‘Severance’ Season 2 Review: Apple TV+ Drama Exceeds Herculean Expectations After a Long Wait

There were reasons to worry about a “Severance” sophomore slump.

Foremost, the Ben Stiller-backed, 2022 Apple TV+ series was such a brilliantly realized paranoid thriller/sci-fi satire of the work-life balance illusion — recreating its first season magic would be a herculean task under the best circumstances.

Then there were reports that creator Dan Erickson and more experienced co-showrunner Mark Friedman weren’t getting along to such an extent that “House of Cards” veteran...