In this discussion, Aubree and Jeff delve into the intricacies of "Severance" Season 2, Episode 5, titled "Trojan's Horse." The episode is underscored by a palpable tension that arises from the team's recent loss, compelling them to navigate an increasingly bizarre workplace environment. As they analyze the unfolding events, they highlight Mark's struggle with the reintegration process and the complex dynamics among the characters, particularly focusing on Helly's return to the severed floor and her interactions with the team. Moreover, the conversation addresses the implications of the titular Trojan's horse, symbolizing the deceptive nature of appearances within the corporate landscape. Throughout this episode, we explore themes of identity, emotional turmoil, and the often surreal atmosphere that defines the series, leaving us pondering the deeper meanings embedded within this peculiar narrative.

And this is worth the binge.

The show where Aubrey and Jeff talk about shows worth binging.

So we're kind of behind on recording and editing and apologize for that.

Shirelle wasn't happy that it took a minute for her episode to come out.

It's just because I've been working literally every day and you've been sick and I've been sick.

So, so sorry that we weren't able to get that done, but literally have not had a day off in two weeks.

So gonna get these couple episodes whipped up and talk about this show that is continuing to be real weird.

Yeah.

Not as weird as some shows we've watched, but still kind of weird.

Yeah.

You're affectionately termed wackadoo shows.

It hasn't officially become a wackadoo show yet.

So we're good.

I guess.

I want to know when that jump the shark moment is for you.

Okay, I'll let you know.

Season two, episode five is titled Trojan's Horse.

Tensions emerge after the team suffers a loss.

So we start this episode with a.

A white clothed man who is walking a cart to O and D.

We don't ever see this man's face, which is super bizarre.

Yeah, it feels on purpose.

But he meets Felicia and someone else that works in on D and they hand him a tray of dental tools.

Yeah.

And we're not real sure.

We think it's the guy who comes and collects stuff that Felicia talked about from the.

What was the floor?

She called it the Exports Hall.

Exports Hall.

Yeah.

So we think maybe it's that, but that's really the best guess we have right now.

Yeah.

And then he takes.

He wheels that cart back to the elevator, rides it down.

Don't see him again.

No, we will, but we don't know when.

After the severance intro, we see Mark at his house taking some pills that we've never seen him take before.

And he also drinks this white fluid from the fridge that looks disgusting.

And you can tell by his face, the face he makes, that it also tastes disgusting.

Yeah, it's got like cabbage or something in it.

I don't know.

Yeah, it looks weird.

And we assume it has something to do with the reintegration stuff, but we're not really told.

And there's no way I could be doing it.

No.

I am not proudly.

But I am a picky eater.

And there's just not a way it's.

You'd probably gag.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He's talking to Devin on the phone and Catches her up about the weekend he had at work.

She is very excited to kind of see what's going to happen next since the light messaging didn't work.

But Mark doesn't really answer and say what's next for him.

Kind of just brushes it off.

I feel like.

Yeah.

Not getting her hopes up too high, maybe.

And I don't think he's ready to tell her about the reintegration stuff either, because he's already had one procedure.

Right.

Yes.

Rigabi walks in with some groceries and just.

I was really confused.

She just walked in like she lives there.

Yeah.

Because apparently she does.

Maybe another love interest for Mark.

No way.

But we do find out she is living there.

And Mark is trying to figure out when he's going to start remembering stuff because he hasn't remembered anything since the last episode we saw.

Yeah.

I mean, he's wanting to rush this.

And I get it.

Because, like, if your motivation is, let's, hey, let's save my wife that I thought was dead.

Yeah.

I'd want to be in a hurry.

Yeah.

But she's like, just slow down.

We'll get to another procedure in time, probably tomorrow.

And she's like, well, maybe your innie has noticed some things or remembered something that maybe you haven't.

So just to keep up the hope.

I'm sure that is very difficult to do.

When we get to Lumen, we see Helena sitting across from Mr.

Drummond and Natalie.

She does not want to return to the severed floor after Irving tried to drown her.

Yeah.

Second time.

The second time somebody's trying to kill her.

First time it was herself.

Yeah.

But Mr.

Drummond tells her that she's gonna return to the severed floor anyway because we need to get Mark to complete this cold Harper file.

Yeah.

What's this dude's deal?

I.

I don't know.

Yeah, it was very bizarre.

He's like, no, you're going down there.

But I feel like, you know, since Helena is about to take over the company, she would have a little bit more say than she does.

But she just.

He tells her that's what she's doing, and then she goes and does it.

So I don't know.

Yeah, it doesn't make any sense to me, but, you know, of the grand scheme of things in the show not making sense, I guess that's not real high up on the list.

