It’s been three years since Mark S. screamed, “She’s alive!” before the screen cut to black in the Severance season 1 finale. After numerous setbacks and delays, Severance season 2 returns to Apple TV+ this month.
The Emmy-nominated sci-fi drama enters its sophomore season with several unanswered questions, many of which revolve around the mysterious Lumon Industries. With so many queries and nothing guaranteed past season 2, does the Severance creative team have a roadmap to the ending? Have no fear. Creator Dan Erickson knows how the series ends.
“I have a pretty solid idea of the endpoint of the show,” Erickson said in an interview with Gizmodo. “I have kind of a final scene that has always been in my head and answers to some of the big questions. I think you sort of have to know those in order to know the rules of the world that you’re writing. But also, I think it’s balanced because I like to be surprised by the show too.”
In Severance, a team of Lumon’s employees have undergone a surgical procedure called severance that separates memories between their work (“innie”) and personal (“outie”) lives. At the end of season 1, Mark S. (Adam Scott) and his team activated the overtime contingency, awakening their innies in the outside world. In season 2, Mark’s group faces the repercussions of their actions as they continue to investigate their employer’s motivations.
Besides Scott, Severance season 2 stars Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, Sarah Bock, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette.
Erickson also has “an idea” about how many seasons he wants to do of the hit Apple TV+ show. Season 3 has not been renewed, though it will be in all likelihood given the success of the first one. If granted a third season, Erickson wants to avoid another three-year hiatus and get season 3 out “sooner.”
“You’re always looking to sort of fine-tune the process and take what works and leave what doesn’t work and streamline things,” Erickson said. “So, my hope is that if there is a season three, it’s going to be sooner.”
Severance season 2 premieres on Apple TV+, with the first episode on Friday, January 17, 2025.
