Severance 2x02 'Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig' | First Time Reaction

[@richardhuff1256]

Cold Harbor is the name of the file linked to Ms Casey that Mark was refining in the closing scene from E1.

[@rajwalchopra1097]

I dont know if you caught it but Milchick confirmed it’s only been 48 hours. Not 5 months which was mentioned in the first episode.

[@webhead215]

Cold Harbor is the name of the file Mark is working on at the end of 2x01, when it flashes to a security feed/readout of Gemma. They need Mark to "refine" his wife's memories.

[@Nythara]

The elevator “dings” twice (once when it opens and once when it closes). With Helena, we only hear the first ding. I believe it’s a clue.

[@jambulance]

My wife picked up on that when we watched it I didn’t even catch that, I haven’t seen many mention it either but it sounds like it’d definitely a clue.

[@Nythara]

@ In a show like this, where everything is meticulously crafted and perfected down to the smallest detail (for example, timing both elevator scenes in Episodes 1 and 2 to the second), it seems unlikely that they would accidentally miss that final “ding.”

[@logan-pe4rm]

To be fair, the camera cuts away to a new location once the elevator door shuts as the sequence ends with Helly. It's definitely suspicious, but it could be a red herring. Only time will tell. What would Helena's motive be? but, to also be fair to your point, remember Cobel's warning to Helly right at the end before she went on stage? "Who do you think you are? No. Your friends are going to suffer. Mark will suffer. YOU (Helly) will be long gone. But we will keep them (your friends) alive. In pain." something like that. Maybe Helly really is long gone.

[@red2977]

@@logan-pe4rm This show isn't big on red herrings. They usually either put clues in or don't but they don't actively try to deceive the viewer for shock value like some other shows. Helena could have all sorts of motives for wanting to go down. 1. She is fixated on Helly's relationship with Mark (I'm sure Helena being in a cult never had a social life), 2. Helly would likely tell the others all about what she saw which would be a real problem after all they won't keep working if they hear about Lumon wanting to put a chip into everyone, 3. Helena is scared of Helly, Helly is intense to say the least (I mean she hung herself for crying out loud) Helly is just too dangerous with this info to let loose and you can see Helena has PTSD when she keeps rubbing her neck, 4. In order to take out the cameras and microphones they need a mole to report back what the severed employees are doing they have seen just how sneaky they are so they won't want to underestimate them further. 5. She has to go down because Mark won't work without her and the company would look bad if she didn't return to work so the only option is to either go down herself or unleash Helly

[@bowi1332]

OMG!

[@red2977]

I think Helly is actually Helena. Her hesitance to hug mark, she wasn't mid speech when she came out of the elevator, her difficulty finding the computer switch, her being the first to notice the cameras were gone and constantly trying to get the others to tell her what they saw. As to why she would lie if it was Helly. Well she could be scared of telling the others that her outtie is one of the top people imprisoning and torturing them.

[@edbe7385]

Mark has to know that he's being lied to by Milchick at that second visit to his house, Pete told him that his innie was miserable as well regarding his wife.

[@red2977]

there is a reason mark and his sister withheld information from Milchick. Although it is true Mark did find love down there. The best lies contain elements of truth. Really I think Mark is going back because of Gemma, also he doesn't want to kill his innie.

[@TheDemonicPenguin]

Cold Harbor is the Gemma MDR project as shown in the last frame of the last episode.

[@wavehellhole]

I love how Milchek performs a “wellness session” with Mark, including telling him facts about his innie.

[@TheeSunDanceKiid]

I wouldn’t recommend binging this show, it’s one of only a few that I’m glad is spaced out. It gives you a whole week to digest, talk about, theorize & rewatch. Hasn’t finished so it’s difficult to put as my number 1 but definitely top 3 all time shows

[@TheLevitatingFleem]

I *really* think the innies are going to find that fuckin rotting egg that Irving smashed in that book in the MDR office. And when they do they should be able to piece together that it hasn’t been anywhere near 5 months since the OTC was enabled. Edit: And yeah the shots in this episode were absolutely insane. The cinematography somehow just gets better and better in this show.

[@DAVIDELLIOTT]

It's clear from the beginning of the episode that Helena is not happy with her life and the part she plays in the Lumon cult. Seeing Helly in the security tapes shows her what she would be like if she had a normal life. And she longs for that. I believe she goes in not as a spy, but as a double agent. Part of her wants to experience life as Helly. Part of her wants to help them take down Lumon.

