It’s really happening, you guys. After nearly three years, we’ve finally gotten concrete proof that Severance season two is something we’ll actually be able to watch with all our memories intact, and not a massive lie made up by Lumon (or Severance‘s real home, Apple TV+) to keep us productive while we wait. Just that fact alone calls for a good old music dance experience, don’t you think?. This writer is choosing the maracas.
But while we may be celebrating this return to the office, Mark S. (Adam Scott) certainly isn’t. He’s back in the Lumon underbelly after his innie’s daring escape in last season’s finale, but something is very, very wrong. His severed co-workers and co-conspirators—Dylan (Zach Cherry), Irving (John Turturro), and Helly (Britt Lower)—are nowhere to be seen. Instead, they’ve been replaced by three new faces, played by Alia Shawkat, Bob Balaban, and Stefano Carannante. “Who are you people?” Mark asks, but doesn’t get so much as a response before Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) waltzes in with his usual overly cheery grin. “Welcome back, Mark S. Been a minute,” he says while holding the most sinister balloons (all with Mark’s face on them) we’ve seen since Pennywise’s red one in It.
The teaser doesn’t give us much more than that, but Severance has never given up its cards easily. We do know that Lower, Turturro, and Cherry will be back at some point, along with fellow season one stars Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette, and Sarah Bock.
The series was created, written, and executive produced by Dan Erickson. Ben Stiller, who directed five episodes this season, also serves as an EP. The first episode of the 10-episode season will premiere January 17 on Apple TV+, with new episodes every Friday through March 21. If you want to catch up on season one before the big day, you can check out Saloni Gajjar’s recaps here.