Just a heads up—this piece dives into some spoilers from the Apple TV+ show “Severance.” Remember that cliffhanger with Mark S. and Helly R. from the end of the second season? Picture the two of them, caught mid-stride, dashing through the stark white hallways of Lumon Industries. It’s a scene that brings to mind Paul Newman and Robert Redford’s iconic run in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”
In “Severance,” Lumon’s employees have spent two seasons trapped in the confusing maze of these corridors, their “innie” selves separated from their “outie” lives beyond work hours. Their frantic escape, soundtracked by Mel Tormé singing “The Windmills of Your Mind,” was a fittingly enigmatic finale. These characters hold hands, headed into a never-ending series of corridors with no sunlight in sight. What lies ahead for them is anyone’s guess. Will the ominously mundane world of Lumon be unraveled from the inside? That’s still a mystery.
As a dedicated viewer myself, I’m left pondering numerous unresolved threads. That ambiguity, though, is precisely what makes adult storytelling so unique—it offers us the freedom to interpret and theorize without predefined conclusions.
It felt like a natural point to conclude the show. The creators trusted the audience to embrace the uncertainty—a rare compliment indeed. So when I heard about a third season, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
While there’s a chorus of excitement from many, I’m not entirely thrilled. My sentiment might seem odd for a fan, and I certainly don’t doubt the creators’ ability to craft another season of “Severance.” Still, imagine if they chose not to. The unexplored corridors and cryptic symbols are where the show’s brilliance resides. It’s in what we can’t quite figure out that the intrigue lies.
Yet, we seem to crave more, often at the cost of overstaying a welcome. People enjoy ongoing narratives, indulging in continuous resolutions, rather than savoring the mystery. Shows like “The White Lotus” and “Ted Lasso” have raised similar discussions about prolonged storytelling.
We can’t underestimate the value of leaving stories open for interpretation, whether it’s Tony Soprano’s open-ended fate that left fans talking for years or “The Godfather Part III” that most agree added little to the legacy. The wisdom in keeping audiences yearning for more often seems overlooked as series extend just because they can.
Nonetheless, will I tune in for “Severance’s” next season? Of course. There’s always hope it’ll capture the magic of extended narratives like “Downton Abbey” or “The Sopranos.”
Reflecting on “The Sopranos”‘s controversial ending, where the screen abruptly turned black, reminds us of an artistic choice that fueled endless debate. We were left wondering about Tony’s fate, and that’s precisely why it resonated.
Many still grapple with that decision, and some now insist on a resolution for Mark S. and Helly R. But truthfully, the beauty of “Severance” lies in its current conclusion—a perfect blend of questions and ambiguity that lets our imaginations roam free.
