Severance Season 2 Episode 3 Breakdown | Recap & Review

Severance Season 2 Episode 3 Breakdown. In-depth recap & review of Season 2 Ep. 3 "Who Is Alive?" with the ending explained. Please subscribe! 👉 👉 www.youtube.co...
It’s been nearly three years since Apple TV+ debuted the first season of its hit show Severance. Season 2 is here, and the third episode reintegrates the two stories that were split in the first couple of episodes. In the office, Mark (Adam Scott) leads a campaign to search for Ms. Casey while his outie tries to get him a message.
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S2.E3 ∙ Who Is Alive?
Mark and Helly return to an old haunt. Irving and Dylan make separate discoveries. Outie Mark tries something new.
Directed by: Ben Stiller
Written by: Wei-Ning Yu
Aired January 31, 2025
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Press Release:
“Severance” reunites Emmy and DGA Award winner Ben Stiller with Academy Award and Emmy Award winner Patricia Arquette (“Escape at Dannemora,” “Boyhood”), who stars alongside Adam Scott (“Parks and Recreation,” “Step Brothers”), Emmy Award winner John Turturro (“The Plot Against America,” “The Night Of”), Britt Lower (“High Maintenance,” “Casual”), Zach Cherry (“You,” “Succession”), Dichen Lachman (“Jurassic World: Dominion,” “Altered Carbon”), Jen Tullock (“Before You Know It,” “Bless This Mess”), Tramell Tillman (“Hunters,” Dietland”), Michael Chernus (“Orange is the New Black,” “Patriot“) and Academy Award winner Christopher Walken.
The series is written and created by Dan Erickson. Mark Friedman, Chris Black, John Cameron and Andrew Colville are executive producers alongside Erickson. Ben Stiller, Nicky Weinstock and Jackie Cohn executive produce through Red Hour Productions, and both Patricia Arquette and Adam Scott serve as producers. Endeavor Content serves as the studio.
#severance #appletv

[@PetePeppers1]

Reintegration is on the menu, and we're eating good. Another fine installment in a season that's shaping up to be just as much fun as the last one. I'll be going live Friday at 9 pm ET with Bankole from @popcornfordinnerpodcast to discuss Severance Season 2 Episode 3. Come join the discussion and bring your questions. kzbin.infoXlUo5W9SG8w

[@georgi7631]

Did we just witness innie Mark's death 3 episodes in? 🙁

[@PetePeppers1]

@@georgi7631 Reintegration is the only way he won't die.

[@MisterFrosty]

Theory: I'm even more on board with this after E3. The 'Board' are all the old Eagans (CEOs etc - pretty much anyone with a wax figure in the Perpetuity wing) being kept 'alive' on life support and fed via the feeding tubes mentioned in the Lexington letter. The goats provide the milk that feeds the board.

[@yvessergetshefu4462]

Well I’m pretty sure that the Goat 🐐 department’s outties are homeless people and that they believe that Lumon are doing Cloning experiments which also mean that they believe that other departments are clones and not innie or both

[@spricket24]

@@PetePeppers1 during the live can you bring this up and talk more on it?? because I don't understand lol if not no worries 😉

[@neutralmysteryhotel]

Gretchen is clearly going off to work for her shift as a night gardener!

[@polskisernik8470]

🤣

[@PetePeppers1]

Haha

[@rika7625]

😂😂😂

[@eden20111]

Who's Gretchen? Gretchen Wieners?

[@DaveTexas]

I assumed she was off to her job as a nurse with her BFF Jackie…

[@samsaek666]

This is the first episode where it fades to white rather than fading to black… it’s like mark has finally seen the light or us as the audience are finally awaketh

[@KabbalahSherry]

I noticed that as well, and I immediately mentioned it to my hubby. I felt that it was representative of his outtie being "in" the office now, or "awaketh" as you just stated it. 😅 lol The sh*ts really ramping up! I thought for sure we wouldn't get HERE (Mark's reintegration) until like ep 6, 7 or even 8 but wow... we're here at ep 3?! It really makes you wonder wtf is coming up around the corner. We still got SEVEN episodes of the season left to watch. It's crazy. They're fixin to take us on a ride for sure!

[@ElleDursten]

@@KabbalahSherryI wonder if Rigabi will tell Mark about Helly being an Egan. Because if he goes down to MDR reintegrated, and if Helly is in fact Helena, everything will go sour too quickly. God! Cannot wait to next week!!!!

[@gucci_chungus]

@@ElleDursten i imagine helena is a public figure and lumon employees generally know of her

[@tappajavittu]

Gave me nice LOST season 5 finale flashbacks. I was so sure they would leave re-integration as the cliffhanger for season 2 but damn, they going hard!

[@Traceymc937]

@@samsaek666 Great catch!!

[@SD_702]

I really think the idea that she falls for the innie of Dylan is super interesting. She acted it so well. Imagine the existential crisis of wanting to divorce your dead beat husband for a version of himself he doesn’t know he can be. It’s wild.

[@RobinHerzig]

No one’s suggesting divorce, but that the wife is developing genuine feelings for Innie Dylan as the better, non-beat down version. He’s more the guy she wishes Outtie Dylan was… maybe more like the Dylan she first fell in love with? Or who she thought she married

[@im_amil]

@@RobinHerzig i had the same thought, it probably reminded her of when they first met/began dating

[@richboii6597]

@@RobinHerzigidk why your focusing on disputing his use of “divorce.” They’re suggesting that she’d probably rather have the innie version instead of the outtie and that she’s probably going to go this path of wanting to “leave” the outtie for innie. What he said wasn’t wrong.

[@Joe-qj9kw]

Is it cheating if she has relations with innie Dylan and hides it from his outie?

[@mattgilbert7347]

Not dead-beat. Beaten down. Imagine seeing the person you love without the decades of being slowly crushed by the Capitalist system. All of it wiped away.

