Entertainment
Apple TV’s Record-Breaking Mind-Bender Just Beat ‘Ted Lasso’ at Its Own Game
For years, Apple TV+ has been associated with very specific success stories. For instance, its biggest cultural hits have largely been feel-good, accessible shows that invited broad audiences in, and it shaped expectations around what kind of series could truly thrive on the platform.
That is why a recent shift in Apple TV+’s internal rankings is actually more significant than it might look at first glance. One of the service’s most slow-burning originals, a series that is built on ambiguity, dread, and corporate paranoia, is now occupying space that was traditionally dominated by a much lighter and more crowd-pleasing Ted Lasso.
That series is Severance, created by Dan Erickson and executive-produced and directed by Ben Stiller. Severance has never been designed for passive viewing. Its premise follows employees who undergo a procedure that separates their work memories from their personal lives completely. Over time, that approach helped the show build a dedicated following, but it also positioned it as an unlikely candidate to challenge Apple TV+’s most recognizable hit, Ted Lasso, which currently sits at the #5 spot. And yet, as of February 12, 2026, Severance is sitting at #4 on Apple TV+’s Top 10 chart in the United States.
Apple’s Bold Move Paves the Way for ‘Severance’ Season 3
Severance has spent much of its existence in a delicate position, with long gaps between seasons, rising production costs, and behind-the-scenes complications. All this has made its future feel deliberately opaque, even as audience interest continued to grow. That uncertainty has lingered in the background for years, especially after the show’s ambitious second season raised questions about how sustainable its scale really was.
Behind the scenes, however, Apple appears to have been thinking several steps ahead. The show’s cultural footprint, critical standing, and unusually deep fan engagement have all played a role in shifting how Apple views its place on the platform. That shift has now become concrete, since Apple has officially acquired the full intellectual property rights to Severance. This has brought the series entirely in-house under Apple Studios. The move not only clears the path for Season 3 but might also unlock a fourth season, with the door open for future expansions beyond the main storyline.
Severance Seasons 1 and 2 are available to watch on Apple TV. The show has also been renewed for Season 3, whereas Season 4 is currently in talks. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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February 17, 2022
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman
- Writers
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Anna Ouyang Moench, Wei-Ning Yu