Production on the second season of Severance, the Apple TV+ thriller about a profoundly creepy workplace, has seen delays because the series’ two showrunners hate each other, according to a recent report.
Scripts were scrapped amid the two not speaking to each other as director Ben Stiller searched for help. And it seems he finally found it. Stiller also downplayed on-set drama in a tweet.
Showrunners’ ‘hatred’ could delay Severance season 2
Apple TV+ psycho-dramedy-thriller series Severance — call it what you will, it seems to have everything — picked up a few Emmys for its first season. But that hasn’t helped season two, according to a new report in Puck.
The report wonders if Stiller can “pull off a salvage job” on the new season.
The two showrunners in question are Dan Erickson, the young creator who wrote the show’s pilot, and Mark Friedman, an experienced producer brought in to help. Puck said multiple sources noted the two came to hate each other during production of Severance’s first season.
Apparently, Friedman planned to leave between seasons. However, Stiller and Apple lured him back after failing to find a suitable replacement. Stiller directed most of season one’s episodes and will return for much of season two, which will add multiple new characters.
Ben Stiller says no problem on Severance set
Stiller sought to cool rumors of on-set drama with a tweet on Friday that suggested the slow schedule is normal and the air date may not be delayed.
No one’s going to the break room. We’re on the same really slow schedule we’ve always been on. Same target air date we’ve always had. Love our fans and each other and we all are just working to make the show as good as possible.
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) April 28, 2023
The person Stiller ended up bringing in for season three onward might save season two as well. That would be writer-producer Beau Willimon, who created Netflix’s House of Cards and worked on Andor for Disney+.
On tap to work toward season three, Willimon saw the snafus with season two. Episode costs reportedly skyrocketed up around $20 million apiece as delays mounted.
“So for a few months now, Willimon has helped craft a back half of Season 2 and a template for Season 3, with the show being delayed significantly in the process,” according to Puck. The publication said Apple TV+ declined to comment on the Severance situation.
Nobody wants to wait longer than necessary for the show’s return. Severance’s season one finale left us desperate for more. Unfortunately, there’s no release date set for season two.
