Summary: Sandi and Stewy are informed of the plan to acquire GoJo and they accept the idea. The Roys go to Italy for Caroline's wedding. Connor proposes to Willa, who is uncertain if she wants to accept. Kendall demands to meet with Logan that night. Kendall wants to cash out because he's not evil like Logan, but Logan does not accept it and reminds Kendall of what happened to the waiter. Caroline talks with Shiv about her regrets being a mother. Out of spite, Shiv tells Tom that she wants to conceive. Shiv says she doesn't love Tom during foreplay, and Tom is unhappy about what she said. Matsson sends out tweets that he is receiving financing, which endangers the deal. Roman goes to meet with him and learns that Matsson is looking for a merger of equals. Roman expects that he will be destroyed by Logan, but Logan is willing to consider. To celebrate, Roman tries to send a dick pic to Gerri but accidentally sends it to Logan instead. Logan is baffled and contemplates firing Gerri, but Roman says not to. Shiv approaches Gerri to file a sexual harassment case against Roman. A drunk Kendall puts his face underwater while on a floaty.
The Good: This was Roman's episode, and nothing could have prepared me for the way he orchestrated his own fall to follow Kendall and Shiv in losing the backing of his father. After how awful Roman has been the past few episodes, I was truly hoping that the Matsson deal would fall through and screw him over, and that was exactly what happened. It was so satisfying to hear Roman constantly assuring that things were fine as it became increasingly evident that Matsson was screwing them over, and Roman going to meet with Matsson felt like it would be the moment where everything came crashing apart for Roman. Roman's talk with Matsson was great, revealing Matsson to be far more cunning than initially anticipated. He knows that he's powerful, and like Logan, he wants to make a play for further power. As such, he befriends Roman and subtly tells him what he's after without being disrespectful in any way. Poor Roman was ill-prepared for this and it's clear that he's thrown off by Matsson not submitting to what Waystar wants. Still, Roman reports back to Logan and I thought for sure that we would see Roman go down in flames in this scene. But we didn't, and instead Roman again reminds us of how skilled he is. He reports Matsson's motives accurately and provides a compelling case for Logan to work with him, resulting in an all-out success. I may not like Roman, but I recognize his strengths, and it was nice to see a Roy get a success for a change. And then it happened. Roman is such a doofus, and watching him go from this state of ecstasy to sheer embarrassment by accidentally sending his dad a dick pic was simultaneously horrifying and absolutely hilarious. This was perhaps the hardest I've laughed in the whole show, and it fits Roman that he nails down the business aspects of his career only to be brought down by his creepy relationship with Gerri via sending a dick pic to his dad. It's fitting, it's hilarious, and it's the most unexpected climax imaginable to an episode that was very heavy and depressing. I love this sequence so much, and I think that Roman screwing himself over in this fashion was the perfect conclusion to his story. I also got a chuckle out of Shiv immediately trying to take Roman's place at Logan's side, but being absolutely transparent in her motives. Kendall and Logan's meeting is another terrific scene between these two powerhouse actors. I was surprised that Kendall decided he wanted to cash out, but seeing how miserable he was in the previous episode, I understand his choice completely. What came out of left field was Logan denying his request, passing off the cash out letter as a joke. This was brutal and it highlighted how toxic Logan's relationship is with his children. He will belittle them, scrutinize them and shame them for not being good enough. And yet, when they decide to pursue something else for a change, Logan doesn't let them and wants them to come back. He did the same thing with Shiv when he pulled her away from her established career. Logan wants his children to be better but never gives them the opportunity to fluorish and make their own lives. No matter what excuse he makes, his real desire is, as his ex-wife put it, to kick his kids over and over and then see if they come back to him. He wants to beat Kendall down and have him come crawling back, so he will use every card up his sleeve to make it so Kendall comes crawling back to him. And in a cruel twist, this includes using the waiter incident to try to convince Kendall that he's not a good person and that he belongs with his evil family. Logan's methods here are torrid and indicative of how he is a different level of evil than all of his children, and his manipulative denial of his own evil is disgusting. Also disgusting is Logan using Iverson to taste his food to prevent a poisoning attempt by Kendall, which is so laughably paranoid and cruel. Kendall was clearly affected by this meeting with his father, and this leads to a curious ending scene that may have serious repercussions (see: The Unknown). Shiv is still an awful person on every level, but her conversation with her mother helps us better understand why this is the case. Caroline gets worse every time we see her, and now we can see her as the judgemental, vindictive, inadequate parent that she has always been. The last thing you want to hear from your parent is that they regret having you and that's exactly what Caroline tells Shiv. She also holds a grudge against her for choosing Logan when she was a kid, she tells Shiv that she isn't meant to be a parent, and she even tells Shiv that she was unable to have dogs because she knew Logan would abuse