Apple TV+Severance creator Dan Erickson has been busy breaking down the Season 2 finale, including the iconic Music Dance Experience 2.0, this time in the form of a marching band named the Choreography and Merriment department.
The Apple TV+ series ended with a bang, matching and perhaps even surpassing the infamous “She’s alive!” moment from Season 1. There was a bonkers death, the completion of Cold Harbor, and Mark’s heartbreaking decision.
But alongside the dark there was plenty of light, some of the best moments coming from fan fave severed floor manager Seth Milchick. As well as his hilarious back and forth with a Kier Eagan robot, actor Tramell Tillman wowed us once again with some impeccable dance moves.
The scene introduces us to the Choreography and Merriment department for the first time, which Erickson describes as a bizarre yet totally fitting extension of Lumon – according to him, there’s “internal logic.” Warning: spoilers ahead!
At Lumon, even the marching band is severed
Apple TV+In a conversation with Rolling Stone, the Severance creator confirmed that the company does, in fact, have a department of Innies whose sole purpose is to perform in a marching band for special occasions. That’s it – that’s their only job.
It’s rather outlandish, and one of the elements of the Season 2 finale that may have appeared confusing. During the scene, the Choreography and Merriment department is brought in to perform after Mark completes the Cold Harbor file.
The ruckus gives Mark the opportunity to slip away and rescue Gemma, while Helly and Dylan lock Milchick in the bathroom to save time.
When the band realizes what’s going on, the field commander tells everyone to fall back, saying, “Our performance has been compromised.”
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However, Helly’s able to gain their support by giving an impassioned speech. “Our friend Irving is gone, and they want our whole department gone,” she says.
“If he gets out, we’re dead. They’re gonna turn us off like f**king machines. You’ve seen them do it. I know you’ve lost friends too, and you could be next.”
This confirms that, rather than bring in a regular marching band, Lumon’s hired them and implanted a chip, and their only job is performing for these occasions.
Apple TV+Rolling Stone asked Erickson about the “severed marching band,” and how much the creators need to figure out an explanation for these elements, even if they’re never explained on the TV show.
“We oftentimes lead with crazy. We’ll put something in there because it tickles us and makes us excited. Something that would throw us off if we were watching the show,” he said.
“But that is immediately followed up with, ‘OK, can we justify it within this show?’ This is a company that can produce a whole stop-motion short animation over the course of a weekend, so they’re not without resources.
“But, yeah, you have to justify it in what they’re able to do, but also in the philosophy of the company, going back to Kier Egan.
“Why do they feel these things are important? And again, a lot of it will remain behind the scenes, but we have to have answers to it, just so there’s an internal logic for us.”
The outlet then asked, “So you understand why there is value in the company having an entire severed marching band on salary, that only has to come out and perform on special occasions?” To which Erickson said, “Correct.”
If there’s one thing Severance has made clear, it’s that at Lumon, no absurdity is too big if it keeps the cult of Kier alive – and if it happens to involve choreographed brass instruments and a dancing Milchick, who are we to question it?
Find out everything we know about Severance Season 3, read more about Season 2’s Orpheus and Eurydice twist, and keep tabs on the Severance soundtrack. We’ve also rounded up the best shows like Severance.