Succession (2018 - )
Succession
- 5/5 Cameras 🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥
- Created by: Jesse Armstrong
- Starring: Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Brian Cox, et al
- Where to find it: HBO/Now TV
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| No Copyright Infringement Intended |
When you think of arguably some of the greatest TV shows of
all time, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones (except the final season), and The
Wire tend to spring to mind, and rather unsurprisingly they all share the same
common denominator; they were all created by HBO. It should come as no surprise
then, that the US network has another smash-hit on its’ hands with the multiple
Emmy award-winning comedy-drama Succession.
Now in its third season, Succession centres around the Roy
family, the dysfunctional owners of global media conglomerate, and FOX News
lookalike, Waystar RoyCo. Rumoured to be based on real-life media family the
Murdoch’s, the Roy siblings, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin),
Shiv (Sarah Snook), and Connor (Alan Ruck) are constantly scheming and fighting
to gain control of the aforementioned company amid mounting concerns about the
health of family patriarch Logan (Brian Cox).
On paper, a power-hungry, mega-rich family who controls a
large proportion of the media should be almost entirely unlikeable. However,
the Roy family’s constant dysfunction and need for approval from the increasingly
tough Logan (Brian Cox) makes them loveable in a strange way and makes it
impossible to stop watching as the family crumbles around them.
Whenever a show has a large ensemble, there is always a
worry that characters will get side-lined, or forgotten entirely, this, however,
is not the case with Succession, with each character having a seemingly
increasing lack of morals and compassion. Kendall (Jeremy Strong) is perhaps
the funniest of the family, although not intentionally. A struggling addict,
constantly trying to overthrow his father, Kendall is the most overtly
power-hungry of the family, but his constant use of business jargon, and his way
of making even the most mundane tasks seem dramatic, makes it hard not to laugh
at him. One example of this, and perhaps the only example I can say that doesn’t
include R-rated language, is where Kendall introduces himself to potential new
investors in Season 1. This seems like an action not worth talking about, but his
deadpan expression and delivery of the line ‘I just wanted to get the gang
together early in my tenure to say, uh, ‘yo’, tells you all you need to know
about the Roy sibling. Logan’s youngest son, Roman (Kieran Culkin) is arguably
the meanest of the bunch, being arrogant and immature, whilst also having the
foulest mouth (and that’s saying something). However, Roman is also the most
caring of the siblings and at times is the only one who actually cares what happens
to his family beyond the business, although admittedly he does hide it very
well. Then there’s Shiv (Sarah Snook), Logan’s only daughter and perhaps his
favourite child, a political strategist who’s constantly trying to prove she’s
not like the rest of her family, despite clearly being just, if not more
power-hungry. Even Logan’s eldest child Connor (Alan Ruck), potentially one of
the only truly unlikeable characters on the show, just wants his father’s love
and approval.
I would be doing the show a disservice, however, if I didn’t
mention its two best characters. Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) is an awkward,
bumbling outsider when he first joins the family in Season 1. Throughout the
show, Greg slowly becomes part of the family more, always seeming to be there
when Logan needs an opinion from someone that isn’t his children, but his sense
of awkwardness that viewers grew to love remains. It’s worth noting that Greg’s
small arc in Season 3 of trying to sue Greenpeace is one of the funniest things
I’ve ever seen. The show’s second-best character is Tom Wambsgans (Matthew
Macfadyen), Shiv’s husband. Tom’s rise through the ranks during the show’s current
run has been the most surprising of them all, going from Shiv’s lapdog in
Season 1, to a character who could equal Roman Emperor Nero by the end of Season
3. It’s hard not to root for the underdog.
Succession’s popularity, and its strongest feature, is how
it melds all its components together. The show’s dialog blends cut-throat
comedy and drama together seamlessly, which coupled with the clever use of
camera’s zooming in on character’s facial expressions at just the right moment,
and the addition of a hilariously dramatic score that at times reminds me of
The Apprentice makes for a show that’s almost biblical in nature. Succession’s popularity
is also due to the backstabbing that takes place between the characters, the
kind of backstabbing that can only be described as akin to Shakespeare. This Shakespearean
connection is no coincidence, however, as the show is loosely based on King
Lear. Succession’s biggest selling point, however, is how much audiences love
to see bad things happen to rich people. Yes, we love the Roy’s, but it’s great
to see the family turn to chaos on a weekly basis.
Overall, Succession is a truly great show, a fact that is
not surprising to me as I usually find that shows with horrible characters,
such as fellow HBO show Veep, tend to be. It’s a testament to both the show’s
actors and writers that audiences have fallen in love with the vicious Roy’s,
so much so that it’s incredibly hard to choose a favourite. If the first 3
seasons are anything to go by, Season 4 is going to blow my mind.
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