[@noelcrenshaw7969]

My current theory is that they're trying to resurrect/reincarnate kier and Gemma is their main test case. They've figured out the physical part of it but they're struggling with the internal intangible stuff which is where the mdr team comes in. They're sorting out Gemma's internals and rebuilding her consciousness. That's why Mark in particular being on the project is so important because he knows Gemma better than anybody and would know his way around. And if it works with Gemma and kier they'll make it available to all the other wealthy people. It's an eternal life play

[@BunnLilah]

That would also explain why they give Mark his rebellious team even though it's dangerous to their company. If Mark is the key to eternal life and he only works good with his team then you have to put up with them lol

[@chrisbreheim9175]

to add to that I think there's cloning involved. the original Gemma did die but like you said, they're rebuilding her personality and consciousness overall. this would explain why she acted so robotic in the first season. AND it ties in with the goats (which I think they are also cloning)

[@ipayne18]

I think it's Helena and not Helly on the severed floor currently because multiple times in episode 1, she mentions how there are no cameras or mics, because she's the one who is gonna be taking note of everything the rest of MDR says and does. Basically a spy.

[@TheDemonicPenguin]

Also the elevator didn't beep here.

[@ipayne18]

@@TheDemonicPenguin Yeah for sure. There are several other tells it seems and I believe they want it to seem obvious that it's Helena, in order to throw some other twist at us.

[@MallRatsXoXo]

That's just so obvious though, it's heavily implied which is why I think they want us to think that but there's gonna be a twist to it

[@CHROMIUMHEROmusic]

I think so too because we saw the shot of her struggling to find the switch for her computer. Innie Helly would know it like the back of her hand Edit: Or they could have put that in to double bluff and throw us off, who knows?!

[@memento81]

been waiting for this video You gals were the first react channel I went along to rewatch S1 with and you immediately hit the right balance of emotional reaction and perceptive analysis. So happy we can continue this with season 2

[@fashionboyrobbychin]

The building is Bell Works in Monmouth county NJ. I live 5 minutes from there. It's got a bunch of companies and a food market there lol nice place!

[@jayhop]

Well go find out what the hell is going on in there and get back to us!!!

[@BunnLilah]

With Mark W getting fired, I just realized if someone is fired they still have the chip in them. What's stopping Lumon from activating them remotely and having them do crazy shit as an innie and then switching them back? Nobody would believe the person if they said they blacked out and suddenly they had committed a crime.

[@capn_toad]

yes THANK YOU for picking up the water motif!!! it's everywhere, from the logo, to names of places, to the names of all the files they're refining... what does it meeeeeaaaaannnn..........

[@QuietFlowed]

Severance Office Ambience | Focus & Work Like a Lumon Employee

[@bretbret8293]

This show is so good it hurts

[@SteveInMaine207]

I agree. She's not severed currently so she can get a better grasp of what or who they all told or interacted with so they can cover it all up. Especially since Milchick couldnt get any straight answers out of them while they were unsevered. That's why they stressed the fact that the cameras and microphones were gone, hoping that she can gain their trust to get the details.

[@eringoblah]

They couldn’t fire Mark even if they didn’t need him specifically - he and his entire family had their lives infiltrated by Cobel and there’s no way Lumon can blame that on Mark now that everyone knows.

[@jonathanpowell7256]

Mark, Irving & Dylan's elevators all dinged twice at the end, except for Helena's.

[@John_Locke_108]

This pacing of this episode felt slow but it also felt non-stop. And ejwr the heck is up with Irv? How did he know to get a message to his innie?

[@ipayne18]

Irv is definitely an interesting character, not only because of all of his paintings but how he had info on so many severed employees back in season 1.

[@dugferd2266]

If it's Helly, her reason for lying about her overtime contingency experience would most likely be not knowing how the others would react to her being an Eagan.

[@bestside3554]

Severance Advisory Council - She was SAC’d

[@vainbelmont6645]

I've watched all of your Severance reactions. They're on part with the best on YT. Plus, NGL, I'm in love with Maple :P

[@red2977]

The Lumon building is in New Jersey but you can walk in there since its a bunch of different businesses located there.

[@N01Famous]

I adore the job interview scene.

[@davismorgan99]

I think it has to be Helena down there. The elevator does not “ding” for her like it does for everyone else when she goes down at the end of the episode. The only thing I’m unsure of is if Lumen knows that it’s Helena. I think she might be down there in order to steal Helly’s life

[@SphericaICow]

11:30 Are you saying you’re not obsessed with Mark?

[@Pandercolour]

What if Gemma IS dead and Lumon's deal is trying to bring the dead back to life?

