Severance fans had an Irving-style list of questions heading into the season 2 finale. What was Lumon’s plan with Cold Harbour? How would Innie Mark and Outie Mark’s reintegration play out? What about poor Gemma? And what exactly is the significance of Gwendoline Christie’s herd of impossibly cute goats?
Creator Dan Erickson and producer Ben Stiller may not have answered all of our questions. But hey, that’s what season 3 is (hopefully) for. In the meantime, viewers are still reeling from that drama-packed finale, which – spoilers! – saw Innie Mark (Adam Scott) forced to make a choice between his Outie’s wife, Gemma (Dichen Lachman), and his own love, Helly R (Britt Lower). Fans were left divided when Innie Mark helped Gemma escape from Lumon, but chose to stay with Helly R, leaving Gemma bereft as Mark S and Helly R run back to Lumon’s severed floor together.
We’re not the only ones reeling. Britt Lower and Dichen Lachman joined Glamour UK to discuss those heart-wrenching final scenes, the enduring appeal of the show, and what their hopes for season 3.
GLAMOUR: By now, Severance fans around the world have seen the season 2 finale. What’s the reaction been like?
Britt: Intense. It stirs up a lot of emotion, which I think was Ben [Stiller] and Dan [Erickson]’s goal. But it’s heartbreaking. I remember reading it and just… you know, we watched Outie Mark and search for Gemma for two seasons and simultaneously Innie Mark is falling for Helly, and forming this chosen family with Irving and Dylan. So, these two concurrent relationships coming to a head was something that was inevitable, but as with every great tragedy, you hope against the inevitable.
Dichen: It’s exciting to see how engaged the viewers are and how much they want to know what happens next. That’s how you want the show to end; with that desire for them to want more.
GL: What can we expect from season 3? What do you hope to see for your characters?
Britt: I just want more scuba diving. Pineapple-bobbing. All underwater activities.
Dichen: How incredible was the stop motion?
Britt: Yes, more stop-motion animation.
Dichen: I mean, wow. Those guys deserve so much credit. I actually don’t know anything about it, but I do want to just acknowledge the amount of work that goes into stop motion is phenomenal. There’s a guy on Instagram who posted behind-the-scenes of making all the little figurines. Like, Coraline is one of my and my daughter’s favourite movies, and the workmanship and time that goes into that is extraordinary.
Jon Pack