Last episode, we had a detour to check out the town where Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) lived and grew up. While the episode provided some insight into her background, it felt incomplete without the full context of the series. It’s one we hope to revisit in the future, but immediately, “The After Hours,” the ninth episode of Severance, delivers far more intricate and heartfelt plot threads. With a return to the main story for the season’s penultimate episode, Severance gets back on track.
Severance — “The After Hours” — The Recap
Helena (Britt Lower) swims in a long pool, working out before her day begins. Afterward, she walks through the Lunin-colored house to meet with her father. Jame Eagen calls it a momentous day and watches Helena slice a hardboiled egg while he drinks an espresso. She tells him, “They’re seeing to Mr. Baliff,” while he grunts that she should eat the eggs. Helena gets into a car, and the camera zooms out of her house, where the surrounding area can see only woods and a giant Water Tower.
Mr. Milchick (Tillman) sits at a table with Miss Huang and tells her the fellowship is over. She will move to Svalbard and work on global reforms. Huang seems upset that she will not finish the quarter. Milchick then tells her she must provide a material sacrifice for her “betterment,” and Milchick has her destroy her ring toss game with a bust of Jane Eagen.
In his home, Outie Dylan and Gretchen talk about their day. However, she changes topics to let him know she kissed his Innie. OuttInnielan is surprised and upset by her revelation, and he storms out of the house. He calls what she did cheating and threatens to quit so he can end his Innies existence.
Outie Irving returns home and sees his dog staring at something in the other room. As he rounds the corner, he sees Burt sitting inside the house. Burt has discovered Irving’s notes about Lumon, where he tried to decipher who worked in various roles at Lumon. Burt demands Irving go for a ride with him.
Dr. Mauer (Robby Benson) checks Cold Harbor’s results, which remain at 96% completion. When the numbers do not move, he calls Mr. Drummond, who then calls Milchick. Drummond demands Milchick come into the office now. Helly walks into the office to find Mark, but he’s not there.
Mark rides in a car with Devon, and he remains groggy. He thinks meeting Cobel is a mistake, and they told her too much. They find where they are driving, so they stop the car and wait. Between them, Devon and Mark see Mr. Milchick calling to contact him. He does not answer.
In the office, Helly storms into Milchick’s office and demands to know what happened to Mark. She’s fearful about the nosebleed. When he tells her it’s not her business, she grows angry. She reminds him that she’s Helly E, not Helly R. Milchick refers to her Innie as his subordinate, and her actions are insubordination. She storms out of the office.
Gretchen visits Innie Dylan and tells him about the conversation with his Outtie. She reveals that his Outie is upset and tells Innie Dylan she cannot see him anymore. When she does, Dylan shows her he made her a ring so they could be together. Through tears, she tells him she cannot be with him and leaves.
In Macrodata Refinement, Helly comforts Dylan. She thinks he can find someone down on the Severance floor. He remains upset, and she tells him that if Gretchen really loved him, she would not treat him this way. They begin to fight about the Outies having too much power, and Dylan blames everything on Helly’s Outie. He then throws it in her face that Mark could not tell the difference between each version of Helly. After saying it, he calls himself an asshole and walks away.
Cobel drives through the woods to meet up with Mark and Devon. When they stand opposite each other, she greets Mark and asks how he’s feeling. When he gets upset about his situation, she reminds them they cannot go to the Birthing cabin until nightfall. She then asks if he’s completed “The File,” but she guesses he has not. This causes Mark to ask what the file is, and she responds Cold Harbor. He has no reference for what that is, but the words hang in the air. If he finished the file, according to Cobel, Gemma would be dead.
When Mark gets frustrated, Cobel tells her to call Milchick and call out for the day. If Milchick thinks something is off, Mark will get locked out. He tries to storm off, and Devon tells him to calm down. They have no other options and need to get to Gemma. Helly storms down the gal and checks out the former break room. She finds Irving’s note behind the poster and reads the instructions. Dylan remains upset and wanders the halls.
Burt drives Irving and his dog on a ride through the woods. Burt opens up to Irving, telling him he was unaware of what happened to people when they were dropped off by Lumon. Irving asks if the drive today is another one of Lumon’s operations.
