Severance

I was thinking back to the first episode when Mark nearly ran over Helena in the car park, providing a confirmation "oh hey he really doesn't recognise her".

Knowing what we do now though,

1. Did Mark not realise that he nearly ran over one of the Lumon leadership? He acts as if she was just some random employee.
2. Why is Helena walking to an old car in the outer reaches of the car park when she is so senior and tends to get driven around? (Maybe the flowers she's carrying are a clue?)

It's great news. They need some time for satisfying conclusions.

Season 2 Episode 9: The After Hours

Aired: March 14, 2025

Synopsis: Mark and Devon team with an ally. Helly investigates further.

Directed by: Uta Briesewitz

Written by: Dan Erickson

This relationship between Burt and Irving had me in tears tonight. Not because of gay representation, not because of a cute old couple. But because the writing for these characters has been so great that someone that is relatively young and straight could feel such a strong connection with this. Meaning, I have almost no connection with them on the stereotypes or identities we define, however, they are still the most relatable in this show. Their relationship is so human and so connected.

I don't feel like this is even just good LGBTQ representation (it is don't get me wrong) but it's just such well acted and written that it just representing that on such a human level that I'm just balling my eyes out paused at 35:14.

This show has some flaws but scenes like this just really make me look forward to every week. This was the peak of this season for me.

These two "side" characters have become the most interesting relationship with so much authenticity.

Not sure if anyone is active much here. But just wanted to type some thoughts out into the ether.

Edit: Not directly related to this but you can quote me. "Burt is not severed"

Edit2: I guess the "Burt isn't severed" theory is pretty well thought through after some googling.

'Severance' Season 2's soundtrack contains needledrops from The Who, Ella Fitzgerald, The Stone Roses, Les McCann, The Allergies and more.

Season 2 Episode 8: Sweet Vitriol

Aired: March 7, 2025

Synopsis: Discoveries are made.

Directed by: Ben Stiller

Written by: Adam Countee & K. C. Perry

Great Show—Can't Tell You Why

I'm up to date on Severance, but I still couldn't explain much. The whole innie vs. outie concept is fascinating, and uncovering Mark's connections to everyone keeps things intriguing.

Trying to explain a theory or guess what's really happening? Impossible. I’m not even sure if Kier is real or what’s what anymore. People are talking about water and spotting differences but I'm terrible at picking that all up.

Season 2 Episode 7: Chikhai Bardo

Aired: February 28, 2025

Synopsis: An old romance intersects with a deadly present threat.

Directed by: Jessica Lee Gagné

Written by: Dan Erickson & Mark Friedman

Season 2 Episode 6: Attila

Aired: February 21, 2025

Synopsis: Bonds are tested. Mark continues on his path of discovery.

Directed by: Uta Briesewitz

Written by: Erin Wagoner

Since I've seen the episode, I've been thinking about the story he told, and I don't think it's "canonical" like the handbook. I'm almost certain that it's either:

• a Lumon "fairy tale", either only for use in team building exercises like the ORTBO, or possibly also told outside (did Helena know it?)
• or a story made by Milchick specifically for our group, possibly AI generated (since "Dieter Eagan" is an anagram for "AI generated")

It felt very much like a scavenger hunt for a child's birthday or something similar, only in corporate form. Milchick thought that he could fulfill the groups desire for "adventure", and thus make them focus on work once more.

What do you think?

Trigger warning SA

I haven’t seen anyone else talking about this, but Helena straight up raped Mark S in that tent and he’s traumatized as fuck in E05. And all anyone has to say is that they “slept together.” Milkshake even puts it on Mark S, asking if he told Helly R that he “…fucked her outie.”

It’s like if a guy pretended to be his twin brother so that he could sleep with the brother’s crush. I think we would all recognize that as rape right away. I hope it gets recognized for what it is later on in the season, because so far that hasn’t happened.

The whole show is about lack of consent, and how it doesn’t matter if you don’t remember what happens to you, so I guess it’s on point, but I’m just feeling so bad for Mark S and I’m worried nobody is going to recognize what happened to him.

Season 2 Episode 5: Trojan’s Horse

Aired: February 14, 2025

Synopsis: Tensions emerge after the team suffers a loss.

Directed by: Sam Donovan

Written by: TBA

Season 2 Episode 4: Woe’s Hollow

Aired: February 7, 2025

Synopsis: The team participates in a group activity.

Directed by: Ben Stiller

Written by: Anna Ouyang Moench

Season 2 Episode 3: Who Is Alive?

Aired: January 30, 2025

Synopsis: Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan search for answers.

Directed by: Ben Stiller

Written by: Wei-Ning Yu

Great writeup! There are so many things I am missing when watching, so I love to read fan theories and articles like this

The claymation video was probably the best part of the first episode. The Rankin Bass nod was fantastic.

For those of you that aren’t old enough to catch it…

“Hilariously, the video (which is narrated by Lumon's literal office building) doubles as a claymation recap of season 1—right down to a not-on-my-Severance-bingo-card reference to the Heat Miser in The Year Without a Santa Claus.”

https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a63454008/severance-season-2-episode-1-recap/

Season 2 Episode 2: Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig

Aired: January 24, 2025

Synopsis: Outie Mark contemplates the meaning of a message. Lumon grapples with the fallout of the Overtime Contingency.

Directed by: Sam Donovan

Written by: Mohamad El Masri

This time intro is more horror like.

Themes of finding your identity are strong. Maybe two Mark's will cooperate, like in the scene where Innie? carries Red Mark. There will be conflict about feelings for Helly and Gemma. This and last scene may suggest, that reintegration isn't solution for everything.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/24680929

Apple CEO Tim Cook — now Tim C — is greeted by Mr. Milchick when he enters the Lumon offices in Severance season 2 promo video shared by Ben Stiller.

https://youtu.be/OraR-G4RiLc

LOL, "The mouth which is busy smiling cannot bite." Yeah, I bet that hits home for Milchick.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/24548111

'Severance', the Apple TV+ series from Ben Stiller and Dan Erickson, has generated $200M for the streamer, according to Parrot Analytics.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/24566780

"Severance" production designer Jeremy Hindle and animation director Michael Granberry tell IndieWire about the stop motion scene in Season 2.