TV Review: ‘Severance’ Season 2

Adam Scott leads the cast as the mysteries deepen and the management mumbo jumbo multiplies in the Apple TV+ series.

Adam Scott in 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

Returning to Apple TV+ for its second season with the first episode on January 17th, ‘Severance’ once is here again to interrogate the concept of work/life balance and spin more corporate mysteries around the worker drones of the weird, cult-like Lumon corporation.

It has been a long wait, but as the second season picks up the dangling story threads with an accomplished, confident first episode, a worthwhile test of fans’ collective patience.

Does ‘Severance’ Season 2 meet its entertainment quota?

(L to R) Tramell Tillman, Alia Shawkat, Stefano Carannante and Bob Balaban in 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

‘Severance’ first slid on to screens back in February 2022, and the stylish, unusual series immediately grabbed the public consciousness. With its unsettlingly stark visuals and science fiction take on the idea that your work life can, in the wrong situation, be a ceaseless slog, it almost immediately joined the ranks of shows such as ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Black Mirror’ that explore such territory through fantastical means with just the lingering suspicion that it’s all too terrifyingly possible.

The concept of “severance,” where employs seemingly agree to have their personalities cleaved in two so their work selves no nothing of what goes on in the outside world and vice-versa is such a fascinating one and here handled so effectively. It doesn’t hurt that the show boasts an excellent cast and superior creative team.

You can almost imagine a secure set up such as the Pentagon wondering how it can employ this in real life, though the true strength of the show is in its delivery of metaphor and psychological thrills.

Script and Direction

Dan Erickson on set of 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

Creator Dan Erickson came up with the basic idea for the show while working the sort of mind-numbing day job mirrored here. The real joy of ‘Severance’ is that Erickson and his writing team have spun that into all manner of creative territories. The show isn’t just about its mystery elements –– the characters are empathetic (and in some of the management, utterly creepy) and the sheer level of deep thought about every aspect of the Lumon company and its employees is worthy of applause.

This is a corporation that is part factory, part data processing center and part near-religious cult, based around one legacy family. It’s almost surprising that a company such as Apple –– famously known for its own quirksome attitude to work and the cultish devotion of its customers –– would be the one to put this on screens.

Ben Stiller on set of 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

The directorial team, led by Ben Stiller –– who is absolutely doing some of his best work here behind the camera –– has keyed into a visual style that is both clever and completely unsettling. Dividing the palette between the outside world and the sterile corporate shell of Lumon, it all helps tell the story. And Theodore Shapiro’s offbeat score amplifies it all, gliding between cheery tones and an eerie, winsome slide into melancholy that keeps you off-kilter.

Season 2’s first episode picks up in the wake of the “innies” trying to break free and makes the interesting choice to focus on them at the expense of their outside world counterparts. But it works well, and episode 2 promises to explore more of the fallout for those who know them away from Lumon.

‘Severance’ Season 2: Performances

Around star Adam Scott, the ‘Severance’ team has built a superb cast.

Adam Scott as Mark Scout

Adam Scott in 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

The focus of the show is on Scott’s character and his decision to undergo the procedure partly because of the death of his wife (even as –– spoiler alert in case you haven’t yet caught up with the first season –– he learns she might actually be alive) left him wanting to shut out the pain and grief.

Scott’s low-key delivery is perfectly suited to the tone of the show; you buy him as a man who seems to have accepted his lot… until he starts to worry there’s something he’s simply not being told.

Zach Cherry as Dylan George

(L to R) John Turturro and Zach Cherry in 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

Cherry has been a great supporting performer for years, and ‘Severance’ gives him a meatier part to play as Dylan, who along with Mark, becomes one of the “innies” to try and break free of the company’s control.

Britt Lower as Helly Riggs

Britt Lower in 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

In the first season, Helly is our way of exploring the weird world of Lumon as she decides early on that she’s made a mistake. The latter part of Season 1 gave her more depth and a surprising twist, and while the first episode of Season 2 doesn’t directly explore that, it still gives Lower plenty to do, and she’s superb in the role.

John Turturro as Irving Bailiff

John Turturro in 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

There’s no doubting Turturro’s chops at this stage of his career and sparked by the script, Irving’s a great character, initially loyal to Lumon, but quickly conflicted an angst-ridden. Turturro delivers a masterclass every episode.

Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick

Tramell Tillman in 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

Following the ouster of Patricia Arquette’s Harmony Cobel in the latter part of Season 1, Tillman’s Milchick has moved into the role of smooth-yet-threatening corporate middle manager. And he’s got just the right level of smarm and deceit to twist our leads’ expectations and keep them guessing.

Final Thoughts

Patricia Arquette in 'Severance', now streaming on Apple TV+.

It has been three years since the first season landed on Apple’s servers, and since then, the second has had to weather delays, strikes and a long post-production process, the gap between seasons causing fans some frustration.

But like seeing a friendly colleague again after they’ve been away, it’s a very welcome return for a distinctive and well-crafted show. Step into the televisual elevator and let your “innie” enjoy sinking back into the world of the series.

‘Severance’ Season 2 receives 9 out of 10 stars.

Severance

"There's more to work than life."

TV-MA2 SeasonsFebruary 17th, 2022

Watch Severance Online

What’s the story of ‘Severance’ Season 2?

Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives.

This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work… and of himself.

In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.