[@thebatmanbadass30000]

I thought it was pretty obvious that it isn't helly that it's all Helena, and this episode shows that she's watching all the videos footage. So she's undercover.

[@ghostmkc4045]

the thing is, im not sure lumen knows that though. i feel helena has her own agenda due to her fear of her innie. maybe im wrong, maybe its just a simple undercover.

[@red2977]

@@ghostmkc4045 you could be right. I'm not sure Lumon is in on what helena is doing. After all they said the board is sending Helly back. I can totally see Helena doing this on her own because she is too scared to let Helly out, but the only thing that gives me pause about that theory is that they removed the cameras and microphones. Makes it seem like they have a mole.

[@bowi1332]

I feel like this season will be more "drama" than "dramedy". (Which is fine.) I would say "bleak", -but I have English as a second language and can't look it up in a dictionary. 😆- Yep. Seems the appropriate word.

[@S-jq1yk]

Milchick is going to be on their side somehow

[@caveritt82489]

I think Helena is down there pretending but I also think maybe she’s changing her mind. Maybe the real Helena is becoming Helly.

[@iamkerok]

I could swear Maple said "Diet Jesus"...

[@RyanWarnick-i6e]

By the end of episode 1, I was certain that Helena had come down to the severed floor in her true character as a mole to discover what the innies found out during their outside experience. We learned in this episode that Lumon already discovered that Mark S knows Ms. Casey is Gemma. When Helena reviewed the security footage and saw herself fraternizing with and kissing Mark S, I think she was intrigued. She is the heiress to this fortune / cult with an abusive father - for all we know, she has never experienced love. I think she was intrigued. That security guy said the board was going to send down Helly R, but Helena made a strange face. I think Helenea made arrangements to descend to the severed floor without triggering her implant. But now I don't think she's down there as a mole. I think she is down there out of intrigue. She wants to meet these innies. She is empathetic to their plight. I'm wondering if she will be painted as the villain throughout this season, but maybe her story arc will see her become the hero/savior of the innies? It does seem that we got confirmation that her implant did not trigger when the elevator door closed and there was no chime. That chime has been used throughout season one and two to signify the triggering of the implant.

[@red2977]

Anyone else think Rickon might be a Lumon employee spying on Mark's family and the town? This whole town feels weird and he was really pushing the idea that Mark was talking about the baby and not Gemma. We know that severance is being used in places other than the severance floor (eg senator's wife). Who knows what experiments they are doing in that town. Gotta wonder how Milchek knows where Mark is. He is at his sister's house not his own home after all. Sure maybe Cobel told him or maybe there is a tracker in the chip but its weird nobody questioned how he knew where to find Mark.

[@matthewdawson129]

PS: It's the Old Bell Labs building in Holmdel NJ, knew plenty of people who worked there

[@DAVIDELLIOTT]

Mark: If Ricken died and his body burnt ... That's how Gemma is still alive. They put a burnt body in her car and put some personal items (wedding ring) on the body for Mark to identify her. Meanwhile, she is alive and well but severed in the basement of Lumon. The real question is - was it against Gemma's will, or did she do it willingly?

[@rayhutchinson640]

Fantastic reactions and analyses!

[@bowi1332]

Am I the only one who think that Maple's brain got wrecked at the end of Season 1 and never recovered? 😅 She seem confused, more than Ariana, since Season 1 finale.

[@Madagon367]

Arianna got the crazy contacts going I guess or is it just the lighting? At first I was like wtf is going on over there.

[@joshwilliams5860]

contacts

[@rolypoly4920]

The only thing that makes me doubt that its Helena on the Severed floor is that Lumon doesn't know how to unsever people. Only that one lady figured it out when she went rogue. So they physically couldn't unsever Helena. So the only way it could be Helena pretending is if there is a protocol like the Over Time Contingency, but in reverse. So they flip it back to Helena as soon as she passes the Severed elevator. We see the "Open House" Contingency listed in Season 1. That sounds like something it would do.

[@red2977]

They don't know how to unsever people (meaning combining the two sets of memories etc) but I'm sure they can turn the chip off so it doesn't change over.

[@dubbleplusgood]

@@red2977 Correct. And there's every good reason to suspect Helena is spying and no good reason to think Helly Rebel would lie about exposing the truth to all those lunatics behind Severance. Bottom line, Helena would never let Helly R. return because Helly is the reason everything went south for Lumon.

[@BunnLilah]

Maybe something like that just prevents it from even going on in the first place. If you get fired you still have the chip inside you, it's just never activated. So that's already a thing that can happen for sure.