We see Helena enter the elevator, and we hear the great ding that tells us the chip is activating.

And Heliar wakes up for the first time on the severed floor this season.

Ms.

Wong meets Heli as she gets out of the elevator, and she leads her to Milchick's office so he can explain what happened during their ort bow since she woke up there.

Or at least kind of explained.

Yeah, at least kind of explained.

When they get there, Heli's greeted by Mark and Dylan, who are trying to figure out if she is really Helly or not.

And Milchick leads them into his office and explains that Helena was playing kind of an undercover boss deal, like Kier used to do many times in the factories he was overseeing.

Yeah, I think that's just another live.

I met Belchick.

Yeah, me too.

He tells Heli and the other team members that Irving tried to kill her, so he was dismissed and won't be coming back.

And then he takes them to mdr, where we see a whole new setup.

The tri desk.

The tri desk stations, which is very weird.

Normally they would replace somebody, get a new worker, but this time they decided not to.

Dylan asked Mr.

Milchick if they can have a funeral for Irving, which I thought was really sweet.

Milchick kind of looks to Mark because he's the department chief, and he's like, as long as it's quick, I guess we can do one.

And I was like, geez, Mark.

Yeah, Mark is checked out.

Yeah, He's.

He's kind of done dealing with emotional and basically sexual abuse that he's been subject to.

Mm.

Dylan is not a fan of him saying that.

Says thank you to Mr.

Milchick.

And then he says, but not to you.

And he puts his little cubicle.

Mark coughs.

I think as a symptom of, you know, the reintegration, but.

Or getting a sickness from being out in the cold.

Who knows?

Or maybe just wanting to leave the.

Room or just wanting to leave the room.

And goes to the restroom, where Heli ends up following him.

Later, we see Milchick exit and radios Ms.

Wong and tells her to meet him to ready a bereavement kit for mbr.

And she is not down for this idea.

She is not down for it.

She does.

She doesn't want to do it because she thinks that the Ennis will then feel like people, which is a heck of a line.

You know, they're not people.

Kind of the.

The way Helly talked about it.

Helena talked about it in season one, and, you know, that even more dehumanizing.

And so I.

You know, it's that little bit of separation that she has with Melchik is starting to get a little bit bigger because she's questioning him.

And in that little exchange, they talk about how he has his first performance review coming up.

And, you know, if somebody's mentioning that and they're the one of the ones helping review, you probably.

Probably didn't give you a great review.

Yeah, I just kind of felt more like she had grown up kind of like Ms.

Cobell in that moment, because she's taught from.

She was obviously taught from a young age that these innies don't have.

They're not people.

They're not, you know, they don't have feelings.

They don't have all these things.

But I feel like more as a kid, you would question unless you were grown up that way.

Heli follows Mark into the restroom.

She tries to talk to him, but Mark is not wanting to talk about anything.

Like you said, he's just kind of done.

And they get in a little argument and he leaves the bathroom.

He's like, I'm not.

Yeah, doing this.

And I don't blame the dude.

We go to the funeral that is held in the break room.

MDR drinks out of these little blue mugs that have Irving B's face on them.

And Milchick says a few words and then has Dylan up to say the eulogy, which I.

I loved.

Little Dylan's recount of his time with Irving.

It was kind of.

It was awesome.

Milchick then presents a melon tray that has Irving's head carved out of the melon.

Expertly carved, by the way.

It was insane if Milchick did that.

That's a dude of many talents.

Yeah.

He's.

Yeah.

Jack of all trades.

Milchick leaves and asks Ms.

Wong to follow as she starts playing the theremin again, but doesn't let her finish it.

She just kind of was getting ready to start, and he's like, come on, Miss.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He's not a big fan of her doing that, or generally a big fan of her.

Yeah.

As the team.

As the team eats the melon, Hel tries to comfort Dylan, which is real sweet.

Mark gets up to leave and Dylan ask if he's told Heli about, you know, things that have happened, such as Ms.

Casey.

He obviously hasn't, but he spills the beans as they say.

Yeah.

Ms.

Casey is his wife.

Yeah.

Which he kind of told her, or at least he thought he did in the first episode of this season, but it wasn't her.

It wasn't her.

She asked what they're going to do about Ms.

Casey, and Mark says nothing because Helena told them everything that they're planning, which I don't know, that she actually has.

Yeah, she could have, but I don't think she has.

Yeah, I don't know.

I mean, I don't think she said zero, but we definitely didn't see her say anything for sure.

Helly tells him that that wasn't her, and Mark says, how do I know?

You don't.

What?

You don't.

You don't.

Yeah.

And Hallie says he needs to trust her and stop being a type of hole.

