After the success of its first season, Severance season 2 dives even deeper into the show’s mysteries. One of the main themes this season is the connection between the “Innies” (the versions of characters at work) and their “Outies” (the versions in the real world). Season 1 had a few exciting moments where these two sides interacted, and season 2 continues to explore that. One of the highlights of season 1 was the finale, where the Innies could control their bodies and experience the outside world, and this happens again in episode 4 of season 2—this time with a twist.
Season 2 has done a great job of keeping things fresh and interesting, even though we know more about Lumon and the characters now. Episode 3 focused on Mark’s search for Ms. Casey/Gemma, with both his Innie and Outie versions making progress. After Mark went through a reintegration process at the end of episode 3, I was curious about how that would unfold in episode 4, and the episode delivered.
The fourth episode, titled “Woe’s Hollow,” is the most unique of the season so far. It gives the Innies a chance to experience the outside world, but as always, things happen in a very Severance way. At first, I was confused when the characters appeared in a snowy place. Was this real? It sure was, and it turned out to be the first Outdoor Retreat Team Building Occurrence (ORTBO) organized by Lumon. The Innies get to go outside, but Lumon is still watching them through Mr. Milchick and others.
The ORTBO lets us spend more time with the Innies in the outside world, but it’s very different from the finale of season 1. Instead of exploring on their own, the Innies are together in a group, which gives them a chance to see the world outside of Lumon as a team. I really liked this choice—it gave the characters a fresh perspective, and it was exciting to see them experience nature for the first time.
This episode also does a great job of developing the characters. It’s one of the best episodes for character growth in both seasons of Severance so far. There are moments of creepiness, like characters seen from a distance who look like the Macrodata Refinement team and Milchick’s constant presence, which add a touch of horror to the episode. With a beautiful snowy setting and a mystery about Kier’s origins to explore, some big reveals make this episode even more thrilling.
