There are two Severance spinoff ideas that are in the very earliest stages of conception and development, but what could they be? Director and executive producer Ben Stiller recently revealed that a couple Severance spinoffs could become a reality in the coming years. He said that two ideas were being seriously considered. Though it’s still possible that these will fall through the cracks and never see the light of day, the overwhelming success of Severance‘s existing seasons is an excellent sign that this could become a franchise.
It’s interesting to consider what these two Severance spinoff ideas could be about. There are still dozens of unanswered questions in the Severance series, and while most of these are sure to be addressed in coming seasons, some could benefit from a lot more attention to dive into fully. This is where the door would be open for some spinoffs. The Severance franchise could be expanded with both sequels and prequels, and could cover a variety of genres. We likely won’t know what they are for some years, but for now, we can certainly make an educated guess.
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A Kier Eagan Prequel
The Truth About Lumon’s Founder
Kier Eagan is the man who started it all in Severance. He was the founder and first CEO of Lumon Industries, but he is regarded more like a god within the Eagan family and Lumon’s most loyal employees. Severance‘s two seasons have already begun to explore Kier’s backstory, but it’s difficult to tell what is and is not true. For example, Kier’s twin brother, Dieter, is said to have suddenly transformed into sap and moss during their younger years. Surely, this isn’t really how things went down.
The somewhat more gullible Innies in Severance are expected to believe everything they hear about Kier, but audiences know better. While the central series is sure to begin revealing truths about the Lumon founder’s past, it would be valuable to see this character in person in a Severance prequel. However, a story like this would likely lack the sort of unique comedy that has made Severance so successful, so it’s uncertain whether this prequel would actually be considered.
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Harmony Cobel & The Severance Procedure
How Lumon Stole Ms. Cobel’s Idea
Harmony Cobel was a fairly unlikable character for the majority of Severance, but Season 2 suddenly forced us to develop some compassion for her. As good as it was to see her forced out of Lumon at first, the big reveal that Jame Eagan had stolen her scientific work on the Severance procedure really shifted things. Future seasons of Severance are likely to explore Harmony’s past, diving into her upbringing and motivation for inventing the Severance procedure to begin with. However, this story could use a lot more room to explore fully.
While Harmony is sure to appear in flashback episodes going forward in Severance, a full spinoff series featuring her as a child or teenager would be valuable to the franchise’s overarching story. Season 2 established that Lumon Industries essentially raised Harmony, and that she and other children were victims of child labor, and all became addicted to ether to cope. It also seems that Harmony was a child genius, so seeing her exist in this environment would certainly be interesting.
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Helena Eagan’s Upbringing
A Cultish Childhood Prequel
Image via Apple TV+
The ending of Severance season 1 revealed that Helly R’s Outie is Helena Eagan, the daughter of Jame Eagan and the heir to Lumon Industries. Helena appears to be a pretty horrible person, but it’s quickly becoming clear that this has everything to do with her upbringing. She has essentially been raised in a cult and has had very little control over what she does with her life or who she develops connections with.
Like a potential Harmony prequel, a Severance spinoff featuring Helena as a child would be an interesting way to build the central series up with a stronger foundation.
Like a potential Harmony prequel, a Severance spinoff featuring Helena as a child would be an interesting way to build the central series up with a stronger foundation. The Eagans are determined to create a world without pain, and this has essentially meant turning off all feeling altogether. Jame Eagan would not have been a kind or gentle father, but there was a time when he thought that Helena was essentially Kier reincarnated. There’s definitely a story here that could take up a full series outside of Severance.
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A Severance Spinoff Following Other Severed-Floor Departments
Just How Many Departments Are There?
Severance is unique in that it presents itself as a workplace comedy while tying in far more complex themes than would be typical for this genre. While spinoff ideas like a Kier or Harmony prequel wouldn’t quite fit with this, a series set within the other departments of the Severed floor would. So far, Mark and his colleagues from Macrodata Refinement have discovered a handful of other departments, many of which are just as weird and mysterious as their own.
Related
Every Confirmed Lumon Department In Severance & What They Do
Apple TV+’s Severance has many mysteries surrounding Lumon Industries, its several departments, and what the employees do in each department.
