Severance’s Showrunner Is aware of How and When It All Ends

While you consider Severance, you think of Adam Scott. You consider Ben Stiller. You could even consider John Turturro, Christopher Walken, or Patricia Arquette. You in all probability don’t, nevertheless, think of Dan Erickson. Despite the fact that you need to.

Erickson is the creator of the hit Apple TV+ show and one of many folks primarily liable for each twist, flip, thriller, and out-of-left-field oddity that occurs at Lumon Industries. In case you have a query about what the hell is occurring with the present, he’s the individual to ask. And, as one would possibly count on, Erickson has loved that relative anonymity. It’s simply considered one of many issues he spoke about in a current dialog with io9.

Over video chat, we talked to Erickson concerning the intentions of the long-awaited and highly anticipated, second season. He mentioned how most of the mysteries he’s created (issues like what’s Lumon as much as? Why is Mark’s spouse alive? What’s up with the goats, and so on?) he is aware of the solutions to. Plus, he revealed he is aware of how the present goes to finish, when—and if Apple decides to greenlight a 3rd season, the hope is it’ll arrive a lot ahead of the three years it took between seasons one and two.

Learn our non-spoiler interview with Erickson under, and examine again as soon as season two of Severance premieres on January 17 for some spoiler speak.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

Germain Lussier, io9: I really like that the season doesn’t draw back from something. It simply sort of jumps proper in and also you’re tackling a number of huge questions immediately. Was that all the time going to be the case or was {that a} response to the followers ready for therefore lengthy for season two?

Dan Erickson: It was all the time going to be the case. A part of it was a lot occurs on the finish of season one, and it actually upends the established order for everyone, there was some hazard of it getting convoluted and complicated and being like, “Okay, who is aware of what?” So we wished to kind of put all the pieces out on the desk. That’s why, on the surface, the characters fairly shortly get into conversations with one another about like, “Okay, what the hell simply occurred? What was that? What did that imply?” After which on the within, it’s the identical factor. Within the trailer, you could have Dylan (Zach Cherry) straight up asking the query “What did you guys see up there?” That felt narratively like the appropriate factor to do and it additionally felt true to the characters. All of those individuals are going to be determined to determine what on earth simply occurred and what meaning for them, so we simply allow them to have these conversations organically.

io9: Clearly with a present like this, you arrange some mysteries that you’ve solutions to and a few that you just don’t. I’m questioning, going into season two and past, what share of these do you could have solutions to, how a lot did you must determine, and are there any you’re nonetheless not sure about?

Erickson: I’ve a reasonably strong concept of the endpoint of the present. I’ve sort of a ultimate scene that has all the time been in my head and solutions to a number of the huge questions. I feel you kind of should know these in an effort to know the principles of the world that you just’re writing. But in addition, I feel it’s balanced as a result of I prefer to be stunned by the present too. Typically we’ll meet a brand new character or discover a new location or factor of the present that I’m stunned to seek out myself in love with and impulsively it’s like, “Effectively, now that must be a part of it. We are able to’t simply depart that there. We have now to make that part of the larger story.” And that’s the place lots of the enjoyable is available in. You must suppose in your toes somewhat bit and let the present shock you.

io9: I spoke to a few of your actors and requested them what life has been like with three years off between seasons and if followers speak to them about it, which they’ve. However on this case, you’re the creator however you even have somewhat little bit of anonymity. You’re not Ben Stiller. You’re not Adam Scott. So has there ever been an occasion the place individuals are discussing the present they usually don’t know that you just’re the man?

Erickson: Yeah, it’s humorous. I used to be at a restaurant some time again and I used to be sitting there actually on my laptop computer engaged on the present and there have been some folks sitting subsequent to me and their canine got here up, it’s this actually candy canine, got here up and put its head in my lap. I used to be like, “Oh, can I pet your canine?” “Yeah, yeah.” So I’m sitting there simply petting their canine and immediately this this man is like “By the best way, have you ever guys seen Severance?” They usually’re like, “Yeah,” and he’s like “Everybody likes it. I can’t get into it. It’s not my factor.” And I’m sitting there identical to petting and I’m like “I’m gonna steal this canine. This canine deserves a correct proprietor. And this gentleman is undeserving.” [Laughs]

io9: You mentioned you could have sort of an concept of the place the present would finish, however do you could have a tough concept of what number of seasons it might go? 

Erickson: Yeah, I’ve an concept. It’s not like 100% for positive however we’ve talked about it internally and we’re all fairly positive that we now have a quantity that we’re proud of.

io9: Okay, and if we get a 3rd season—and we’d higher Apple!— are you able to say for positive that it’ll take much less time than this one?

Erickson: I actually would really like it to, yeah. And the conversations we now have had about it, that’s been within the dialog. As a result of season two truly took about the identical period of time as season one. The distinction, in fact, is season one no one knew what the present was and they also weren’t ready for it. However on the identical time, you’re all the time trying to kind of fine-tune the method and take what works and depart what doesn’t work and streamline issues. So, my hope is that if there’s a season three, it’s going to be sooner.

Examine again after the season two premiere of Severance for some spoiler dialogue with Erickson. It debuts on January 17.

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