Milchick meets Natalie for his first performance review.

He tries to have a heart to heart with her about the paintings he received, but she just says Mr.

Drummond's waiting for them.

She does not want to talk about this.

I mean, that's all hurt words say.

I do think her eyes definitely say a little more than that.

Yeah.

Or at least this is not the time and place to talk about this.

We see Dylan get up from the melon bar and he sees the poster that says hang in there, which was Irving's final words.

Yeah, we've heard that somewhere before.

Yeah.

Just remember.

Just remember that.

He finds a sketch of the Exports hall elevator taped to the back and there are some directions telling him how to get there.

And I memorized them.

You did?

What are they?

Left, right?

Abba.

Oh, wait, I think that's part of the dunk from anywhere code on mbaj.

Oh, my gosh.

I'm gonna have to look at it again.

Okay.

But he ends up taping it back to the picture and he leaves, which I kind of thought he would have taken it with him, but he didn't.

Mr.

Drummond reads out Mr.

Milchick's two positives.

Which.

Crazy.

He only has two positives about him that he received M.

That he received the gift of cure paintings with grace.

And his attendance and urinalysis are both an excellent range.

I mean, dude's in shape, so I kind of get that.

Why are they testing his urine?

I don't know.

Performance enhancing drugs, I guess.

I guess.

I don't know.

But to get good marks for receiving those with grace makes me think that they were looking to see if maybe he wasn't going to.

Like they almost expected if he was not going to.

Yeah, because they knew they were weird.

Then he reads out the rest of his negatives.

Which two positives?

The rest negative.

Yeah.

Using big words.

Use of paper clips in going the wrong direction.

And the one that actually is like a bad thing.

You know, the failed.

Just massively failed.

Ortbo.

Yeah, I mean, it was.

It was a failure.

You know, those first two, you know, maybe.

Maybe it's something worth addressing, but I don't know if it's enough for, like, an actual Mark against him.

Yeah.

Very bizarre.

But I did feel the stress of a performance review going through that.

That was something I was, you know, feeling going alongside him there.

And then, you know, Drummond really makes that point to really stress how important the work that Mark is doing.

And with that, Cold harbor, and we see that that file is up to 85%.

And he basically is telling Milchick that, like, hey, you got to turn the screws.

This needs to get done.

No more playing around.

So that's kind of ominous.

Yeah.

As Mark is working on the Cold harbor file, we see him looking at his team photo, which flashes to the pills he was taking in the morning.

Some reintegration, memory flashes there.

He gets a little.

He seems to get a bit of a headache, as that happens, and decides to get up and leave kind of a couple minutes early.

I mean, he's the only one there.

Yeah.

As he walks to the elevator, we see Milchick following him to the elevator and gets in with him, and they have a little, I don't know, spat.

Mark brings up the.

The Gazette newspaper, kind of calling it crap, like.

Yep.

And then Milchick gets a little closer and says, did you tell Halyar about what you did with her Audi?

Yeah, Right up in his grill.

Right up in his grill.

And uses.

And he uses some language that we don't normally hear Milchick use.

Dropping that F bomb.

Yeah.

So much for big words.

Yeah.

But then Milchick steps off the elevator and says, have a good evening.

Like nothing just happened.

Yeah.

Everything's fine.

Goodbye.

Yeah.

Bye.

So we go back to Rickon and Devin's house, and we see Devin reading a page from Rickon's new book that he's working on.

She tells him that it feels a lot more like Lumen language than it feels like Rickon's language, and that she doesn't like it at all.

No.

Yeah.

She looks almost like disgusted with her husband doing what he's doing.

I mean, he's into the money of it and into the.

You know, the.

Almost like the power of it.

But she's like, hey, they're hurting people, and if you're working with them, then you are, too, and wants no part of it.

Yeah.

But he does explain that this could be something of a Trojan's horse.

Yeah.

Which happens to be the title of the episode.

Yeah.

Which you never hear it.

Worded that way.

Yeah, it was really oddly worded.

Like a lot of the other things in this show anyway.

But, you know, Trojan you usually hear as a Trojan horse, not a Trojan's horse.

Again, not that different.

Like a lot of the phrasing in this show, I just, you know, just a little bit off from.

From way you'd normally hear thing.

But Devon just says no, thank you as she walks away from that.

Yeah, no, thank you.

Thank you.

Well, you see Irving's Audi at home, taking down his export hall elevator paintings.

Just kind of guess I'm done with this chapter of my life.

But then we see him walk to the pay phone and make a call.

But he notices a car.

Watch someone watching him in a car.

And we still don't know who he's even calling.

No, we think it's Raabi, but I.

Mean, maybe you think they'd show her taking a call at Mark's house or something.

