Primary Assist
The taste of honey is worse than none at all
- Jul 7, 2010
- 5,923
- 6,512
Next season won't come out til I'm guessing 2027-2028, why don't we just go to the equator ourselves and see what color it is
TV: Severance - Apple TV
- Thread starter WeThreeKings
- Start date
I dunno man, guess I'm just not as taken with it as it seems a lot of people on the internet are. Think the cast's legitimately fantastic performances are carrying a show that is overpromising and underdelivering on several things, mainly a coherent and sensical plot. Maybe that's what they're going for in some faux we're too smart for the meta sense but the amount of half baked plot lines that don't go anywhere seems messy to me.
Like if you're going to have Irving be secretly investigating Lumon and then just put him on a train to assumably deal with later fine. Or have Ricken's book be a hit for the innies and have him write a new one just for them and then just never mention it again fine. Or build a bunch of tension with Milchick and the other non-severed people at Lumon and have it go nowhere, sure whatever. Or do this whole re-integration thing and have it really not make much of a tangible impact whatsoever, you can even let that slide. But to have all this stuff and more just kind of floating around untethered after the season ends doesn't seem like it's done with a ton of purpose. Don't need it all wrapped up with a pretty bow, but shit tie some of it off better than that.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it. Just wouldn't put it up with the upper echelon of TV shows based on what I've seen so far. Great concept and intriguing enough to keep you watching. The characters and the actors playing them are dynamic and engaging. Thought the finale was good enough, had some scenes I liked especially the camcorder back and forth with Mark. Still think there's a baby fitting in here somewhere.
Like if you're going to have Irving be secretly investigating Lumon and then just put him on a train to assumably deal with later fine. Or have Ricken's book be a hit for the innies and have him write a new one just for them and then just never mention it again fine. Or build a bunch of tension with Milchick and the other non-severed people at Lumon and have it go nowhere, sure whatever. Or do this whole re-integration thing and have it really not make much of a tangible impact whatsoever, you can even let that slide. But to have all this stuff and more just kind of floating around untethered after the season ends doesn't seem like it's done with a ton of purpose. Don't need it all wrapped up with a pretty bow, but shit tie some of it off better than that.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it. Just wouldn't put it up with the upper echelon of TV shows based on what I've seen so far. Great concept and intriguing enough to keep you watching. The characters and the actors playing them are dynamic and engaging. Thought the finale was good enough, had some scenes I liked especially the camcorder back and forth with Mark. Still think there's a baby fitting in here somewhere.
Peasy
Registered User
Yeah this is how I feel about the show. I enjoy it and it's fun, but I don't consider it comparable with the wire's of the world. That could change, but I think it's doubtful for me personally. For me to rank a show that high I really need it to move me on a different level and to really get me thinking about stuff and to challenge my perspective. This show is doing a good job and leaning more into the ethics of an innie, should they be treated like normal people etc etc. But the thing is, this topic has already been done several times in black mirror so this concept is not new to me.
I think they did a great job with the finale. Was probably my favourite episode of the season. Think I rank season 1 a step above season 2 though personally.
Deputy McRizzy
Registered User
- Mar 21, 2025
- 355
- 462
Very well said and I feel pretty much the same way. Good show, I enjoy it and will continue watching. Interesting premise and really good acting, but the storyline just seems to be all over the place. If someone asked me, "what is Severance about?" I'm not sure I could give them a good answer.
Tasty Biscuits
with fancy sauce
Any sci-fi is going to have some logical inconsistencies just due to the nature of the genre, since sci-fi is almost, by definition, inherently illogical to a degree (as it does not exist in our current world). I think Severance by-and-large has been very faithful to the rules they've established / are establishing, so no real complaints there.
I have no problem with ideas being introduced that aren't immediately paid off. Several plot points from S2 can be addressed in S3. That's just natural world-building. I mean heck, we already had
So, you know, patience. 
And while the world can be interesting, I agree that really, the true gold of the show is the innie/outtie relationship stuff, with all the external plot mostly serving as a catalyst for that to be further explored in new and different ways.
I have no problem with ideas being introduced that aren't immediately paid off. Several plot points from S2 can be addressed in S3. That's just natural world-building. I mean heck, we already had
A goat appear is S1 with absolutely no further explanation, and people seemed cool with that, as most figured it would be further explained as the show went along, which it was.