[@brendielahooha]

Natalie didnt want to do that. On season 1 she never said her sentences as “the board wanted me to say”. She just said things, as if they werre her own, as if the board channeled through her. Remember how Ms Cobel used to get so frustrated because she never could tell if what she was saying is from the board or from herself! But in this new scene she seems uncomfortable and really pushing the idea that the board made her say this and the board made her say that

[@chocolatecat198]

Natalie's interaction with Seth/Mr milchik in this episode was giving me Get Out vibes. Specifically, a scene with a maid who's been taken over, she had this pained tearful smile that was similar to Natalie's behavior here.

[@bassboosted4025]

I think it's a loyalty test where they need to acknowledge their inferiority as they are not like Kier. It was supposed to check their reaction and see if their loyalty goes above their own identity. She was watching him closely, to see whether he'd remain diplomatic or break face. She had a fake smile because she knows what was the intention behind the gift. I think Milcheck just realized he was told he will never be like them, it was like a warning and insult also. That's how I took the scene.

[@yoruneko34]

@@chocolatecat198 very very true. I was feeling the same.

[@paytongaskin809]

Nice catch there! I didn't consider that. I came to a similar conclusion that she was adamantly softer to Milchick than anyone she interacted with "below" her inside, It's very obvious she's much more outgoing on the outside of Lumon, as shown during the scene with her at the Eagan event. I can't help but think her facial expressions and awkward pauses makes it seem like she has a much more closer relationship with Milchick that her innie is trying to figure out / having almost glitch-like behavior with. I would not be surprised if it came to pass that they had a much deeper tie, whether it be a familial relation or a romantic relationship. I'm getting the same vibes as I am getting from Mark and Jemma...

[@brendielahooha]

@@paytongaskin809 I didnt think she was severed… As the PR person, and seeming to be on the same level (or higher up) as cobel and milchick. I was considerei g her an unsevered worker

[@isthatkimmi]

that kier cycle gifted to milchick was a perfectly tone deaf gift. milchick looked pissed and insulted. it’s a great representation of when people say they “don’t see color” or try to make everyone feel like “family” in the company while literally ignoring your needs as a person. i LOVE this show!!!

[@The_10th_Man]

Just another example of the show being a just slightly more absurd version of reality.

[@Leslietoomuch]

They never even changed his name on the welcome prompt on the computer!

[@KapteinKul]

It's a great example of race-swapping.

[@HypocritesExposd]

You’re so right. Milchick was already loyal to Kier and felt a part of the family, but sending that gift let him know for all his work, they still see him as an outsider. Could this be the start of Milchick’s redemption?

[@Crosroad]

in season one Milchick felt so much more like a "presence" than a character, but we are getting to see more and more of him and i'm loving it. How can you not dig into a character like that when your actor is so good

[@silosara]

Devon is too good for Ricken. Devon is incredible I wish she had more scenes, but nonetheless I’m always smiling when she’s on screen. Best big sister ever!

[@kevinw712]

Ricken kinda disappointed me a little this episode, surprisingly. like obviously we can tell he's very eccentric, and has a very silly delivery of his whole philosophy, but I didn't necessarily think he'd be so susceptible to manipulation like that, to not be able to tell he was being worked in real time

[@peppermorrison]

I think it's kind of more believable. Think of how many bizarre couples you know IRL, where one person is cool but their partner is just so weird or really awful and you're just like...how did this happen?

[@jeanablake2302]

I know. Whole episode I'm thinking, more Devons & more Gretchens in my world, please!

[@darcipeeps]

I think she genuinely loves him. When Natalie said you must be proud she said I am, and not in any sarcastic way.

[@thatladfromsheffield]

She'll be deaded soon I'll wager

[@kimmiecarne]

I did not like Helena using the word reset with Cobel. If an Eagan said to me, let’s reset, and invited me into lumen. I’d takeoff running too.

[@heartofdawn2341]

It's time for a clean slate.

[@sumtingwong8592]

Its time for a lobotom-i mean lunch

[@georgi7631]

I love the joke the people in the goat department make about the bellies. I instantly remembered Burt mentioning in season 1 that there used to be a rumor that people from MDR had pouches on their stomachs

[@brentfortune]

That's a deep cut I love it.

[@christheghostwriter]

I just rewatched S1 before S2 started, and I laughed out loud at that. Walken is the greatest

[@bustatron]

Just like the murderous mdr uprising (or, conversely, the murderous ond uprising)

[@HarshMelon]

I hate to admit that I didn't get the joke until they said, "See, no pouches." I thought they were checking for belly buttons to prove they weren't clones!

[@kevinw712]

I had totally forgotten about the "pouches" gag, I was thinking this was a rather heavy handed way of pointing toward the idea of cloning, like they wanted to see if they had a belly button

[@rachelee8801]

It's a minor thing but I was struck by how heavy Gwendoline Christie's makeup is compared to everyone else in the show. Even the women, like Helly/Helena, have very natural makeup. It's like her outie thinks she's a glamorous, high-powered executive when she's actually spending every day in a room with goats.

[@christaadams2994]

I was thinking the same!!

[@roxypaquette9501]

I thought this too!

[@sashai.4067]

Yes like why do the rest look like they haven’t ever been home

[@sabrinasiggy]

Would you assume then that they clean/shower before going home/becoming outies?

[@rachelee8801]

@@sabrinasiggy Good question - they would seriously smell like goats and wonder WTH is going on down there.

[@elvieann4949]

Natalie and Milchik had a great scene where they simply stared at each other without saying anything, but said everything with their eyes. This was such a great acting performance between these two, and I hope to see a lot more of it.

[@Scottymol]

Yeah , it's as if they're both being watched and studied and they are trying to exude gratitude when they are really disgusted, really does give off alien abduction vibes.

[@christheghostwriter]

I thought the same thing about that same thing. That degree of eye contact is disconcerting

[@PaulRWorthington]

Yes, Natalie especially surprised me, but only because I was expecting to see such a reaction from Milchik, but not that the corporate spokesperson was also hiding perhaps-even-stronger repressed feelings.

