TV SHOW REVIEW - Severance: Season 2
By The Masked Medic
Listen before you get at me about how long it’s taken for you guys to get this review, you should know something: I’m lazy. Ok? Haha! No, but genuinely, focusing on the blog stuff has taken a bit of a back seat recently. A large part of that has been because I’ve been trying to update the Instagram page for this blog, and also because I’ve found myself once again working in the emergency department, A place where sometimes I wish I wonder if it could be good to get this procedure done.
‘Severance’ Season 2 starts in the only sensible way possible. A complete calm after the chaos of the Season 1 finale. Mark S returns to work to find that, apparently, months have passed since his team’s usage of the overtime contingency. Lumon has been forced to make changes, and that involves a greater level of freedom for all severed employees. It has also left Seth Milchick in charge of the severed floor, with an ousted Mrs Selvig somewhere in the wind. The team share what they learnt from their time in the overtime contingency, comically labelled by Lumon as the “Macrodata Uprising”. Helly, who is afraid to tell the team the truth about her outie, tells Mark that she will help him find Ms Casey, aka Gemma, Mark’s supposed dead wife. Meanwhile, in the outside world, Mark’s sister, Devon, has become fixated on finding out about Gemma and convinces Mark that he needs to find out somehow if this is true. Although they attempt to come up with a plan together, ultimately, Mark wonders if reintegration is the best option for finding out what exactly is happening at Lumon. As Lumon gets closer and closer to a goal of theirs, time really is of the essence for a team that seems to have split their interests. Can Mark find out what has happened to his wife? Will the team ever find out who Helly really is? And I ask again, what the hell are Lumon up to?
Many of the main cast of the first season return. Adam Scott elevates his performance as both Mark S and Mark Scout. Whereas the first season saw his innie get a lot of time, Season 2 has his outie undergo far more character development. Britt Lower’s portrayal of Helly R and Helena also impresses. There is a moment in one particular episode that is jaw-dropping, and you appreciate how good Lower, in particular, is at playing two versions of a single character. Zach Cherry and John Turturro return as Dylan G and Irving B. Cherry’s role as Dylan is far more fleshed out this season, although he remains very much the entertaining character with his colourful language. Irving’s role was a lot more slimmed down, although he rules arguably the most badass scene in this season. There is one newcomer to the main cast in the form of Sarah Bock, who plays Miss Huang. I have to give credit to this young actress; she joined a very talented cast and somehow carved a place for herself in the show. Tramell Tillman returns as my personal favourite character, Seth Milchick. Admittedly, he’s not as unhinged as he was in the first season, but he still has some great scenes. Apple TV, if you’re reading this, more Milchick dancing, please? Finally, we come to what I thought was the standout performance of this season. It has to be Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel. In the first season, we see her as a pure antagonist, but this season brings with it far more character development, and Arquette does a brilliant job of creating these layers to Harmony!
So ‘Severance’ was one of these odd shows that it took ages for people to start raving about. Even I will admit, I watched the first season after a few years of it being out. Due to everyone jumping on late, it meant that Apple TV and the creators of the show didn’t know if there was even demand for it. That’s what led to the delay of the second season being developed and released. Now, I’ve heard some conflicting opinions on this second season. For some people, they didn’t feel it was as exciting as the first season, and to those people I would say, is that because we now know a little more about the show and so expected more and more reveals? Others think this season was way better than the first, and to them, I’d probably say, it was paced a little differently, but I’m not sure ‘way better’ than the first season would be apt. It certainly kept my attention in ways that the first season did not, and left me very excited for more. I think the reveals and cliffhangers were far more rewarding, and do what this show does so well, keep viewers guessing!
Apple TV have this tendency of providing relatively large budgets for their shows’ first seasons. ‘Severance’ Season 1 had a production cost of $20 million per episode, which makes it one of the most expensive shows on TV currently. Luckily, Apple didn’t skimp out for the second season, which cost about the same amount. No,w for a show that doesn’t seem like it uses a lot of graphics, that seems like a steep budget, but the cinematography is phenomenal, and I think the quality shows. The music remains ever expressive, and that little theme tune they have? Iconic. Overall, a good second season to one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Apparently, a five-season arc planned? Let’s go!
Rating:
Story: ★★★★
Acting: ★★★★
Filmography: ★★★★
Integral vs Filler Episodes: ★★★½
Enjoyability: ★★★★
I hope Miss Huang’s character is explored a little more in the next season, otherwise I’m really not sure why they brought her in in the first place. 100% agree on more Milchik dancing please !!