The latest episode of Severance season 2 is here, and it is wild. From dead seals, to marshmallows, to secrets and betrayal, the episode proves to be one of the show's best so far, and opens up new possibilities in the worlds of our Severed employees.
Spoiler alert! If you haven't yet watched episode 4 of Severance's second season, you'll want to do so before you read this article. Seriously, come back to us when you're done — you won't want this one spoiled.
Severance season 2 episode 4 recap
After the previous episode wildly ended with Outie Mark choosing to begin the process of reintegration, Severance takes us back to the Innies' world. Irving wakes up on an icy lake in the middle of a large forest, but it isn't long before he finds his friends, and they discover that they've been sent on an "ORTBO," an Outdoor Retreat Team Building Occurrence, which is Lumon-speak for "we're going to scare the daylights out of you."
Sure enough, the four coworkers find an extraordinary trail of unsettling occurrences with what seem to be puppet versions of themselves guiding the way. The puppets lead our team into a cave, known as Woe's Hollow, and find a new section of the handbook, one that tells them that Keir, the probably-evil-overlord of Lumon, had a twin brother who once led him to that same cave. Keir's twin is revealed to have died as the Earth claimed him.
The workers find Mr. Milchick not long after. He takes the four to their campsite for the night (thankfully for Irving, they do not need to eat the dead seal they find along the river) and some arguing ensues. Irving points out that Helly's story about what she saw on the outside doesn't make sense. Mark jumps to Helly's defense, but Irving calls out the romantic tension between Helly and Mark as a reason for Mark's blindness. Helly replies that Irving is envious because he can no longer see his former flame Burt again, after the latter's Innie retired last season. Irving storms off into the night.
Helly and Mark become intimate in the tent, which is interspersed by some impressively contrasting shots of Irving all alone outside, lost and without warmth. Mark has a flash of seeing Gemma, a taste of the consequences of his reintegration from last episode.
Meanwhile, Irving passes out on a rock and has a cryptic dream about Burt, his computer, and Woe herself, as depicted in the handbook. The following morning, Irving and Helly stand overlooking a waterfall, and Irving says the classic line, "Hey kid." When Helly does not respond with, "What's for dinner?," Irving confronts her, accusing her of being cruel — something of which her Innie never is — and an Eagan.
Irving drags Helly over to the lake, calling for Milchick, who runs over with Mark and Dylan in tow. Irving begins to hold Helly's head underwater periodically, yelling, "Turn her back!," before Helly — or Helena — finally shouts that he should do it. Milchick pulls out a walkie-talkie and requests that the Glasgow Block is removed. Innie Helly returns, underwater.
As real Helly shivers in Mark's arms, Milchick immediately fires Irving, saying smugly that it will be as if Irving has never existed. The latter has one last look of defiance before he walks off. The final shot is him becoming his Outie, for what may be the last time, if Milchick has anything to say about it.
Season 2 episode 4 review
Severance can't help but give fans something fresh every episode, as the impossible becomes possible here, with the opening shot looking at Irving in the cold broad daylight. The cinematography is beautiful and director Ben Stiller does a wonderful job harnessing the beautiful backdrop of this episode with the creepiness and horror of the puppets, against the vast white backdrop that could otherwise have spelled freedom for our core four.
The acting is sublime from start to finish. Although he has little to work with this episode, Zach Cherry's Dylan continues to find some wonderful comedic timing here, with Dylan's main lines all being variations of "Whaaaat?" Honestly, same, Dylan.
Britt Lower also impresses with the delicate crafting of the intimate scenes. She did a great job of giving Helly the dichotomy of someone who is feeling vulnerable, despite also being someone who is hiding a lot. Adam Scott was his usual brilliant self, and we're hoping the ongoing reintergration plot will give him even more chances to shine.
But this is John Turturro's episode. He plays the confusion, anger, and revolutionary sentiment of Irving's Innie excellently. Every line delivered, especially toward the end of the episode, is so well-thought out and impactful. Turturro guarantees Irving as a likeable and sympathetic character, even when in a fight with his friends. It's also in this episode we can contrast to Irving from the first season, when he was a Keir-loving rule-abider. Love changes all.
Most of all, what makes Severance amazing is the writing. The originality, creativity and fluidity of writer Dan Erickson continues to astound. He gives each character such credibility and realism, gives each tiny detail an enormous amount of meaning, gives each major plot decision such a natural feeling. What other show could pull off such an enormous shift on episode 4?
What's coming next for Severance?
The new Keir Eagan lore is fascinating. It's a little random, but very much in line with what fans have come to expect from Keir's life story, which is so far a jumbled mix of strange, horrific, and amusing.
While our coworker friends are led to believe that Keir's twin died in the way the Lumon handbook is written, the sinister nature of Lumon and Keir makes us think that perhaps Keir was in part responsible for his brother's death. Every detail we learn about the founder of Lumon will help fans put together a larger picture of what's going on in this world. And we expect it to only get crazier from here on out.
The idea that each of the workers has a puppet version could have huge implications for Gemma/Ms. Casey and Mark's quest to find her. What if Lumon can somehow create animated versions of these body doubles? Maybe Gemma isn't alive after all and is just some shadow of herself.
Every detail we learn about the world of Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan will help fans put together a larger picture of what's going on in this world. And we expect it to only get crazier from here on out. Hold onto your lanyards, folks. We're going in deep this season.
Watch Severance only on Apple TV+.