorly reveal-filled episodethat was their seventh, “Chikhai Bardo.” In it, we finally got more insight into the creepy doctor we’ve seen only briefly in episodes before, Dr. Mauer, played by Robby Benson. But what you may not know is that holding the women he loves hostage is something Benson has done in a previous role. It’s a character you definitely know, even if you have never seen Robby Benson’s face before this episode.Needless to say, if you haven’t seen the most recent episode ofSeverance,turn away now, for there are major, major spoilers that lie ahead.
That’s right: Robby Benson voiced one of the most iconic Disney characters of all time. Only in that role, the ending is far more of the “happily ever after” variety than what we hope is coming for Dr. Mauer and Gemma (Dichen Lachman’s character, aka the Innie known as Miss Casey, aka Outie Mark’s presumed-dead wife). No, for Benson’s current doctor, we wish for only pain, whereas when he appeared in the 1991 animated version ofBeauty and the Beast, we were rooting for him to find love.
Adam Scott Is Just as “Blown Away” by That Pivotal ‘Severance’ Episode as You Are
‘Severance’ star Adam Scott has a lot to say about the second season’s game-changing seventh episode, “Chikhai Bardo.”
That’s Right, Robby Benson Played The Beast in ‘Beauty And The Beast’ — Can You Believe It?
If you’re absolutely as gagged as we were to learn that, you’re not alone. The fact was brought to our attention by the folks atSlashFilm, and it absolutely did our head in. How one man can turn captivity into true love in one context, but an absolute horror show in another, shows you just how much good storytelling matters. We were deeply horrified watching Dr. Mauer desperately try to win Gemma’s affections to no avail, which meant we were equally thrilled to watch her smack the sh*t out of him with a chair in her (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to escape Lumon and her severed captivity.
But it was also a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the man who will undoubtedly play a larger role in future episodes ofSeverance, and find out that not only did this man voice the Beast inBeauty and the Beast, but that he was apparently a bit of a teen heartthrob in the 70s, and later went on to direct several episodes ofFriends.This man has had acareer, y’all — starting on the stage before transitioning to screens big and small. Heck, he’s even written a novel, and is a credited composer and lyricist, having co-written — alongside his wife, Karla DeVito — the song from John Hughes’The Breakfast Clubwhere all the kids are dancing in the library (for the record it’s called “We are Not Alone”).
In addition to directing the aforementioned six episodes ofFriends, Benson has also directed over a hundred episodes of network television, including some of the biggest sitcoms of their time, likeEllen, Dharma & Greg, Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place, andSabrina The Teenage Witch. See? Looks really can be deceiving. And maybeSeverancewill end up with a happily ever after in the end. (Just not for Dr. Mauer, we hope.)
