Severance Season 2: First Three Episodes

Severance stands out as a remarkable series that ignites a sense of joy and hope within me, proving that originality is very much alive. In a world dominated by recognizable IPs that are force-fed to us, many—though not all—accept this without much resistance, whether due to complacency or resignation.

Then come shows like this with not only an intriguing premise, but that are executed exceptionally well both behind and in front of the camera. The minimalist production design is both striking and unforgettable, evolving into a character in its own right. It serves as a persistent reminder of the suffocating control exerted by those who manage this place from the ease of their distant locations. The entire situation with the communication device (the name slips my mind at the moment) brings to mind Charlie’s Angels, though we don’t get the opportunity to hear a voice, thereby increasing the intrigue.

Fortunately, we have some curious rebels who serve more than just to move the plot; they are characters with depth that audiences can connect with on a personal level. As we gain insights from them both within and beyond the Lumon’s confines, we begin to understand their reasons for choosing this way of life. It’s clear that a person leaving a fulfilling and happy life will not undergo this literal and momentary brainwash. They are lonely individuals, suffering souls who, in one way or another, have given up and volunteered to become mere instruments of this cult-like “company.” Everyone excels in this, perfectly capturing the offbeat humor while also conveying the dramatic elements. Thanks to the writing, we are gifted with these nuanced performances, with all of them likely at their peak.

Back to the Severance Cage (Season 2 Spoilers Ahead)

Following a season finale filled with unexpected twists and excellent marketing that perfectly captured the show’s essence for both fans and newcomers, I found myself quite excited for what this new chapter had in store.

“Hello, Ms. Cobel” kicks off Season 2, and I got to admit I was not fully on board and took a while for me to get into.

Instead of continuing from the final episode and providing some clarity, the show opts to immerse us in Mark’s perspective, leaving us feeling quite bewildered. We have a new (and pretty hostile) team serving almost as a parody of the original. It nearly unfolds as a “what if?” scenario. Seth is now the manager, and it’s clear that this role hasn’t altered him significantly. His sinister charm remains intact, yet we quickly come to understand that despite his position of power, he is still treated like just another employee, with race probably being a primary factor among various reasons. This contributes to my earlier point about how the antagonists aren’t simply mustache-twirling villains; they are essentially similar to our main group, just operating on a higher level.

Oh, and we also got a new member in the form of 18 years old Sarah Bock, who plays the very young Deputy. Her very cold demeanor paired with her kid look feels very much at home with the show but also raises many questions… and worries.

However, after a long series of hijinks, rebellions by Mark which doesn’t go as plan as his new teammates are okay just being comfortable. Perhaps they don’t live as much of a miserable lives. Or perhaps they just resignated themselves and like many people including Mark at the beginning of the show, do not care to know what lies beneath and around the walls that surrounds them. They are just there to do their jobs and move on. Whatever the case, we ended up back with our original gang and got to say, I was as relief as Mark. Don’t get me wrong, everyone else was fine, but they were pretty dull. On purpose, sure. But dull nonetheless.

The series for me very much starts with this second episode. Everything was more like a Prologue to the actual season.

As you can see by the picture (and hopefully by having seen the show), we not only get the original four, but Arquette makes a return to the show. She doesn’t have much to do, but no matter what she did and pretty much the dictatorship she had enforced in our team, the first season makes it clear she was also a bit of a victim. It was actually kind of sad to see what her life has come to. I mean, we see a lot of that in the past season, but she has definitely hit a rock bottom and Arquette once again nails it. Yet, at the same time, we also see her fierceness, that strong will that led her into this place of power she held for so long. She may be pathetic, but she isn’t dumb. But she’s also bitter and thirsts for revenge, which makes her a very unpredictable individual. Will definitely be great to see where it all leads.

Adding to the mystery, we get Turturo’s Irving doing some strange calls. We see Burt, so maybe it’s just a desperate call for him to maybe flush out his emotions that had him basically as a walking dead man. It’s clear the realization of who he is in real life and who he is in Lumon has messed him up. Glad to see, though, Dylan had his back and cheered him up. How awesome would it be if we all had a friend like him! We all deserve a Dylan in our lives. But yeah, it would be great to see where that cryptic call leads us to.

Speaking of which, it was interesting to see the effects and consequences that come with you working in Lemon. Not only slowly destroys you within the confines of this ominous building, but also outside as Dylan tries to get a new job, just to find himself unable to do so as Lumon isn’t seen with good eyes by other companies. So, whether it’s intentional or not, it’s evidence of the totalitarian power the company has; it forces those who step in and accept to become part of their “family” to be unable to leave ever again. So in that sense, I guess me referring our lead group a “gang” is quite appropriate.🤣

“Shit is just getting weirder,” may be an understatement for this third episode. I mean, we got that wacky ending in which both worlds blend in a trippy, glitchy way. We got a glimpse of that in past season, but would be interesting to see where they go with that. Am I the only who got some Primer vibes? No? Ok.

There are also now Goat’s people with beatened Gwendoline Christie as the lead. And look, if we don’t get Walken back and he rocking that cowbell —- I’ll riot!

No, no… we should all riot! More cowbells! More cowbells!

Sorry, where was I? Yes, the goat people. Christie was great as this tall, strange leader of this equally—if not even more so—strange group of people. Interesting to see what role they would play, although Christie is listed only as a guest, so maybe we will never know and it was just part of the many show’s oddities?

Moving on, Arquette’s Cobel is back and even more suspicious and paranoid as she starts to believe maybe she’s just a loose cannon the head honchos would like to get rid off(?). Or so it seems to imply with her running off. I mean, again, she’s a bitter individual who would rather sleep in a cold highway that almost resembles the opening setting of Fargo. We also get more Milchick, who himself is questioning his loyalty with the company. I mean, these individuals seems to be just want to get the company destroyed or something. All these missteps seems kind of calculated. Perhaps they are in the midst of a buyout?

But yeah, interested to see what happens now that Mark is now Markna Montana and having the best (or worse) of two worlds. Irving’s cryptic call. And we got not one but two managers aiming for the potential destruction of the company. What do you guys think? Don’t forget to leave it in the comments and follow us on X @tuneflickers for more recaps and news!