Atsushi Nishijima/Apple TV+
For a show that’s all about escaping toxic workplace drama, Severance, ironically, may be one of the messiest shows currently in production.
Puck News’ Matthew Belloni shared a searing report about the behind-the-scenes drama plaguing Severance in his newsletter this week, and it doesn’t sound promising for anyone hoping to see Season 2 anytime soon. According to Belloni, the Emmy-winning Apple TV+ series has been delayed significantly due to script issues, production costs—with some episodes reportedly costing $20 million—and, perhaps juiciest of all, friction between its two showrunners, Dan Erickson and Mark Friedman.
Belloni cites multiple sources who say Erickson, a first-time series creator who wrote the original pilot, and Friedman, a more seasoned writer-producer who was paired with the rookie, “ended up hating each other on the first season.” Severance director and executive producer Ben Stiller reportedly tried to find a replacement for Friedman, who intended to quit after Season 1, but came up empty-handed and ultimately wooed Friedman back.