*The following review contains spoilers for Season 2 of “Severance”*
At first, the premise of “Severance” sounds like a playout office joke. The printer broke again. My boss is on my back. What if I didn’t have to remember the boring, torturous eight hours of work?
Well then, you’d be under the oppressive regime of Lumon Industries, a cult corporation presided over by the all-powerful CEO Kier Eagan.
One of the most objectively unique shows currently on television, “Severance” is an intriguing exploration of the consequences of splitting the self. In its second season, “Severance” expands beyond the walls of Lumon, further exploring the lives of our favorite four office workers and the cold, bitter town of Kier, the setting for the show.
“Severance” centers around Mark Scout (Adam Scott), a former professor drowning in grief from the loss of his wife, Gemma (Dichen Lachman). In order to escape his pain, he decides to become a severed worker at the biotech company Lumon. By undergoing severance, Mark’s mind has split so that his “innie” experiences work in the office, while outside the company, he continues to exist as an “outie.”
The second season begins with the aftereffects of “innie” Mark and his coworkers’ plan to activate their inner selves in the outside world. While Lumon deals with the ensuing fallout, Mark faces the revelation that his wife is actually alive, trapped within Lumon’s office building.
Like its first season, “Severance” continues to be absolutely gorgeous. There is a cruel beauty in its corporate setting, shaped by the masterful set design of the Lumon offices. The spaces appear almost too pristine and organized, with seemingly endless white hallways that emulate a sense of cold sophistication. The surrounding town of Kier is dull in comparison to the fluorescent “paradise” of Lumon, yet there is a muted allure in the bland scenery trapped in an eternal winter purgatory, reflecting the despondent characters. Cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné captures these settings stunningly, especially through her use of wide shots that capture the settings’ silent beauty.
“Chikhai Bardo,” one of the season’s best episodes, is directed by Gagné herself and, not surprisingly, is full of the show’s most breathtaking visuals. The episode contextualizes Mark and Gemma’s past together, a quick slice of heartbreaking memories that unite the presently separated couple and answer many of the audience’s questions about the two.
Gagné bathes their memories in a warm sunlight that gradually fades as they encounter pregnancy challenges. Gorgeous montages consist of grainy home footage that flash by in rapid succession, detailing their sweet romance and happy marriage. Gagné manages to capture the feeling of directly looking into someone’s memories –– intimate, precious and fleeting.
Additionally, “Severance” continues to develop their already incredible cast of characters. Paired with skillful and nuanced performances from its ensemble cast, these characters come completely alive this season.
A particular standout is Tramell Tillman’s Seth Milchick. As the newly appointed floor manager, Milchick carries the burden of Lumon’s constant scrutiny, bending backward to become someone that Lumon values. Tillman brings an eerie energy to Milchick; a single smile of his is enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine. However, he also adds a softer dimension to the manager, portraying someone who is constantly being pushed to his limits yet never complains. Yet, Milchick’s signature determination begins to shift toward frustration with his superiors, resulting in quite a few unexpectedly comedic moments, most notably the particularly delightful “devour feculence” remark directed at his supervisor Mr. Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson).
While “Severance” is clearly a thriller, a major theme that ties this season together is a complex romance. Romance is used as an interesting conflict of identity, serving as a point of contention between Mark’s innie and outie. This comes to a head in an incredibly well-done conversation between the two sides in the final episode, “Cold Harbor,” where they communicate through video recordings. Scott’s performance is a major highlight this season, and the small details he puts into differentiating the characters of Mark’s innie and outie work to bring this moment to life.
At one end of Mark’s life is Helly, played by the skilled Britt Lower, whose strength lies in the nuances she adds to differentiate Helena from her innie, Helly, particularly in their physical demeanors and speech.
At the other end is Mark’s wife, Gemma, a tragic character brought alive by Lachman. The season’s final moment physically manifests this split, with Gemma at one end beyond the confines of the severed floor and Helly at the other.
While it raises questions of romance, the final moment serves as an interesting exploration into the identity of a split soul, where choosing whose love to value means determining who gets to exist. The conflict between the innie and outie is fully realized in an exceptionally compelling moment where all foreseeable roads end in tragedy.
There are definite growing pains as the “Severance” universe begins to expand, but the second season of the show is a wonderfully crafted narrative. With the immense love that “Severance” gives its characters and story, it is undeniable that it will forever intrigue television audiences, as it is a wholly singular and utterly peculiar exploration of identity.