[@JamaicanMeCrazy]

Yup even after the call was disconnected you still saw the weird smile like she still has to put on for some reason.... It's eerie

[@phyllisge6093]

Black people are able to have a whole conversation with just looks. It happens with me all the time at work.

[@SpaghettiFusillade]

On Milchick's screen, we see a list of four severed employees with three of the switches turned on and one off! I guess this confirms for sure that's Helena and not Helly

[@christheghostwriter]

I had kind of forgotten about that until they did the weird time jump and suddenly it was nighttime and Dylan was at home with the wife and kids. When Helena came walking out of Lumon at night, I remembered that this Helly/Helena issue was unresolved

[@RobinHerzig]

Wait where was this 👀 I’ve gotta go back

[@polarbear9247]

The racial undertones of the Kier painting between Natalie and Seth is being completely overlooked. It was very relatable and telling. I hope Milsheck flips but we’ll see

[@spricket24]

the way Natalie smiled as Seth looks at the paintings was gross lol the way he hid the paintings - amazing lol

[@Mackathne]

@@spricket24 I noticed her smile was quivering. I think she knows how strange it is but she also can't say anything

[@sashai.4067]

Oh they were saying something without saying it for sure

[@RobinHerzig]

Milchick was weirded out for sure. My first thought was it’s insulting and demeaning but also obvious that Lumon + the board don’t get it + probably meant well This show just exposed structural racism 😏

[@spricket24]

@@Mackathne this is why I watch recaps lol things I didn't notice will either be captured and broken down in the summary / recap or someone in the comments will come to my rescue lol TY - did not notice it and would not have noticed it if it happened to me irl - Autism man lol

[@BreckenLouise]

I think when Seth saw the balloons outside his office he immediately realized the board is manipulating/using him the way they manipulate the innies with incentives

[@royfokerpoker1802]

Milkshake*

[@BrysonRyenn]

@@royfokerpoker1802 milchick*

[@JomoNkrumah]

Those were the balloons mark had left behind. Milkshake, was passed that he left them behind there.

[@threetythreepercent]

Natalie’s shaky smile was very interesting, and a lovely bit of acting.

[@Skabanis]

The whole wife meeting had my head and heart spinning. When she said I love you I was like man…

[@citizen511]

Look at the orientation of the chairs in the family room with Dylan and his wife. When the scene starts they are facing away at a 90 degree angle. When the scene ends, the chairs are facing each other. It’s a visual way of showing how much Dylan and his wife bonded in that short period of time.

[@cheetah219]

Helly R is definitely not back yet. Her last memory is trying to take down Lumen. She is far to timid and nervous to be Helly R.

[@gregoryfenn1462]

And she isn't determined or passionate about learning more about the goats, almost like she already knows what's up and would rather not crawl in the tunnel to see the smelly goats

[@jacobdenness8659]

Problem I have is the night gardener bit though, wouldn’t Helena lie better?

[@emmanuellelarocque9440]

​@@jacobdenness8659 Someone mentioned once that Helena's lack of preparation shows how little she thinks of Innies. Makes sense to me.

[@111-i4v9r]

Way too quiet, she doesn’t make any sarcastic comments here and there like helly does.

[@cheetah219]

Yeah agreed with far too timid and quiet. Poor planning because she is trying not to stick out. Also asking dumb questions like "do you really think Lumen is listening to us?" Helly R was always skeptical of Lumen. Also, what got me the most out of all the scenes in episode 3 was how she questioned Mark when he was going into the Goat tunnel. Helly R would jump at the idea of finding out more about the GOAT department since that freaked them out when they were telling Irv and Dylan about it in season 1. She's also the type of person who would purposefully step in the goat poo to stick to Helena and have her go home smelling like goat shit. She would not avoid it

[@slimhazard]

“Mammalian nurturables“ is an anagram for “Animals lure rum, Batman!“ Obviously this is a warning to superheroes that the goats might drive them to alcoholism.

[@cindytartt4048]

Oh that’s brilliant!

[@jonimitchellneverlies]

Good spot!

[@Wells306]

Dang it, I knew it.....

[@RobinHerzig]

👀

[@NinjaJDM]

When they say about "showing the belly" it made me laugh as I thought it was joke and nod to how peoples belly buttons are usually called "innies" or "outies" 😅😂

[@prettyroach]

that’s definitely part of it in a roundabout way😂we never see helly’s which could reference how we don’t know if she’s her innie or outie this season

[@eastwoodsgolfer]

​@@prettyroachthat would be pretty clever

[@HarshMelon]

Oh my God, that's so hilarious!

[@shrinepuff]

Does anyone know what story he said in the video it was referencing?

[@prettyroach]

@@shrinepuff when burt tells irving there’s rumours they mdr did an uprising they also mention rumours they had pouches

[@Jessedessie]

THE ENDING!!! Next episode is gonna be crazy!

[@hadleighclark664]

I interpreted the Natalie / Milchick interaction very differently. Natalie was toeing the line but looked distraught. She did not like delivering this, it was racist and insincere. There is trauma here and deeper meanings

[@colinbazzano]

her lip quivers at the end of their conversation, supporting this discomfort

[@JaRonFit]

I think Milchick knows Natalie ....I think that was his wife or something 🤔 maybe similar to the situation Mark is in

[@JaRonFit]

There has to be a reason everytime they are outside Lumen it's always dark outside....like extremely dark.....everytime they are in an apartment or house it's still dark... its weird

[@chocolatecat198]

I posted this in another comment thread already. But their interaction reminded me of a scene from Get Out. There's this pained, scared, trapped feeling from her expression

[@maddycz]

​@@chocolatecat198that's exactly the scene that came to mind for me too. Two people fighting inside one mind. Noooo... No no no no no nooooo

[@jb400years4]

It’s very subtle how Helly follows Mark in the goat tunnel. She has no intrigue. She’s watching mark to see his reaction.

