In this week’s newsletter: Despite its huge budget, Apple’s series has all the hallmarks of an offbeat, slow-burn cult show – not the cultural juggernaut it’s become

We haven’t really discussed season two of Severance here at The Guide, at least not compared with all the hyperventilating we did over season one. While I’d like to argue that there’s been a lot to cover so far in 2024 – The Oscars, The Traitors, dead-eyed celebs trying to convince us of the merits of AI – it does feel like a bit of an oversight. Because in this second season, Severance seems to have become a stealth cultural juggernaut.

Such terms are nebulous of course, particularly when it’s harder than ever to determine how popular anything is. Apple have claimed that Severance is its most-watched show ever, overtaking Ted Lasso, which is no mean feat - although, as ever with the streamers, actual tangible numerical data for these claims is hardly forthcoming. But Severance has also performed strongly in Nielsen’s (again somewhat contested) ratings for original shows on streaming, routinely appearing in the Top 10 – a rare speck of the gunmetal grey of Apple’s logo in a sea of Netflix red.