Hate me if you want, but Apple TV's Severance is the G.O.A.T. in the psychological thriller genre

Severance on Apple TV+ is more than just a workplace thriller.

The series is a genre-defining masterpiece that effectively combines psychological drama, science fiction, and corporate satire, making other prestige TV feel like interns trying to keep up! Okay, we might have gone a bit overboard. But read on, and we will convince you to watch the show if you haven't already.

Everything that made Dan Erickson's dystopia so believable (humor, an ever-present mystery, and a cruel corporate environment that feels real) was upscaled in Season 2, which started airing on January 17, 2025.

The show's premise was to divide the employees' consciousness into a "home self surgically" and a "work self," which was already nerve-wracking.

Season 2 didn't stop at that resulting déjà vu, though.

"The show has to continue on its journey and can't stay just doing the same thing," executive producer Ben Stiller told The New York Times.

That mission was accomplished.

Like if Kafka had been made to attend an HR seminar, Mark Scout (Adam Scott) had to endure grief, memory, and a corporate nightmare labyrinth.

Severance is darker, twistier, and far more psychological.

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Severance's much-darker recent season

If Season 1 of Severance was a slow-burn, Season 2 is a fever dream. Mark learns his coworker Miss Casey is actually his presumed-dead wife Gemma, and what happens next might break Lumon Industries' planned secrecy.

Yes, those terrifying baby goats are back, but we still don't know why they're there. Lumon's bizarre rituals, board, and office culture only get stranger.

Milchick, played by Tramell Tillman, steals the show as a smug corporate enforcer who may be the most terrifying HR representative in TV history.

Britt Lower's Helly keeps audiences glued to the screen, and Patricia Arquette's Harmony Cobel emits dread with each dialogue.

Despite its world-building, the series does not give away much. What is Lumon's real goal? A mystery. Macrodata Refinement? Vaguely hinted at.

What about those goats? Reddit is full of theories, including one suggesting that Ricken (Mark's brother-in-law) is a goat. This is because the show only scrapes a portion of its issues. Dichen Lachman laughed when JOE pitched this theory to her, but she didn't dismiss it. She said, "That's probably one of the more wild theories I've heard." Of course, fans took her silence as a clue.

Under that cardigan, might Ricken be hiding horns?

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Severance is a prestige TV masterclass

Critics agree that calling Severance the G.O.A.T. isn't an exaggeration. Alongside Succession and Black Mirror, the show has a 97% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which makes it an outstanding example of prestige TV.

Its production design creates a claustrophobic yet exciting atmosphere with its sterile hallways, retro-futuristic computers, and scary artwork.

The series looks into the mental expenses of compartmentalizing pain in the context of attacking capitalism. It is brilliant because it shows the destructive power of grief, especially as it is suppressed by a lifetime of useless work.

Mark's conflict between his "innie" and "outie" selves is heartbreaking and relatable, thanks to (what we believe is) Adam Scott's career-best role.

The payoff is HUGE. Severance Season 2's end makes the Season 1 finale seem like a watercooler chat. When each episode was dropping, the weekly release schedule had viewers soak up every twist. Put your weekend plans on hold if you haven't started watching yet. The cult of Lumon is calling!

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Watch Severance on Apple TV+.

NEXT UP: Ben Stiller won’t be directing Severance Season 3