Succession

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I think when you really boil down the story of "Succession" into its essence, it's actually a show about trauma, and about the consequences of growing up with a father who inflicted so much trauma on you, who you still love, because he is your Dad, and who, despite the trauma he inflicted, still loves you, because you are his child. Logan is blind to the hurt he is inflicting, and the children are mostly too, but I think they become progressively more aware of how it impacts them and their behavior as the show progresses, and in that way, there is a little bit of change because a little more self-awareness peaks through. I think the lack of awareness of the impacts of that trauma, and the way failing to deal with it effectively plays out, is one of the main themes of the show, and each character responds to it in different ways using dysfunctional mechanisms to cope (drugs, bad relationships choices, the pursuit of power for its own sake rather than because of a reasonable end goal, trying in vain to win the love of someone who is not capable of providing it to you by continuing to strive for greater levels of achievement, the pursuit of money/status, and its symbols, rather than healthy relationships and true fulfillment, etc).

I think the children, in this last season, are beginning to realize how they've been impacted by that trauma, and that now that their Dad is gone, they are all grappling with the essential questions of, what does my life look like now? When the person I've spent my whole life trying to impress and win the attention and affection of is no longer there anymore, how do I go on? What does that mean for the company that he built? If this pursuit for love and affection from Dad is likely futile, both because Logan was never capable of it, and because he is now dead, so it is quite literally too late to ever receive it, should I continue with the company, and spiritually try to win my father's love from the grave (Kendall/Roman), or should I use this as a point of finality and start charting my own life course and accomplishing my own goals at another company, while honoring what I learned from Dad? (Shiv). And, who is the true heir that can carry on Dad's legacy? Will they ever be as good as Dad, and does that person actually want the job? Will that be soul destroying, or a way to in some way recover from the trauma by staying with the company, but maybe doing it a bit differently than dear old Dad did? Or, is it best to sell the company and let someone else take over and free myself from the chains I've been shackled to and bound by my entire life? Beginning to slowly realize how much trauma they suffered at the hands of their Dad also causes them to be ambivalent about him after he passes, you did ok Dad, but not really? I deserved better, but I can't quite bring myself to say that or admit it to myself or others yet.

How does this impact their future relationships, and are those relationships healthy to maintain (Connor chose an emotionally mostly unavailable woman to marry in Willa, who is using him for his money, at least in part, because he had a similarly emotionally unavailable Dad, while Shiv married a weak man who she could control in Tom, since she was rebelling against being controlled and manipulated by her Dad, but neither of them realize that yet). The children are all likely asking themselves, should I be making different choices now, as I gain more awareness that the patterns that I learned in childhood, and the coping mechanisms I employed, may no longer be serving me, both in business, and in life, and what does that mean for what I choose to do in the future, both personally and professionally? Or, am I unable to break out of these patterns because this is what I know and this is the cross I will need to continue to bear? This is what "Succession" is about at a deeper level, and it will be intriguing to learn what vestiges of answers emerge in the final 90 minutes of the show, or if the answers continue to remain elusive, both for the characters, as well as the audience.



The Adventure Starts Here!
Good post, AKA23. I do see tiny moments here and there where the sibs each seem to be more aware of their situations/struggles post-Logan. I just don't see how we're going to get the kind of story-closure such inklings deserve in order to make the story feel in any way finished. Right now, so soon post-Logan, they're all still flailing around trying to find their footing. It seems like an odd spot to end their various tales. Not sure what this last episode holds, but let's just say I'm cautiously pessimistic.



That they're not really comparable is exactly the point: even classics can have their moral boiled down to something trite, but it's how they make that point and all the smaller insights that comprise the moral that make something good. I mean, LOTR beats us over the head with the ring's corrupting power, but I don't think anyone's rolling their eyes during The Two Towers when Faramir's tempted by it just because dozens of characters already had been. Maybe Succession is seriously flawed, but if it is it's not because it has a simplistic core message.

Anyway, I think your second paragraph is probably the real issue: you want some likable characters. I don't really care if a given show has likeable characters, personally, so that's probably the key difference here. I suppose I'd watch less TV if every show was filled with awful people, but I wouldn't want every show to necessarily have likeable characters, either. Particularly comedies, which benefit a lot from having awful protagonists.

Logan was definitely compelling, but he was also the thinnest character by far. Which was by design, by the way: the writers have said he was the only one intended to be a straight-up archetype. In that sense he's really just there for them to react to, and with his death he's provoked the biggest reactions of all.



The Adventure Starts Here!
That they're not really comparable is exactly the point: even classics can have their moral boiled down to something trite, but it's how they make that point and all the smaller insights that comprise the moral that make something good. I mean, LOTR beats us over the head with the ring's corrupting power, but I don't think anyone's rolling their eyes during The Two Towers because they've already made their point. Maybe Succession is seriously flawed, but if it is it's not because it has a simplistic core message.

