The only people who anticipated the completion of “Cold Harbor” as eagerly as Jame Eagan and the Lumon Board were, well, the entire audience of Apple TV+ hit “Severance.” And we had been waiting a long, long time. Season 2 was famously delayed and delayed, arriving almost three full years after season 1, and the second season took a little while to hit its stride. The explosive finale finally dropped on Thursday, bringing us some (though not all) of the answers we were seeking about the experiments being done on Gemma, the purpose of the goats, and how the ill-fated love triangle between Mark, Helly, and Gemma might end. Though the final scenes seemed like a fitting ending for the series, never fear: Season 3 is in the works, and there are plenty of threads to pick up and potential storylines to pursue.

For now, however, we wanted to talk about what it all means, and how season 2 continued to build out a world that uncomfortably mirrors our own rapidly changing reality. Themes of alienated labor and exploitation remain the foundation, but the second season of the show had more to say about the fascistic valences of big tech, religious cults, and the patriarchal control of reproduction. (Sound familiar?) Motherhood — in particular the care work associated with motherhood — is another one of the bonds often severed or corrupted in the world of “Severance.” Lumon’s conception of parenthood is one that involves top-down control of fertility and reproduction; nurturing and mutual care are only threats to the regime. We also dig into the relationship between innies and their outies, a bond which in itself echoes not only pregnancy and parenthood, but another real-world avenue for reproduction of the self: personal branding. And, of course, we save a little time to appreciate Tramell Tillman absolutely rocking out to a marching band from Choreography and Merriment.

Hope you enjoy!

Reviews and essays we discuss:

James Poniewozik, NYT: “‘Severance’ Season 2 Will Blow Your Mind(s)”

Sara Petersen: “Severance Has Mommy Issues”

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