Severance Season 2 Review

Severance was unlike anything else on television when it debuted in 2022. It was a series that, from its painstaking production design to its mystery box plot, felt very much of its time in its examination of labor and workplace suffering, but it also had the feel of a delectable throwback because of its mid-century modern appearance and the timeless nature of its main idea.

It's hard to overstate how fantastic season 1 is, so it's even more astounding that its sequel is almost as flawless. The first season, a tightly wound work of television that blended sharp humor with deep mystery, layered every unsettling question with equally ridiculous details. The main theme of Severance season two is disintegration as Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan's inner and outer selves clash.

Severance Season 2 Expands Its Scope While Getting More Personal

Following the activation of Lumon's Overtime Contingency by the Macrodata Refinement (MDR) team at the end of Severance season 1, Dylan remained behind to give Mark, Helly, and Irving's innies as much time as possible while they interacted with the outside world. Mark informs his sister that his deceased wife Gemma is alive, but he is unable to provide any background information before he and his outie trade places once more. Helly is revealed to be Helena Eagan, the future CEO of Lumon.

Severance's pacing has always been one of its advantages. It strikes a satisfying balance between providing answers and posing more questions, which is extremely challenging to accomplish. Maybe this is because Lumon is a little more frightening than most corporations, but the main antagonistic structure is a corporation that purposefully conceals information from its employees.

This delicate balancing act is once again achieved in Season 2, which zooms out while maintaining a laser-like focus on themes and characters that, despite the show's cold exterior, have a deep emotional core. The twisted love triangle between Gemma, Mark, and Helly—which only gets more intense in season two—is revealed as Severance draws back the curtain on Lumon.

The show also follows Helly, Dylan, and Irving outside of Lumon, revealing their reasons for working on the severed floor and what it would mean to leave Lumon—either by resigning or reintegrating—while Mark continues to reflect on his role in Lumon and the morality of the severance procedure. The outside world will nevertheless find a way to infiltrate the severed floor, regardless of whether anyone resigns or reintegrates.

Mark escapes his grief through the severance procedure, but his innie is now compelled to confront that grief as well. The impact of the MDR department's jaunt in the season finale has a far more expansive impact than the show's initial exploration of this concept, which started when Dylan's innie met his son during the introduction of the Overtime Contingency.

The show explores autonomy in frequently gruesome ways, posing the question of what happens when an innie adopts an ideological viewpoint that differs from their outie's. Although it seemed almost inevitable that the topic of control would come up at some point—a mental battle for control over the body—Severance's examination of this is both heartbreaking and exciting.

If I seem a little ambiguous in all of this, it's because I am. I'm not allowed to discuss any of the major plot points because critics have been asked not to give away anything about the upcoming season, but I wouldn't want to give anything away anyhow. The fact that any reveal could reveal several plot points in this season, which should be explored as its creators intended, is a testament to the show's narrative.

All of this builds to a breathtaking finale that somehow matches the suspenseful conclusion of the first season. The second season of Severance, which sets the standard higher in every aspect, further demonstrates why it is one of the greatest television programs currently airing.

Apple TV+ will debut Severance season 2 on Friday, January 17. Through March 21, new episodes will be released every week.