When HBO’s Succession premiered back in June, it didn’t get the best of reviews. Critics were relatively cold on the series, and like many, I decided I would skip it. After all, in the age of Peak TV, there’s barely enough time to watch the shows you love, much less add a new show, sight unseen, to the schedule. But then a strange thing happened: around episode seven of Succession, those same critics (at least the ones who had stuck with it, despite their lukewarm feelings) began saying the show was good. Great, even. So, I decided to give it a shot. And boy am I glad I did.
For the uninitiated, Succession tells the tale of a family dealing with the issue of who, exactly, will succeed their patriarch when (or, as it becomes clear very early in the season, if) he steps down. It’s hardly an original starting point. Hell, Shakespeare wrote one of his greatest tragedies, King Lear, on the topic. And, speaking of Shakespeare, Succession‘s treatment of the conflict between family members, generations, outside forces, and internal struggles for recognition, power, and praise are very much intertwined with a Shakespearean level of writing, acting, and direction. This is a masterfully put together series that balances the drama, comedy, and melodrama so as to create a complete story that allows us to understand each character’s motives and actions fully.
The top of the family hierarchy is patriarch Logan Roy (played by a gifted Shakespearean actor in Brit Brian Cox), an aging giant of a man who isn’t ready to be put out to pasture, or adapt to the changing technological times (the family’s major holdings are in the world of television news and theme parks, both of which have seen better days financially), who has married his third wife (Hiam Abbess, playing a woman who is more savvy than people give her credit for).
His four children have varying degrees of intelligence and business acumen. Eldest son Connor (Alan Ruck) is a stereotypical rich boy-man, who lives in a world of strange new age conspiracies, yet thinks he could easily ascend to greatness in the world of politics just by being born with a silver spoon in his mouth (not that we know of anyone like that . . .). The show’s de facto lead is Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong, giving a spectacular performance), the heir apparent and second son, a man with an eye on the future of the media world but without the cut-throat attitude of his father. Then comes the third son, Roman (Kieran Culkin, whose ease with the show’s rapid-fire dialogue is stunning to watch), the lost child of the family, cowed by his father and unable to become his own man. Finally, there’s the baby girl, Siobhan (Sarah Snook), who goes by the fitting nickname Shiv and has all the drive and intelligence of her father, along with the ability to destroy anyone who stands in the way of her goals. It’s a hell of a role.
In fact, one of the things I loved most about Succession is that, despite being a show focused on the transfer of, and desire for, power, all the show’s women are just as tough and focused on it as the men. There’s no real moral compass here. The closest the show comes to having a character with a conscience is Gerri, the company’s general counsel (played with panache by J. Smith-Cameron), but even she isn’t afraid to spurn one side for the other depending on where the wind blows. It’s refreshing to have a series where everyone gets their hands dirty and no one apologizes for their business decisions.
And that’s where I suspect some folks will have issues with Succession. When the series premiered, the main complaint was that none of the characters were likeable. And that’s a valid statement. As the season wore on, it became clear that that was exactly the point: these are not people you would want to be friends with. These are people with one goal in mind: secure power and continue to keep their money by whatever means necessary. If it means screwing over family to do it, so be it. But that’s part of the show’s charm: it doesn’t try to sugar coat things. However, that isn’t to say there aren’t consequences for these actions.
Which brings me back to the Shakespeare comparison, which is such an apt way to approach Succession. King Lear, Titus Andronicus, Richard III, and Julius Caesar aren’t full of good people. They are deeply flawed, difficult, and power hungry. And bad things happen to them when they don’t learn their lesson. I suspect, in seasons to come, the same will be true for the Roy family (heck, certain events in the latter portion of season one more or less prove this hypothesis to be true). But, then again, we’ve watched massive American dynasties crack before, only to have those involved come off scot-free.
Succession isn’t a feel-good family drama. You aren’t going to cry over the trials and tribulations these characters endure. You will, however, laugh at Roman and Gerri’s best one-liners (and there are plenty). You will get pulled into watching Kendall try to gain control of the company he sees as his birthright, while trying to navigate a recent divorce and his sobriety. And you will be intrigued to see how Shiv manages to manipulate the men around her in expert fashion, losing a little bit of whatever lightness might have been left within her. And I haven’t even mentioned Cousin Greg. You’re going to love Cousin Greg.
In these waning days of summer, take some time to give Succession a look. It’s something pretty special.
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