Innie Dylan signs the paperwork to resign. He drops the remaining paperwork and keycard on the desk. As Dylan gets ready to leave, Miss Huang apologizes. Huang believes she could have done more to make him feel at home. He tells her it’s not her fault.
Mr. Drummond criticizes Milchick for how MDR has functioned. Not only are they not completing work, but Mark is missing. When Milchick apologizes, Drummond critiques his word choice again. After forcing him to repeat his apology with shorter words, Milchick tells Drummond to “devour feculance.” He clarifies the meaning and meaning then asserts his power as Manager of the Severed floor. Milchick will not be held responsible for what Mark Scout does when he is not a work.
Mark calls Lumon, and Milchick answers the phone. He expresses his fear over the nosebleeds, which causes Milchick to ask where he’s located so he can send a car. Mark then opens up and tells Milchick he needs a day to himself. At first, Milchick seems worried, but eventually, he asks Mark if he’ll be at work tomorrow. Mark agrees.
Burt purchases tickets at a train station and gives the ticket to Irving. He tells Irving that he can never return to Kier and not tell Burt where he gets off the train. Irving does not fully understand and fears Lumon will come after him. Burt tells Irving that he got severed to be innocent once again. His innocent side fell in love with Irving. After a beat, Irving wishes he could remember what they had. He’s never felt real love. Irving tells Burt that he’s ready for love as they move closer and closer together. However, Burt pulls away and tells him goodbye. Irving walks to his train.
On the Severed floor, Dylan stares at the elevator. Outside, Miss Huang waits for the shuttle. Irving boards the train with his dog. Butt leaves the station and the elevator doors close on Dylan.
As nighttime approaches, Cobel, Devon, and Mark drive towards Lumon. Meanwhile, an elevator door on the dark floor beeps. Helly tries to memorize the instructions to the dark hall, but someone emerges behind her. It is Jame Eagen, and he tells Helly that she tricked him. Helly is very confused when she sees him.
At the cabin, Cobel tells the guard they need to get back to the cabin. At first, security is resistant because no one is on the list. However, Cobel tells the guard that Devon is “one of Jame’s women.” Once they get through, they bring Mark into the Cabin and his Innie arrives.
When he shows up, Innie Mark is perplexed. He almost leaves the cabin, but Devon tells him that his Outie will just come right back inside. He agrees to stay, and Devon takes him upstairs to meet Cobel.
Is Severance — “After Hours” — worth watching?
The penultimate episode of Severance dives us back into the emotional core of the series. While Mark’s storyline continues forward with an unexpected team around him, the other members of the MDR team are brilliantly broken down. This becomes “The After Hours” most intriguing moments land with precision.
The fight between Milchcik and Huang ends in a shockingly sympathetic showdown. Huang seems genuinely hurt to be pushed aside by Milchick, and he revels in the power. He returns to use that confidence against Drummond, who tries to put Marks’s disappearance on Milchick’s leadership. There may not be an antagonist on television as compelling as Milchick. Tillman once again delivers a brilliant performance to key us into the dozens of emotions within his subdued character. If Tillman does not end this season with an Emmy nomination, it will be a travesty of justice.
Meanwhile, Turturro and Walken deliver some of their best work to date. The scene of them standing in the train station is one of the best moments for either character this season. The heartbreak they feel in that moment hints at something between them that goes beyond Severance. Walken’s grief in “The After Hours” is palpable, and it makes for a stunning showcase of him after missing most of the season.
The real MVP of “The After Hours” is Cherry. His performance as both Innie and Outie is extraordinary in this episode. He gets great scene partners in Weaver and Lower, but Cherry delivers some of his best work to date. It’s not only raw and emotional, but he expresses that sadness differently between the two sides. It makes for a brilliant counterbalance to the Irving story while also serving several of the same functions. The need for connection goes far beyond the workplace, and Severance excels when it focuses on this aspect.
Now the question of where Severance goes from here becomes one of immediate importance. What will Cobel tell Mark about Gemma and her own Severed life? What about Milchick? Will he continue to think Mark is acting in good faith? Was this a farewell for Irving and Dylan? Or will something draw them back into the office? Severance has a lot to cover next week, and if it’s anything like Season 1’s finale, it’s sure to be a barn burner.
Watch Severance on Fridays on Apple TV+. “The After Hours” aired on March 14, 2025.
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