Is all well over at Apple TV+‘s “Severance“? Not according to Puck News, who report that Season 2 of the hit show has run into some roadblocks, including scrapped scripts and showrunner who hate each other. That’s not exactly what Apple wants from a show that nabbed 5 Emmy noms in its first season.
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Here’s what Puck News says is the issue: Dan Erickson, who wrote the original “Severance” pilot, and Mark Friedman, hated working together on Season 1 so much that Friedman planned to leave the show before S2. Unfortunately, Ben Stiller couldn’t find a suitable replacement for Friedman, so he returned and, would you know it, it’s been a disaster. But Apple remains high on the series, and wants to make sure “Severance” works for at least two more seasons beyond S2, so they want another person on board to try and make things work.
Enter Beau Willimon, the “House Of Cards” creator and “Andor” writer who Stiller hired to pen further “Severance” seasons. But S2’s production has been so toxic, apparently Willimon is helping to write the new season’s back-half along with his Season 3 template. So, it’s safe to say Apple TV+ won’t have “Severance” S2 on its 2023 release calendar if this keeps up. Indeed, the show’s new season currently doesn’t have a set premiere date.
So, no, things aren’t great for “Severance” right now. But TVLine reports that a source told them that the Puck News story is bogus, and that “Severance” S2 is running smoothly. Their source says the show “is on schedule, the budget is the same as Season 1, Dan, beau, and Mark are all working together… [Beau] was hired for Season 3 and since they don’t have a traditional writers room, it made sense he would get involved in the current season as well.” That doesn’t sound like a disastrous production, but at this point, who knows? In any case, Beau Willimon involved in “Severance” is an intriguing combo.
For those who don’t watch “Severance,” the show follows the employees of biotech company Lumon Industries, who undergo a procedure that divides their memories between their work and personal lives. Of course, that division is much less tidy than Lumon would like. Interested in watching? The show’s first season is exclusively on Apple TV+. And as for the release date S2 of “Severance,” who knows?