Burt Goodman, played by Christopher Walken, delivers some of Severance's most memorable lines. Below are 4 of the best Burt Goodman quotes from Severance, each with the scene or episode where it appears, plus 4 pieces of trivia about the character.
Best Burt Goodman Quotes
"We make images. What MDR does with the numbers, I've always wondered."
— Burt Goodman, Season 1, Episode 5 - The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design
"I've been here a long time. Longer than most."
— Burt Goodman, Season 1, Episode 5 - The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design
"You're not what I expected from MDR."
— Burt Goodman, Season 1, Episode 5 - The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design
"There are good people here, Irving. That's what I believe."
— Burt Goodman, Season 1, Episode 7 - Defiant Jazz
Burt Goodman Trivia & Fun Facts
- Burt is the head of the Optics and Design (O&D) department, which has a long-standing and largely mythologized rivalry with Irving's MDR department.
- His gentle romance with Irving is the emotional heartbeat of Season 1, depicting two innies forming a genuine connection despite Lumon's attempts to keep departments isolated.
- Burt is forcibly retired by Lumon management, likely as a punishment for his unauthorized cross-departmental relationship with Irving — an abrupt erasure that devastates Irving's innie.
- He is played by Christopher Walken, whose characteristically unhurried cadence makes Burt one of the show's most unexpectedly warm and melancholy presences.
Explore More
Read the full Burt Goodman character profile or browse all Severance quotes.