Irving Actor John Turturro Promises Answers To His Severance Character’s Season 2 Quest: “He Knows Something”


Severance season 2 star John Turturro promises the show will answer questions about Irving’s shady activities, including his mysterious episode 2 phone call. In season 1, it was revealed that Irving’s Outie was doing his own research on Lumon and the Severed floor, and had learned the identities of other Severed workers. Severance season 2 has thus far offered little clarification as to Irving’s motives in collecting information on Lumon employees. It’s also yet to answer questions about his paintings of the Exports Hall, and his apparent plan to imprint that sinister image on Innie Irving’s subconscious.

Severance must be setting up something big for Irving in coming episodes, and indeed, Irving actor Turturro teased that answers to questions about his character are on the horizon, including revelations about who was on the other end of his phone call. When asked if audiences are supposed to know who received Irving’s call, Turturro said (via Variety):

No, not yet, but you will eventually. It’s probably connected to his hunt. You know that he’s looking for something. We see the paintings, right? He’s searching for something or someone. He knows something.

What This Means For Severance Season 2

Irving’s Story Has Taken Its Own Strange Course

Irving’s arc is all-Outie since he was unceremoniously fired in the wake of Milchick’s disastrous ORTBO. But the former Severed floor worker does remain in touch with one person he knew inside the Lumon Building, his Innie’s crush Burt Goodman. Irving and Burt seem on the verge of starting an Outie relationship after their awkward-but-revealing episode 6 dinner, but there’s some reason to worry going into episode 7, given some hints that Burt may not be what he seems.

Severance season 2, episode 7’s synopsis reads “An old romance intersects with a deadly present threat.”

Irving does seem to be in danger after Lumon thug Hammond broke into his residence and discovered his stash of secret information. Meanwhile, Dylan, Helly and Mark have been pulled into Irving’s plans, after Dylan found his former co-worker’s instructions stashed behind a painting. How this will all come together is yet to be seen, but Turturro assures that answers are coming, though he teases that viewers may have to be patient.

Our Take On Irving’s Severance Season 2 Story

Is The MDR Crew Destined To Team Up On The Outside?

Reghabi and Mark’s reintegration adventure took a dark turn with the ending of Severance season 2, episode 6, as Mark seemed to suffer a stroke after Reghabi’s basement brain surgery. It’s likely Mark will survive, and continue with reintegration despite the danger, and it seems only a matter of time before Irving’s efforts intersect with those of Mark and Reghabi, perhaps leading to Irving undergoing reintegration as well.

Severance season 2 may indeed be working toward assembling the Outies of all four MDR teammates into an outside crew. It’s easy to see how Irving and Mark may come together, but it’s admittedly less clear how Dylan and Helena could figure in this mix. Dylan’s Outie seems completely oblivious to anything except his own troubles, while Helena is still firmly in villain territory, though her feelings about Mark could be the beginning of a big character shift.

There are still a lot of pieces to move around before things are in place for an MDR Outie reunion. Irving is perhaps the most intriguing of those pieces heading into the final stretch of Severance season 2 episodes, and it’s only a matter of time before answers are provided as to why he’s been snooping, and to whom he’s been placing nighttime phone calls.

Severance season 2 continues with episode 7 on AppleTV+, premiering Thursday, February 27.

Leave a Reply