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This review contains no spoilers for Severance season 2.
Severance season 2 clocks in to work with the understanding that it must prove itself all over again.
Part of that understanding is an acknowledgement that a lengthy hiatus between seasons may have built up some skepticism among audiences. The other aspect, however, is more elemental to the medium itself. When it comes to serialized science fiction on television, second seasons are what separate the contenders from the pretenders.
It’s one thing to enchant a viewer’s pattern-seeking brain with a freshman year full of compelling questions, it’s another thing entirely to craft a sophomore outing that offers up equally compelling answers. The graveyard of TV history is lined with the corpses of Lost clones that came out of the gates strong before their mystery box narratives opened up to reveal nothing.
With its brilliant first season, Severance already made clear that it had mastered the mystery box question-posing format. The series features an intriguing sci-fi premise in which individuals undergo a “severance” procedure to separate their consciousness between their work lives and home lives. While initially pitched as an act of compartmentalizing self care from Lumon Industries, the creation of distinct “Innie” and “Outtie” egos within one body is anything but therapeutic. That literally interpersonal dynamic along with the mysterious nature of what the Innies are even “working” on effortlessly carried the first nine episodes of storytelling. By the time the season 1 finale concludes, the Innies in the “Macrodata Refinement” department have successfully contacted the outside world while learning some uncomfortable truths about their Outties and the other secrets that Lumon keeps from them.
Severance season 2 has a lot of momentum built up and resolves not to waste it, even if it runs the risk of alienating an audience that might not have rewatched the show since it last wrapped in April 2022. For what it’s worth, Apple TV+ is well aware of the fact that you likely remember very little from season 1 as it sticks an unusually-detailed recap before the first episode. That “previously-on” still can’t quite capture the full depth of the excellent, yet disorienting plot so far. Thankfully, the internet is sure to be saturated with more complete “Severance Season 1 Recap” breakdowns (including here at Den of Geek) prior to the January 17 release.
Once the initial confusion is resolved through recap perusal or sheer force of recollective will, Severance season 2 absolutely flies by. This season’s 10 episodes (all of which were screened for the purposes of this review), easily meet the creative standard of season 1 and in many ways exceed it. Under creator and showrunner Dan Erickson’s lead, the narrative understands the precise balance of mystery vs. resolution necessary to keep the viewer on the hook. The plot is as surgical as the severance procedure itself.
Many times throughout Severance season 2 one gets the sense that all the twists, turns, and teases should be exhausting (particularly when viewed in a bingeing format rather than through the show’s weekly release model) but somehow they never are. Like the aforementioned failed Lost knockoffs that dot the annals of TV history, Severance has no problem leaving its audience in the dark. Unlike those Lost knockoffs, however, Severance is able to maintain goodwill by presenting each new confusing morsel as a delight for the senses. Who is Kier Eagan? What is Lumon’s mission? Why is there a room full of baby goats? We’ll get around to all that, but first: here’s special guest star Gwendoline Christie!
It also certainly helps that the visual language of the show remains striking. Once again assisted by director Ben Stiller (who helms five of this season’s episodes), the uncanny sets, lighting, and colors of Severance give off the sensation of a haunted corporate training video come to life. That becomes particularly important in maintaining the “work sucks, huh?” allegory as the show evolves to incorporate more of the Outtie world and deep Lumon lore.
Of course, none of it works without a compelling cast at the center of it all. Adam Scott continues to be one of Hollywood’s more underrated performers as Mark Scout a.k.a. Mark S, whose character takes on an almost mythical level of importance this year. Britt Lower deals with the competing motivations of Helly R and Helena Eagan capably while Zach Cherry’s Dylan G and John Turturro’s Irving B have moments of real heroism. Then there’s Tramell Tillman who I steadfastly refuse to believe is an actual actor hired for this series and not merely Mr. Milchick’s unaware Outtie – so convincing is his performance as the ultimate upward-striving middle manager.
We’ve made it this far in the review without discussing any pertinent season 2 plot details and might as well continue to do so. Even discounting the specter of Apple’s thick list of “Do Not Reveal” embargoes hanging overhead, there is be little temptation to spoil the narrative. Rest assured, there is more to learn about Kier Eagan taming the four tempers, what’s going on with Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman), and why Harmony Cobel a.k.a. Mrs. Selvig (Patricia Arquette) has a strange relationship to this whole charade.
While much of the fun of Severance comes from the delight of discovery, it’s to the show’s credit that not all of its value is tied to element of surprise. Season 2 is filled with truly remarkable character beats and thematic elements that will still play effectively upon additional viewings for years to come. The finale, in particular, is the best episode of the series thus far and features affecting scenes that only a well-written science fiction story can produce.
In fact, the season 2 finale could play well as a series finale should the show choose to end it here. Hopefully the story continues and season 3 rolls along at an expedited pace. Truthfully though, I’d wait as long as it took for more episodes of Severance. I even heard about this procedure that could cut down on the time I spend at work waiting for it…
Severance season 2 premieres Friday, January 17 on Apple TV+. New episodes debut on Fridays, culminating with the finale on March 21.
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