[Warning: Contains significant spoilers from the season two finale of Severance, titled “Cold Harbor.”]
On the same day that the season two finale of Severance premiered on Apple TV+, the cast and creative team gathered at PaleyFest LA to discuss the episode’s conclusion.
Attendees included actors Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, Dichen Lachman, Jen Tullock, Sarah Bock, Tramell Tillman, Michael Chernus, Gwendoline Christie, and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, along with director/executive producer Ben Stiller and creator Dan Erickson.
The discussion, moderated by Ben Schwartz, who collaborated with Scott on Parks and Recreation, marked a significant public celebration of the show, as its initial season launched during the pandemic and the season two premiere was canceled due to wildfires in Los Angeles.
An exciting moment during the event was when Tillman, known for his role as floor manager Seth Milchick, entered the theater to the accompaniment of the USC marching band, referencing a memorable band scene from the finale.
After screening the finale—where Mark (Scott) liberates his Outie’s wife Gemma (Lachman) from Lumon but chooses to remain with Helly (Lower)—the cast discussed the implications of this pivotal choice. Lower remarked on the complexity of the relationship dynamics, suggesting it might go beyond a simple love triangle.
In his reflections on the scene, Scott admitted that filming occurred towards the end of a long shooting schedule, which lent a raw emotional quality to the performance. Meanwhile, Lachman conveyed Gemma’s confusion as she attempts to understand Mark’s actions post-procedure. The finale also featured notable violence as Mark and Lorne (Christie) confront Drummond (Ólafsson), with Christie humorously reflecting on her return to action sequences after Game of Thrones.
With the finale now released, Erickson is pleased to see fans engaging with the show, despite trying to keep a distance for the sake of progressing into season three. He acknowledged the varying opinions fans have regarding the finale’s events. Stiller added that the filmmakers aimed for an open-ended narrative, allowing viewers to interpret the motivations of each character fully.
Regarding the third season, Erickson and Stiller are hopeful that its release will come sooner than the three-year gap between the first two seasons, with Stiller confirming that they are actively working on it.
