The hottest show on television, “Severance” (2022-Present), had its second season finale March 20 and has been greenlit for a third season by Apple TV+. The finale showed many things that happened to beloved characters and certain stories going unresolved leaving viewers on multiple cliffhangers.
For those who have not caught up or watched a single episode of the show and plan to, no details about it will be shared in this article. A handful of students gave their opinion on the finale, all of which reached the same conclusion.
Jack Zwiezinski, a junior studying journalism, thought it was a perfect conclusion to the second season.
“I absolutely loved it,” Zwiezinksi said. “I was a little worried because the back half of the season was paced so fast but they managed to stick the landing. They gave just enough to answer some mysteries while continuing to build on what they were working on.”
Sam Kennedy, a sophomore majoring in both marketing and business, had similar thoughts.
“I think they did a great job with wrapping the season up,” Kennedy said. “I was a bit worried because I thought episode nine didn’t really move the story forward. The cinematography was great, and the actors did such a good job with being able to act as two separate people in the same show.”
Lastly, a recent graduate named Audrey Kneer who studied sociology pre-law, gave her thoughts on the finale as well.
“I loved the finale and the buildup between Mark S. and Mark Scout,” Kneer explained. “Helly was excellent, and I have never hated a fictional character more than Mark S.”
When asked if there was any aspect that could’ve been done better, Zwiezinski and Kneer doubled down and gave their reasons why the showrunners couldn't have produced a better season finale.
“I honestly think they hit everything they were wanting to and it paid off,” Zwiezinski said. “I don’t know if they could’ve done anything better.”
“The execution was great, and I knew the twist with Mark S. running away was coming but I still hated it in a good way,” Kneer said. “It fit his character development but it tore down all of the work Mark Scout had done.”
However, Kennedy felt as if some character motivations were changed compared to what the final cut is.
“I would’ve been fine with Mark just leaving with his wife,” Kennedy said. “But I don’t think they could’ve done anything better since they decided they want to make a third season. I can understand why Innie Mark stayed even though it felt a tad forced.”
With Season 2’s finale having many stories going unresolved, the three participants gave their thoughts on cliffhanger endings in general.
“Cliffhangers only work when a significant part of the story is wrapped up,” Kneer said. “Season two achieved that by closing out the cold harbor/Gemma plotline.”
“They can be very frustrating for an audience, especially in a time where any show can be cancelled at any minute no matter how successful it is,” Zwiezinski said. “I don’t hate leaving something to keep your audience hooked and thinking about though.”
“I think they have their place,” Kennedy said. “They can be annoying, but I’m glad they want to keep exploring the world of ‘Severance’ and expand the story. However, if done wrong it can leave a bad taste in your mouth in an otherwise great show.”
It is obviously way too early to tell when the third season of “Severance” will come out. As the three students in this article detailed in giving their opinions, it is probably best that the creative minds behind the show such as Ben Stiller and Dan Erickson have as much time as they need to deliver on those cliffhangers in season three.
