Between January and April 2022 there was a work that became the queen of word-of-mouth among the most serious viewers. It was a psychological thriller with a retro aesthetic, a dystopian science fiction premise and an anti-capitalist discourse. I imagined what would happen if a person agreed to implant a chip that would lead them to dissociate during work hours with the consequent creation of two identities that are unknown: the self at work and the self at home. It was renewed by Apple TV after the end of the first season. But Severance, which is the name of the series, still has no release date for the new chapters.
There are reasons to talk about her. Ben Stiller, the director and executive producer of Severance, announced on Monday that he was “back to work.” Filming for the second season had actually started on October 3, 2022 and was due to end in mid-May 2023 but, with the outbreak of the writers’ strike and the subsequent actors’ strike, the recordings were interrupted. With the end of the actors’ strike on November 9, it was a matter of time before production resumed again.
But saying “the delays are due to the strike” is probably a way of partially describing the situation. Severance, beyond the claims of the scriptwriters and actors, had problems behind the cameras. And, ironically, the series about the most cryptic and disturbing work environment on television has one of the most unsustainable behind-the-scenes environments.
It was the Puck News portal, accustomed to reliable exclusives within the United States entertainment sector, who made the hare jump in April, days before the forced break. According to their sources, creator Dan Erickson and producer Mark Friedman deeply detest each other, to the point that Friedman was on the verge of leaving the series after the first season, which won 2 Emmy awards out of 13 nominations (and where he competed in the main categories, including best drama series).
The rivalry was important. Erickson could be the creator and main writer of Severance but, having no previous experience before the production of the series, he counted on an experienced man like Friedman to carry out his vision. It is a common Hollywood practice for those starting out: having someone they trust to finish fitting the creativity, budget and logistics to direct the project.
From Puck News they reported that Ben Stiller even looked for someone to replace Friedman, who ended up staying, and the creative process for the second season became hell. The director denied the reports but there was a striking signing: Apple TV hired Beau Willimon, known for creating the American version of House of Cards.
In theory, Willimon had come on board to help prepare the third season, and since the second era’s writers’ room was small, he came in to collaborate with Erickson and Friedman ahead of schedule. He was part of Apple’s plan to get the future of its most critically acclaimed drama series back on track, with the intention of reaching at least a fourth season.
But what was the point of Willimon getting to work on the third season when the second had not even been filmed? And how could it be justified that, in the middle of writing the second, a third party entered? Willimon’s presence supported the most uncomfortable version: the scripts for the second season were being rewritten after creative disagreements.
In short, the delay of the second season is not only due to the writers’ strike but also to the tortuous creative relationship of its two main managers. Whether the quality of Severance remains intact is something that we will only know when we know the fate of the characters of Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette and Britt Lower after the tachycardic finale of the season.
The second season is expected to air during 2024.
