‘Severance’ reminds us just how good Adam Scott is
It has been a long wait for Severance season 2 and now that it is here, we can’t wait to dive into the mystery. But one thing has been made clear: He’s always been one of our best actors.
I am bias because I do love Scott’s filmography very dearly. But watching Severance is a very clear reminder that Scott has an ability with his characters that makes us care deeply about them. From Henry Pollard in Party Down to Caleb in The Vicious Kind and of course with Ben Wyatt on Parks and Recreation, we’ve seen him play various kinds of roles. But they all have an underlying sadness to them that is unique to each character.
Mark Scout on Severance has a different sadness than Henry or Ben and I think that is such a special talent that Scott has. It isn’t easy to make that sadness feel so unique to each character. To explore their pain and failure in different scenarios and make each character more special than the last. It is why, I think, Severance works so well. It takes what Adam Scott does the best and explores it in a new and refreshing way.
Mark Scout has been going through so much. He’s struggling, his wife has died, and he doesn’t know what is going on even as his Outtie. That sadness though doesn’t bleed into his Innie. Mark S. is someone who is inquisitive, a leader, and someone who won’t take no for an answer, as we see in season 2.
In the season 2 premiere, we saw a shift in Mark S. that reminded me why I love Scott and his work so dearly.
One of our best television actors
Again, I know that I am bias because I have loved Scott’s career for decades at this point. But with Severance, it is showing others what I’ve always known. Scott has this ability to just make us love a character. Even Derek in Step Brothers, who is the worse, is fun to watch. And what really works with Mark is that despite his sadness, he is still a man who tries. He is there for his sister, he’s trying to live a life even though he wants nothing else other than his wife.
It is why I want his Innie to succeed. I want Mark S. to find Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman) and solve her mystery. Really I just want Mark in both of his forms to be happy because Scott plays that sadness so completely that I can almost feel it myself.
So as you watch season 2 of Severance and witness how brilliant Adam Scott is in the role, know that he has been that great. But it is beautiful to see him getting the recognition he has always deserved for his brilliance. The new season of Severance really showcases his ability as an actor and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Mark S. and the rest of his team at Lumon. Maybe an Emmy for Adam Scott?
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