Severance Season 1 Recap: What Happened at the End?

With Severance season 2 releasing Friday, January 17, it's the perfect time to refamiliarize yourself with the story.

Just what happened in the first season of Apple TV+'s psychological workplace drama? Whether you've merely forgotten what went down or missed the show entirely, read on for the full Severance recap.

In Severance, Mark (Adam Scott) leads a team of office workers whose consciousness has been split in half, divided between their work and personal lives. This effectively means one half of them has a perpetual holiday, free from work, while the other is condemned to spend every waking moment at work, unable to escape their dull, dreary office underground.

Adam Scott stars as Mark in Severance, a man who's memories are divided between his work and personal life. It is currently unknown while he's holding a bouquet of balloons. Apple TV+

Ahead of the Severance season 2 release, you can watch eight uninterrupted minutes of the show for free on Apple TV+'s website right here (although you will have to sign up for an account, or log in to an existing account). Also, make sure to check out the Severance season 2 trailer at the bottom of the page.

Severance season 1 episode list

E01 · Good News About Hell

Synopsis: "Mark is promoted to lead a team who've had their memories surgically divided between their work and personal lives."

Our introduction to the concept of 'innies' and 'outies'. The disturbing revelation happens early in the first episode, where a new worker called Helly (Britt Lower) wakes up in a conference room with no memory of who or where she is. After failing to escape, she's shown an orientation video revealing she's undergone the 'severance' procedure.

E02 · Half Loop

Synopsis: "The team trains new hire Helly on macrodata refinement; Mark takes a day off to meet with a mysterious former colleague."

The second episode is when we start to peel back the layers of severance surgery as we see Helly implant a microchip inside her brain. Meanwhile, Helly's innie discovers Lumon's security system that prevents unauthorized communication between selves.

The Severance gang walking with purpose down their corridor. Their mission: discover the mysteries of their secretive company. Apple TV+

E03 · In Perpetuity

Synopsis: "Mark takes the team on a field trip, but Helly continues to rebel; a deteriorating Petey struggles to tell Mark about Lumon's misdeeds."

Petey makes a startling realisation: his neighbour is Cobel, his boss. Back at the office, Helly receives news of her resignation request - her outie denied it, condemning her to a lifetime of work.

E04 · The You You Are

Synopsis: "Irving finds an intriguing book at work, Helly aggressively pursues a meeting with her Outie, and Mark attends a funeral with Ms Selvig."

Irving (John Tuturro) gets closer to Burt (Christopher Walken) during his visit to Optics & Design. Helly tries a drastic new method of escape when she threatens Cobel to mutilate herself with a paper cutter. Her outie denies the request in a video message, prompting Helly to hang herself.

The characters played by Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, John Tuturro and Britt Lower are at their wits ends as they fight to keep their sanity. Apple TV+

E05 · The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design

Synopsis: "Irving and Dylan confront Burt about his lies, while Mark and Helly discover a strange new department."

Helly doesn't die after suicide attempt. Instead, she returns to work feeling worse than ever. Mark sneaks Helly out of the department and reveals he has been making a map of their facility. Together they come to a startling realisation: the company is pitting the departments against one another.

E06 · Hide and Seek

Synopsis: "The team prompt a surge of anger in Cobel when they form an alliance; Dylan makes a discovery that could change everything."

Mark tells Irving to introduce his department to another so they can work together and solve the mystery of Lumon. Milchick later brings Dylan's innie to his outie's home, where Dylan discovers he has a son.

E07 · Defiant Jazz

Synopsis: "Mark and the team come face-to-face with new security measures that have been put in place from Cobel."

Dylan attacks Milchick because he's not being allowed to see his child, then tells the department about Lumon's ability to wake them up on the outside. This is called the 'overtime contingency.' Milchick also organises a 'music dance experience'.

One team runs into another as the original department meet Irving (Christopher Walken) in the corridor. There is strength in numbers. Apple TV+

E08 · What's for Dinner?

Synopsis: "The team prepares a plan, and Mark attends Devon and Ricken's party."

As Dylan prepares to remotely awaken his team on the outside, Helly kisses Mark. Meanwhile we get a peak at Irving's outie, who lives alone in an apartment painting identical images of a dark corridor.

E09 · The We We Are

Synopsis: "The team at Lumon Industries make strange discoveries during their investigation, with clues that lead to some disturbing revelations."

Mark's innie awakens to find himself hugging Cobel. He calls Cobel by name, instead of Mrs Selvig, inadvertently revealing he's an innie. Helly learns her outie is the daughter of the Lumon CEO. She blows the whistle during a gala speech.

Irving tracks down at his house but discovers he's already in a relationship. The last scene shows Mark finding a photo confirming coworker Ms. Casey to be his wife before Milchick deactivates the overtime contingency.

Who stars in Severance season 2?

Severance was created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife Mcardle. It stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, Patricia Arquette, and Christopher Walken.

Severance season 2 trailer