Apple TV+ workplace thriller 'Severance' returns to production

AppleInsider

The cast and crew of hit Apple TV+ drama "Severance" are back on set and filming the show's second season.

Production resumes on sci-fi thriller 'Severance'

In May 2023, production on the award-winning sci-fi thriller series "Severance" ground to a halt amid the writers union and SAG-AFTRA strokes. Now, after more than eight months of delays, the series is headed back to production.

The announcement, spotted by The Independent, was made on Monday by series creator Ben Stiller on X.

Back to work. #SEVERANCE https://t.co/3uh8ZEXJJL

-- Ben Stiller (@BenStiller)

January 29, 2024

"Severance" is a dystopian thriller following Mark Scout, played by Adam Scott, set in a near-future where Lumon Industries uses an experimental procedure to surgically divide employees' work and personal memories.

The series was renewed for a second season in April 2022.

The series was nominated for 14 Emmy Awards, winning two for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series and Outstanding Main Title Design. It also won five awards at the Hollywood Critics Awards and has been successful at other awards shows.

Sci-fi dystopian drama series "Silo" has also returned to production.



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charlesn

Hard to understand how such a great series could be so beset by internal problems in a second season. With S2 greenlit in April '22, production should have been wrapped before the strikes began in mid-year '23. Now we'll be lucky to see S2 by early next year, which would be THREE YEARS after S1 debuted. 

john-useless

charlesn said:

Now we'll be lucky to see S2 by early next year, which would be THREE YEARS after S1 debuted. 

I share your disappointment. Between pandemics, strikes by writers and/or actors, and/or internal production problems, having multiple years between seasons seems to be the new normal — except, in some cases, for series that air on broadcast television.

Most of my favorite new television shows nowadays are produced for streaming services, with eight to 12 episodes per season and seasons arriving two to three years apart. The entertainment industry has changed incredibly since the days when most new American shows were made for ABC, CBS and NBC, airing from roughly September through April, with reruns during summer and new episodes arriving reliably in early fall.

On the other hand, for sci-fi shows (particularly those requiring lots of post-production and special effects), I'm good with 10 episodes produced at cinematic quality than with a lot more episodes that are underwhelming. But I wish we didn't have to wait multiple years between seasons.

nunnyobizz

The television industry still hasn’t grasped the amazing concept that if you wait too long between seasons, you will lose a significant portion of viewership that will never be regained.  

On top of that, a complex series like Severance isn’t something you can easily jump into by watching season two.

This happens time and time again on television when there are multiple years between seasons and yet the industry still seems shocked by the viewer loss.  When they finally return, they end up having like six episodes which can be binged in one sitting, and that’s it for another 2-3 years.  And then before you know it, the series is canceled due to low ratings.

Although I truly enjoyed Severance, these kind of continued delays ultimately bring about a swift cancellation and I suspect it will be gone by the end of season two or season three.

it’s almost as if independent studios cannot discipline themselves to the extent that network television shows are able to do so.  They crank out over 20 episodes a year and return in the fall to do it all again next year!  Independent studios are lucky if they crank out 6 to 10 episodes and then disappear for two to three years.   W T F.

And don’t even get me started how Latin American television shows are disciplined enough to produce 65 to 85 episodes per season… which ends up being more episodes than most complete tv series from independent US studios.  

edited January 2024

grannysmith99

The writers union and SAG-AFTRA had a stroke? I hope they recover soon.

bloggerblog

Nunnyobizz said:

This happens time and time again on television when there are multiple years between seasons and yet the industry still seems shocked by the viewer loss.  When they finally return, they end up having like six episodes which can be binged in one sitting, and that’s it for another 2-3 years.  And then before you know it, the series is canceled due to low ratings.

Agreed, I cancelled my ATV+ membership altogether, there wasn't anything left to watch. Too slow to market and sometimes the acting is meh, like Mosquito Coast but that's a common trend amongst all new shows nowadays.

spheric

Nunnyobizz said:

The television industry still hasn’t grasped the amazing concept that if you wait too long between seasons, you will lose a significant portion of viewership that will never be regained.  

On top of that, a complex series like Severance isn’t something you can easily jump into by watching season two.

This happens time and time again on television when there are multiple years between seasons and yet the industry still seems shocked by the viewer loss.  When they finally return, they end up having like six episodes which can be binged in one sitting, and that’s it for another 2-3 years.  And then before you know it, the series is canceled due to low ratings.

I dunno. Society has progressed beyond linear television. 

When the second season of Foundation came out, I rewatched the first. 

When the second season of Severance comes out, we'll kick it off with a re-watching of Season One. 

For Stranger Things, we'll probably re-watch the last season. 

strangedays

john-useless said:

charlesn said:

Now we'll be lucky to see S2 by early next year, which would be THREE YEARS after S1 debuted. 

On the other hand, for sci-fi shows (particularly those requiring lots of post-production and special effects), I'm good with 10 episodes produced at cinematic quality than with a lot more episodes that are underwhelming. But I wish we didn't have to wait multiple years between seasons.

Actually I feel the opposite. Old Trek with its 24 episodes per season focused less on expensive sets, and much more on good writing and character development, yielding stronger world building, compared to New Trek (10 eps) which is very flash (oh so many lens flares! yawn) but lacking in writing and character development. Which is more important?