Main spoilers for Succession season 4
After the third episode in Succession’s last season flawlessly executed one of many nice rug-pulls of latest TV historical past, the query was: may it observe up?
And the reply is: in fact it does. In reality, one of the best simply acquired higher. Not solely that, it drops one other bombshell simply minutes in – Shiv is pregnant… this season actually is bringing us the circle of life. However given the topic isn’t talked about once more, it’s seemingly extra of a ticking timebomb because the sequence performs out.
Episode 4 takes place the day after Logan Roy dies on his non-public jet. The assorted members of the family, pals, enterprise associates and various hangers-on have gathered in Logan’s palatial Manhattan residence. They’re ostensibly there to pay tribute to the founding father of Waystar Royco, although a lot are taking the chance to jockey for place within the new world, kickstarting what Shiv describes as “the coronation demolition derby”.
The opening of the episode is sort of elegiac; initially the shortage of Logan is keenly felt. We observe Kendall as he navigates the ornate rooms which really feel a lot emptier for the shortage of Brian Cox’s patriarch, all backed by a sluggish, mournful piano.
From left, Alan Ruck, Jeremy Robust and Sarah Snook
/However then it shifts to the siblings, how they’re coping, and the enterprise nightmare hurtling in the direction of them. A board assembly is scheduled that morning to nominate an interim chief govt to choose up Logan’s mantle and promote the corporate.
That is an skilled exploration of this most advanced of household dynamics. The youngsters battle to take care of their emotions of grief, anger, vacancy and even guilt (“he died on the aircraft, he wouldn’t have been on the aircraft besides we made him get on there” Shiv says in reference to how they pressured their father to renegotiate the deal). However some of probably the most wonderful comedian writing additionally is available in these scenes, notably as the youngsters hand across the obituaries of their father – “the evaluations are in” – and deliciously translate the euphemisms used to explain him.
Past the shows of grief, this shortly turns into about bare ambition, shifting factions and the way shortly the losers are reduce out. Everyone seems to be brutal about everybody. The children are known as “screw-ups and dipshits”, the outdated guard of Carl, Frank and Gerri dismissed because the “Keystone F**ks”. Tom is brutally reduce adrift by everybody and Greg’s misguided makes an attempt to behave the statesman and an influence participant are cringingly laughable (not that he realises).
When the actual positioning begins, it shortly turns nasty. Particularly with the invention of an undated, legally doubtful piece of paper in Logan’s non-public secure that seems to anoint Kendall as his successor. However are the later additions in pencil from Logan himself? And is Kendall’s identify underlined or crossed-out?
Nicholas Braun, left, and Matthew Macfadyen
/The jittery camerawork pulls the viewer in shut making us accomplices and conspirators to every faction as they plot. The youngsters finally carve it up between them, although Shiv seems to be probably the most precarious with Kendall and Roman taking twin management roles. “Lengthy reside the king,” the cry goes up after they depart the profitable vote, adopted by the marginally wobbly chorus, “and lengthy reside the opposite king.”
All through, although, the viewer can’t assist however suppose, which of those characters can really do the job? Given the foibles and deadly flaws of every, gloriously mapped out over the earlier seasons, it’s unattainable to give you greater than two names who wouldn’t instantly tank this billion-dollar empire. Only for the report, if I used to be a significant Waystar Royco shareholder, I might not be assured in the best way issues are going.
It’s unlikely to be easy crusing both method, particularly with this acquisition on the horizon. At one stage, Kendall and Roman are in Logan’s workplace; the empty chair behind his desk seems to be malicious, a twenty first century Iron Throne, able to eat whoever sits in it.
This episode marks the welcome (for viewers a minimum of) return of Logan’s spouse Marcia, an avenging angel wearing widow’s weeds (“Demise turns into her”, Shiv jokes). Her confrontation with a seemingly damaged Kerry is terrible, driving Roman – of all folks – to indicate compassion to his father’s mistress. It’s a quietly devastating scene. Earlier, on a handshake, Marcia agrees to promote the residence the place this psychodrama is all enjoying out to Connor.
“Historical past is occurring, you may odor it,” gurns Greg at one level. “Yep,” replies Tom, “roses and rotting corpses.”
The coronation demolition derby is already thrilling, brutal, razor sharp however poignant too – tv writing at its highest – and regardless of two Roys seemingly popping out on prime, it feels just like the destruction has solely simply begun.
