When it comes to the 2025 premiere schedule, arguably no show boasts a more impressive theories-per-mystery ratio than Apple TV+’s Severance, which has kept desperate viewers waiting with open arms and elevator doors for eventual answers. Thankfully, answers are oh-so-close to arriving, as Severance Season 2 is set to debut on Friday, January 17, but even those who haven’t yet experienced the singular majesty of watching the quizzical drama can join the rest of us without requiring a current Apple TV+ subscription.
Surprisingly enough for a company that often thrives on exclusivity, Apple has partnered with Roku to bring one of its biggest streaming hits to the masses, presumably to try and lock in as many widened eyeballs as possible going into the long-awaited second season. Not that only those new to the project can take advantage, since even the biggest fans will likely be in need of Season 1 binge to keep all those shifting plotlines in mind.
Right now as we speak, anyone can either hop onto a Roku device or visit the streaming company’s website and watch all nine episodes of Severance Season 1 without having to subscribe to anything or sign up for a free trial or walk down any long hallways that seemingly don’t lead anywhere. All it takes is a few clicks and boom, the next nine hours of your life are Lumen’s. You are become an innie.
Roku unveiled its surprise Severance news by calling it an “exclusive fan experience,” with the caveat that the free-to-stream window will take place from January 9-19, giving streamers eleven days to watch for the first time and have their minds blown, or to rewatch and inspire a few dozen new sub-theories.
It seems clear that Apple TV+ is eager to bring new customers into its audience pool, especially without any new seasons of the fan-favorite comedy Ted Lasso in the works. (Though that could always change.) The service previously gave streamers around the globe a fully free weekend to sample, or flat-out devour, its original series and films from Jan. 3-5.
Roku opened the year up with big news by reporting that it surpassed 90 million streaming households during the first week of 2025, a little over ten years after the Roku TV branding launched. In August 2024, Nielsen unveiled a rundown of the Top 10 streaming services, with Roku at the #7 spot, garnering around 1.6% of total streaming traffic.
That total can be compared to YouTube’s 10.4% and Netflix’s 8.4%, while Apple TV+ did not make it onto the top ten, which perhaps proves why it partnered up with the highest charting FAST (free ad-supported TV) streaming platform. Whatever the reasoning, "free Severance" is good news for everyone.
Perhaps if the critics' reviews for Season 2 were negative or even slightly middling, it might be less vital to delay everything else in life to stream Season 1 on Roku, but the early word is that this season could very well top the first, while also topping most other shows on TV right now. Check out the trailer below!
Severance Season 2 will debut on Apple TV+ starting on Friday, January 17, two days before the free window for Season 1 stops. Don't waste any time, Kier Eagan loyalists!
