- BreakupThe creator debunked a wild fan theory before the start of season 2
- Dan Erickson humorously described this hypothesis as “ridiculous”.
- He also suggested that the hit Apple TV Original wouldn’t answer all of fans’ questions.
Three years have passed since BreakupThe first season of has ended, so fans have had plenty of time to come up with wild theories about the hit Apple TV Original.
Among the seemingly endless amount of online fan theories that have emerged, there’s only one that creator Dan Erickson amusingly called “ridiculous.” Indeed, speaking to me before Breakup During Season 2’s debut this Friday, January 17, Erickson debunked a wild fan hypothesis that, surprisingly, actually has ties to the man himself.
When asked for some examples of the weirdest comments or theories he’s seen or heard, the editor-in-chief of the Apple TV Plus show replied: “Well, I’ve heard people say that ‘they thought I based Rick [played by Michael Chernus] on myself, which I find ridiculous! Hey, just because he’s a well-dressed writer doesn’t mean I signed up for my own series.”
For those who need a refresher: Rick – full name Ricken Hale – is the husband of Devon, aka Mark Scout’s sister, and a published self-help author. His in-universe book, “The You You Are, A Spiritual Biography of You,” becomes something of a manifesto for the Macrodafa Refinement team at Lumon Industries, of which Mark’s “innie” is a part, which – spoilers! – finally and openly rebelling against the underground biotech megacorporation in the season 1 finale. Despite what some fans think, Erickson did not serve as an inspiration for Rick, so this is one conspiracy theory we can cross it off the list!
“Part of the fun is letting people speculate and come up with their own interpretation”
One of the best fan bases for Apple TV Plus shows has been coming up with some absolutely fascinating theories since the mystery thriller premiered in February 2022. And, as viewers continued to analyze one of the most anticipated shows of 2025 in During the three-year gap between Season 1 and its upcoming sequel, the theory mill has been shifting into high gear since Breakup The first trailer for Season 2 was released in October 2024. Things got even worse with the launch of Breakup the official trailer for Season 2 two months later as well, as fans poured through every second of footage to try and figure out what would happen in the series’ second outing.
If you’re hoping that Season 2 and future installments will confirm or disprove every theory concocted by fans, you’ll want to check your expectations. Answering my question about how Erickson strikes a balance between delving deeper or solving certain mysteries and leaving others open to audience interpretation, he said, “It’s funny because when I was a kid I used to do always did my homework, I always made sure to show all my work so my teacher knew I did everything correctly.
We don’t have it all figured out, but we’re getting there
Dan Erickson, the creator of Severance
“Now, because we take great care to complexly understand all these things and answer every question [that fans have]my impulse is to put this work on screen. I want to tell the public everything. Often, Ben [Still, director/executive producer] I have to be there to put a hand on my shoulder and tell myself “it’s okay to leave some things unsaid.”
“Part of the fun is letting people speculate and come up with their own interpretation, or they can find their own way to what we’re saying and meet us in the middle,” he added. “So I’ve learned a lot about restraint from Ben, and we still have conversations about what questions we want to answer. We don’t have it all figured out, but we’re getting there.”
Before the much-loved series returns, read my Breakup Season 2 review to get a glimpse of its first four episodes. Once you do, read on to find out more Breakup coverage of me and the wider TechRadar team.
