In a media landscape so focused on romance, it’s often forgotten how valuable platonic love can be.Friendships are some of the most important relationships people can have, and I find it frustrating that not many shows highlight the significance of these bonds, but Apple TV+‘sSeverancedid in one of its most recent episodes — to emotionally devastating results. Created byDan Erickson, this series follows a group of characters who have been surgically “severed,” with their consciousnesses being split into two; one half of the person lives their normal life, while the other’s entire existence is working for a mysterious and creepy mega-corporation known as Lumon. It’s a thrilling science fiction tale that investigates what it means to live and the horrors of professionalism, with fans falling in love with the dynamic cast at its center who push this intense story along.
Yet there’s one pair who has truly stolen my heart this season: Dylan (Zach Cherry) and Irving (John Turturro). It’s a friendship that has seen both men through some truly traumatizing moments and has helped develop each of them as characters trying to survive this unforgiving world. They are genuinely one of the most endearing television friendships that this author has ever seen, which is whythe eulogy Dylangave at Irving’s funeral in Season 2 Episode 5 left me in tears.
Dylan and Irving’s Friendship Has Been a Meaningful Part of ‘Severance’
While many shows have tried to call out the horrors of office life, none have taken as inventively effective of an approach asSeverance. The series follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), a grief-ridden man who, so desperate to escape his life of mourning, agrees to be severed. This procedure frees people from the daily slog of a job; they go down an elevator, their mind transitions into a different version of themselves whose entire existence is their work (the “innie”), and at the end of the workday, the original consciousness (the “outie”) returns. The series’ freshman outing saw Mark’s innie begin to question his surroundings, with him and his department workingto uncover the secrets of Lumon and discover their true purpose as severed workers.This introduced viewers to many intriguing characters, from the rebellious Helly R. (Britt Lower) to the coldly unnerving Ms. Cobel (Patricia Arquette), yet few storylines in that first season wereas hilariously heartwarming as that of Dylan and Irving.
At first glance,these two characters don’t seem that attached to one another. The bulk of Irving’s storyline in the show’s first season sees the once-devout man — Cobel and the rest of management teach innies to view the company’s manual as a kind of religious gospel — begin to question his faithas he falls in love with fellow severed worker Burt(Christopher Walken). Alternatively, Dylan was never that faithful; originally motivated solely by work prizes from management, a glimpse into his outie’s life made him realize that he wanted to remember the family that his other consciousness had the privilege of knowing.
Despite these impactful storylines taking up most of each character’s time, they still always found time with one another in the background. Dylan’s crass behavior with Irving was almost always done in defense of the man against perceived threats, and their verbal sparring, while intense at times, was a kind of love language that I’ve experienced in many of my own closest relationships. It’s easy to overlook their bond in the face of Mark and Helly’s more blatant romance, but it’s clear that Dylan and Irving were close friends who helped one another get through the worst parts of their fractured lives — which is why it’s so, so distressing to know thatDylan essentially has to watch Irving die when his innie is forcibly retiredin Season 2’s “Woe’s Hollow” episode.
This ‘Severance’ Character Just Became So Much More Terrifying
Don’t mess with Mr. Milkshake.
Dylan and Irving Were More Than Co-Workers on ‘Severance’
While I loved seeing Irving rebel completely against Lumon, it still shocked me when the man was “retired” after revealing that the company had planted a mole amidst our main group of innies. It was a huge loss for all, but especially Dylan; the man had been quiet all season in the hopes that management would let him see his family, with Irving’s death making him realize the cost of his obedience. While saddening, this serves as a metaphorfor what these men were to one another: sources of inspiration.Irving motivated the often laidback Dylan to fight against threats, andDylan’s influence in the season’s premiere pushed Irving to stay alivedespite knowing how painful his life would be without Burt. Their bond fosters a kind of development that pure romance would rarely allow, as it’s through their complex friendship that each character becomes more developed. That said, no amount of rebellious spiritcan stop me from feeling heartbroken over Dylan’s eulogy for someone he loved.
As with all ofSeverance, Irving’s funeral is comically cringy, with Dylan, Helly, and Mark having to share their grief in the refurbished Break Roomwhile munching on a melon bust of their dead friend’s head. Yet all of this awkwardness melts in the face of Dylan’s earnest eulogy, with the man shedding his lackadaisical demeanor to show a level of passion I’d never seen from him before. I was shocked by such a nuanced portrayal of emotion; there are no tears, but Dylan, largely through Cherry’s exceptional acting, shows how irreparably gutted he is with every impassioned word. While still imbued with his distinct snark —“He put the dick in contradiction” left me cackling through my tears— it showed that Irving meant more to him than anyone else in his disturbingly narrow life. It made me look back on previous episodes and finally recognize the small moments of warmth between the pair — the little ways in which, amidst everything, they had each others’ backs in the face of Lumon’s abuse. Unfortunately, it took this distressing scene for me to realize just how close they were, yet it’s clear that no matter what happens next, Irving will live on in the revolutionary way he impacted Dylan for the better.
‘Severance’ Has Never Known a Friendship Like This One
While Irving’s eulogy inSeverancewas certainly heartbreaking, it still may not have been enough for the many viewers — including this one — who loved both the character and his relationship with Dylan. My sadness was undercut with annoyance that the series couldn’t resistlayering Helly and Mark’s issues over the entire situation, romantic strife that detracted from the platonic-based sorrow Dylan was clearly feeling. But, funnily enough, that is a perfect summation of where Dylan and Irving’s relationship always lived: in the background. While it gained more spotlight this season, their bond was never one made up of flashy admissions of emotion, but rathersmall, impactful moments on the periphery that showed how much they meant to each other.It was a beautiful friendship that allowed both of these characters to become the strong rebels I love today, and I only regret that it took Dylan’s heartfelt speech about losing the friend he cared about for me to finally appreciate it.
New episodes ofSeveranceSeason 2 premiere Fridays on Apple TV+.
