How Much Time Has Passed Between Severance Seasons 1 & 2

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Severance season 2, episode 1!

Years have gone by since new episodes of Severance were released, but the time that has passed between seasons 1 and 2 is much shorter. Severance season 1's ending came in April 2022, leaving fans to patiently wait for the sci-fi thriller to pick back up where the show left off. Thankfully, the series doesn't waste time explaining what has happened since we last saw Severance's cast, specifically severed workers Mark, Helly, Dylan, and Irving. Time may have passed, but the characters are just as eager to find answers stemming from Macrodata Refinement's discoveries regarding the team's Outies.

In Severance season 1's finale, the "Overtime Contingency" had gone into place, causing Mark, Helly, and Irving's Innies to wake up in their Outie counterparts. Mark discovered the truth about Mrs. Selvig being Harmony Cobel and that his wife Gemma was alive. Meanwhile, Helly was revealed to be the daughter of Lumon's CEO and supported severing until Innie Helly took over to publicize Lumon's wrongdoings. The Innie/Outie overlap stopped when Milchick stopped the Overtime Contingency leaving the group's fate unknown until Severance season 2.

Milchick Claims That Five Months Have Passed Between Severance Seasons 1 & 2

Severance Season 2 Doesn't Introduce Any Major Time Jumps

Milchick standing in the new Break Room in Severance season 2 (2025)

Severance season 2, episode 1 ultimately begins with Mark returning to his job at Lumon Industries. Despite being three years between installments, only five months have passed since the events of Severance season 1 and the start of season 2, at least according to Mr. Milchick. Rather than any immediate punishment, Mark, Helly, Dylan, and Irving became the faces of "severance reform" for what they exposed with the "MDR incident."

Milchick states that Mark's Outie showed interest in returning to Lumon right away, but the rest of the team couldn't be convinced, even after weeks of trying. When Severance season 2 begins, Mark is the only member of the team to return at first. Whether Milchick is sharing the truth or not regarding what happened after Severance season 1's ending, a lot has changed for Lumon in that span.

What Has Changed At Lumon Industries Since The MDR Team Incident

Ms. Cobel No Longer Works For Lumon Industries

When Mark returns to Lumon Industries, Milchick is now the manager of the Severed Floor, revealing that Ms. Cobel has since been fired from Lumon. With the promotion, another employee, Miss Huang, has taken Milchick's old role, which causes some confusion since she's still a child. Miss Huang isn't the only new face on the Severed Floor, as Lumon has replaced the rest of Mark's team with three new employees: Mark W., Gwendolyn, and David. Seeing as Mark desperately wants his old team back, he quickly tries to get the new group fired.

Mark's wish comes true in Severance 2's premiere episode, with Helly, Dylan, and Irving returning a few days after Mark. After Milchick introduces the new Break Room and shows the MDR team a video depicting them as the "Macrodat Uprising" heroes, the group attempts to update each other on intel gathered by their Outies. While Helly hides her real identity, Mark reveals the truth about Ms. Casey being his wife despite the Wellness Room being gone. Milchick claims the team won't be spied on anymore, but it's clear that Mark and his team need to remain vigilant throughout Severance season 2.