Dan Erickson

Last updated

Dan Erickson
Dan Erickson - Severance.jpg
Erickson in 2025
Born
Daniel Earling Erickson

(1984-01-26) January 26, 1984 (age 41)
Alma materWestern Washington University (BA) NYU Tisch School of the Arts (MFA)
Occupations
  • Television screenwriter
  • producer
  • showrunner
Years active2004-present

Daniel Earling Erickson (born January 26, 1984) is an American television screenwriter, showrunner, and producer. He is best known for creating the psychological thriller television series Severance , which premiered on the Apple TV+ streaming service in February 2022. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Life and career

Erickson is from Olympia, Washington. [1] His parents are Mark and Lynn Erickson, a lawyer and a teacher, respectively. He is a middle child, with an older brother named Matt and a younger sister named Hayley. [4] Erickson has stated that he is very close with both siblings, and that they inspired characters on Severance . [5]

Erickson attended Western Washington University, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in English, and subsequently graduated from New York University Tisch School of the Arts with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dramatic Writing for Television. [6] [7]

He wrote for Spike TV's Lip Sync Battle Pre-Show and worked in series development for the now-defunct entertainment company Super Deluxe. [8]

In 2016, Erickson's pilot script for Severance was recognized by the Blood List. [8] [9] He later submitted the script as a writing sample to Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Productions, and Stiller produced the project. [10] [11] In 2019, Apple TV+ picked up Severance for a straight-to-series order with Endeavor Content serving as co-financer and producer. [12] Season 1 of Severance premiered on February 18, 2022, on Apple's streaming service to acclaim. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] Season 2 premiered on January 17, 2025. It also received acclaim, with an initial score of 100% on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes based on 43 critic reviews. [20]

In September 2022, Erickson was included in the Time 100 Next list, which features "100 emerging leaders from around the world who are shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership". [21] He and the writers of Severance won twice at the 2023 Writers Guild of America Awards, winning Best New Series and Best Drama Series. [22]

Filmography

YearTitleWriterProducerNotes
2011League of WonderYesNoShort film
2016–2018Lip Sync Battle PreshowYesNo
2022–present Severance YesYesCreator, wrote 7 episodes, executive producer

Awards and honors

The Astra Awards

YearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2022 Best Writing in a Streaming Series Severance (for "The We We Are")Won [23]

Primetime Emmy Awards

YearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2023 Outstanding Drama Series Severance Nominated [24]
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Severance(for "The We We Are")Nominated
2025 Outstanding Drama SeriesSeveranceNominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama SeriesSeverance(for "Cold Harbor")Nominated

Peabody Awards

YearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2022 Entertainment Severance Won [25]

Writers Guild of America Awards

YearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2022 Drama Series Severance Won [26]
New Series Won

Seoul International Drama Awards

YearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2025Best Screenwriter Severance Won [27]

References

  1. 1 2 "Olympia screenwriter Dan Erickson on 'Severance' and its long journey to Apple TV+". The Seattle Times. February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  2. Maas, Jennifer (June 19, 2022). "The Insidious, Cryptic World of 'Severance': How Ben Stiller, Adam Scott and More Brought 'Strange Humor' to Apple's Workplace Thriller". Variety. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  3. Francisco, Eric (February 24, 2022). "'Severance' is the sci-fi thriller every office worker needs — here's why". Inverse. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  4. "DAN ERICKSON – Heroes and Villains" . Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  5. 2022 HCA TV Awards Full Ceremony: Streaming Platforms - Night 2 of Television's Big Celebration, August 14, 2022, retrieved August 22, 2022
  6. "Olympia-Born Screenwriter Nabs Emmy Nod". July 12, 2022.
  7. "TISCH ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: DAN ERICKSON '10 AND THE 10 YEAR JOURNEY TO CREATING 'SEVERANCE' ON APPLE TV+".
  8. 1 2 Piazza, Bianca (March 28, 2022). "Dan Erickson Is the Imaginative Creator and Writer of Sci-Fi Series 'Severance' — Let's Explore His Work". Distractify. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  9. Colangelo, B. J. (July 21, 2022). "Severance Has Been In The Making For A Very Long Time [Comic-Con]". SlashFilm.com. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  10. "Adam Scott Goes Back to Work". GQ. February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  11. Lane, Carly (February 18, 2022). "'Severance': Ben Stiller and Adam Scott on the Long Road to Making the Apple TV+ Thriller Series". Collider. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  12. Ausiello, Michael (November 8, 2019). "Adam Scott 'Workplace Thriller' Severance Snags Apple TV+ Series Order; Ben Stiller to EP and Direct". TVLine. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  13. Travers, Ben (February 16, 2022). "'Severance' Review: Ben Stiller Directs a Brilliant Corporate Conspiracy Thriller That's All Too Real". IndieWire. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  14. Tallerico, Brian (February 17, 2022). "Adam Scott Leads Brilliantly Original Workplace Drama Severance". RogerEbert. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  15. Fienberg, Daniel (February 16, 2022). "Apple TV+'s 'Severance': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  16. "'Severance' Apple TV Plus Review: Stream It Or Skip It?". Decider. February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  17. Nelson, Samantha (February 18, 2022). "Severance Premiere Review - "Good News About Hell" and "Half Loop"". IGN. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  18. Poniewozik, James (February 17, 2022). "'Severance' Review: That Makes Two of You". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  19. Gilbert, Sophie (February 25, 2022). "When Work Is a Terrifying Dystopia". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  20. Massoto, Erick (January 7, 2025). "'Severance' Season 2 Lands Stellar Rotten Tomatoes Score Ahead of Premiere". Collider.
  21. "Meet the 2022 TIME100 Next". Time. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  22. "Yahoo.com". March 6, 2023.
  23. "#Severance "The We, We Are" writer, Dan Erickson wins the award for Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Drama at the 2nd Annual Hollywood Critics Association Television Awards". Hollywood Critics Association Twitter. August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  24. "Dan Erickson". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  25. Voyles, Blake (September 19, 2023). "83rd Peabody Award Winners" . Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  26. Schneider, Michael; Maas, Jennifer (February 15, 2025). "'Shogun,' 'Hacks,' 'Anora,' 'Nickel Boys' Land Top Honors at Writers Guild Awards 2025 (Full Winners List)". Variety . Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  27. "[PRESS RELEASE] Announcement for the Winners of SDA 2025". Seoul International Drama Awards . Retrieved September 16, 2025.