Apple TV+ workplace thriller 'Severance' returns to production

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. 

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.

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.  

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

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.