Cold Harbor

Severance has officially cemented itself as one of the best shows I've ever watched. This season did feel a little scattered, but I had hope that everything would be pulled together, and my god it did. What a genuinely incredible piece of television and what a phenomenal finale. Ben Stiller and co. Have crafted a delicately perfect closer to such a well-made and confident season. Even though it was branching out in many different directions, they juggled everything to a perfect degree and stuck the landing. They stuck the landing to a second season. That's insane! I just can't believe that I get to live at the same time as Severance. Watch this show.

Where to start.... episode ties up numerous plot threads, a risky move that paid off spectacularly. It wraps up so neatly that the series could end here and still be phenomenal - though I'd hate to see it go. The leads deliver breathtaking performances, layered with nuance I can't fathom executing. I've always been attracted to this show because of how original the premise (severance) is - and they do a fantastic job of sticking to that originality and really playing to it this episode. Stunning direction and cinematography elevate every frame, while the set design (that final scene!) is awe-inspiring. A masterful, thoughtful close that rewards every twist of the season. Bravo!

I really have never felt this in shock by an episode. I've felt that gasping feeling or that need for the next episode but this episode may just be so peak that I can't even make a judgement of what happened. The last hour and 15 minutes felt like a blur that felt never ending but at the same time felt like time had flown by. I have never had any sort of show, movie, song or anything make me feel the way I feel right now (literally just completing the episode) because I have no clue where we go and I have no clue how people hate on this show. I need to go to bed and sleep on this episode and then rewatch it again as soon as I can. I genuinely think I experienced every single emotion possible while watching this episode it was that good.

The tension in this finale is incredibly, incredibly gripping. We get some much-needed answers while the denouement remains relatively open-ended--which is just as admittedly frustrating as it is exciting.

Incredible color grading this episode. From the earthy browns to the unsettling blues and greens to the blaring reds, this episode was a visual feast. Cinematography has always been Severance's strong suit, and I'm happy to say they've delivered wonderfully in this finale. These shots achieved their goals in the emotions they were able to evoke, from wonder to discomfort to solemn to just outright wildness.

The pacing between scenes was, similar to Season 1's finale, rivetingly done. At no point was the flow disrupted, yet it still felt like a roller coaster. The pace goes from a walk to a stride to a straight sprint, which is exactly what was needed to create the tension this was able to provide.

Some absolutely stellar performances were delivered by Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Dichen Lachman, and Tramell Tillman. Much attention was paid to the nuances between their characters, and I can't wait to see how they explore them further in Season 3. To compliment these performances, the editing was on point--one particular hard-to-realize-scene had me shaking my head in amazement with how smooth the cuts and dialogue were.

All in all, this finale was just as intense as it was delicate and pensive at points. While I don't know where Season 3 will take us, I'm incredibly happy with the way loose ends were tied up, especially after the penultimate episode let the puzzle pieces fall beautifully into place. Hopefully, we're looking at a TV classic.

The finale is a long beautiful dream I wish never ends.

It gives a very nice answer to a season full of lores and mysteries. If you finish watching, you will realize it solves the secrets we have been guessing, the numbers, the goats, Jame Eagan on the severed floor, Cold Harbor.

The choreography and music are fantastic. It seems to me every time outie Mark appears it's cold and colorless. In contrast, the choreography and music invite us into the colorful dream of innie Mark. The revealing after the file is completed is creepy, dark humor, but also funny and joyful. The last scene reminds me of "Mario" and "Peach" in Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding if you know what I am talking about. It's cruel but beautifully gives innie Mark the rebirth of a true self, the free will to make a choice. I wish they would never stop, and there will be no ending in that hallway.