[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Severance” Season 2 Episode 2, “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig.” Read our Episode 1 review here.]
Mr. Milchick actually stepped in it this time. Within the wake of The Macrodat Rebellion, the severed ground’s newly appointed supervisor (performed by Tramell Tillman) might have cleared each sizable hurdle the Lumon higher-ups set for him — retaining Mark S. (Adam Scott), firing the remainder of Macrodata Refinement crew, changing them in a mere 48 hours, firing the replacements (Mark W. goes to sue!), and rehiring the unique crew — however in Episode 2, “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig,” he has to throw out greater bait than a pineapple basket to get the specified outcomes. And he doesn’t even perceive what sort of bait he’s providing.
Close to the tip of the episode, when Mr. Milchick visits Mark at residence within the hopes of convincing him to maintain working at Lumon, the corporate delegate is armed with provides. He tosses out a 20 % increase earlier than Mark may even reply whether or not he’s joyful together with his present wage. He throws in “common wellness checks” from “impartial organizations” to ensure the Innies are properly taken care of. After which he pulls out the massive weapons: Gemma. Recalling Mark’s preliminary job interview, Mr. Milchick reminds him how he felt again then. “You stated since she died, each day appears like a yr. That you simply felt such as you have been choking on her ghost. Do you continue to really feel that method, Mr. Scout?”
Once more, Mark doesn’t reply earlier than Mr. Milchick presses ahead, telling Mark that his Innie is “joyful” and “humorous” and, most notably, that he’s “discovered love.” “Love?” Mark says, lastly responding. “With who?” Now it’s Mr. Milchick’s flip to not reply, selecting as an alternative to wrap up his gross sales pitch and depart Mark to make the choice we already know he’s made. He’ll return to Lumon. He’ll rejoin the severed ground. However he’s not coming again so “the solace” his Innie has discovered will “make its method up” to Mark’s Outie. He’s coming again for to search out Gemma. And Mr. Milchick’s little speech was the ultimate nudge he wanted to consider he may truly discover her once more.
Episode 2 covers loads of floor in its tight 47-minute runtime, however its principal episodic arc connects two key moments: The primary is similar one we’ve been speaking about for the previous three years: when Mark’s Innie bursts out of his sister’s again room, clutching a photograph of Gemma (Dichen Lachman) and shouting, “She’s alive!” The second is, appropriately, cut up between two moments: when Mark chooses to return to Lumon and when he confronts Ms. Cobel (Patricia Arquette). In between, Mark’s Outie is proven being dismissive and disconnected. He’s all too keen to simply accept the reason that his Innie was shouting about his lacking niece, not Gemma. (“Guys, clearly I used to be referencing the newborn.”) He drags his toes over whether or not or not he ought to return to work after the “additional time contingency” incident, and his preliminary choice is to stop. It’s solely when Devon (Jen Tullock) pushes him on the chance that Mark’s Innie was screaming about Gemma that Mark’s Outie reveals indicators of life.
“Actually, if Ricken died and his physique was burned, I might be unhappy for you however I wouldn’t be affected,” Mark says, spitting his sister’s phrase again at her. “That is obscene.” “I simply wish to make sure,” Devon says. “I’m positive!” Mark shouts, earlier than strolling out of the diner. However that certainty, pushed by frequent sense, time, and emotional self-preservation, has been shaken by the faint glimmer of hope from his Innie’s determined cries. Mark, for so long as we’ve recognized him, is a determined man. His grief has pushed him to determined, harmful choices earlier than, just like the severance process itself, and now it’s pushing him towards hope. If there’s any likelihood he may reunite together with his spouse, even when it appears totally unattainable, he’s going to cling to it. He has to, whether or not he needs to or not.
Later that evening, the battle together with his sister nonetheless recent in his thoughts, Mark hears Mr. Milchick convey up Gemma, seemingly out of the blue. Then he hears Mr. Milchick say that Mark’s Innie has discovered love. “Love?” Mark says. “With who?” The reply he needs can be the one he is aware of he received’t get — not if Gemma remains to be alive. However may she be? Might his spouse be down there, with him? Might she be the one Mark’s Innie fell in love with? Did they discover one another, and a few nascent however elementary a part of them each remembered what they as soon as had? Is the life he misplaced truly, someway, nonetheless ready for him someplace within the depths of Lumon HQ?
Possibly. Though we all know the “love” Mr. Milchick refers to is with Helly (Britt Decrease), we additionally know Gemma is working at Lumon beneath the identify Ms. Casey. Mark’s choice to return is probably not pushed by the correct reasoning (and, woof, will it harm every time he realizes his Innie is in love with somebody apart from his spouse), however he’s attempting to place collectively the identical puzzle we’re, expensive readers. And that’s why the tip of Episode 2 is so necessary. When Mark sees Ms. Cobel packing up her bizarre little white automobile, making ready to depart city for locations unknown, it is smart that he can be indignant. She lied to him, she tricked him, and she or he invaded his private life in a method that’s simply plain creepy. “Why did you do that?” Mark shouts. “What the fuck is that this all about?”
However then that burgeoning little flame of hope bursts out. He can’t cease himself. She’s leaving, and he has to ask earlier than she’s gone, even when it doesn’t make any sense. “Are you aware one thing about Gemma?” Mark says. Ms. Cobel lets out a shaking breath. She seems down. And that’s sufficient. By the point she gathers herself and drives off in a loud huff, Mark has seen what he must see. She didn’t chortle at his query. She didn’t get cute or condescending. She regarded… responsible.
