A team of office workers choose to have their memories surgically divided between their work and personal lives in the trailer for Apple TV+ series Severance.

Directed and executive produced by Ben Stiller, the dystopian thriller follows Lumon Industries employee Mark Scout, played by Adam Scott, as he finds himself at the centre of a mystery that forces him to confront the true nature of his work.

The three-minute teaser shows Scott, best known for starring in comedy Parks And Recreation, addressing the camera in character as he gives his consent to the severance process.

He is later seen being unexpectedly promoted to department chief as unsettling music plays.

However, he is warned by a colleague that “nothing is what they say”.

In another clip, he asks: “What is it we actually do here?”

The series is written and created by Dan Erickson and also stars Academy Award winners Patricia Arquette and Christopher Walken, alongside John Turturro, Britt Lower and Zach Cherry.

The first two episodes will launch on February 18 and will be followed by weekly instalments each Friday across the nine-episode season.