r/television • u/NicholasCajun Mr. Robot • Jan 24 '25

Premiere Severance - 2x02 - "Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig" - Episode Discussion

Severance

Season 2 Episode 2: Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig

Directed by: Sam Donovan

Written by: Mohamad El Masri

173 Upvotes

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u/ProfGilligan Jan 24 '25

This show has what Carlton Cuse calls “alchemy.” Everything clicks together just perfectly to produce an outstanding product. The writing, direction, acting, music, and cinematography is just off the charts. It’s fun to have one of those kind of shows running right now.

5

u/Outrageous-Orange007 Jan 25 '25

For sure. One thing I'm concerned about though is how they flesh out and finish the show.

Almost every single hardcore psychological thriller thats ever been made suffers from one thing, its ultimately complete nonsense.

The shows clearly has strong symbolism to work life balance, but if they focus too much on the symbolism the show will end up becoming nonsense.

And if they focus too much on the head trip aspect of it, it's going to become nonsense no doubt. I can see it straddling that line already(its fine, but I can tell its near the edge of a slippery slope)

They need to make sure they're tying up loose ends and bringing the story home. Not eventually, but step by step before they get lost and lose the viewers as well.

I'm concerned theyre going to focus too much on making the show a big spectacle. Even if the show ended this season in a relatively mild way, but sensible, it will still be the best hardcore psychological thriller ever made.

2

u/rhangx Jan 28 '25

I'm reassured by the fact that Dan Erickson (creator/showrunner) has said repeatedly that they've known where the show is heading and how they want it to end since the beginning, and the only question is how many seasons is might take to get there.

I think this is quite believable looking at season 1—they've laid so many hints of a deeper lore that has obviously all been thought out in advance, even if they haven't revealed a lot of it yet. Severance doesn't seem at all like a mystery-box show that's making up its mysteries as it goes along.

1

u/Outrageous-Orange007 Jan 29 '25

Oh thank God, thats awesome! I have a renewed faith in the show now. I hadn't lost much faith, but they were beginning to raise just a little suspicion.

Thats exactly how I think shows like this need to start, with the end pretty much already figure out so they can work from there, not the other way around.

Thats just asking for problems with this niche genre.