The final credits have rolled on another season of Severance, and despite viewers once again being left with more questions than answers, executive producer Ben Stiller has promised he won't replicate the aching three-year wait that we had to endure between season 1 and season 2.
Although Severance's popularity and record-breaking legacy meant we weren't exactly surprised it was renewed for season 3, the fact that Apple TV+ is reportedly losing $1 billion a year means we were worried for a bit back there.
While there's no escaping the popularity of Severance, it seems not everyone is tuning in. Posting on Reddit, one former Scientologist explained why they can't watch the 'triggering' Severance.
Sharing shots of what looks like a Scientology Cadet School handbook, Redditor u/Middle-Ad9381 said they can't watch Severance because it reminds them of their formative years with Scientology in the '90s.
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When asked whether they were at a private school paid for by Scientology, the OP suggests they were housed at the Church's Pacific Area Command (PAC) base: "It was a private camp for kids whose parents were in the 'clergy' aka Sea Org members. It was called the pac ranch but it’s closed now since u aren’t allowed to have children when u are in the sea org as of 1987, the year I was born."
We're reminded a lot of Miss Huang (Sarah Bock) from season 2. While we're still not exactly sure what Miss Huang's role in the series is, Severance’s characters, and audiences alike, were rightly asking what a kid was doing on the Severed Floor. It was later revealed that Miss Huang was part of the Wintertide Fellowship and was shipped off to live at the Gunnel Eagan Empathy Center in the penultimate episode.
There was a similarly tragic upbringing for Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette), who was indoctrinated by Lumon Industries at a young age and worked in Salt Neck's ether factory before being enrolled as a Wintertide Fellow.
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Others were shocked by the comparisons, as one wrote: "I have a friend that grew up in a cult until she was a preteen. Did not realize at all what the show was gonna turn into until the second episode watching it with her and she left the room and told me to just come get her when it was done.
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"Can't even imagine that sort of trauma, especially just seeing where it was coming from so early."
Another said: "You were a real Miss Huang. But also, thank f**k you got out"
Expanding more on their own story, the OP wrote: "No thanks to LRon [Hubbard]/Kier I started my re-integration over 20 years ago and happy to say it has been largely successful but never fully complete."
They went on to compare themselves to the show's Severed and concluded: "However, life is much better as an outie tho I still sympathize for the innies. Thank you to those who wished well and showed support. Those of us who grew up in similar situations, we are stronger together and I support you all.”
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It's no coincidence that Arquette told Ars Technica she looked into cults: "Very early on when I got the pilot, I was pretty fascinated at that time with a lot of cult documentaries—Wild Wild Country, and I don’t know if you could call it a cult, but watching things about Scientology, but also different military schools—all kinds of things like that with that kind of structure, even certain religions."
Considering the credits have only just rolled on Severance’s beefy and bloody season finale, there aren't many details on where things will be heading in season 3. Still, expect for payoff on Mark S.' (Adam Scott's) heartbreaking decision, Cobel to remain at her unhinged best, and hopefully, another dance number from Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman).