Ronit J

Severance Season 2 Synopsis:

Mark Scout and his friends face the consequences of trifling through the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.

Severance Season 2 Review:

What a season this has been. After waiting for over two years, season 2 has finally answered a ton of questions that I had after that cliffhanger ending of season 1. But, does it answer all the questions? Does season 2 end with a better sense of completion, or another cliffhanger?

Read and find out! Note, this is my “Severance Season 2 finale spoilers review” as well as a review for the whole season. So, proceed accordingly.

Severance Season 2 Review: Top Notch Direction

The first and foremost change from the first season here is the treatment. Where the first season felt very muted and grounded, season 2 goes in the exact opposite direction. The opening shot of the premiere has Mark running frantically through sterile corridors of Lumon’s office space, foreshadowing the finale’s epic climax. The single-shot looking opening is kinetic and high-octane. As the season progresses, there are many such stylistic choices that enhance the cinematic value of the series, very much justifying the $2 million budget that they had per episode.

Writing-wise, the show remains as strong as expected. In fact, the directions that our characters go in complicate the chaos in a frustratingly heartbreaking way. We get a whole lot of Helena Eagan. Dylan’s family gets due screen time, putting them in a philosophical and moral dilemma that is best left unspoiled. And Mark? Well, he’s our protagonist. Naturally, he’s going to get the worst of trials. All this, while the mythology of Eagan and the subsequent shattering of it by Cobel was mind-blowing narrative choices.

Honestly, this was a gem of a season. Some great moments rivalling—and to an extent—surpassing season 1. Alas, Season 2 is not without its share of problems.

Disjointed Memories, Disjointed Narrative

I did not appreciate the narrative gaps between episodes. I can appreciate that they were simulating the unsettling dissonance that innies and outies feel, but they confused me a little. Made me not appreciate the episodes wholly. Yes, it all makes sense, and it all falls into place. But, a little more narrative coherence would have made my watching experience a lot more enjoyable.

For example, the ORTBO episode sorta comes out of nowhere. If it were established earlier, it wasn’t done sufficiently. In the same fashion, the Chikhai Bardo episode feels like an interlude, with its treatment so fragmented and puzzling that I found myself struggling to focus on what’s happening. In retrospect—and some online perusal—I appreciate the beauty of that episode. But in the moment, it was a struggle. And Reghabi? I genuinely was confused when she was first introduced. Only after some online digging around did I realise that she had played an important role in Season 1. Downsides to massive timegaps between seasons, I guess. Also, the episodes don’t feel like they pick up where the previous ones left off, adding to the confusion.

This fragmented narrative might actually feel more rewarding during rewatches. But the first run through did feel overwhelming at best and confusing at worst. This reminded me of the Bear Season 3 premiere, which to me was the weakest, most unnecessarily indulgent episode of that series. I can say for certain that Severance wasn’t that bad. But, it could have done better. It was aesthetically pleasing, rivalling Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. But, it was also a drag in many places. Tighter writing, shorter episodes, and more reveals than we got would have made this season a 10/10 from me.

Pieces of a Puzzle

To be fair, a lot of the pieces fall into place in the finale. From what the numbers are that MDR is working on, to what in all things unholy was happening in the ‘Chikhai Bardo’ episode, the finale makes the 9-episode tread worth it. Even the goats make an appearance, serving a purpose for the climax. The way it all builds up feels very rewarding. This is two seasons worth of struggling coming to a cathartic finish. Remember I said that the opening shot foreshadows the climax? There are many more such minor details that make this finale rewarding.

But, for all its positives, Season 2 fails to answer all our questions.

So far, we know that Lumon has been experimenting with innies for something more sinister. What that larger plan is still remains shrouded in mystery. The very fact that Mark S did not go out with Gemma suggests that we’ll be pulling that narrative thread in season 3. While Season 2 answered a ton of questions, it also raised just as many. And that is my biggest problem with Season 2—it felt more incomplete than Season 1. If you’ve followed my reviews, you know that I hate cliffhangers. As much as Season 2 ended on a high note, it still left a lot unanswered. And who knows when we’ll get Season 3?

Severance Season 2 Finale Explained | Ending Explained

Ms Cobel reveals to Mark’s innie that the numbers he’s been working with are actually fragments of Gemma’s psyche. Each completed file is a new consciousness, a new innie. What is Project Cold Harbor? It’s a new innie personality for Gemma. Mark’s 25th complete file, one that threatens to kill the real Gemma. While Season 2 doesn’t explain the reasoning behind making all these consciousnesses, it does shed light on that puzzling episode focused on Gemma, making us want Mark to succeed in breaking her out.

And guess what? Mark S (innie and outie together) do manage to break Gemma/Ms Casey out. In the last moment when the elevator doors are about to shut, Dr Mauer says “you’ll kill them all!”, implying that all of Gemma’s innie personalities will die if she leaves. Despite that, Mark’s outie leaves. There’s a lot of back-and-forth in terms of innie-outie during this escape, which adds more tension to the scene. However, at the very last moment, once Gemma steps outside the office space, she becomes her outie, while Mark remains an innie who hasn’t yet crossed the threshold. She sees Mark S second guess leaving with her as Helly R appears in the corridor behind him. Ultimately, Mark S decides to go with Helly R, and the two go running through the Penrose stairs-like corridors of Lumon before the season ends on a freeze-frame.

Finally, is Severance Season 2 worth watching? Yes. Absolutely. No doubt about it.

Severance Season 3 Set Up

Just Google “Severance season 2 finale Reddit” and you’re going to get a host of theories for what we can expect from the next season. I haven’t read any of those theories, so this is me blindly throwing my wild thoughts out here before I go lose myself in Reddit.

Firstly, I don’t think that it was Helly R who led Mark away. The clue for that is her top. She’s wearing green, which was reflected by the green lighting of their MDR department when they first arrived. The way she looks at Mark, and the way she ‘leads a rebellion’ with the C&M group didn’t feel ‘rebellious’ as much as Eagan’s daughter trying to prove her worth. Plus, she even looks at Gemma before running away, almost as if the evil Eagan is mocking the insolent Gemma that she won’t win.

Another theory I had about Irving was his involvement with some anti-Lumon agents. I don’t think he’s gone for good. In fact, his outie’s interactions with Burt’s outie is probably going to see them teaming up with Cobel to bring down Lumon. After all, Cobel is the real brains behind the Severance procedure, and Irving’s active rebellion throughout this season has to go somewhere. He can’t just quit.

Lastly, Milchick’s fate is probably not going to be good. I believe he’s going to be punished for the events of Season 2. Drummond is dead, Gemma has probably escaped, and Cold Harbour has failed. All this, in addition to the pile of penalties stacked against him throughout this season will probably find Milchick outside Lumon. Besides, he’s already started to show signs of rebellion. From his reaction to the ‘Black Eagan’ artwork, to him telling Drummond to ‘Devour Feculance’, this is a man ready to turn against the system.

In Conclusion:

Severance Season 2 was an absolute blast. It had some down moments, but the finale has me pumped for season 3! I just wish the wait isn’t as long as it was between 1 & 2.

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What did you think of my Severance Season 2 Review? Any other show/movie/book would you like me to review? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time.