‘Severance’: Three Major Theories From the Season 2 Premiere, Explained

[This story contains spoilers for the Severance season two premiere.]

“Admit it. I’m your favorite perk.”

Leave it to John Turturro’s grieving Irving to deliver the biggest smile of the Severance season two premiere, in the middle of one of its saddest moments. Just as he’s set to end his innie life for good, Dylan (Zach Cherry) comes in to pull his friend back from the brink — and a winking (if still sad) Irving can’t waste the opportunity to take a shot at Dylan’s love for finger traps, caricature portraits and all the rest of Lumon’s incentives. 

But when it comes to the Severance audience, the favorite perk is a little different: the endless Easter egg hunt from week to week! As one of the most notable mystery box shows of the moment, writer Dan Erickson and director Ben Stiller‘s Apple TV+ thriller always has something huge hiding in plain sight — and there are at least three big theories worth exploring right here in the premiere. So without further ado, let’s take a look at what Severance is already putting on the board for season two. 

Lumon is Lying

Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) tells Mark it’s been five months since the events of the season one finale, and that he and the other members of the MDR team are heroes who saved the day. Is that true, or just another Lumon lie? Lots of reasons to think so, including the fact that — hey, it’s Lumon… they lie! Everything we see in the episode in terms of an outside world update comes from Lumon, and since when did we trust these guys? Add that Milchick is still unpacking his new office, that Ms. Cobel’s (Patricia Arquette) name is still on his computer screen and things aren’t looking fully on the level. 

Helly R, or Helena E?

Also not on the level: Helly, or maybe, Helena. Which version of Britt Lower returned in this episode? The rebellious Helly, who would do all in her power to rise against Lumon? Or the powerful Helena, an actual factual Egan? Helly tells the group when she woke up that she saw nothing unusual, which we know is a lie. Is she lying because she’s dealing with the trauma of finding out she’s an Egan, or is she lying because, well, she’s an Egan? Helly is otherwise extremely Helly when she returns to the episode, so it’s hard to say. But it’s worth keeping an eye on as the show moves forward. 

In From the Cold Harbor

It wouldn’t be a mystery box show without something to screenshot, and the premiere gives us a doozy at the end of the hour: MDR, back in action refining their data, only for Mark’s screen to briefly flash an image of his outie’s wife, Gemma (Dichen Lachman) — aka Ms. Casey — accompanied by some sort of analytical data. It feels like our biggest clue yet to understanding MDR’s “mysterious and important” work, and the internet’s finest Severance sleuths are all over it. Some folks are thinking it’s some kind of brain map. Others are focused on the files apparent name: “Cold Harbor.” Does it have anything to do with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a science community focused on DNA research and cancer genetics, among other areas? And if so, is this a shout out to … me? Search out my last name and “Cold Spring Harbor Lab,” and you’ll see the connection! My mind is blown, at least, if not yours. 

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Severance is now streaming the first episode of season two, with new episodes releasing Fridays on Apple TV+. Read THR‘s season premiere interview with writer Dan Erickson.