‘Severance’: Three Major Theories From the Season 2 Premiere, Explained

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[This story contains spoilers for the Severance season two premiere.]

“Admit it. I’m your favorite perk.”

John Turturro’s character, Irving, manages to flash the broadest grin during the gloomiest scene in the premiere of Severance‘s second season, despite the sorrow surrounding him. Moments before he was about to bid farewell to his innie existence forever, Dylan (Zach Cherry) unexpectedly appears, preventing Irving from taking the final step. Seizing the chance, even while still visibly affected by the sadness, Irving can’t help but poke fun at Dylan’s affection for puzzles like finger traps and caricature drawings, as well as Lumon’s motivational perks.

For fans of the series Severance, their preferred bonus feature takes an unusual form: a continuous Easter egg hunt across each episode! Given its status as one of today’s most captivating mystery box shows, it’s no surprise that creators Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller have hidden something significant in plain sight within Apple TV+’s thrilling drama. In fact, the premiere alone presents at least three major theories worth delving into. So, let’s dive right in to see what intriguing possibilities Severance has teed up for season two!

Lumon is Lying

Five months have passed since the season one finale, and Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) informs Mark that he and the MDR team are heroes who saved the day. But is this statement accurate, or simply another deception from Lumon? Given Lumon’s history of dishonesty, there are many reasons to doubt their claims. After all, when has Lumon ever been truthful? Moreover, every piece of outside world information presented in the episode originates from Lumon, and under what circumstances can we trust these individuals? To make matters worse, Milchick is still arranging his new office, Ms. Cobel’s (Patricia Arquette) name remains on his computer screen, suggesting that not everything appears to be above board.

Helly R, or Helena E?

In this episode, we see a return of either Helly or Helena, portrayed by Britt Lower. Is it the defiant Helly, ready to challenge Lumon at any cost? Or is it the formidable Helena, who, in reality, is an Egan? Helly claims she saw nothing out of the ordinary upon waking, but we know this isn’t true. Is she lying due to the shock of discovering her true identity as an Egan, or because she’s inherently deceitful? It’s difficult to tell as she remains very much herself in this episode. However, it’s something to watch closely as the series progresses.

In From the Cold Harbor

Without fail, a mystery box series like this one always provides intriguing moments to discuss, and the initial episode certainly delivered an exciting revelation towards the end of the hour: MDR, resuming their data analysis, suddenly displayed a fleeting image on Mark’s screen – his partner, Gemma (Dichen Lachman), also known as Ms. Casey, along with some analytical information. This could potentially be our most significant clue yet regarding the enigmatic work of MDR, and the astute viewers of Severance are already analyzing every detail. Some theories suggest it’s a brain map, while others are fixated on the file name, “Cold Harbor.” Could this have something to do with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory – an institution renowned for DNA research, cancer genetics, and various other fields? If so, could this be a subtle nod to… me? A simple search of my last name in conjunction with “Cold Spring Harbor Lab” will reveal the connection! My mind is left reeling, at least; perhaps yours as well.

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Currently, Severance is broadcasting the opening episode of its second season, with fresh installments dropping every Friday on Apple TV+. Take a look at THR’s in-depth season debut interview with the show’s writer, Dan Erickson.

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2025-01-21 02:24