Severance season two must answer the Burt and Irving ‘will they won’t they’ question

Get ready to return to Lumon, as Apple TV’s dystopian thriller Severance is finally back for season two – and fans have already been gagged by a surprise cameo from none other than Keanu Reeves in episode one.

Keanu Reeves wasn’t credited, but he could be heard voicing the Lumon building, and viewers were thrilled with one writing: “Keanu Reeves voicing the Lumon building! This was a cinematic masterpiece.”

However, for queer fans, there’s another focus. Namely, the hope that one of season one’s big gay questions will finally be answered in Severance season two: Will Burt (Catch Me If You Can’s Christopher Walken) and Irving (Barton Fink’s John Turturro) finally end up together? 

Warning: spoilers for Severance season two ahead.

Season one of the psychological sci-fi thriller proved to be a massive hit on its release in early 2022, scoring an impressive 14 Emmy Award nominations that year.

The series follows Mark Scout (Scott), an employee and head of department at biotechnology company Lumon Industries (as voiced by Keanu Reeves) who grows suspicious of the organisation’s cult-like running and severance programme, which separates its employees into “Innies” and “Outies”. Essentially, Innies recall nothing of their outside lives or personas, while Outies do not remember anything they experience at work.

In addition to the stellar performances by its leads (Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower et al) and glossy production values, fans fell as much for the connection between employees Burt and Irving as the pair fell for each other.

During episode two, company conformist Irving meets Burt, the head of the Optics and Design department, and they immediately take a shine to one another.

In the episodes that follow, their connection at work blossoms, as they make excuses to cross departments to steal moments with each other. Their sweet interactions led to majority of Severance viewers demanding for them to become official, and questioning whether they are a couple in their Outie lives too.

However, season one ended with heartbreak, when Burt was hounded into forced retirement, rupturing their Innie romance. The season ended with Irving, in his Innie form, managing to track down Outtie Burt who, devastatingly, recalled nothing of the burgeoning work relationship. He even admitted to having another partner on the outside.

After the season ended, the show’s creator Dan Erickson hinted, albeit lightly, that there is still hope for all the Burt and Irving stans out there during Severance season two.

“Well, I mean, they’re both still alive, so there’s always hope,” Erickson quipped when asked by Entertainment Weekly whether the characters could reunite.

“I don’t want to get too much into what our plans are, but I think that there is potential. I don’t know that this has to be the end of their story.”

However, as episode one of Severance season two lands on Apple TV, it seems viewers may have a long journey ahead of them in finding out whether Burt and Irving can make it work.

Episode one of the new season sees Irving distraught at his discovery of Burt’s partner, and threatens to leave the company. There’s no indication, by the end of the episode at least, that the two will be back together any time soon. 

But as season two progresses, the “will they, won’t they” question is set to weigh heavily.

Severance is streaming on Apple TV. 

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