[@nuprophett]

Interesting breakdown as always. For my own part, I came away unexpectedly sad. I really like Innie Mark, and the idea of him being gone forever bothers me, as does the idea of him and Helly’s future chances being thwarted because Outie Mark’s feelings for his wife will be a dominant emotion in reintegrated Mark. I really like innie Mark and I’m not really ready for him to be completely gone. I can’t be alone in this.

[@zampettedainsetto]

I feel the same. Then again I feel like outie Mark is also going to be gone - or that both are going to stay, somehow. I have a feeling that reintegration is going to create a new Mark that blends innie and outie without either being entirely gone or staying.

[@jb6973]

You are not. Innie Mark is way more likable than outtie Mark and I feel the same way about watching Helena. she’s cold and calculating and very boring. I missHell R.

[@breadtoast7146]

There is no innie or outie mark. There is just mark. Mark should just now have access to all of his memories at once.

[@bwadley74656]

I’m really missing Helly and I hope we get to see her again!

[@j00ktau]

👎 Helena

[@alexiocatan5602]

But surely beer and juleps cannot fill the void left by love. Indeed, only wine can achieve this, but it is famously costly, which is why sadness is among the most recurrent issues facing the poor.

[@The_10th_Man]

Seriously though, what the fuck is this guy talking about.

[@KlutchRecaps]

You're a GOAT for how fast you get these out after being released lol

[@SC-RGX7]

The scene where Gretchen was at home with outie Dylan was so cinematically amazing. The slow camera movement that keeps the viewer on edge to know if Lumon was lying to Dylan or not, to finally get "disappointed" that yeah they didn't dupe him (innie Dylan). I still don't understand what lumon is trying to accomplish.

[@rgmastro]

I’m surprised nobody has highlighted the computers, the cars, the WORLD they’re in seems to be decades old and then Helena pulls out a smart phone…..and it seems like it’s *always* winter…..like……where and when the hell ARE they?!?

[@Nalier]

"Him saying that it was an innie problem seemed to get through" - no, no it didn't. Him saying "what would you do if it was a goat" was what got through to them.

[@DizzySpellsMartian-z9o]

Hmm which hearkens back to Helly R.'s first question from s1e1 waking up on the table: "Am I livestock?" They keep comparing people to animals.

[@Nalier]

@@DizzySpellsMartian-z9o Maybe, but not necessarily. That Helly had a clean slate. Essentially she was a tabula rasa. Most probably that was just her morbid sense of humor/way of thinking. Remember, there's interpretation and overinterpretation.

[@GQBouncer]

when she said "we got you" she was saying it in the way her outtie says it. The "we" is meant to reassure an unconfident person who works for the company, and she is saying it because of her ethos position of being a Lumen executive

[@cindytartt4048]

People are wedded to the doxology this is Helena but I don’t think that this, necessarily, is evidence.

[@BB-tt4hm]

@@cindytartt4048 the show literally went out of it's way to show the viewers it Helena. it's not subtle

[@yousawnothin]

@@cindytartt4048it’s her. she ends up finding Irving’s drawing of the export hall and starts freaking out because she doesn’t understand how they know about it.

[@Han-nl2fb]

​@@yousawnothinWait, when did that happen? Care to share a link, please?

[@TriciaSams]

Irving seems to distrust Hely/Helena. Ever since they returned, he's been acting suspicious of her. He seems to know something that the others don't.

[@OnlyAtJaMart]

Ben did such a great job with the tense “I don’t remember” transitioning to the playful “hey there… who are you?” and dropping the Eminence Front song. So excited for the rest of the season!

[@TheJepps1]

One thing I don't hear commented on in these videos is how the innies significant others are viewing them as the person they originally fell in love with. In this episode, I'm specifically talking about Dylan's interaction with his wife. With time we all feel the warts, damage and shortcomings of a relationship and lose sight of the things we originally liked most about the other person. The innies are completely naive of this and are acting as they did when they first met. I think this is intentional and adds a ton of heart to this show. *Edit: I wasn't finished watching when I posted. It was kinda covered before the end of the video. Thanks, Pete. Good work, as usual.

[@Thevikingninja117]

Best episode of severance so far imo. Absolutely incredible.

[@jasondearham8243]

First time we have seen Ricken act like a normal person, gushing over Natalie like that....

[@finfog4590]

You think he was acting as well

[@ynwajft9612]

Not that hard to be fair she's a 10

[@ynwajft9612]

Natalie looked like she was about to cry looking at Milchick and the fact that Dylan wasn't really curious about his wife meeting his innie is weird

[@HappyAccidentVideos]

The awkwardness of Helly/Mark isn’t because she’s actually Helena. It’s because of the mixed feelings of looking for his outie’s wife, while being in love with each other

[@iluvsakuraandsyaoran]

i wasn't decided on the Helly/Helena question until this episode. Helena asking "won't we get in trouble?" when Mark suggests they leave the office....that ain't Helly. the weird moment in the hallway cemented it. If Helly wanted to kiss him, she would. Or if she didn't want to, she would tell him so lol. I really appreciated the acting by Brit Lower when they were surrounded by the goat people: you could see her be scared and then psyching herself up, like she was telling herself "Helly wouldn't be scared" and THEN she steps forward. Superbly done!

[@iluvsakuraandsyaoran]

also that awful Black!Kier stuff made me genuinely feel bad for Milchik, which is a first for me lol. him getting the terrible paintings made me think about how cults are typically both super racist and super misogynistic, so then i was thinking about the women at Lumon...do they ALL wear skirts? I don't think I've seen a woman in pants at Lumon.

[@HarshMelon]

And did anyone else get "Being John Malkovich" vibes as Mark and Helly crawled through the passageway into the goat habitat? At first I thought it was just me, but if you know the plot of the movie, it actually makes a lot of sense. The movie is about people in a seriously odd work environment who discover a small door, and when they go through that door, they take up residence inside the mind of John malkovich. At first, they are merely passengers, seeing the world through his eyes. But as time goes by, they gain more control, until John becomes a mere puppet, an automaton being and manipulated by the others. Given what I think is actually going on, that is an amazing corollary.