[@Troffffy]

How are you not watching the episode as soon as it comes out?

[@HouseOfMontague1]

The job is mysterious and important. I think the job is tied to something very specific with each individual. And Marks job is pretty critical to them. Snce it’s about Ms Casey, and they know he is poking around so they prob just want to get that completed as quick as possible, instead of losing all progress on it. Hellie is her outtie, but she seems like a religious fanatic. I think she prob sees strength and things in her Innie she can’t express herself. Also, wonder if that kiss with Mark was the first time she had even kissed someone and wants to just explore that more.

[@kirayoshikage1491]

2:00 another language? 😆 Nah, that's just old person speak

[@TheeSunDanceKiid]

I think they would’ve kept Mark regardless, but he was the only one that was honest about his innie being out & about. Irv tried keeping lowkey & Dylan caused the whole thing, plus he’s had 2 physical altercations with milkshake.

[@John_Locke_108]

The license plate on Mr Nucheck's doesn't have a State. I wonder if that's significant. Is the town a sovereign nation within in the US or something like that?

[@dubbleplusgood]

They own the town. Not sovereign, corrupt.

[@BunnLilah]

On the map in season 1, their location is "Kier, PE" which is not a real state abbreviation in our world. I'm really curious about the whole USA in the Severance universe.

[@clarkmichaels822]

Irv's call is interesting, concerning 'my innie got the message'. Was it that Burt was in a relationship on the outside? Or was it about the elevator. I think it's the second one. Outie Irv stayed awake at night painting the same elevator over and over, which even resulted in Innie Irv getting hallucinations of paint dripping down. Now Innie Irv saw the paintings themselves and connected it to the special elevator.

[@red2977]

yea Irv made himself stay up late at night drinking coffee and painting the same thing again hoping to make his innie fall asleep and dream of the paintings. I'm surprised none of them tried to write a note to their outtie when they were awake.

[@BunnLilah]

I was wondering if Irv might have even expected the overtime contingency to be used eventually? Painting every single night and intentionally leaving them all over the room sends a pretty clear message if you happen to awaken as an innie after work.

[@dugferd2266]

Spoiler: There's another channel which actually did the painstaking process of synching the scenes of the elevator arrivals checking if the timing was consistent to see if it's Helly or Helena who gets off the elevator. . . For Mark, Dylan, and Irv, the timing to when the elevator opened on the severed floor was 20 seconds. For Helly/Helena it was 17.

[@dubbleplusgood]

it could be 20, 30, 40, or 0.7 seconds - it wouldn't matter. Helena must have done some type of off-the-books OTC and she made it down to the basement as Helena without flipping to Helly R. There's simply no good reason for Helena to allow Helly R. back in a position where she could harm or even kill herself.

[@dugferd2266]

@dubbleplusgood I think the point of the comparison is that she didn't go through those three seconds (where the camera trick does the face morph) which activate the severance chip. Just as a confirmation that it's Helena and not Helly.

[@handohansolo8866]

11:30 I’ve been jokingly calling this show a harem anime ever since Helly showed an interest in Mark.

[@vereku_]

I think there is a very large possibility she is severed Helly R. but just like Irving, she's ashamed of what happened when she was on the overtime contingency... I don't know if they could reverse her severance in the 24 hours? Maybe though? TOUGH.

[@red2977]

they dont need to reverse her severance they can probably just shut the chip off so she doesn't switch back and forth

[@vereku_]

@@red2977 thats fair, I guess they leave out that possibility to further the mystery - but assuming they can do overtime contingency, they can do the opposite even easier

[@JohnnyPappas]

I just think that this being Helena is way too easy of a solution for the show. I think that she lied because she was afraid of what they are going to do to her friends because she has already been warned by Cobel that her friends are going to suffer. Nobody’s talking about that at all.

[@kaydee9783]

Great react! Can you watch Pride and Prejudice (2005)? Maybe for valentines day since it's a romance. I think you'd love it. Fantastic cast and cinematography...

[@novakaneiii8231]

i think its Helena on the inside because why would her Innie lie about what she saw? she knows the mission, she wants to stick it to all of Lumon, she doesnt care. and why would Outie Helena risk letting her Innie back in to stir up more trouble. no question its just Helena this season.

[@novakaneiii8231]

also, if you notice when they are all coming back to work, the regular theme song is playing, but when Helena arrives, the music changes to a different theme. a different chord progression. no im not an expert on music so i cant go into more detail but i feel its as much of a hint as they can give us now

[@EleshNorn-ui1eg]

Innie Helena would keep it a secret because she is ashamed to find out she was the enemy all along. She also might want to keep that a secret because they might hurt her if they found out, use her for leverage somehow. If she loves Mark she might be wary of him finding out and risking him thinking less of her.