And while the world can be interesting, I agree that really, the true gold of the show is the innie/outtie relationship stuff, with all the external plot mostly serving as a catalyst for that to be further explored in new and different ways.
izlez
We need more toe-drags/60
- Feb 28, 2012
- 4,606
- 4,468
It is pretty cool that in the last 6 months my experience with this show has changed from annoyingly pleading with every person I meet to watch this show that I love that they've never heard of, into conversations about the show being "it's good, but I'm not so sure I'd put it up there with The Wire"
Rodgerwilco
Entertainment boards w/ some Hockey mixed in.
- Feb 6, 2014
- 7,295
- 8,268
I am still absolutely annoyingly pleading with every person I meet to watch this show that I love... 90% of them say "I don't have Apple TV" lol.
I still think it's top tier. I'm fine with having a lot of loose ends, I trust them to tie it all together as the series moves on.
Bruins4Lifer
Registered User
I don't share the same complaints on the things that haven't been explained yet, or the things that were introduced this season that were left ignored in the last few episodes -- other than Mark's reintegration.
Many things aren't going to be explained in one season but will in later seasons. Season 1 was no different there.
Many things aren't going to be explained in one season but will in later seasons. Season 1 was no different there.
I know this is a bold statement, but this is one of the greater things that the internet has ever created!
zombie kopitar
custom title
It's a good show but the cinematography has been doing a lot of the heavy lifting from the start. s2 ep9 was basically just shot David Lynch style, where it was about 20 mins of plot development and 40 mins of cool camera shots. But every character is interesting, which is not an easy feat, particularly partial to Helly R; but I don't think it's a show where I will be thinking about it often when I am not watching. When the new season is out I will be excited to watch it. But it's not like Last of Us , where I am giddy in anticipation for the new season to drop
That is a good question. Probably has several good and correct answers. Kind of tough to nail down but for me it's a commentary on how the LinkedIn corporate culture soul sucking endemic capitalist hellscape us here in the NA middle class have been living has been forcing itself on a species that only a couple hundred years ago had to kill or grow most of their own food. How people are now so compartmentalized that they need a different face for every social situation. Satirizing the kind of religious fanaticism some of these middle manager email specialists expect of their Microsoft Teams team. The hollowness of punching in at the office most of your waking life just to afford a cheaply made house in a long row of cheaply made houses.
That they're also telling a story of diagnosing and treating traumatic grief, and doing so pretty well in fact, when you big picture it is quite a bold undertaking. That the show is mostly pulling that off is a real credit to the director(s).
Inspired by this I rewatched the Defiant Jazz episode and caught something that I previously hadn't caught...even on a previous re-watch but it also completely changes the dynamic of this scene after what we learned in S2 EP "Sweet Vitrol" the ep where Cobelvig went home. Even rewatching it now (to get the screen caps below) the gravity of this scene keeps growing
Mark's sister and Ms Selvig were doing their lactation thang and talking afterwards...
I couldn't find this scene on youtube so I have to recap and screen cap
Devon and Cobelvig were talking afterwards and Devon brought up the Sentator's wife not recognizing her and the possibility that she was severed.
The lines and play button wouldn't leave my screen no longer how long I paused it so sorry in advance. This scene paints a whole new light on how many, devious, and committed to Lumon that Colbelvig is
Cobelbig masterfully moves the convo....
to where she can research her creation
Here next line was "why do you think Mark did it"
Devon replies "it was after he lost his wife, he tried to keep teaching but couldn't moves the convo and gets to her research,...
Combine this with Mark's wellness visits and she is clearly seeing what "leaks through" and investigating the possibility of Mark thinking or dreaming about seeing Gemma since he works with her as Ms Casey
Here next line was "why do you think Mark did it"
Devon replies "it was after he lost his wife, he tried to keep teaching but couldn't moves the convo and gets to her research,...
Combine this with Mark's wellness visits and she is clearly seeing what "leaks through" and investigating the possibility of Mark thinking or dreaming about seeing Gemma since he works with her as Ms Casey
Hmm, it seems like this is a subject you've thought quite a lot about...