them; yet she still decided to have kids, who became the dogs that Logan abused. This is disgusting, depressing, and perfectly indicative of why Shiv grew up to be an awful human being. The conversation between Shiv and Caroline is short, but there is so much context given to their relationship in a short few minutes, and it is captivating. Reeling from this conversation, Shiv goes to her go-to stress relief: abusing her relationship with Tom. She now wants a baby out of spite, and manages to say just about every awful thing she could to Tom. Tom is suitably upset by her foreplay, and why wouldn't he be? She could have done somethign sexy, and instead she preys on what she knows to be Tom's insecurities in their relationship. And then Shiv gaslights him for wanting to talk about it the next day, and says horrific things like "I don't love you, but I love you you know?". Oh my god, poor Tom to have to deal with all of this. Their relationship has always been toxic, but this is on a whole other level and it is brutally affecting to watch as Shiv mistreats Tom so egregiously. Greg and Connor have smaller roles in this episode, but they are still fun. Greg is a delight as he gets it in his head from Shiv and Tom that he can shoot higher than Comfry just because he is associated with her. Hilariously, Greg goes full scumbag mode and starts hitting on literal royalty (and his methods are again hilarious). This will obviously backfire, and I can't wait for that to happen. Meanwhile Connor is absolutely ridiculous as he proposes to Willa and totally puts her on the spot in one of the most cringeworthy moments of the episode (the most cringeworthy moment is, well, you know what it is). It's amusing how Connor practically forces her into saying yes with not-so-subtle underhanded tactics, and it provided a good laugh. The Bad: I was disappointed that Marcia was written out last season, and now she has come back only to be totally underutilized. She is present at this wedding but she hardly does anything and plays no role in the story. This is bitterly disappointing, and I wish that more was done with her. Similarly disappointing are Stewy and Sandi, who have had zero role in the show since becoming board members. This is especially disappointing because of how significant "Retired Janitors of Idaho" was, and ultimately the episode seems to have had no lasting consequences on the show, which is disappointing. Stewy has been hugely underutilized since season 1, and it's disappointing that the show has had next to nothing for the character to do lately. Stewy and Sandi briefly pop up in the opening scene, but they have minimal impact on the episode and do not show up again. It's a shame that Stewy's role has been minimized so significantly. I think that Shiv goes too far into being awful in this episode. Before she was realistically manipulative and you could still see why Tom was with her. But now? She is almost cartoonishly evil and so unsubtle about it that I find it impossible to believe that she can get away with being this terrible to Tom. Subtlety has always been a strong point of this show, and it has notable effects when you take that subtlety away. The Unknown: Will Gerri be fired for the dick pic debacle? What happens to Roman now? Will Gerri turn on him like Shiv suggested? Will Matsson agree to the merger? Will Logan attempt to strong-arm him once they share the company? How will Logan handle this moving forwards? Are Shiv and Tom actually going to have a baby? It sounds like that would be an absolute disaster. What happened to Kendall in that final scene? Was he checking to see what it was like for the waiter to hold his breath underwater? Or has he actually passed out? Could he drown and die in such a sudden way? Best Moment: Roman sending a dick pic to Logan is just the funniest possible scenario. I applaud the episode for setting this up in a realistic way with Roman setting his dad as the recipient through a phone technicality that is easy to miss. Some people may not catch the recipient change and may be in for a horrific surprise when they see Logan's phone ring, but I saw the recipient change and was horrified and laughing watching the entire travesty unfold. Kieran Culkin sells the moment with his acting, and the way Roman looked like he wanted to crawl out of his own skin was absolutely hilarious and made the scene as legendary as it was. Character of the Episode: Roman. Conclusion: This was another great episode. I feel like I say it every episode, but this was another strong story that embodies everything that "Succession" does well. Season 3 has been remarkably consistent, and it has done so much right as it develops the story and its characters. Let's hope that the season finale ends the season on a high note. Score: 73
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Summary: Kendall prepares for his birthday party. Gerri learns that the DOJ investigation will settle for a number and nobody is going to prison. Tom is elated by this and celebrates. Logan has a meeting with Matsson for the GoJo deal, but Matsson cancels to attend Kendall's birthday. Roman and Shiv go to the party to meet Matsson. Kendall is happy to see them. Roman gives Kendall a gift from him and Logan: an offer to buy out his shares. Kendall is upset and learns that Shiv and Roman are here for Matsson, so he keeps Matsson away from them. Kendall meets Rava and learns he got a present from his kids but can't find it. Feeling frustrated and lonely, he lashes out at Naomi who comforts him, and he decides he wants to leave. Roman meets with Matsson and sells Waystar's offer to him. Matsson seems like he may be interested. On the way out, Kendall runs into Roman arguing with Shiv and they all have a nasty spat. Kendall goes back to his apartment.