That makes three Lumon staff with suspicious Gemma-related conduct: Ms. Cobel together with her sheepish look, Mr. Milchick together with his not-so-random query, and Mark’s Innie, holding her image and screaming for assist. Over the course of Episode 2, he’s gone from a vehement non-believer to a curious convert. Does Mark’s Outie actually suppose he’ll discover his spouse as soon as he goes again to work? Possibly not, however he’s not going to maintain sitting at residence, choking on her ghost. He, like us, is owed a correct rationalization.
Go get one, Scout. Go get her.
Grade: A-
“Severance” releases new episodes Fridays on Apple TV+.
Additional Refinement:
• “OK,” I can hear a few of you saying, “however what about Cobel?! The place’s she going? What occurred to her? Is she the brand new head of the Severance Advisory Council or what?” I can’t reply that, sadly, given the enigmatic nature of Ms. Cobel’s scenes this week, however a number of issues are clear:
1. She’s not going again to her outdated job. Not solely did Mr. Milchick make it clear to Mark that “she is going to by no means descend to that ground once more,” however Cobel was nowhere to be present in final week’s premiere.
2. She’s none too keen to simply accept a “promotion.” In her sit-down with Helena Eagan (Britt Decrease), Ms. Cobel stated she wished to run the severed ground. She was advised, politely however firmly, no, that’s Mr. Milchick’s job now, and was as an alternative supplied a “promotion” to the “Severance Advisory Council.” Fairly than pleasure or satisfaction, Ms. Cobel regards the provide with suspicion. “I’ve by no means heard of such a factor,” she says, and when Helena explains it’s a “model new initiative,” Ms. Cobel decides she’s being lied to. “You don’t worth me,” she says. “You worry me.” “We worry nobody,” Helena replies, however Ms. Cobel isn’t shopping for it. She says she’ll give it some thought, however she’s given no additional cause to take action. She’s made her evaluation.
3. Somebody is mendacity about Ms. Cobel. In any case, within the aforementioned assembly, she’s advised Lumon “values” her and her “loyalty.” However when Mr. Milchick meets with the Outies, he says Ms. Cobel is “severely unwell” and blames her for the entire “misery” felt by Mark’s Innie. Clearly, Lumon is prioritizing Mark over Ms. Cobel, however in what method stays unclear. Maybe her “promotion” is actual, and she or he’ll be given extra authority. Maybe it’s extra of a hole buy-out, and Lumon is attempting to stash her someplace secure till they really feel comfy eliminating her. Both method, she’s a pivotal character, whether or not she’s a good friend — or a nemesis.
• Do you acknowledge Mr. Drummond, the brand new character giving orders to Helena Eagan? It is best to, as long as you noticed the perfect TV present of 2024. Mr. Drummond is performed by Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, who not too long ago starred in “Someone Someplace” as Bridget Everett’s tenant turned love curiosity, Iceland (aka Viglundur). Secure to say his character in “Severance” received’t be fairly as good as he was in “Someone Someplace,” however Ólafsson has additionally popped up within the Netflix comedies “Eurovision” and “Homicide Thriller,” voiced a personality in “Hilda,” and co-starred in Maria Bamford’s acclaimed sitcom, “Woman Dynamite.” Maybe most significantly, although, Ólafsson has a historical past with “Severance” director and govt producer Ben Stiller, showing in “Zoolander 2” and “The Secret Lifetime of Walter Mitty.”
• “Fetid moppet.” That’s what Lumon CEO Jame Eagan (Michael Siberry) calls his daughter, Helena, instantly after his Innie uncovered the problems plaguing the corporate’s severed ground. These are fairly strong vocabulary phrases for an insult that boils right down to calling your daughter a “smelly child,” however go off, I suppose, you outdated weirdo.
• Go away it to Ricken to hone in on the important thing takeaway from assembly Mark’s Innie: “He was impressed by my e book. He discovered nice that means in it — profundity.”
• For the report, I believe Dylan’s “door prize” joke was strong. Was it value shedding the job over? No, however I wouldn’t wish to work at Nice Doorways with a humorless boss like that anyway.
Code Detectors:
• Maybe the most important revelation of Episode 2 (not less than relating to theories) is the motivation for retaining Mark at Lumon: They want him to finish Chilly Harbor.
What’s Chilly Harbor? No concept, however when Mr. Milchick explains his plan to restaff MDR with individuals who “hopefully have good chemistry” with Mark S., Helena replies, “We don’t want chemistry. We want Mark S. again to work lengthy sufficient to finish Chilly Harbor.” Later, after Mark’s minor mutiny, Mr. Drummond tells Mr. Milchick they’re going to provide Mark what he needs (aka, his authentic crew again) as a result of “he received’t end with out them.”
Clearly, they want Mark. Clearly, they’ll do absolutely anything to make sure he’ll end his mission. What’s unclear is what that mission is (simply… refining numbers?), how the opposite crew members’ related work components in (Mr. Milchick didn’t hesitate to fireplace them after the Rebellion), and what occurs when he/they full Chilly Harbor. Keep tuned.
• I liked the element in Helena’s apology video the place she blamed her “joke” and her “lie” on a mix of alcohol and a “non-Lumon” medicine for an arm rash. Is it a convincing story to make up for her embarrassing confession? Not likely, however paired together with her different containment efforts, it ought to do the trick — with out even blaming a Lumon-made drug within the course of.
• Helena’s scenes on this episode are fairly intriguing total. Certain, she does the whole lot one would anticipate to assist cowl up the Macrodat Rebellion, however in smaller, extra personal moments, she appears… shaken. She’s watching tapes of her Innie, Helly, kissing Mark. She seems uncertain, or not less than frightened, after taping her apology video. Later, she’s staring… plaintively, maybe, out the window. It appears her Innie’s non permanent escape has affected her Outie — we simply don’t understand how.
• Who’s Irving calling from that cellphone sales space? And why is Burt watching him? Simply smooch already! You like one another!