In the winter of 2022, as the pandemic had trained many to stay indoors during the cold season, Apple TV+’s “Severance” soon became a huge hit and eventually a big Emmy player, earning 14 nominations at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series (read our season one review).
And now, the series, from director and executive producer Ben Stiller and creator Dan Erickson, comes “Severance,” season two, which is now revealed to be arriving in January of 2025.
In case you were in the dark, “Severance,” a nice double entendre about work compensation and the theme of the show, tackled the subject of work-life balance to the extreme. The series followed Mark S. (Adam Scott), an employee of the fictional Lumon Industries corporation who agrees to a “severance” program in which his non-work memories are separated from his work memories. No need to bring your work home with you; you won’t even know it. Of course, the reasons for this “severance” were much deeper and meant to hide company secrets and what Lumon was really working on.
On top of Scott, who seemingly finally got his due as the well-earned everyman lead of the drama, the series also starred Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette.
But “Severance” season two has taken a long time to arrive. In fact, Puck News wrote a big behind-the-scenes report on the series last year, which revealed much drama and the disclosure that Beau Willimon, the “House Of Cards” creator and “Andor,” was brought on to help and rewrite much of season 2. Though Stiller himself chimed in to say, on Twitter, “No one’s going to the break room,” he wrote, referencing the show’s punishment for Lumon Industries’ Macrodata Refinement employees. “We’re on the same really slow schedule we’ve always been on. Same target air date we’ve always had. Love our fans and each other, and we all are just working to make the show as good as possible.”
For Season 2, Gwendoline Christie, John Noble, Alia Shawkat, Merritt Wever, Bob Balaban, Robby Benson, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and Stefano Carannante have joined the cast.
Here’s the season two synopsis:
In season two, Mark (played by Scott) and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe. Season two reunites its ensemble cast of stars including Emmy Award nominee Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, Emmy Award winner John Turturro, Academy Award winner Christopher Walken and Academy and Emmy Award winner Patricia Arquette, and new series regular Sarah Bock.
“Severance” was a hit with audiences and critics in season one and received rave reviews. Season two will really have to up the ante, given that the momentum on the show has seemingly cooled, but at least now, with a new release date and a teaser trailer, we know we have a target date. The ten-episode second season of “Severance” will debut globally on Apple TV+, with the first episode on Friday, January 17, 2025, followed by one episode every Friday through March 21. Watch the first teaser trailer/ announcement video below.