[@susanclare]

Yes, absolutely. Although it was a bit “borrowed.” Most of Severance has been extremely original, although I guess they’re bound to borrow things that have gone b4.

[@eddieterrell5457]

Mark knew after that hallway scene that this wasn't Helli, but irvin always knew!

[@stephensullivan9829]

agreed helena isnt at all acting like helly ... she was the leader really season 1 a rebel... this time shes following and observing only to add a comment after the fact

[@Han-nl2fb]

Yeah, abd this new scene where Helly (Helena) grabs his hand and offers some reassurance, he looked very skeptical. And also, everytime he has a plan or a theory, he waits until Helly is out of the room and only telling to Dylan.

[@nuneke0]

When I wake up I instantly watch the episode and right afterwards your recap! Perfect timing, love it! 😄

[@itsbigcliff5178]

The division has already started.....right when.Devon ask how did the book get in there..Rickin just goes right past it so He can continue on his book praising.......uh oh

[@Thevikingninja117]

Red flags with ricken for sure.

[@Marukanitel]

This only furthered my theory that he's potentially an Eagan

[@Thevikingninja117]

@@Marukanitel even though I’ve heard the theories on this I’d still be shocked haha.

[@kigas24]

Definitely feels like it's Helena not Helly. I thought this episode was fantastic, particularly the ending scene with the reintegration

[@oatlord]

The blue eyes pissed Seth off. I wonder if he'll switch sides.

[@ScreenFavorites]

They both looked like they wanted to say something but knew they couldn’t

[@jacobdenness8659]

I think Seth is committed to the company but at the same time he doesn’t like how the board treat the innies.

[@KabbalahSherry]

​@@ScreenFavorites- Yep, the actor mentioned as much in the Behind the Scenes footage. Natalie is clearly biracial, and so they are both People of Color, stuck in this ackward situation, that is just SO tone deaf, and would feel absolutely crazy to be in, cuz they don't dare address it. But I sure felt him when we saw him put those pics in a box way up high in the closet! lol He's trying to forget those ghastly portraits even exist! 😅 haha

[@zenrxzenrx286]

@@ScreenFavoritesI think they’re both afraid but don’t know if they can trust each other to confide.

[@ScreenFavorites]

@ 100%

[@kellie9276]

Reghabi didn't specify WHEN the last time she saw Gemma.. I think this will end in heartbreak for Mark. 😢

[@ianmullmusic]

Im sure innie Mark saw her more recently than Reghabi since she doesn't work there anymore (although if the board doesn't know what she's been up to I guess she still does)

[@ianmullmusic]

And theyve been hinting that Gemma and Mark are the center of a larger project so I don't think theyd completely get rid of her

[@stovic1442]

Yeah he's being used. That reply meant nothing.

[@stovic1442]

@@ianmullmusic I was replying to the original comment. Not sure what you mean who hurt me.

[@Han-nl2fb]

Yeah, Lumon is using innie Mark to complete Cold Harbor, and now Reghabi is using outtie Mark to, perhaps, destroy Lumon from the inside. Perhaps Gemma is like an experiment to them, and Lumon is using Mark to refine the chip, that's why Mark is so important to Lumon.

[@JatinSharma-l1p]

Irving gives the vibe of some sort of private investigator.

[@NovemberChristine]

I wonder if the Mammalians look like that because their outies are homeless.

[@PetePeppers1]

That looked like they could be, but how...

[@andreag7958]

Or maybe they don’t get to leave

[@KabbalahSherry]

I just think they are a part of the faction of employees who don't leave the building. 😬 I think their families probably all think that they're dead... and I bet they've been getting tested on, for their whole "lives" at Lumon.

[@KaptainBadAss]

​@@PetePeppers1 imagine Lumon has a "homeless outreach program," or a "homeless shelter," in town. It's winter outside. The homeless come to the shelter to get warm, they eat a plate of waffles, get sleepy, bam, sever em and send em on down to Mammalians Nurturable.

[@Bongobert]

"Your outie excels at stargazing" is absolutely hinting towards that. The wellness facts always hinted at something rooted in truth

[@lmlotti]

Another detail I noticed, which makes me think Helena is pretending to be Helly, is the way her bangs are styled. Helly used to wear them all forward, messier, while Helena wore them to the side, neater. The Helly from the second season wears her bangs just like Helena's.

[@ajoseph495]

Hm good catch

[@slater3688]

i personally feel like if i was helly (after i knew who my outie was) i would want to change my appearance and distance myself from my outie as much as possible, even if all i could do was change my hairstyle! also we're getting a lot of helena on the outside and no emphasis of her innie's perspective (like what she's thinking, what mood she's in, what turmoil she's going through after being on the outside) so i def think she's helena

[@The_10th_Man]

She was changing her hair after she got to work?

[@lmlotti]

@ I don't think it's necessarily changing, but if you pay attention, in the first season, her bangs get messier throughout the day. My theory is that Helly wasn't the kind of person who would carefully fix her hair. In this second season, her bangs are always to the side, as if "Helly" were taking care of them. Look at pictures of Helly from both seasons and check the difference.

[@slater3688]

@@The_10th_Man no i'm just saying if i was helly, knowing who my outie was, i would do anything to make myself into a different person (the bang theory is a stretch, but there's plenty of evidence to support that helly is her outie at work)

[@divergentdyes]

When Helena and Harmony were outside Henana said ‘let’s reset’ which had alarm bells going in my head!

[@derriccoleman9375]

That makes sense

[@Officerdoofey808]

Anyone get a feeling that “the board” is just an AI copy of Kier? Seems like they’re trying to invent immortality

[@christheghostwriter]

I'm thinking they're learning how to make blank-slate people who can still function. That way they can upload new conscious minds or even AI minds into the blank slates

[@ResistanceB.7]

Or an ai copy of all Lumin ceo's....this is a topic that's killing me I really wanna know 😅

[@The_10th_Man]

I think it’s better not to know. Just like in real life you are supposed to focus on the CEO and not the real owners who like to stay unknown.

