Look, I do know what you’re pondering after studying that headline: this man can’t be critical. He certainly exists on a gentle weight-reduction plan of Marvel films and Grey’s Anatomy, has the eye span of a housefly, or is intentionally baiting readers with a controversial opinion to incite chaos within the feedback part. But earlier than you ship me to the Break Room, please enable me to elucidate my reasoning for it.
Like you, I believe Severance is the perfect Apple TV+ present so far and fairly probably the perfect present on TV, interval, since 2019’s Chernobyl. It’s definitely essentially the most unique present I’ve ever seen, and I’m grateful for its refusal to spoon-feed its viewers solutions and the puzzle-like viewing expertise it encourages – be sure to return and skim our episodic retrospectives, beginning with (relying on the place you are as much as) our greatest theories for Severance season 2 episode 1.
Ben Stiller’s office thriller is disturbing, hilarious, mysterious, and wholly distinctive in right now’s TV panorama – heck, Tramell Tillman has been nominated for an Emmy! – however I don’t suppose these accolades ought to exempt its second season from criticism (even when our Severance season 2 overview offers it 4 and a half stars). As Milchick’s efficiency overview demonstrates, there’s at all times room for enchancment – even for these on the high of the tree.
Warning: Spoilers for Severance season 2 forward.
My subject lies within the pacing of the previous few episodes, which have felt like fillers quite than the explosive plot advancers we’ve come to count on from approaching-end-of-season episodes in equally lauded reveals (in nearly each season of Game of Thrones, for example, episodes 8 and 9 have been essentially the most compelling entries).
When the credit rolled on ‘Sweet Vitriol’ (episode 8) and ‘The After Hours’ (episode 9) in Severance season 2, I couldn’t assist however really feel annoyed by their relative lack of revelations.
Yes, we now know Cobel invented the severance process, Dylan has resigned, and Irving has gone… someplace, however after the emotional pleasure of episode 7, ‘Chikhai Bardo’ – which targeted on Gemma’s relationship with Mark and her (we expect) present predicament beneath the severed flooring – these plot factors felt weightless by comparability.
There’s a lot symbolism on this present (which is nice!), however sometimes that symbolism feels prefer it’s being prioritized over storytelling. I noticed an X publish lately that learn, “Episode 1×09 and 2×09 each ending on the road ‘She’s alive.’”, which seemingly praised the cyclicality of the present’s writing, however that quite properly sums up my complete subject with Severance season 2’s more moderen entries.
We’re not all that a lot additional to the reality than we have been 10 episodes in the past, when that pitch-perfect cliffhanger closed out season 1. If I have been Mark, I’d have misplaced my head by now.
Episode 1×09 and 2×09 each ending on the road “She’s alive.” #Severance pic.twitter.com/ydIwVqEioEMarch 14, 2025
And talking of Mark shedding heads, he began the reintegration course of with Asal Reghabi in ‘Who’s Is Alive?’, episode 3 of Severance season 2, however how way more can we learn about that course of, or how a lot it’s taken maintain, by the tip of episode 9? Imposter Helena was caught in episode 4, however the penalties of that discovery have been minimal to this point. What’s the cope with Ms. Huang? And the place is Gwendoline Christie’s goat woman?!
Severance is drip-feeding us items of the puzzle within the hope that we’re nonetheless engaged by its sure-to-be-greenlit third season, and I’m hoping – praying – that its season 2 finale bucks the pattern of delivering extra questions than solutions.
Don’t get me mistaken, the central conceit remains to be fascinating, and the present’s final two episodes haven’t ruined what’s an in any other case sturdy season of TV, however episode 10, ‘Cold Harbor’, wants to present me some concrete solutions to take into the inevitably lengthy wait for brand new installments (certainly, Gemma herself, Dichen Lachman, lately informed TechRadar that she would not know when filming on season 3 will start, which does not daring properly for its ETA).
As I write this, I’m minded to consider my overview of Jordan Peele’s Nope, which I described as “wholly unique, completely weird, and undeniably entertaining […] Peele’s films encourage questions and promote interrogation – that’s all a part of their enjoyable. But Nope’s symbolism is so different and unrelenting that the expertise as a complete is especially troublesome to digest”.
I don’t really feel fairly so strongly about Severance season 2 – once more, it’s the perfect present on TV proper now – however “notably troublesome to digest” is, I believe, an apt description for the sequence’ story to this point. I do not learn about you, however I’m prepared for an ideal massive dose of exposition on this week’s season finale.