A Severance spinoff centered around the Severed floor departments could bounce between different teams to explore their roles and dynamics within Lumon. We could learn more about Mammalians Nurturable (where the goats are), which is easily one of the more bizarre departments. It would also be interesting to see how Choreography and Merriment spend their days—do they really need to be Severed just to practice marching band all day?
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The Eagans Across Generations
A Story For Each Lumon CEO
Similar to a Helena prequel, a general Eagan spinoff could provide a lot more context about what is happening at Lumon in Severance. We mostly see the Eagans through the perspective of the Innies, who are taught to believe that this is a holy family and that each CEO is worthy of worship. However, since the Severance procedure is relatively new, this wouldn’t have been the case before Jame Eagan stole Harmony’s ideas and took over Lumon.
The mission of eliminating pain from the world surely had other avenues before Jame came along, but this is something we might never learn about without an Eagan spinoff.
It would be interesting to delve into not only Kier’s story, but also that of all his heirs. We could learn about the strange dynamic in this family and understand what Lumon had been like before the Severance procedure. The mission of eliminating pain from the world surely had other avenues before Jame came along, but this is something we might never learn about without an Eagan spinoff.
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A Seth Milchick Spinoff
More Of Our Favorite Severance Character
Mr. Milchick has quickly become a fan-favorite character in the Severance series. Though technically one of the villains, it’s evident that he is far more complicated than just that. Severance season 2, especially, really dug deep into the sorts of obstacles faced by this character at Lumon. Milchick is deeply loyal to the Eagans and their company, but he isn’t exempt from their mistreatment. In fact, it seems that the higher Milchick climbs at Lumon, the more he becomes a victim of microaggressions.
Severance is sure to carry Milchick’s story forward as the series progresses, but it would be interesting to see a spinoff that would work its way backward. Seeing precisely how Milchick came to work on the Severed floor would be deeply valuable, especially since it doesn’t quite seem that he was raised by Lumon in the same way as a Harmony. Moreover, a spinoff series starring Tramell Tillman, who has consistently delivered memorable performances in Severance, would surely sound lucrative to Apple TV.
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A Peter Kilmer Spinoff
There’s So Much More To Learn About This Season 1 Character
We met Peter “Petey” Kilmer back in Severance season 1, but he wasn’t around for long. He was a Severed employee at Lumon, and his Innie was Mark’s best friend before he suddenly stopped coming to work. It’s ultimately revealed that Petey was reintegrated, but the man passed away after only three episodes. While we got to see a bit into Petey’s life, the majority of his story is still a mystery in Severance.
Related
Severance: Who Petey Was & How He Really Died
Petey was one of the most interesting characters at the beginning of Severance, but he unfortunately passed away very early into the series.
Petey reintegrated before the events of Severance season 1, so none of this happened on screen. We don’t know how his Outie came to meet Doctor Asal Reghabi, or why he decided to go through with reintegration, only to ignore the post-op steps that would have kept him alive. Petey’s family is also a point of curiosity, and there’s always been a sense that they know something about Lumon that others don’t. Learning more about all this in a Petey Severance spinoff could be deeply valuable.
1
A Lumon Branch Anthology
A Workplace Comedy For Each Location
Image via Apple TV+
In Severance season 2, we were introduced to a handful of Severed employees who were transferred from a different Lumon branch. Though they were only around for a short time before Mark got them fired, it was interesting to hear about how the experiences of these employees differed based on their location. It quickly becomes clear that Mark and co.’s workplace was among the nicer Lumon branches. Some of the others sounded downright primitive.
Unlike other spinoff ideas, this series could seamlessly continue Severance’s unique play on the workplace comedy genre.
A Severance spinoff could be set at a different Lumon branch every season, or even every episode. Unlike other spinoff ideas, this series could seamlessly continue Severance‘s unique play on the workplace comedy genre. It could be funny and outrageous, while subtly introducing hints about Lumon’s full picture that would ultimately enhance the central Severance series.
8/10
- Release Date
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February 18, 2022
- Showrunner
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Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman
- Writers
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Dan Erickson
