Apple TV's Severance Continues 1 Huge Streaming Problem

It doesn't get much better than Apple TV's Severance​​​​​, but like many excellent shows, there's an unfortunate downside. The psychological thriller black comedy series first hit screens in 2022 and immediately caused waves in popular culture. With Ben Stiller attached as executive producer and director, a certain comedic expectation had been set. Though Severance's cleverness certainly delivered in that regard, there was so much more to this show than we initially thought. Deeply cerebral and packed full of truly exceptional performances, Severance was clear streaming gold.

The big question after Severance season 1 was whether the show would survive a sophomore installment. Plenty of TV shows hit big on their first outing, but keeping that momentum going is the real challenge. Unfortunately, viewers had to endure a frustratingly long wait before they could even begin to find answers. Severance season 1 released in 2022, and season 2 didn't arrive until 2025.

Of course, Severance season 2 was entirely worth the wait. Rotten Tomatoes scores dropped slightly, but this was overshadowed by the massive social buzz and cultural impact generated by the series. That season 2 cliffhanger had everyone talking, and, a year later, fans remain eager to see what will happen next. This is where the problem lies, since Severance season 3 isn't even close to arriving on our screens.

Severance Is A Fantastic Show With A Release Format Problem

Severance leaves very little room for complaint, but that release format is a real bummer. The three-year gap between seasons 1 and 2 can be blamed, largely, on the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes of 2023, so there was hope that season 3 would arrive much more quickly. The recent news that filming for Severance's next installment would begin this summer seemed like a positive sign. However, filming for season 2 began only eight months after season 1's premiere. A summer 2026 filming-start date comes a whopping 1.5 years after season 2's premiere. This fact basically knocks out any hope that new episodes will arrive before another three-year wait.

It's worth remembering that Apple TV is a streaming service that boasts quality over quantity. It's not about pumping out a lot of shows or seasons but crafting a spectacular viewing experience time and time again. Severance fits right in line with that business model. In fact, it has quickly become the platform's figurehead, not just in the sci-fi genre, but across all its streaming TV offerings. That quality experience doesn't come from nowhere. Apple TV takes its time, but that comes with the risk of losing viewers who don't care to wait, creating ever-mounting pressure for perfection. We can see this issue reflected in Severance's Rotten Tomatoes scores.

As previously stated, Severance has performed spectacularly with critics across the board. However, the percentage of positive audience reviews took a surprising drop with season 2. The common complaint of the displeased viewer seemed to be pacing—they came back after three years of anticipation, excited to see more, and felt let down by the slow start. It's precisely this that is at risk from these large gaps. Yet, most great shows seem to have them.

Why The Best TV Shows Are Taking So Long To Release New Episodes

In the good old days, basically any TV show was expected to return with a new season the following year. This was before streaming took over the world of television, when networks kept these release schedules in mind with their contracts. When a production company, actors, directors, and everyone else involved signed on for a show, that was their primary project for the "on" season. The expectation was that things would continue until the network pulled the plug.

These days, those strictly kept network schedules hardly matter at all. This gives streamers a lot of control over when and how they release episodes (look at Netflix's experimentation with full-season or two-part releases). Timelines are flexible, and that means actors' contracts look a little different, too. Even with multi-season agreements, actors can go out and get other jobs after filming for one installment wraps. Everyone waits for the show to be renewed or cancelled, and then the return date is decided based on everyone else's schedules and other commitments.

This approach is more like how things have traditionally been done in movies, which makes sense since TV has shifted toward film-quality content. These big TV shows will therefore have long gaps just as multi-film franchises do—even longer, really, since season runtimes can be around 8 hours (like Severance season 2). Basically, if we want truly spectacular streaming TV shows, the wait is unavoidable.

When Will Severance Season 3 Come Out?

So now the big question—when will Severance season 3 actually arrive? Currently, all we know for certain is that filming is expected to begin this summer. Precisely how long that will take is unclear, and there will still be a lengthy post-production process. Typically, we could estimate a premiere date based on the production windows of previous seasons, but the 2023 strikes make that a bit challenging for Severance. Still, it's a start.

Filming for Severance season 2 started in October 2022 and didn't officially wrap until April 2024. Of course, production was halted during eight of these 18 months due to the strike shutdowns. This means active filming took about 10 months, and there was then another nine months between that wrap date in 2024 and Severance season 2's January 2025 premiere. This comes to about a 19-month gap, excluding the shutdown times.

If production for Severance season 3 begins this summer as planned (let's say July), then 19 months later would be February of 2028—another three-year gap. Of course, it's perfectly possible that even the active production time would be reduced for season 3 without the chaos that came before and after the 2023 shutdowns. Additionally, Apple may hope to avoid further issues caused by that long gap, potentially gunning for a fourth-quarter 2027 premiere. Regardless, Severance is guaranteed to be another streaming show with those frustrating long waits. We might as well get used to it.