Severance season two
Three years after Severance arrived on Apple TV+, fans finally return to the labyrinthian hallways of Lumon Industries for a second season that’s just as alluringly weird and compelling as the last. Although a slightly disjointed plot occasionally interrupts the momentum, a collection of underlying mysteries, which continue to build upon the intrigue surrounding the inner workings of the shadowy organisation, will have audiences glued to their screens.
The first season ended with huge revelations. Not only was Helly (Britt Lower) revealed to be the daughter of Lumon’s CEO, but Mark’s (Adam Scott) wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman) is somehow still alive and working somewhere in the company. There are also sinister visions of an elevator that only goes down and a complicated romance that’s sparked between Mark and Helly. Severance continues to pull at each of these plot threads, revealing a little more under the surface about how the cult-like organisation operates.
The direction is slick, with plenty of wild and trippy imagery strewn throughout. The offbeat sense of humour from the previous season is once again fully present, with a surprise cameo from Keanu Reeves being an early highlight from the first episode. The real genius of this series, however, is in how it brings a sense of depth to its characters and world by weaving insightful discussions surrounding grief, love and even religion into its script.
As fascinating as Severance’s dystopian setting is, its focus on its characters remains at the forefront. Scott and his fellow co-stars in the Macrodata department are once again brilliant, lending the right mix of vulnerability and wit to the scenario they’ve found themselves in. However, it’s Tramell Tillman who steals the show as the cold corporate boss Mr Milchick, his menacing and charismatic presence making him the perfect villain.
From the search for a secret elevator and Mark’s thought-to-be-dead wife, Severance already has a lot of plates spinning before more plot elements are added. The pacing largely balances its subplots with skill, but there’s a choppiness to how some story beats are delivered, which disrupts the flow significantly enough to break the immersion. This minor inconvenience aside, Severance’s second season expands upon what came before in meaningful ways as it takes viewers further down its twisted rabbit hole.
Andrew Murray
Severance season two is released on Apple TV+ on 17th January 2025.
Watch the trailer for Severance season two here:
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