Yeah, that's true.

He goes over to investigate and finds Bert's Audi, who explains how and why he's.

He was let go from Lumen.

Yeah.

Supposedly had a torrid romantic affair with someone at work.

Yeah.

And he kind of assumed it was him because he was knocking at his door frantically.

And then obviously didn't know what he was doing after that when the OTC turned off.

And then makes me think we're actually never going to get that scene.

Yeah.

Because we would have.

That would have been probably when we got it right.

There would have been a good scene to see.

But then Bert invites Irving to dinner with him and his husband, which was so weird.

Very weird.

What's for dinner?

What's for dinner?

Regave is going through some boxes of Marks in the basement.

Just, you know, go through my stuff.

It's fine.

I guess she's looking for something to jog his memory.

They find a box that was supposed to have Gemma's ashes in it.

Yeah.

Awkward.

Mark asked though, who's in there if Jim is, you know, alive and well at Lumen.

And Regavi explains that Lumen's got connections at the morgue, so it could be anybody.

Yeah, they got their fingers in a little bit of everything, it feels like.

Mark starts coughing again.

And Rigavi asks him if he's alright.

He says, you know, basically he is.

And then wants to know when he's getting back in that machine because he's ready.

Ready to get this going.

Rahabi says she needs one more day.

And Mark begins to walk up the stairs, but he hears a voice and he thinks It's Rugabi.

But she is busy doing something.

Yeah, she wasn't saying anything.

And so he continues to walk upstairs, and then we see his memory flash into Lumen.

All of a sudden, he's there wearing regular clothes right in front of Ms.

Casey slash Gemma.

Yeah.

Which is.

She's spouting out these, you know, facts about his Audi, which obviously he would find very bizarre.

Like, why is she doing that?

Very weird.

So I don't know.

It's crazy.

And then we see him back in his living room and the credits hit.

Yeah.

It definitely was not my favorite episode.

I'm not saying it was terrible, but, you know, it was not.

It was not my favorite, especially of this second season.

But it did feel like it was kind of a setup episode.

Leaning towards learning some new things as we move on.

Yeah.

And we got to see Helly come back, so that was good.

We did get to see Heli, and she didn't have much to do except complain.

Mm.

So I noticed some things this episode during the funeral, we see this a little electronic Irving look like a little video game version of him.

And the music that's playing with that is like when you die on a video game.

It was like, oh, my gosh.

That's.

It is weird.

But I also noticed that that was playing on the screen, that the words would be when they were in the break room the first season and they had their hands on that little hand tray that was like, measuring their vitals.

Like, that's still in the room.

It's just used as something different now, which is weird.

And Milchick says that the watermelon is a black beauty watermelon.

And that's what Irving's hair is made from on the watermelon.

I think he's, you know, full of crap because he says it's from Malaysia.

I don't think think they would go to Malaysia to get watermelon for these innies.

Maybe they get contacts there too.

Maybe.

And then the blue Irving mug they're drinking out of.

We also see in the intro a blue Irving faced mug.

Yes.

Yes, we do.

Yeah, those are my observations.

So we gotta talk about Dylan's best lines this episode.

They are in Milchick's office and he's, you know, everybody's asking questions all at one time, but he seems like his questions are the most important because he's like, answer my questions.

Just shouts at Milchick.

And Milchick's like, are you a kid right now?

What are you doing?

You need to sit down yeah.

And calm down.

Yeah.

Mr.

Milchick is trying to explain what Irving's Audi is doing, and Dylan says, I don't give three dry Fs about his Audi.

Like, where are you getting these?

He likes the.

The concept of dry and wet.

Yeah, because he says wet at one point.

Yeah.

And then they walk into the MDR and he sees the tri stations and he says, what in the abominable F.

He's got all these things that he says in front of that word that are just.

Yeah.

Like, where are you getting these things from?

A little extra flavor.

Yeah.

So which one did you think was the funniest?

I don't know.

I feel like you have to.

You have to decide this.

Oh, okay.

I think the abominable one was the funniest.

It was just out of nowhere, and you didn't even see what he was talking about at first because they walk in and it's just on him and he says it.

And then they scan over to the.

The tri stations and we're like, oh, this is why he's talking about that.

So I really like that one.

Fair enough.

I think that means it's the winner.

It is.

Ding, ding, ding.

All right, well, we appreciate you watching the episode and listening to us talk about it.

We would really love to hear your thoughts and opinions about this episode.

You could call and text us at 415 Podline and you could be heard at the beginning of the next episode if you call in.

Yeah, it's pretty easy to do.

So thanks so much for listening.

This was worth the binge Our severance series.

We will see you next time later.

Bye.