The latest episode of Severance Season 2, titled "Who Is Alive?," takes viewers on a bizarre yet hilarious excursion as Mark (Adam Scott) casually cautions Helly (Britt Lower), "Careful, there's poop!" This warning sets the stage for the long-awaited introduction of Lumon's enigmatic goat department, officially known as the Mammalians Nurturable department.
Throughout the episode, Mark and Helly's search for Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman) leads them to crawl through tunnels only to discover the sprawling and verdant underground space filled with goats. It's here they encounter Lorne, played by Gwendoline Christie, who guards this whimsical world at knifepoint, along with her equally intimidating colleagues.
Despite the tense atmosphere, the episode skillfully balances scenes of shock with moments of surreal laughter, proving once again why Severance has captured the hearts of viewers with its eccentric storyline. But what exactly do these goats signify? Fans are left pondering this question as the episode raises more inquiries than it answers.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Gwendoline Christie shared her relief at finally being able to talk about Lorne and the goat allegory. "But I still feel like I can't say anything," Christie admitted with laughter. The intensity of her character, intertwined with the absurdity of the setting, particularly the goats, left her enamored with the show's weird charm. "I've been obsessed with the goats. It felt so right, but was so outside of the realms of anything logical or sensible," she elaborated.
Christie reflects on the moment the goats were introduced and expresses how it was akin to experiencing something almost transcendent. She likens her feelings to the chilling yet intimate dialogue from Silence of the Lambs, saying, "You can still hear the lambs, can't you, Clarice? You can still hear them calling to you?" Such comparisons only strengthen the show's theme of absurdity cloaked within human emotion.
The set where this all takes place was as enchanting as the story itself. Christie shared, "Seeing those sheep spread out across those rolling hills... it was somewhat similar to the set I found myself in." A captivating environment served as the backdrop for the behind-the-scenes magic, built, intriguingly, on what was once a golf course.
To prepare for her role, Christie took her commitment to heart. "I have friends who are sheep farmers, so I'd had, in a covert fashion, asked them... and I read books about goats," she explained. According to her, she aimed to fully embody the essence of her character without being "at odds" with the goats during filming. Her dedication clearly bore fruit as she stated, "I was surrounded by goats, and surrounded by my people who I take care of, and it was total bliss to me."
The episode culminates with Mark and Helly leaving the Mammalians Nurturable department with tentative friendships struck among terrifying coworkers, breaking down the insidious stereotypes formed about the department by its reputation.
It's evident Christie found joy not only within her character but also within the collaborations on set. "When we were in the scene together, it was completely joyful to work... I can't really convey what a delight this was," she described, embodying the whimsical spirit of the episode. She added, "And the strange magnetism... it felt like something quite terrifying came out. It was as if Fellini had a David Cronenberg dream, I don't know, or if David Cronenberg had a Fellini dream."
Severance season 2 continues to blur the lines of reality, leaving viewers guessing about the depths of Lumon's secrets and the role goats evidently play within them. Episodes drop every Friday on Apple TV+, where fans eagerly await more from this increasingly convoluted universe.