[@novakaneiii8231]

@@EleshNorn-ui1eg wouldnt she want them to use her as leverage? she was willing to cut off her fingers and h*ng herself last season, but now shes afraid they might hurt her?

[@BunnLilah]

Plus Helly R would be fucking stoked to tell them she ruined their big speech as an Eagan!

[@EleshNorn-ui1eg]

After episode 3 and seeing how awkward she acts now around Mark I'm definitely warming to the idea she is her outie pretending.

[@sensaiuriah5440]

Could both of U guys react to Blade runner and Blade runner 2049. It's made from the same director that did Dune 2020 and sicario. Highly underrated 🔥🔥

[@MinecraftPenguin8]

It sounded like you said “diet Jesus”

[@autocosm]

Irv's old-timey transatlantic accent is suspicious to me.

[@yeetkunedo]

History of naval service. Advanced age. Keeps secret files on workers inside. Pretty sure he might be an intelligence operative on the outside who volunteered to go in.

[@keithnphx63]

So. Who is actually down on the severed floor? Is it the feisty yet adorable Helly? 🙂 Or the stark and intimidating Helena?? 😬

[@joshwilliams5860]

Pretty clearly Helena lol

[@red2977]

Helena seems the logical choice. I don't think they mean for this to be a huge twist. They are dropping a lot of clues. Even though its the same actor I really hope Helly comes back, because she is a different character and rather lovable.

[@keithnphx63]

@red2977 Yeah, it's gotta be Helena. The bigger question is whether or not the Board knows she's gone in unsevered. Whatever the case, Britt Lower is acting her a$$ off. Great job making two distinct characters.

[@handohansolo8866]

Still confused on why Helena’s dad bad mouthed her outie when her innie was the problem. I guess no matter what innies/outies are the same person, we see examples of that, but does that mean Helena has a rebellious side to her? She seems very much on board with all the Lumon stuff

[@red2977]

Maybe he was trying to reach her innie with his insult. Maybe he thought it was still her innie that he was talking to. When Helena responded back to him he seemed taken aback.

[@handohansolo8866]

@ yeah but the way she responded has me speculating. Could just be that she’s ashamed of her innie but also innie and outies personalities intertwine so could Helena have a rebelious side? She’s definitely into her innie kissing mark.

[@grazitamuller9802]

I’m so sorry Ariana but your new eyes’ color were distracting me the whole time!! 😂🙈🙈 Don’t get me wrong, it looks nice it’s just weird to look at because we are used to your brown colour 🙃🙃

[@SteveInMaine207]

Yeah, payphones still exist. It looks like this series is set in the middle to late 70s, maybe very early 80s, based on all of the cars in the Lumon parking lot. 18:17

[@TheBrandonMinich]

But mark had a smart phone and O and D had 3d printers

[@ryanowens7085]

It is an alternate reality so it is going to be confusing. The show runners intentionally mixed up the technology-old cars but Dylan and Mark have modern phones with touch screens and texting. Even Pete’s flip phone from last season was at least late 90s. The MDR computers have video resolution and speed from at least the late 80s if not early 90s. Mark’s television from last season could not have existed before the 2010s. And the clothing styles are much more modern than the 70s, for example.

[@ezkefen]

It’s not the 80s. Mark has a smartphone, and if you look very carefully at his ID in the scene in episode 1 where he’s putting his stuff away, you can see that it was issued in 2020.

[@McArthur-Posey]

Why block some F words and not others lol?

[@BadassRaiden]

I think this episode provides more evidence that it is indeed Helly and not Helena, the most important of which is the very last scene where she is returning to work. Why would she be looking sad? If her goal is to go down there and get information, why is she so upset? Considering how confident she is and the way she carries herself as Helena, I find it remarkably hard to believe that she would be sad or upset with the task that stands before her. Her expression instead resembles the idea that she is returning the reigns to Helly, something I think she would find way more upsetting.

[@red2977]

She looks concerned and yes that could be an indication that she is going to switch to Helly. However, she could also look that way because this is the first time she is going to the severed floor as herself and she would probably be nervous, because she has never met these people as Helena before. She could be worried about being discovered. If she is impersonating Helly but not telling Lumon then I can see how she would be really terrified about what could happen to her down there.

[@natecloudboiy4770]

Maple still crying bout the election? 🤣