Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Severance season 2, episode 1Severance season 2 is everything I expected it would be and more. Before getting into the episode, it's important to note that season 1 was released back in 2022. Due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes, work on the show was delayed, and we're only now getting season 2. I've had an issue with this era of streaming shows where projects debut to massive success and then disappear for a couple of years or more before returning. This can lead to interest waning, especially for shows just starting. Luckily, Severance allows us to adjust to its in-universe changes.
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a "severance" procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle, Severance is one of the biggest hits on Apple TV+.
Release Date February 18, 2022
Character(s) Mark Scout , Helly Riggs , Dylan George , Seth Milchick , Devon , Ms. Casey , Ricken Hale , Irving Bailiff , Burt Goodman , Harmony Cobel , Miss Huang , Kier Eagan , Doug Graner
Seasons 2
Showrunner Dan Erickson , Mark Friedman
Severance Returns By Slowly Revealing How The World Of The Series Changed
Adam Scott's Mark S. Is An Endearing Lead To Follow
The season 2 premiere is all about building on what came before. Severance season 1's ending brought forward a major event, as Mark, Helly, Dylan, and Irving came up with a plan to get the truth about what was happening to the severed workers of Lumon. Major reveals happen, as Helly H. discovers her counterpart outside Lumon is the daughter of Lumon's CEO and Mark realizes that his Outie's deceased wife, Gemma, is not dead and is none other than Ms. Casey, who is in charge of wellness at Lumon.
I thought the first half of the episode was slower than I expected it to be, especially due to how season 1 ended on such a tense-filled note.
After the overtime contingency was stopped by Milchick, I could not wait to find out what happened to the crew. The season 2 premiere slowly paints the picture of what has been going on since we last saw the characters. According to Milchick, the Macrodata Refinement team blew the whistle and led to changes for Lumon as the world learned of the Innies' condition. The first half of the episode was slower than I expected it to be, especially due to how season 1 ended on such a tense-filled note.
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Severance Season 2 Review: I'm Stunned The Brilliant Apple TV+ Series Actually Surpassed Its Excellent First Season
Severance season 2 continues to perfect the mystery box series formula with perfectly planted answers that raise more harrowing questions.
That said, even though the storyline took some time to build, I was there with Mark S. all the way. Adam Scott does some of his finest work in the series. We had already seen how he could make the two versions of Mark so different in season 1, but in this return as the character's Innie, Scott imbues him with charisma and also a sense of urgency that strikes a nice balance. Mark finding a whole new group of people instead of his friends was quite a surprise, and I enjoyed how he fought to get his crew back.
Seeing The Macrodata Team Back Together Is Exciting
Helly Can Have An Interesting Arc In Season 2
After Helly, Irving, and Dylan return, we are treated to the same fun dynamic the characters shared in season 1. It is interesting to watch these characters work through Lumon's changes as a group and tell the others of their experiences when they switched with their Outies in the season 1 finale. Both Irving and Helly refrain from telling everything that happened to them, though for different seasons. I think Britt Lower's Helly has the potential to have one of the best storylines of the season, as her character has to struggle with the reveal that she is an Eagan.
Would they be able to trust Helly again? That is a question I hope season 2 explores.
Helly's Outie is essentially who the Macrodata crew is fighting against, so having that duality is going to be interesting as the season progresses. I understand why she chose not to reveal the truth of what she discovered to Mark and the others, as it is too hard right now. However, I am afraid of what could happen if she purposefully refrains from telling them for a long time, and the others end up finding out for themselves. Would they be able to trust Helly again? That is a question I hope season 2 explores.
Overall, I quite liked the Severance season 2 premiere. The first half was slower, taking its time to familiarize us with the show after nearly three years away, as well as Mark, who found a very different Lumon when he woke up back at the company months later. After the crew got back together, the pace picked up, with more mysteries set up to be unraveled over the course of the season. While I can't wait to get some answers to Lumon's plans, spending time on smaller moments and character development is also a worthy way to start the season.
Severance season 2's first episode is now streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes are released every Friday through March 21.
Pros
- Adam Scott is in top form as Mark S.
- The crew continues to have great chemistry
- Many changes and new mysteries rise at Lumon
- The VFX remain immersive
Cons
- The show starts on a slower note
English (US) ·