Warning: This article contains spoilers for the show “Severance.”
“Severance” star Dichen Lachman says she’s a big fan herself of the fun and sometimes far-fetched theories about the show.
Lachman particularly loves the kooky speculations, the actor said as she discussed the dramatic season two finale last week and the uncertain fate of her character, Gemma, the wife of Mark, the show’s protagonist.
The fandom has taken on a life of its own, posting countless memes and theories to social platforms, helping make “Severance” Apple TV’s biggest hit, surpassing “Ted Lasso.”
The Emmy-winning series follows employees at Lumon Industries, who undergo a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives — creating innies for work and outies outside of work.
The theory that most caught Lachman’s attention was that Ricken’s innie, Mark’s brother-in-law — is a goat. The theory hilariously and earnestly suggests this because he once scaled a mountain, has goat-themed decorations around his house and his phone alarm is a cowbell — similarly used in the show’s Department of Mammalian Nurturability.
Sure, why not? Lachman says.
“I think that is absolutely hilarious. Could it be possible? Maybe. They have definitely backed up why they think he’s a goat and pulled all the reasons,” Lachman said. “It’s a silly one, but I love how wild they get. There’s so many out there, too many to list, but that’s the wildest one.”
Back in season one, Mark [Adam Scott], had severed himself because he was mourning his wife’s death and chose to forget the grief and pain for eight hours a day at work. However, at the end of the season, Mark discovers that his wife, Gemma, is alive and is the wellness counselor on the Severed Floor, Ms. Casey.
Season two ended with a cliffhanger as after saving Gemma from the basement of the Lumon building, Mark’s innie turns his back on her and runs away with Helly R.
Lachman said she was emotionally moved as she tried to grapple with what her character was experiencing in the poignant ending.
“She very quickly realised that he is not Mark, it’s Mark’s innie. She is calling and banging to break through that barrier or even convince the innie to come back to her on the other side. [The ending] is a realization that he’s severed.”
Lachman said that she doesn’t know where season three, which was announced after the finale aired, will take her character.
“I trust Dan [Erickson] and I don’t want to have any expectations, I just want to see where he goes with this. He’s such a brilliant writer and a brilliant person,” Lachman said.
Despite playing a major role, she said she’s not always aware of how the story will unfold.
When Lachman was approached by executive producer and director Ben Stiller for the role of Ms. Casey, she was told that her character would be revealed as Mark’s dead wife. Lachman admits that for other plot points she is often as much “in the dark” as the fans watching at home.
“I like living in that [space of] not knowing,” Lachman said.
Overall, Lachman said she’s beyond grateful and said she feels like the fan feedback has been unprecedented.
“I didn’t know it was going to take on such an enormous life in season two with the fanbase,” she said. “There has not been a show that has galvanized the fanbase but I feel like ‘Severance’ has brought everyone back together and it’s really nice to see.”