The first season of Severance took the world by storm. It introduced a unique world where workers’ consciousness was divided between their work-life “innies” and home-life “outies.”
This set-up, blending near-future sci-fi with the absurdities of a hypercapitalist society, created a thrilling mystery that kept audiences on edge. The show ended with huge cliffhangers, leaving fans eagerly waiting for what would come next.
Season 2 Kicks Off with Major Changes
Five months after the explosive events of season one, Severance Season 2 picks up with a dramatic shift in the Lumon Industries world. Helly (played by Britt Lower), who publicly criticized the company for “torturing” its workers, becomes a key figure in the unfolding drama.
Meanwhile, Mark S. (Adam Scott) is still struggling with the bizarre discovery that Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman), a Lumon wellness counselor, seems to be the wife of his “outie” self, who had died years ago. The season opens with Mark S. returning to work, but his world has dramatically changed.
He is shocked to find that his old team is no longer working with him. They are replaced by new faces like Gwendolyn Y. (Alia Shawkat), Mark W. (Bob Balaban), and Dario R. (Stefano Carannante), along with the promoted severed floor supervisor Seth Milchick (Tramell Tillman).
While Lumon Industries seems to have reformed following the rebellion of the “innies” in Macrodata Refinement, Mark S. cannot shake his worries about the fate of his old colleagues. His desire to be reunited with his team is only growing stronger.
Mark S. Takes Action on Day One
It does not take long for Mark S. to make his move. He tries to stir things up by writing a threatening note to Mark W.’s “outie” on Lumon stationery, trying to frame him for a bomb threat.
Milchick immediately recognizes that it is Mark S.’s note and reads it aloud, though he is more concerned with being called a “shambolic rube” than the actual bomb threat.
Milchick and the new team are confused and angry, and they question Mark S., but he is mainly frustrated because he is unable to reunite with his old team. As a result, Mark S. is demoted from Department Chief.
However, he distracts Milchick by pretending to have sabotaged the kitchenette, running to Milchick’s office, which used to belong to Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette).
In Milchick’s office, Mark S. grabs the office speaker that connects to the Lumon Board and desperately begs them to reconnect him with Helly R., Dylan G. (Zach Cherry), and Irving B. (John Turturro). Milchick escorts Mark S. to the elevator, and though Mark S. is convinced he is being fired, he returns to work the very next day. Dylan, Irving, and Helly appear behind him, having been mysteriously brought back.
The team is reunited, but they are led by a new severed floor deputy manager, Miss Huang (Sarah Bock), who is surprisingly young. They are taken to a meeting with Milchick in the Break Room.
Instead of the harsh punishment they expected, they find comfortable chairs and a flashy TV setup. Milchick, much like a teacher who does not want to teach a lesson, shows them a video.
Lumon’s Surprising Shift to Video Presentations
Milchick introduces the video by saying, “What you’re about to see will be shown to every innie who sets foot in this building after today. I hope it will give you a sense of Lumon’s feelings.” The video is called Lumon is Listening! and it is a claymation extravaganza.
The video begins with a talking Lumon building, complete with eyes and a mouth. In a voice that sounds very much like Keanu Reeves, the building introduces itself, saying, “Oh, hi! You probably don’t recognize me from this angle.” It goes on to explain how Lumon Industries has changed since its founding in 1870 and how it now operates in 206 countries.
The video also touches on the “Macrodat Uprising,” showing claymation versions of Mark S. and his team working together. It humorously portrays Mark and Helly fiddling with switches in the security office and features a scene where Irving is on a desk, saying, “Let’s burn this place to the ground,” with his hair bursting into flames.
The video also includes Mark and Helly’s Season 1 kiss. The narrator promises that reforms have been made in Lumon following the rebellion, such as the introduction of fruit leather, beans, Christmas mints, and salsa in the vending machines.
The video also mentions new perks, like hall passes, pineapple bobbing, and a “brand new, playful mirror room.” After the video ends, Milchick gives the innies a choice: they can either stay at Lumon with a fresh start or leave the company freely.
Irving and Dylan’s Emotional Journey
Once alone in the Break Room, the team finally opens up about their experiences. Mark S. reveals that his “outie” knows the author Ricken Hale (Michael Chernus) and also seems to know Ms. Cobel. The most shocking revelation, however, is that Mark S.’s outie’s wife supposedly died years ago, but Ms. Casey is now connected to that mysterious death.
Helly, on the other hand, lies about her experience, claiming that her “outie” lived alone and spent time watching TV in sweatpants. When questioned by Irving about the “night gardener” she mentions, Helly offers little information, except that it is not their world up there.
Meanwhile, Dylan G. follows Irving as he leaves the Break Room and finds him approaching the exit door. Irving admits he found Burt (Christopher Walken), but that Burt was already married. This revelation leaves Irving heartbroken.
Just before Irving leaves, Dylan convinces him to stay by reminding him that Burt’s “innie” would not want him to cease to exist. Dylan shares an emotional speech, assuring Irving that “Innie Burt is the guy you fell for, and I know, because I encouraged the courtship.” Irving, smiling through his pain, replies, “Dylan, I’m your favorite perk.”
The Mystery Deepens: Cold Harbor and Ms. Casey
The emotional moment between Irving and Dylan is interrupted when Dylan is called to see Milchick. Dylan expects another confrontation, but he is instead taken to a secret room where Milchick reveals some shocking information.
He tells Dylan that his “outie’s” wife’s name is Gretchen and that Lumon is in the process of building an Outie Family Visitation Suite. Dylan is the only one who knows about this secret plan, as most of his coworkers are single. Milchick also apologizes for not listening to Dylan’s needs in the past but assures him that he can be trusted with this information.
After their meeting, Dylan reunites with the rest of the team in the MDR office. The team agrees to stay at Lumon, and Mark S. gets back to his work, processing macrodata.
However, as he works, a screen flashes to a project called “Cold Harbor, IDNO. 02-103733,” and Mark notices something disturbing: Ms. Casey’s face appears on another screen with monitored stats, showing that she is healthy at 98.6 degrees.
This suggests that Ms. Casey’s disappearance is tied to this mysterious project, and Severance is setting up a larger scheme of what Cold Harbor truly means.
Severance Season 2 Sets the Stage for New Revelations
As Season 2 continues to unfold, the connections between the team’s memories, their innie and outie selves, and Lumon’s dark secrets are becoming clearer.
New episodes, released every Friday on Apple TV+, promise even bigger twists and more dangerous discoveries as Mark S. and his team attempt to uncover the truth about the company and the mysterious Cold Harbor project.
The season’s first episode lays the groundwork for these new challenges, but it will take time for all the pieces to fall into place.
With the “Macrodat Uprising” having changed Lumon’s leadership and practices, it’s clear that the fight for the innies’ freedom is far from over. However, their journey will take them into darker and more unpredictable places than ever before.
