Severance

[SGR]

Any fans of the Apple TV exclusive, Severance, here?



I just finished with Season 2 and gotta say, I wasn't very happy with it. 

[Trollheart]

Have to say, I think that's a bit much. Not only do they fire you, and give your job to a tiny guy, but they also take half your head and install your replacement in your brain? Surely pushing it a bit? 

[Lisnaholic]

I really enjoyed the first series because the very unusual premise kept me intrigued about the way it would play out.
To do justice to the second series, I'm planning to re-watch the first series, so that the characters and their stories are fresh in my mind again.

I just finished with Season 2 and gotta say, I wasn't very happy with it. 

^ A complaint, but also a laugh ? No spoilers, please, but were you genuinely disappointed with Series 2 ?

[SGR]

I really enjoyed the first series because the very unusual premise kept me intrigued about the way it would play out.
To do justice to the second series, I'm planning to re-watch the first series, so that the characters and their stories are fresh in my mind again.

^ A complaint, but also a laugh ? No spoilers, please, but were you genuinely disappointed with Series 2 ?

Yes, I was genuinely disappointed with it. Without getting into spoilers, I think the writers had a difficult time writing the second season. I'm not convinced they had a clear idea of what they wanted to do with the characters, nor am I convinced they had a clear idea of where they wanted to take the story. Part of what made the first season so interesting and unique was the environment and the general mystery of what the hell is going on. Throughout the first season, some of that mystery is unveiled and illuminated, and even if there are still questions, you're very familiar by the time season 2 gets going with both the characters and the environments - so the draw of the 'mystery' so abundant is season 1 is stifled a bit in season 2. I didn't like the way the second season started, or the way it ended. I won't go much deeper (unless you want me to), for the sake of allowing you to attempt to make up your own mind about it without bias.

I don't mean to say season 2 was horrible or anything - but it was definitely disappointing. I'll definitely be tuning into season 3 when it eventually comes out though.

[Lisnaholic]

^ Thanks for that carefully-worded assessment, SGR. That will be plenty for now thanks; as you kindly suggest, I'll be able to make up my own mind when I get round to watching it.

As for season-by-season drop offs, as early mysteries lose their intrigue, I am reminded of Stranger Things, which I thought fell with a bump somewhere between Series 1 and Series 3.

[SGR]

As for season-by-season drop offs, as early mysteries lose their intrigue, I am reminded of Stranger Things, which I thought fell with a bump somewhere between Series 1 and Series 3.

I've been anxiously awaiting season 5 of Stranger Things for years. That's part of the problem, my hype and interest for shows wane when you take forever to release the next season. I thought season 3 was probably the weakest of that bunch, but I'm not typically one to rewatch TV shows or seasons (my wife on the other hand is, but when we're talking about TV series like this, that's like 10 fuckin' hours, so I'm more of the mind that I'll just watch the story recap that will inevitably be at the beginning of the next season, and I'll be reminded of all the most important story beats - I think the only TV series I've actually rewatched in full multiple times is Breaking Bad).

With Stranger Things though, I think the mystery lessening is less of an issue for me than Severance since I feel more attached to the characters in Stranger Things. Part of that might be the writing and their personalities, but also a part of that is likely that we've literally watched them grow up on screen throughout the seasons. So I don't feel like Stranger Things really needs that mystery element as much for me in later seasons, as long as the story remains interesting and the characters and character development is engaging and thoughtful.