We’re back again with Severance Season 2 – Episode 3, and so is Mrs. Selvig. At least for a minute. Much like her, we can’t seem to leave Lumon and our severed floor friends behind. If Severance has taught us anything as viewers, it’s that we just can’t know what anyone is thinking at any given time. Watching the whirlwind that is Patricia Arquette’s Mrs. Selvig / Harmony Cobell, it’s a haunting reminder that we see only what each person chooses to let us see…most of the time.
Before continuing, this is great time to remind you, dear reader, that we are under strict embargo timelines *and* spoiler-free writing guidelines. So, if you think we omitted something juicy that you loved from the episode, chances are, we’re contractually obligated to keep that out of our reviews. There, I’ve spoken my peace and counted to three, and we’re ready to continue discussing this week’s episode of Severance Season 2 – Episode 3. **sigh of journalistic relief**
Vibe Check
Here’s our weekly review vibe-check, so hit play below and keep reading about Severance Season 2 – Episode 3.
I for one feel like no matter the moment, there’s a Giorgio Moroder song to match it. For me, “Watch Your Step” fits Severance Season 2 – Episode 3 quite well!
Back to the Severed Floors
After our Selvig moment, we return to the severed floors as the MDR crew makes a plan, a la Scooby-Doo. Mark S. and Helly R. will go one way, Irv another, and Dylan…well, Dylan kind of stays put for the time being. Either way, the gang splits up to unmask the next morsel of truth hiding among the walls of the severed floor.
The exploration is slow, almost at a crawl, but not to worry. Mark and Helly trudge past goop and grime to an opening unlike anything we’ve seen to this point. Green, green grass. No blue, blue sky though, sorry George Ezra.
Now when the duo reach greener pastures, what does it mean? Whose department is this? And most importantly, what are they even doing down there?
Zoiks, Like, Scoob, What’s Lumon for, anyway?
Like Lumon, from a meta perspective, Severance as a show circles around questions of futility. NBC’s The Office remake, a bit unlike the original helmed by Ricky Gervais, was a love-letter to the quirky, goofy, monotonous-yet-lovable office environments and jobs of the early 00’s. On the other hand, Severance is a quizzical, dark, and mysterious world not unlike the App-boom and Crypto cash-grabbing ventures of the 10s-early 20’s. It just masks its toxic positivity in white shirts and dresses, instead of the Jobs-ciples plain colored t-shirt and jeans.
Constantly, we’re reminded by the MDR and Lumon top brass that, “the work is mysterious and important.” Though, to this point, we as an audience are like Mark S. and his crew. We sit there, completely unaware of what the work means, is destined for, or whom is benefiting from it. And you know what, we like it. We clock in and let our ‘innies’ soak up the spectacle projected from our screens.
Deeper Questions for Innies and Outies
I find myself asking again and again…is Severance a weird, convoluted, enjoyable look at the nature of the soul? Or perhaps and the human condition on Earth? Or maybe, societal structures and our compliance with the rules. There are even hints of Manufacturing Consent, for all you Chomsky fans.
Our ‘innies’ are born, screaming, into a world full of harsh realities, cold truths, and burdens earned and unearned. A painful ignorance of existence before or what lies ahead in the hereafter. At the same time, there is love, like Mark S. and Helly R. explored in the tail end of S1.
There is friendship, like the hardened Irving and dutiful Dylan have begun to build. There’s rule of law, from the likes of Mr. Milchik, and hierarchical power, in the stern Harmony Cobel.
Then, outside of the menial and mysterious life as the ‘innie’ lies the ‘outie.’ The team is aware of the severed floors, but none the wiser as to what actually takes place there. They are ‘mature,’ though emotionally ruled, and cynical or frustrated at times with their innie’s quest for outside knowledge and rule.
They shut down the inquisitive interior thoughts in favor of ignorance. Ignorance and separation from the daily work, from thinking about all the things that could burden their daily lives, and from having to be fully present for 24 hours a day. Minus sleep of course.
Innie vs. Outie, or Innie meets Outie?
It feels like we’re going to see a shrinking gap as the distant outie and scrambling innie are reunited once more. Unlike the OverTime Contingency from the S1 finale, we’re going to feature a meeting of the minds. A combination of fear and uncertainty, mixed with rage and frustration. There is no justice in severing an individual, and there will be markedly less justice when trying to negotiate their unification.
Much like Severance, I’ll leave that there with no answers (as we have none), and with hopes that anyone who actually read it will take note of their own deeper conspiracies, thoughts, and thoughts that arise from watching Severance Season 2.
Heading down a different hall, we now catch up with Irv, trying to retrace his way to O&D. He crosses paths with one of Bert’s old coworkers, and surprise, surprise—his artistic flair didn’t stay locked in his Outtie’s world. Artistic talent transcends, even when memories don’t.
Mark S., the outie, wants to get a message to his innie. He decides to follow an internet trick, but he’s forgotten the golden rule: don’t trust the internet. Just before he does irreparable damage, a familiar face intervenes, and presents a risky alternative. At least this option lets him keep his retinas.
Lumon is Listening
What we’ve been waiting for, what’s been teased and twisted and tangled in the shadows of Severance Season 2 is finally inching its way closer to the surface. The convergence is nigh. After so many paths, so many choices, so many fractured pieces of Mark’s reality colliding between his outie’s life and the severed floors, it’s finally time.
He must go within and without to become whole. He must integrate to solve the mystery of his wife, his work, and the world he’s been built into.
But for now, it’s time to clock in, clock out, continue the work, and press. Kier demands it. Lumon expects it. And for he Mark, he must accept it.
If you haven’t yet, check out our review for Severance Season 2 – Episode 1 and Episode 2 before you leave!
SEVERANCE – SEASON 2
The highly anticipated second season of Apple’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning workplace thriller “Severance” has made its global debut! From the unsevered minds of director and executive producer Ben Stiller and creator, writer and executive producer Dan Erickson, the first episode of “Severance” season two debuted on Apple TV+ Friday, January 17th, 2025, and one new episode will drop every Friday through March 21.
From AppleTV+:
“Severance” Season Two
In “Severance,” Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure, which 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.
Season two of the broadly acclaimed workplace thriller from director and executive producer Ben Stiller, and creator Dan Erickson, reunites its ensemble cast of stars including Emmy Award nominee Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, Emmy Award winner John Turturro, Academy Award winner Christopher Walken and Academy and Emmy Award winner Patricia Arquette, and welcomes new series regular Sarah Bock.
“Severance” is executive produced by Ben Stiller, who also directs five episodes this season in addition to directors Uta Bresiewitz, Sam Donovan and Jessica Lee Gagné. The series is written, created and executive produced by Dan Erickson. “Severance” season two is also executive produced by John Lesher, Jackie Cohn, Mark Friedman, Beau Willimon, Jordan Tappis, Sam Donovan, Caroline Baron, Richard Schwartz, Nicholas Weinstock. In addition to starring, Adam Scott and Patricia Arquette serve as executive producers. Fifth Season is the studio.
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