Severance looks like a terrifying return to office in new season 2 trailer

Like a lot of tech companies, Lumon Industries is instituting a return-to-office policy for employees, but of course, this version looks a little scarier than real life. At least, that’s how it seems based on the first proper trailer for season 2 of Severance.

Following last season’s incredibly tense finale, the show picks up with Mark S (Adam Scott) heading back to Lumon to find things a little different than he remembers them, including a number of his coworkers. But some things haven’t changed — namely, the disorienting office hallways and the unyielding intensity of Milchick (Tramell Tillman), who looks intimidating even while holding party balloons.

For the uninitiated, Severance is a sci-fi story about a medical procedure — the titular severance — that allows Lumon employees to separate their memories between work and home, essentially creating two people in one body. It’s an extreme solution to the problem of work-life balance. The outies, as they’re known, remain oblivious to what goes on in the office, while the innies remain trapped in a hellish existence they can never escape. Well, except for the occasional Music Dance Experience.

The show is led by director Ben Stiller and creator / writer Dan Erickson. The first season (which is out on Blu-ray soon) featured a killer cast, many of whom will be returning. In addition to Scott and Tillman, the cast includes Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette.

The 10-episode-long second season of Severance starts streaming on Apple TV Plus on January 17th. In the meantime, the streamer has another sci-fi show returning very soon, with season 2 of Silo kicking off on November 15th.