There's more to Apple TV+'s best new sci-fi – A secret Severance mini-series

Apple TV+ is ruling the best streaming services when it comes to the best sci-fi shows available right now. I was very late to the game in getting behind Severance, but it's a class act – and I'm now all up to date regarding season 2's weekly episodes (it's one a week through to Friday 14 March).

That part of Apple TV+'s best sci-fi show is somewhat 'hidden' behind one of the streamer's worst features is frustrating though. There's a behind-the-scenes mini-series that plays after each of Severance's recent S2 episodes – a bit like waiting for the end of the credits to roll at the cinema in the hope there's that extra scene – except AutoPlay is hindering that experience in my view.

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Okay, sure, Apple does preface each Severance episode in season 2 with a statement that there's a BTS screening at the end. But, oh my gosh, the number of fights I've had with my PlayStation 5 controller to try and get to it before AutoPlay clicks in and tries to jump to the next episode proper, bypassing the extrs. It's not even that the mini-series appears directly after an episode's final scene – you've got to wait or skip through the seemingly hundreds of language screens first.

There's a bit of a 'hack' to get to watch quickly, however, but it doesn't involve Apple TV+ at all. Indeed, if you go to the official Apple TV YouTube account then you'll spot inside the Severance playlist the inclusion of these 'Inside The Episode', with 201, 202, 203 and 204 available right now. I presume 205 through 210 will follow with each successive episode in the current season.

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I've found this Severance Inside The Episode mini-series to be really enlightening in comprehending the angle the various writers, directors and even on-screen actors approach their roles. You get to see the show's creator, Ben Stiller, among many other commentaries – which sometimes pose yet further questions rather than clearing up anything you're still trying to figure out.

That YouTube playlist has plenty more in it besides, including the cast breaking down fan theories, among others, which is a great and almost interactive way for the show to respond to its critiques and queries. The show remains widely loved – it's 97%-rated on Rotten Tomatoes – although season 2's quick dive into wackiness may have some querying whether it's quite as good... myself included. Either way, I'll be watching weekly from here on out – and look forward to the behind-the-scenes 'secret' screeners too (even if I just catch them on YouTube instead).