Severance (Season 2)

 

The second season of Severance continued Mark's path of freeing his wife Gemma from Lumon's grip. We discovered last season that Gemma was not dead, but instead was working for Lumon as Miss Casey. It turns out that Lumon is using Gemma as a test subject to create multiple different "innie" versions of the same person. We also learn what Macro Data Refinement (MDR) has been working on this whole time - different versions of Gemma's personality. This is why Mark S is so important to the project. He is the only one in position to know Gemma's personality well enough to have the knowledge to complete the job. Here lies the fascinating part of Severance - Mark S has no knowledge of being married to Gemma. It is outtie Mark who is married to Gemma. Innie Mark S has feelings for Helly R. So while outtie Mark has strong desires to see his wife again, he has to figure out how to do so first, then how to convince his innie version to take the necessary actions, even though that likely means sacrificing innie Mark S' own desires. This raises many philosophical questions about which version of the person is "real" and which side should be supported.

In the final episode of the season, innie Mark S frees Gemma from Lumon while choosing to stay on the severance floor to be with Helly R. While many questions were answered this season, such as MDR's agenda, a lot of questions remain. Chiefly, what is Lumon's end goal? Is it to resurrect Kier Eagan, their founder? Is it to make the severance procedure for the masses? On the outtie side of the conversation, what happens to Gemma and what is Harmony Cobel's end game? Also, Mark S clearly shot and killed someone on the severance floor, so what ramifications will that produce? All of this will likely be discussed during season 3, which was recently announced.

This show's unique plot is what makes it intriguing, but it wouldn't work without the fantastic actors and people behind the scenes who make the show. At the end of season 1, we learn that Helly R's outtie is the daughter of Jame Eagan, the current CEO of Lumon. There is a part of season 2 where outie Helly is posing as innie Helly, and the subtle differences in the actor's expression and demeanor are fantastic and really sell the story trying to be told. That is just one example of how the acting in this show stands out, but all of them are really good. The cinematography and music in the show are really good as well. The final episode is one of the most bizarre hours of TV I've ever seen, and the entire scene where Milchick and Choreography & Merriment (C&M) perform is fantastic. The opening scene with Helly and her father at their home is great. The entire episode where Harmony goes to her hometown looks fantastic as well. The entire appearance of the show is visually intriguing. The music adds to the scenery perfectly, with its mysterious modern techno vibe. The entire experience of the show is just really good. I just hope we don't have to wait years before season 3 is released.