There were reasons to worry about a “Severance” sophomore slump.
Foremost, the Ben Stiller-backed, 2022 Apple TV+ series was such a brilliantly realized paranoid thriller/sci-fi satire of the work-life balance illusion — recreating its first season magic would be a herculean task under the best circumstances.
Then there were reports that creator Dan Erickson and more experienced co-showrunner Mark Friedman weren’t getting along to such an extent that “House of Cards” veteran Beau Willimon was brought in to smooth out the follow-up’s trajectory. Hollywood strikes notwithstanding, production delays also seemed ominous.
Whatever went down, Season 2 finally premieres Jan. 17. And while there’s more than a bit of wheel-spinning in its first few episodes, saying “Aha, I knew it!” will make you sound like a clueless Outie guessing what goes down on a Lumon Industries severed floor.