The Good: This episode is all about Kendall. He's been hyping up his birthday party for several episodes now, and it's finally here in all of its over-the-top glory. This party describes Kendall to a tee. The very first scene indicates all that is wrong with him as we see him deliver a surprisingly good performance of "Honesty" by Billy Joel, and then he reveals that he's doing some dumb over-the-top Jesus stunt that will completely ruin it. This is everything that's wrong with Kendall. He has all of the pieces and has moments where he has put it all together, but then he overthinks and plays to his ego and makes a complete fool of himself every time. This birthday party fell into the same trappings. For as large-scale and glamorous as it was, Kendall had a horrible time at his own party. Despite inviting everyone and receiving so many gifts, Kendall had no personal connection to this party. Outside of his family, not one person wished him happy birthday, and we can see as the party goes on how this tragically makes him feel even more alone. Nothing exemplifies this better than Kendall's reaction to losing the present from his kids. It's never going to be something good, but because it was hand-made just for him, this present becomes the only one that matters. The pile of generic, bland presents means nothing to Kendall, and deep down he yearns for that personal connection with people. The present from his kids represents that, hence why he's devastated when he can't find it, and is disappointed when Naomi gets him a gift that's just like anything else from a random stranger. Kendall's breakdown in this scene is devastating, and his final line saying "I wish I was home" is crushingly sad because we know that his apartment is not the home he's talking about. He wishes to be surrounded by people who love him again instead of being surrounded by strangers who don't know who he is and don't care. Perhaps he's even dreaming of that low-key party he described to Rava, a personal night with her and his kids. But poor Kendall has burned the bridge with Rava. He clearly still wants to be with her, but can't stand her moving past him so he lashes out. Ultimately, his desire to get out leads to him ending his birthday night in stark contrast to how it started. The episode starts with Kendall shouting outside his balcony about how it's his birthday. It ends with a somber look over the edge (suicidal thoughts perhaps?) and Kendall crying in Naomi's laugh, a powerful contrast to how it began. Overall, this episode is magnificent in its exploration of Kendall, and the layers of loneliness that encapsulate him. Kendall is far from the only fascinating element of this episode. Shiv and Roman play a key role as they come to Kendall's party to meet with Matsson. The result is a horrifically brutal spat between the three siblings, which was perhaps the most devastating and tragic scene of the series. I've enjoyed seeing Roman's rise over the past few seasons from bumbling idiot to someone who actually has some business sense. What made him so compelling was that he clearly did have a level of morality that we didn't see in any of the other siblings. But that's changed now. Now that Roman is successful and has his dad's favour, we see how this brings out the worst in him. I don't think any of the Roy siblings have been as ruthless and cruel as Roman in these past few episodes. Kendall once stepped in to stop his father when he hit Roman, and now this episode sees Roman viciously insulting Kendall, goading him into hitting him, a line he knows Kendall can't cross, and then shoving him to the ground in such a humiliating and awful way that shows such little regard for his older brother. It's sad, it's disgusting, and it's so against what the Roman earlier in the season would do. Roman has lost himself in his newfound position and power and it's terrible to behold. He's in need of getting knocked down a few pegs, and I wonder if that will happen with this Matsson deal. Matsson is a fun presence in this episode, and Roman tries to enchant him the same way he did with Mencken in the last episode. Whether or not it actually works remains to be seen (see: The Unknown), but I do hope that Roman gets humbled because his behaviour has become irrational and irritating. Shiv has another rough episode. She came to Kendall's birthday party expecting to help secure the Matsson deal, but she finds that she's been cut out more than ever before despite actually working for Waystar now. Roman and Logan discuss and do everything, and Shiv is treated as barely any more significant than Kendall. It's sad to see her frustrations boil over, and it's made worse by Roman's gloating and needless insults. Roman even makes things personal by attacking her relationship with Tom which, while not necessarily untrue, is needless to discuss in this situation. The spat between Roman and Shiv before Kendall arrives is brutal but very well