[@rika7625]

Yes, I definitely agree. And the fact that Natalie refers to the Board as “it” rather than “they” every time she speaks with Milchick this episode makes me think something is off. And the board only speaks through that earpiece…hmm

[@ResistanceB.7]

@@The_10th_Man Man thats deep haha i cannot argue but eventually we will find out hopefully 😉

[@spricket24]

this was my favorite episode so far. It really felt like Helly's arc last season of starting out wanting to flee, then becoming a part of the team in so far as actually caring about them (esp. Mark), and even finally seeing the numbers, to plotting against Lumen in such a fearless way is mirrored against Helena. Helena wants to be there, is plotting against the team and will (imo) ultimately join Mark to plot against Lumen and her icky father.

[@KabbalahSherry]

Yeah I think she's falling for Mark, just as her innie had. 😌 This is gonna get VERY interesting. All throughout the animated season intro, you see her & Gemma, back & forth, interchanging quickly throughout the entire intro. Mark is going to be put in a very precarious situation, because his innie will have found love with Helly... but his outtie will be overjoyed if he gets his wife back. WTF is he gonna do?! lol

[@royfokerpoker1802]

​​@@KabbalahSherry Well he's gotta ditch Gemma easy. Helly is just way too hot sorry. Lol

[@spricket24]

@@KabbalahSherry girl, I do not know and tbh I'm glad you brought this up because my brain did not even think this far ahead lol what IS he going to do?! this is getting into some weird terrain 😂🤣

[@The_10th_Man]

I dunno she seems pretty entrenched in being evil.

[@Borleyyy]

13:26 Gretchen is wearing the exact same outfit as pam is from the office in S3:E16 down to the hairstyle, it dont know what this means but its interesting

[@111-i4v9r]

I think gretchen is working for lumon. Notice her necklace, also only mr milchick’s superiors refer to him as “Seth”!!!!

[@tanyam928]

I saw one breakdown saying that since the inside and outside are represented with red and blue, she is wearing purple which is a blend of the 2

[@robingassen9392]

here is my theory, Cobel obviously has a family member who has either died or is ill and both her family member and Gemma have been severed before they died (there for only their innie is alive if they are within Lumen). Cold Harbor may be the process that allows an innie to replace the outie who died.

[@Jensen-C]

First 2 episodes should’ve dropped together. This episode was amazing and wiped away my worries that season 2 wasn’t going to be as fast paced or up to par with season 1

[@winexprt]

Consistently the best, most insightful analysis Pete!

[@samsaek666]

What an episode! PRAISE KIER

[@lovelovelovelovelov]

😂😂😂

[@KatherineP9]

The ending of episode 3 ties so well with the opening scene where a Mark in red and Mark in suits are constantly bumping into each other and helping each other out!

[@yoruneko34]

Something I realized in this episode is that the outside world is represented in a very obscure, contrasted and structured way, like those paintings from Lumon, that are themselves a dollarstore version of classical painting representations of the world. Every frame a painting but that oughta mean something.

[@jota_v.]

This episode was a masterpiece

[@KabbalahSherry]

Every episode this season has knocked it outta the park! 😃 I'm so pleasantly surprised that we are seeing Mark getting reintegrated ALREADY, in just episode 3! I thought for sure that something like that wouldn't happen until like ep 6, 7 or even 8! But wow, they are moving right along at breakneck speed and yet... I still feel like they occasionally slow things down, in order to give certain scenes/moments to breathe, for character development, etc. The writing & directing is FABULOUS in this regard!

[@Dartagnan65]

I'd like it if the reintegration only kind of half worked, and he just gets flashes.

[@peybak]

I think this show is Twin Peaks level of weird. And every episode has so many things to discover.

[@Highclearing]

I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate this video. So much of geek-culture KZbin centers around Easter Eggs and sleuthing around the most mechanical aspects of metaplot, I’m delighted to see a vlogger who remembers a show is *art*, and cares about its esthetics. You make acute observations about the acting and resonances in the scripts and deeper motivations. My only critique: I think you’re missing most of the sex. Devon isn’t just upset to walk in on that conversation because Natalie represents Lumon, but because, with his massive ego, Ricken clearly imagines a bombshell like Natalie is into him. I also think that, while Natalie is weird and unsettling even to Seth Milchick, who is weird and unsettling in some of the same ways, there are sparks between the two characters at the end of the scene with the phone call from the board. At the same time, you’re great on the texture of those interactions between Innie Mark and Helena, and Innie Dylan and Gretchen. I’ll be back!

[@mtrps_]

i enjoyed every single theory equally this time

[@CouponWithHaley]

I loved the end of this episode!!!! And seeing all the goat 🐐 people, so peculiar!

[@heartofdawn2341]

At first it felt like the meeting between Gretchen and Dylan was pure Lumon mind games. Even after finding out she really is his wife, it still seeming like it was all a setup. Was she part of that? Was her participation willing or unwilling? What did they tell her to do before she went in? Given her reluctance to talk about it afterwards, I'm thinking she was coerced into the mind games, with Lumon putting pressure on her over the kids.

[@BrianLarney]

I'm still holding out for Helly. Reticence for her to kiss him feels logical to me. For one, she still knows who her outie is and she likely harbors some guilt. Also, when they were about to engage the OTC, they were in crisis mode. They had no idea if they'd see each other again. Not to mention, they both know about Mark's outie wife which could lead to some very awkward moments. Why would Helena encourage Mark on his journey to uncover the truth about Ms. Casey? Wouldn't she discourage it to ensure he finishes Cold Harbor? Irving and Dylan may be getting supsiscious of Helly's slightly odd behavior because she's trying to cover up who she really is. Lastly, I think it would be a rather predictable plot point. So far the writers haven't given us something this obvious.

[@ElenaChristinne]

Milchick and Natalie look like they are trapped here. That gift was just brutal.

[@jacobdenness8659]

Situation that occurred to me that could happen is if Mark sees Helena on the outside and calls her Helly. Even if it really is Helly down there the fact he reintegrated could still get out.