Anyway, I think your second paragraph is probably the real issue: you want some likable characters. I don't really care if a given show has likeable characters. I suppose I'd watch less TV if none of them did, but I'm glad some shows don't necessarily have them, too.

Logan was definitely compelling, but he was also the thinnest character by far (by design, by the way: the writers have said he was the only one intended to be a straight-up archetype).
I don't mind unlikable characters. But when all of them are unlikable and none of them ever change, then they've kinda lost my excitement for the series. If that's what my opinion boils down to, then so be it. If a show wants to toss that many unlikable, unchangeable characters at me, I would appreciate even one I could like a little bit.

I feel as if you're going back and forth between the *several* things I've griped about, singling one out and then the other in separate responses. I have multiple reasons I'm not as wild about this show as others are -- or as wild as I myself used to be. One is the lack of likable characters to identify with. Another is the lack of any serious character arcs/changes. A third is the lackluster quality of this entire last season once Logan was gone. If they'd let his character hang on for the first half of the season, for instance, I might not be quite as annoyed with the show as I am now. Most of this season has felt like they're spinning their wheels and padding the story to fill ten episodes.

(Side note: I've read novels with unlovable characters who don't change, but even those aren't completely bleak. Also, they're novels and therefore take up a lot less of my time. Not 40+ hours.)

I suspect we are just at an impasse on our views of this show. I have a few other stray thoughts about it (generally), but they're a lot more personal and I'll leave 'em out of this discussion.



That emoji argument between Shiv and Roman at the beginning of "America Decides" was overly cute. Rava might have overreacted and been a little more appreciative to Kendall regarding the extra security, on the other hand, Kendall should have given Rava a heads up. "Good night, stay hydrated." Who ends a phone call like that? "We still think we can win, but we're very focused on losing." That scene between Justin Kirk and Kieran Culkin...what the hell was that all about? Loved that Greg told Tom that he doesn't do coffee anymore. It's about freaking time. Tom and Greg are becoming cokeheads? "Bodega Sushi? Are you insane?" Is Connor as delusional as he appeared in this episode? I think there's something wrong with this guy.? Is it just me, or does Jeanne Berlin look better now than she did in the 1972 film The Heartbreak Kid? Loved that Kendall nd Shiv didn't want to talk to Greg. So Shiv is using Logan's death to legitimize all of her bad behavior? Glad she told Tom she's pregnant. Shiv really needs help with her life but can't get it because she won't tell anybody everything and she talks in riddles. There was a a definite overuse of the word "narrative" in this episode. This election is not interesting enough to justify doing the whole thing over again. "I am going to the bathroom to sh*t...would you like me to live stream it?" Why was it such an issue that the siblings were on the news floor? Didn't their father own that news floor? Didn't get the scene with Shiv and Greg at all. The thought of Connor even in a cabinet post is kind of disturbing...there's something wrong with that guy. I lost it when Frank said he didn't know Connor was running for President. That Rome/Kendall scene got by me too. OK, am I reading this right? Are the siblings in danger of losing ALL of Waystar to Mattson? Logan ended wars? Seriously? If the truth be told, I knew Mencken was going to win when it was revealed that Justin Kirk was playing him. Now that Mencken has won, is a relationship between him and Matttson going to be revealed?



The Adventure Starts Here!
@Gideon58 ... Great post with so many fun questions! Thank you for reminding me that it is at least a little bit fun to watch these insane people interact. I'd almost lost that thought.

Yeah, Connor is just ... yeah. He's almost become a caricature of himself since the show's beginning, but it's fun to watch him say and do ridiculous things.

And I love Justin Kirk, so I too assumed he'd be a large presence this season as soon as he showed up.



I’ve enjoyed this final season & look forward to the finale. Twitter is aglow with who will ultimately come out on top. Greg seems a popular choice, but it seems too obvious to me. I have my money on Gerri.
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Why was it such an issue that the siblings were on the news floor?
You asked this question a week ago & @Yoda explained it then.

“Journalistic independence/integrity.”



Well, the beginning of "Church and State" revealed that his father's funeral was the only occasion for which Rome would put on a tie. Hope Kendall can hold it together for this funeral. Jeremy Strong was excellent in that scene with Rava. So glad that Shiv finally told her brothers that she's pregnant and lost it when Connor asked if it was his. Kendall is nuts if he thinks he's ever going to get full custody of his kids. I knew Kendall was going to make Jess' resignation hard for her. Kendall is losing it. Whoever heard of a eulogy leading to legal action? Lost it when Greg was observed traveling to the funeral on a bicycle, LOL! The growth in Greg definitely showed in his asking to be introduced to Menken. The Greg of season one wouldn't have done that. Caroline's return was appropriately creepy. It seemed mildly inappropriate that Mencken would attend this funeral, totally distracting the purpose of the event. Loved that Carrie brought an attorney in case there were "entry issues." Interesting that all of Logan's exes would sit together in the same pew. James Cromwell's return as Ewen was awesome..and who are the siblings to prevent Ewen from speaking at his brother's funeral? No matter what he had to say, he had the right to speak. Kieran nailed Rome's meltdown. Loved that instead of losing it like I thought he would, talking about his father would make Kendall stronger. "He was comfortable in this world...and he knew it...and he liked it...and I say amen to that." "Was he in a bidding war with Stalin and Liberace?" Not sure what Shiv was looking for from Frank and Carl. Marcia was spooky as ever. Now that it's over, I really don't understand Rava's fears about safety at the funeral.



who are the siblings to prevent Ewen from speaking at his brother's funeral? No matter what he had to say, he had the right to speak.
Ethically, sure, but they largely act out of self-interest, rather than ethics.