written. You have two characters feeling contrasting negative emotions lashing out at each other. One feels jealousy and spite in her defeat, the other feels prideful and snobbish in his victory. Then you add a broken Kendall into the mix and the scene becomes one of the show's very best. Brutal stuff. Tom finally returned to his old self at the episode's beginning and I couldn't be happier! The news that nobody was going to prison is suitably great, and Tom immediately going to Greg's office and annihilating it in his raw relief was absolutely hilarious. It was nice to see Tom back to normal and interacting with Greg like he used to. But it's tragically short-lived. You would think that Tom should be celebrating this with Shiv, but brutally it's Shiv who tells Tom to be less happy, and she can't seem to care less that he husband isn't going to prison. This leads to a terrific scene later in the episode where Greg comes to see Tom who is clearly still unhappy. Even poor Tom is confused by it all and can't understand why he still feels so miserable despite all the good news. But we realize that even though Tom is not going to prison, he's stuck in a different prison being married to Shiv and connected with the Roys. Matthew Macfadyen's portrayal of Tom's emotional confusion and his inability to process his sadness is phenomenal, and the broad relatability of these feelings makes the performance connect with you. Greg has plenty of great humour to offer, as always. He has some tremendous scenes throughout the episode. His comedy with Tom is golden as always. The office scene is terrific, and I really laughed at the "prove it" line, and Greg and Tom's contrasting reactions to the compliment tunnel. Greg asking out Comfry is a fun side plot, and his horrific first attempt where he keeps calling her a maiden was hilarious. On the other hand, Greg's conversation with Kendall is dramatic and sad. These two were on such good terms, but now Kendall has turned on him brutally. There's a huge degree of hypocrisy in Kendall calling Greg a leech to his own family, but the insult definitely hits for Greg. But since it's Greg, of course his immediate response is to punch the image of Kendall in the balls over and over again. Brilliant. The Bad: Nothing. The Unknown: Logan told Tom that he will remember that he was ready to sacrifice. Does this give Tom some leverage to work with? Have Roman and Tabitha broken up? We haven't seen Tabitha all season. How did Tom get Shiv? We heard before that he helped her when she was a mess, but what exactly happened between them? Will we ever find out? Will Kendall buy out from Waystar? He definitely should, but I don't know if he's going to. How will Greg and Comfry's date go? Is there actually something there, or is Comfry just dating him out of spite for Kendall? I suspect it's the latter. Is Matsson going to take the deal? I suspect that he may have other plans in mind. What present did Kendall's kids get him? Will Kendall ever find it? They used rabbit wrapping paper, does this mean the rabbit survived the bagel incident? Roman does constantly seem to be making comments about having sex with his parents, and he also mentions being uncomfortable peeing around other men. Does this suggest something about his childhood? Was there some sort of sexual abuse done to Roman? Best Moment: The sibling argument near the end of the episode was brutal and horrifying. The sheer venom spat out by all of the siblings, especially Roman, is heartbreaking to watch and it makes you grateful for the loved ones in your life, loved ones that the Roys can never even dream of having. Sad. Character of the Episode: Kendall. Conclusion: A masterful episode, the best I've seen from "Succession" yet. This had all of the staples of the show so far, excellent acting/writing/dialogue, an engaging event that furthers the main plot, fascinating new character dynamics, a compelling exploration of wealth, and some great comedy. But what sent this over the top was how much emotion was packed into this episode. It becomes extremely impactful when a TV show that rarely outwardly shows us the emotions of its characters decides to linger on emotion for an extended period of time. The emotion took an already great episode and allowed it to reach a further height. Score: 81 Summary: The Roys attend Future Freedom Summit to essentially choose the next President. Logan initially leans towards picking Boyer. However, Roman gets close with Mencken and likes him, while Shiv prefers the democrat Salgado who offers to secure her future as the next CEO. Connor prefers himself obviously. The Roys all gather and discuss their options. Tom slips out to meet Kendall, who continues to spiral and has fired Lisa after she pointed out his shortcomings in the case. Tom refuses Kendall's offer and returns. Logan decides to go with Mencken to Shiv's dismay. Tom agrees to take some of Greg's crimes on to spare him some prison time.