[@amytaylor555]

He probably knows who she is since she is a well known figurehead

[@Hiptween]

@@amytaylor555in like the 1st or 2nd episode of season 1, Mark and Helena do see each other briefly outside of the servered floor and he doesn’t seem to know who she is.

[@007lamiss]

It’s more than plausible that Helly would feel awkward about her feelings for Mark knowing that he’s married (especially to Miss Casey). They’re in a complicated situation so it’s not weird that she wouldn’t just throw herself at Mark just because they have feelings for each other. Maybe it really is Helly and she was given a talking-to, and she has to play ball because they made a good enough threat to her?

[@zeaniceto1104]

Okay, hear me out: 1. When I studied psychology, we talked about those frequencies representing states of counsciousness. From what we have seen on the show, for each frequency, the MDR is grouping numbers on the four tempers... 2. Some crazy things I thought about: there was some guy here on KZbin saying that when Mark, in season 1, put his watch on the tray (locker) it just stops working, like time is frozen. Also, I noticed some inconsistencies on the background in this episode 3, could we be seeing alternate versions of different "universes" and that being related whith the alterations in time?

[@WarcraftPvPFilms]

Don't think this is very likely with how the show has been written up until this point with the alternate timelines. I'm assuming that this is all happening in one universe and is strictly dealing with the states of consciousness that you mentioned.

[@jb6973]

I’m starting to feel sad that we are losing characters. Like watching more Helena over Helly R is not as fun because Helena is cold and very very boring. I was so rooting for Helly R. I miss her. Also, we are losing Dylan to him being a bit more secretive since he’s now incentivized by these family visits, which is understandable. But he was so kind and loving to Irving in episode one of season two that him telling Irving to go off on his own felt really messed up. I hope we get the original innies back.

[@kanyakinanti]

Ikr... I know these choices are important for getting the plot forward but my goodness I do miss Helly and her shenanigans

[@Sirbradford13]

Helly R is STILL Helly R. Here’s proof. It’s actually pretty simple. Ep 2 she FALLS out of the elevator. Just as Irving was still knocking on Burt’s door when he came down the elevator, Helly R was still being tackled back at the Gala. She falls out of the elevator like she had been pushed out. 1. Helena probably wouldn’t know to do that deliberately and 2…even if she did, she wouldn’t have to fake that. The others didn’t know where she went, so there’s no need to overdo the charade. Also. Helly R has good reason to lie. She just found out that SHE is the bad guy. Or at least, on that team. She has no idea how her coworkers would react to that. Best to keep that to herself for now. Anyhow happy to be proven wrong.

[@iamthewizardwhoknocks2845]

Helly fell out the elevator on the first day back, ep 3 takes place on a different day, so it could be Helean

[@Hanoveur]

I’m fairly sure the next (or maybe even next few) episode is going to start with Mark’s first day. He was lying on the table at the end of this episode. We will see a flashback to his early days at Lumon. It will begin with his induction by Petey. We will see his friendship with Petey and might even gain insight into Petey at lumon post-integration. This will be a way to show Mark retrieving his innies memories. There are so many implications because of this. He would, for example, remember the wellness sessions with his wife. He would have greater insight since he knows the outside world and could make connections between inside of Lumon and outside. If he remembers Helly, he will remember her from when he almost ran over her in season 1. He could look up Dylan G and Irving in a phone book and try to contact them. They are also setting things up where the outies see there innies as people they want to be. So of course they would want to go through reintegration as well, including Helena.

[@angharadhatt3332]

Did anyone notice that Gretchen wore the exact same outfit as Ms. Cobel (I can’t remember which episodes in S1) when she “met” Dylan? The dress with the purple undershirt, down to the braid… 👀👀

[@iturnmycameraoff]

Interesting! And someone mentioned it's the exact same outfit Pam wore in The Office S3 Ep 17...what is going on, lol.

[@NinjaJDM]

The actress who plays Natalie did an amazing job! There was a small like half a second look when she's smiling at Mr Milchick when he's getting the racist painting that seemed like she was about to crack Itd easy to miss but a great bit of subtle acting!

[@julius-stark]

I was hoping Irving would say "Bye Felicia".

[@rika7625]

😂😂😂

[@indianausa542]

What’s up with the 1980s vehicles? What year is it there?

[@GS-kj6ur]

Think it’s supposed to look like a Russian Soviet era esque to further the dystopian feel

[@Theindigolauren]

0:39 I wanna know how she “got better at it”? Who else was she working on??

[@ponpin18]

Irving is my bet.

[@Hiptween]

@@ponpin18I think so too, which is why Irving has those black goo dreams at work. We also know Irving has been investigating Lumon.

[@ItsMeKie]

I reckon Helly, she still works for Lumon

[@Flatpockets123]

This episode was absolutely phenomenal the amount of stuff that happened is insane. I was holding my breath for last 10 minutes.

[@685baypee]

I feel like Milchick is severed and in his past has had history with Natalie, which she knows but cannot share with Milchick, leading to that restraint/sad smile she displayed

[@mauriii]

I think Irving might have a second innie personality and he’s the guy taking the packages to the elevator. Idk where he’d have the time, but how else would he be having visions of this dark hallway.

[@moonlights9146]

Another theory is that he used to an unsevered worker , just like Milchick. His outie was doing research and has information from inside Lumon. So what happened ?

[@jamesthomson7414]

Why is everybody ignoring the fact that Petey is most definitely not actually dead - we’ve already seen lumon do it with Gemma no way they wouldn’t want to study/test petey

[@WaxerRed-gm9fh]

Petey’s body is definitely dead. His body was buried and Cobel just barely managed to get the chip out of his head. Maybe they are experimenting on the chip, but his body is definitely dead.

[@IreneT1210]

I don't think it's about pouches, but about bellybuttons. Those without them, could be clones. And I don't see one on Helly. :)))

[@AngharadHatt]

My sister pointed out that at 11:52, when Milchick puts the paintings on the shelf, it looks like he can't get the box entirely on it as if something is blocking it or there is something else on the shelf...