I agree that there are several interesting issues the show could explore. Here's one that I haven't seen anyone really discuss, not that I would expect it since it may be too "mundane" for the show... but in addition to his other problems Mark has just, you know, killed a guy. We know Lumon has security cameras everywhere, and of course his shirt is covered in blood... And Helly, while not involved in the actual killing, certainly was aware of the enormous corpse lying in a pool of blood in the hallway.
So, what are the legal implications here? Can outie Mark be held in any way responsible for what innie Mark has done? If there is an arrest, who is charged? If a conviction, who goes to jail? Now, I seriously doubt that the show will even try to seriously address these kinds of questions. It's not a crime drama. But it will be interesting to see how they do handle it. Drummond was obviously an important person in Lumon, you would expect that the higher-ups there would want some kind of "justice".
Bruins4Lifer
Registered User
I don't see Lumon as a company that would look to the judicial system to get their justice in this case. They would be more concerned with preventing any sort of criminal investigation into a workplace death where the investigation would uncover a lot things they want hidden from the public.
How Lumon covers up an employee death and prevents that sort of investigation is an interesting question, but, like after Reghabi killed Graner, I don't know if the show is interested in explaining that.
That was my thinking as well, most likely the last thing Lumon wants is the cops snooping around their building. Graner might as well never have existed at this point but Drummond is a more important character.
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- Jul 28, 2011
- 15,372
- 13,105
That's how I also felt about Silo when I got to season 2.. I really enjoyed season 1 from both shows and then season 2 just felt a little all over the place and my opinion went from "It's fantastic" to "It's good, but it's not must watch."
Jussi
Registered User
Neil Racki
Registered User
We just finished season 1
1. Not like Wes Anderson. 1st episode had the earth tones, linear designs, vast parking lot shots, liminal space, a quirky neurodivergent tint to it ... I guess the lobby design and long hall ways and introduction to the quirky plot gave me the impression but from episode 2 on .. nothing like a Wes Anderson
2. Ho le chit .. episodes 2 through like 5 were kinda f***ing boring. Found myself studying Adam Scott's face more than anything.
3. Ho le chit .. episodes 6-10 were f***ing some of the best Ive seen in a long time
Wife and I were blown away by the last couple episodes, we finished around midnight last night and really just wanted stay up all night crushing S2 ..but ya know, kids and f***ing non-severed life and all
1. Not like Wes Anderson. 1st episode had the earth tones, linear designs, vast parking lot shots, liminal space, a quirky neurodivergent tint to it ... I guess the lobby design and long hall ways and introduction to the quirky plot gave me the impression but from episode 2 on .. nothing like a Wes Anderson
2. Ho le chit .. episodes 2 through like 5 were kinda f***ing boring. Found myself studying Adam Scott's face more than anything.
3. Ho le chit .. episodes 6-10 were f***ing some of the best Ive seen in a long time
Wife and I were blown away by the last couple episodes, we finished around midnight last night and really just wanted stay up all night crushing S2 ..but ya know, kids and f***ing non-severed life and all
Tasty Biscuits
with fancy sauce
I'm sadly gonna be "that guy" .......with new people continually discovering the show and joining the thread (see: above, for instance) posts like this really should be spoiler-tagged. Especially ones as visually-catching as yours is. And I say this as a big Jack Handy fan.
Fripp
Registered User
Neil Racki
Registered User
finished season 2
8/10 ... felt a bit disjointed from S1 to S2 in terms of real broad view .. discovering what Lumon actually does .. why are we here? Like they changed writers after S1 but Stiller and Dan Erickson were active throughout S2 as well.
Without going into spoiler territory ... its great TV
S1 was a quest plot .. essentially an "escape room" storyline. what do we actually do here? Follow maps and clues to find the hidden treasure which answers your question.
S2 was a love story
8/10 ... felt a bit disjointed from S1 to S2 in terms of real broad view .. discovering what Lumon actually does .. why are we here? Like they changed writers after S1 but Stiller and Dan Erickson were active throughout S2 as well.
Without going into spoiler territory ... its great TV
S1 was a quest plot .. essentially an "escape room" storyline. what do we actually do here? Follow maps and clues to find the hidden treasure which answers your question.
S2 was a love story
