'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIF/8QAIRAAAQQBAwUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBBEABQYhEhMUImH/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADBf/EAB4RAQABAgcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAAIEESEiQcHw/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDG17WJm79vyo7Lyi7qcsy3HZVEhCVlIaFX60AMtjyILLcRbcXrYSGj2wQm0iuPnGMY8G1cva1GxgSRDcc9Ff/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Severance premiered on Apple TV+ in February 2022 with a wave of buzz and critical acclaim. But even though it launched around the same time as Slow Horses, the psychological sci-fi thriller has released far less content than its spy drama counterpart. While Slow Horses is already heading into its fifth season, with a sixth confirmed, Severance has only just returned for its second.
The contrast between the two release timelines hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially by fans who have followed both shows since the beginning. How did two series that started side by side take such different paths?
What Severance is about: identity, memory, and corporate control
Created by Dan Erickson and directed in part by Ben Stiller, Severance offers a chilling speculative premise: employees at Lumon Industries undergo a surgical procedure that separates their work memories from their personal ones. Inside the office, they remember nothing about life outside. Outside, they know nothing about what happens at work.
The show follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), a grieving widower who slowly begins to question the eerie routine at Lumon. The narrative explores themes like trauma, dissociation, and power dynamics in corporate settings, wrapped in a visually stylized, slow-burning mystery.
Slow Horses: failed spies, sharp writing
Slow Horses, based on the novels by Mick Herron, is tonally miles away from Severance. The series centers around a ragtag group of British intelligence agents who’ve messed up so badly that they’ve been reassigned to a dead-end office known as Slough House. Their boss, the unfiltered and eccentric Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), runs the place with a mix of grumbling contempt and begrudging competence.
Every season adapts one of Herron’s novels, giving the show a clear structure and rhythm. The pacing is snappy, the dialogue is often hilarious, and the storylines deliver a blend of suspense, dark humor, and good old spy intrigue.
Release timelines: who pulled ahead?
Severance
Season 1: February 2022
Season 2: January 2025 (after multiple delays)
Total: 2 seasons
Slow Horses
Season 1: April 2022
Season 2: December 2022
Season 3: December 2023
Season 4: September 2024
Season 5: confirmed for September 24, 2025
Total: 4 released, 5th coming soon, 6th confirmed
Despite launching in the same year, Slow Horses has clearly been more prolific, releasing double (soon triple) the content.
Production delays: the cost of complexity
One major factor behind Severance’s slower pace is production setbacks. The show’s second season was delayed multiple times due to internal creative disputes, crew changes, and the Hollywood strikes in 2023. Filming paused and resumed months later, stretching the gap between seasons to nearly three years.
Slow Horses, meanwhile, managed to avoid most of those roadblocks. Thanks to a simpler narrative structure and a reliable production schedule, it maintained a steady rhythm. Having pre-written source material also helped move things along more quickly.
Reception: critical acclaim on both sides
Even with fewer episodes, Severance has remained a critical darling. The first season earned multiple Emmy nominations and a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Season two has also been well received, praised for its philosophical depth and haunting visual style.
Slow Horses has been no slouch either. The fourth season scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Gary Oldman’s performance continues to be a standout. Critics appreciate its balance between tension and dry wit and its ability to make flawed characters endlessly compelling.
Narrative structure: density vs. momentum
Severance leans into introspection and layered storytelling. Its plot unfolds slowly, with symbolism, psychological tension, and emotional nuance driving each episode. That kind of storytelling takes time, not just to write but to produce and edit with care.
Slow Horses operates more like a well-oiled machine. Each season has a clear arc, and the story wraps up cleanly while setting the stage for what’s next. The format allows it to move faster while still keeping viewers engaged.
Why has Severance fallen behind?
Beyond production delays, part of the answer lies in the nature of the show itself. The show is dense and intricate, requiring detailed coordination across writing, direction, and post-production. Its episodes are puzzle pieces that have to fit perfectly, both narratively and visually.
Slow Horses, on the other hand, benefits from having ready-made novels as blueprints. It doesn’t rely as heavily on ambiguity or artistic minimalism, which means faster scripting, quicker shooting, and more efficient editing.
Final thoughts
Trending
Even though Severance and Slow Horses launched under the same banner in 2022, they’ve taken wildly different journeys. One chose slow, cerebral burn; the other went with consistent, compelling momentum.
Both have earned their praise, but if we’re talking output, Slow Horses has raced ahead. Whether Severance will catch up remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: quality may be equal, but quantity isn’t even close.
Reply
