We've been waiting for Severance to return to Apple TV+ with its highly anticipated second season for the better part of three years and we're now just 10 days away from the premiere.
As we first reported on SFFGazette.com, the review embargo lifted today and that means we have a clearer idea of what to expect from this long-awaited step back inside Lumon Industries. Critics were only provided with six episodes to likely try and protect the biggest reveals and spoilers.
However, it still sounds like plenty of questions will be answered (don't worry, we've made sure there are no spoilers included in the quotes below).
According to The Hollywood Reporter, "It makes for a season that’s frequently darker, less frequently amusing and not necessarily more satisfying — but one that hits, if anything, even more chillingly close to home." Declaring season 2 "worth the wait," Variety adds: "Whatever the destination 'Severance' is aiming for, the journey dramatizes the arbitrary rules and compartmentalized nature of modern work better than anything else on air."
IGN was slightly less enthusiastic with a 6/10 review which concludes, "AppleTV+’s Severance moves too slowly in the first episodes of season 2, focusing on vibes over character or plot development." Slash Film counters with 8/10 and argues, "Presuming the writers stick the landing, any fears of overpraising this phenomenon will feel downright silly. The smartest show on television right now has earned the benefit of the doubt, allowing us to simply enjoy this twisting, mind-bending ride."
Total Film's glowing 5* verdict promises, "The latest chapter of one of Apple TV's best shows exceeds expectations in every way, as it explores the emotional after-effects of that nail-biting season 1 finale and poses even more existential questions."
Indie Wire explains, "Even as 'Severance' adds more to its plate in Season 2, the series never feels overstuffed, bogged down, or in too deep" and Paste notes, "While this series continues to be coy about its central secrets, the first six episodes of Severance’s second season are as clever, aesthetically impressive, and attention-grabbing as the first."
Finally, TV Line sums up by saying, "Severance soars to new heights with its long-anticipated Season 2, exceeding our expectations by digging deeper and hitting harder than before."
So, with these early verdicts counted, a Rotten Tomatoes score for Severance season 2 has been generated and, as we write this, it sits at a perfect 100% based on 23 verdicts. Season 1 is "Certified Fresh" with 97%.
In Severance, Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in "work-life balance" is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work...and of himself.
In season 2, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.
Severance returns to Apple TV+ on January 17.