[@derriccoleman9375]

Yupp that was weird

[@J-11mph]

"you want to hide this, but you can't" vibes

[@alexandrasandu3947]

7:29 he's either an astrophysicist or he's homeless 😂

[@frankderrigo2876]

See also traditional images of Baphomet. Human body, goat head... with a star. Great show!

[@chrisdodrio2843]

Gretchen referring to Milchick as 'Seth' suggests they are both un-severed Lumen co-workers and/or good friends. Only co-workers refer to him as 'Seth' in the show. To everyone else, he is Mr Milchick. Her blue turtle-neck mirrors Milchick's own blue turtleneck.

[@ohyeaaaa1]

I get the Helly R actually being Helena thing, but the awkward non-kiss moment isn't evidence for me. They were looking for Mark's wife at the time. I think that caused the hesitation. Also, Lumen has surveillance on everyone so I don't think they would need her to be a spy. Lastly, we know the reintegration process is dangerous and potentially not even possible. Doesn't seem like it's worth the risk for Helena. Just send Helly R back in and let Mark finish the project. That is what's important. She wasn't even going back until Mark demanded his team back. Maybe Lumen hatched the plan then, but I doubt it. I think it's Helly R. Side note: I think like Ms. Casey, Miss Huang died and they brought her back.

[@ynwajft9612]

My friend asked me to explain and spoil severance for him cos he didn't want to watch it and I literally couldn't do either

[@laeditor]

Really love your breakdowns. Awesome work.

[@Kiwiskirt]

What if they're testing switching the goats with humans? Not sure how that would work but the fact that the people all look as grubby as the goats makes me think its possible. Also when she straight out asked if they were there to kill her, might be a goats first thoughts and when the goat guy said they're not ready yet maybe that was newbies for the process. Anyway, good video. We shall see what happens next. Cheers from Aotearoa New Zealand.

[@klamaze1]

Pete I really like your theory that Helly R is actually Helena. I think that one of the tell signs might be how Helena wears her bangs vs. Helly R. Helena wears a slight part in her bangs, whereas Helly R doesn't. Also, in the first season Helly R's nails were painted by hand and there are several camera shots of her hands. In this season Helly R's are professionally manicured - so this leads me to believe that it is Helena and NOT Helly R. These are very subtle tell signs for sure and may not mean anything but that is where I think you just might be right.

[@bobbypope7039]

Show is amazing. The only thing that seems bizarre (regarding script) is characters failing to ask questions that seem obvious to ask. In this particular episode, when goat lady says “are you here to kill me” it seems it would follow that Mark/Helly would ask “why would you think we were here to kill you?” Or, when Mark asks about his wife when talking to Reghabi - and she indirectly implies she is alive, Mark not ask, “how is this possible when I saw her dead body?” The show is smart. Not sure why they don’t find ways to distract these things from happening- as opposed to avoiding them.

[@prettyroach]

i think some of these dip into the realism of convos between people where things aren’t answered, and allowing the audience to have space to figure out stuff implicitly. We already know there’s rumours MDR were violent pouch havers and that’s makes the goat people’s response add up, etc

[@rika7625]

Thought both instances were weird too. Those real questions were never asked

[@faithfm1]

The characters did have enough info to infer what each other meant

[@bobbypope7039]

@@faithfm1 What info did they have to deduce goat woman made any sense? Did I miss something? It just seems, with the show as sharp as it is, characters (both inside/out) aren’t asking questions - that you and I would ask. I have more examples- but, I’ll stick with goat lady- since it was most recent

[@bobbypope7039]

@@prettyroach I get that. However, it seems the show would have characters asking questions you and I would ask (e.g. Mark meets Pete, Pete says he can’t go home anymore. You and I would ask “why can’t you go home?” Or, Pete having a recording of inside break room. You and I would ask “how the hell did you get that, Pete!”). But, Mark doesn’t. I get we’ll likely get those answers through reveals later. But, script keeps Mark quite. Script could have had a sudden distraction to keep those questions unanswered. However, they didn’t and Mark looks like a simpleton. It’s the only gripe I have. But, whatever. It’s still awesome

[@justinbennettdrums]

The large goat pasture room complete with disheveled staff looks like the creation of a nativity scene underway, the birth of Kier (much like the recreation of Kier’s house in Perpetuity.) Perhaps for the actual rebirth ceremony of Kier once the bring-back-the-dead tech is refined enough through the completion of Cold Harbor.

[@samshug6053]

this episode left me with chill when i was finished watching. I love this show

[@ghostasher4739]

Pete Peppers' channel should have WAAAAAAYYYYYY more subscribers. great break downs of great shows. i had to bully the youtube algorithm to put this channel's back in my recommended feed..... i say we share share share..... lets get him to 1 million subs....

[@calex5591]

I love how everyone looks like your coworker in real life bc they’re not Hollywood beautiful-it’s like they’re the real ppl there. This episode was effin bananas.

[@coach_paul_t]

I love how the paintings were a poke at real world diversity initiatives that just don’t seem authentic and seem forced. So on point.

[@bevanmorgan3946]

I know everyone says it’s definitely Helena but my initial impression was that it wasn’t Helena pretending to be Hellie - it’s actually Hellie. Which is why she fumbled her story about what happened and who she was on the outside. To me it was because she was embarrassed that she was a person in charge of Lumon and didn’t want them to know. No matter how long they were away, it’s instant for Hellie when she returns to the floor. So, she was stumbling over her story because she was making it up. Helena is not stupid. She wouldn’t forget her story that easily.

[@laurenpaus7608]

an ex mormon has compaired lumon to mormonism and the paintings of black seth/keir feels familiar to when the mormon church decided black men could finally hold the priesthood 😳

[@damdamfino]

4:06 okay, I’m satisfactorily convinced you’re not AI. Proceed.

[@JohnnyJJCoolC]

Love these as much as the show

[@zoscmengiste4990]

me too

[@slidewineder3953]

Try to enjoy all media equally