Not sure what Shiv was looking for from Frank and Carl.
Backing/support with the board.

Now that it's over, I really don't understand Rava's fears about safety at the funeral.
She was concerned about the city as a whole, which is totally legitimized when we see all the riots at the end of the episode. Though even if those didn't happen, she obviously doesn't get to act with that hindsight.



She was concerned about the city as a whole, which is totally legitimized when we see all the riots at the end of the episode. Though even if those didn't happen, she obviously doesn't get to act with that hindsight.
Rava may be hyper-sensitive at this time. People often are when they are getting divorced. Kendall bullying her in the street when she told him she was taking the kids out of the city was horrible to see. Threatening to block her car, etc. Their divorce will be massively ugly especially since Kendall will try for custody of the kids.

Kendall was also very aggressive with Jess about her leaving him. He railed against her for bringing up the subject at his dad’s funeral, but he was the one who pushed for the discussion right then & there.



Yeah, I was pretty sympathetic to her because she's a mother and if there's even a 5% chance the city's going to erupt in riots, she should get out of there. If I were her I'd trust my instincts and err on the side of caution. Regardless, the show seemed to indicate the concern was founded based on how it ended.

Kendall was definitely channeling Logan in a few of those interactions, in the "I want what I want and I don't mind contradicting myself to express my displeasure" sense. All the kids have some aspect of him in them, or try to imitate some aspect of him, but none of them have the whole. It's kinda The Lion in Winter.



Yeah, I was pretty sympathetic to her because she's a mother and if there's even a 5% chance the city's going to erupt in riots, she should get out of there. If I were her I'd trust my instincts and err on the side of caution. Regardless, the show seemed to indicate the concern was founded based on how it ended.

Kendall was definitely channeling Logan in a few of those interactions, in the "I want what I want and I don't mind contradicting myself to express my displeasure" sense. All the kids have some aspect of him in them, or try to imitate some aspect of him, but none of them have the whole. It's kinda The Lion in Winter.
For some reason, I think I avoided The Lion in Winter. Peter O’Toole? Briefly, what was it about? Some British king?



The Adventure Starts Here!
Just finished the series finale. I won't mention any specifics so soon after its airing, but I'll say this:

It exceeded my best expectations and hopes. Somehow they managed to get me to appreciate the story WAY better in this last hour and a half. They did a spectacular job of letting the characters make a little more sense to me in the end.

Nicely done.



The Adventure Starts Here!
That had everything I wanted from a TV show finale. Perfection.
It somehow brought the series into the kind of focus I'd been wanting, encapsulating itself and letting even the twists I didn't see coming make a LOT of sense. Really well done.



I need to re-watch the finale. A lot to unpack.

WARNING: spoilers below
Did anyone notice Greg at Connor’s new house (Logan’s old house) checking out items to take? He fumbled with one item & it was the bell Logan used to summon the servants. Which Greg accidentally rang at Logan’s house & a servant appeared. Greg’s first time in Logan’s house & Marcia had cruelly sent him there to get slippers for Logan. Amusing touch.

Is GoJo a real company? Washing my hands at the Cathedral yesterday after mass I reached for the soap container & it was emblazoned with the word GoJo, which I’d never noticed before. Weird.

Can’t imagine how horrible Shiv & Tom’s marriage & a future birth will be.

Colin so loyal to Logan & now to Kendall. Making sure Ken didn’t throw himself into the Hudson River.

Tom & Greg’s slapdown was satisfying. Hilarious but cruel Tom planting a sticker on Greg’s forehead. Stockholm Syndrome anyone?



The Adventure Starts Here!
WARNING: "finale spoilers" spoilers below
I hadn't noticed Greg checking out the bell. That's so Greg. And yes, I was watching Kendall being followed at the end, assuming a possible suicide attempt.

If you get a chance to rewatch on the Max streaming service, be sure to also watch the bit at the tail end where the producers/writers talk about the finale and what went into it. Good stuff.



WARNING: "finale spoilers" spoilers below
I hadn't noticed Greg checking out the bell. That's so Greg. And yes, I was watching Kendall being followed at the end, assuming a possible suicide attempt.

If you get a chance to rewatch on the Max streaming service, be sure to also watch the bit at the tail end where the producers/writers talk about the finale and what went into it. Good stuff.
Will do.