The Good: I enjoy the concept of this episode a lot, as I often do with "Succession" episodes. Politics are central to this show and it's nice to see them take center stage as the Roys essentially get to choose the next President of the United States. This show always does a great job of illustrating how much the Roys take their power for granted and are out of touch with the real world, and this "President choosing party" is another fine example of that. I enjoyed seeing Roman and Shiv pick their favoured candidates. Roman genuinely seemed to hit it off with Mencken, which was amusing and very smart to build loyalty, while Shiv is, as always, self-motivated as she decides to back whichever candidate gives her the best potential future, and that happens to be Salgado. It's entertaining to see Shiv and Roman spar in the debate room on who to select. This neatly continued the trend of the season which sees Shiv falling out of favour with Logan as Roman gains trust from Logan. Shiv says almost everything wrong in this episode and everything she tries ends up failing. Logan doesn't take her seriously, she says stupid stuff like "my opinion does matter more", and she's petty about everything, especially with how she views Mencken as a personal affront just because he reminds her of other guys she has worked with. Meanwhile Roman is sneaky and clever, and he plays up to Logan perfectly at every turn. Shiv tries to use the knowledge of Caroline's remarriage as a weapon, but Roman, confidently as ever, just uses it as a chance to amuse Logan further, and Roman wins. Perhaps the best moment that encapsulates this episode's sibling dynamic is Shiv and Roman debating on whether Logan is having sex with Kerry or not. Shiv is so confident that she's right, but completely misses the mark on how her father behaves, while Roman understands him and his motives to a tee. This is great writing, and it's always entertaining to see how the relationship between Logan and his children changes with every episode. Kendall and Tom are the other stars of the episode, and I love everything that went on with them. Kendall has a rough episode. He was in a bad place going into this one, and things continue to spiral for him. The worst part is that this is entirely his fault. Lisa does her best to prepare Kendall for questioning, yet Kendall treats all preparation as a joke and winds up doing a horrific job, and after Lisa tells him the brutal truth, he fires her too. It's all going down for Kendall, and once more it's all his own doing. This show is so good at creating complex emotions because seeing Kendall so broken in season 2 made me root for his success, making me forget how utterly incompetent and disappointing the real Kendall is. Now that I'm seeing who he really is once more, I'm reminded by how baffling his decision-making is. The meeting with Tom is a highlight of the episode (see: Best Moment), and it's Kendall's last genuine shot to salvage an ally. I thought for sure that Tom would join him considering how everyone else is not on his side. Shiv continues to downplay him going to prison and mistreat him, while Logan is happy to throw him under the bus without second thought, and Greg continues to rise, even in the wake of Tom's impending trip to prison. Tom's been in a horrible place this season, and Matthew Macfadyen's performance captures the nuance of the situation fantastically. It's so sad that Tom is clearly just looking for someone to listen to his problems and acknowledge them. He can't get that from his wife, nor his friend Greg, so he gives Kendall a shot to be there and understand. At first, Kendall does well by sympathizing and understanding his emotions. But Tom has changed, and his mantra of "having no hope" does make him more cautious and careful. Despite liking what Kendall is saying, Tom has to question whether Kendall can actually win, and so Kendall reveals his true colours and Tom can safely leave him behind as a non-option. Kendall blew it again, and poor Tom is back to square one when it comes to looking for an escape. It's sad that nobody seemed to notice that Tom left for a long time to meet with Kendall, but such is how little anyone in the Roy family values Tom. Poor guy. I can't help but feel for Connor as well. Sure, he's delusional and has no right to even be in contention to become President. But it's still absolutely crushing to see nobody backing him at all. Nobody wants to support his dreams or what he wants, and perhaps more painfully, nobody gives him enough attention to find another hobby or another purpose for his life. They're all perfectly content to let Connor live in his own corner of the world, but when Connor tries to join theirs, that's when the problem arises and nobody has the stones to say it straight to his face. The sham sequence when Logan tries to get Roman and Shiv to express their opinions on Connor as President is painful, and indicative of the dysfunction between the family members. Then you have Greg who throws in his support for Connor, and you can see Connor's elation in this moment. But it's all taken away as Greg hilariously finally decides to make a concrete statement: he doesn't support Connor. When Greg, the one guy who's famously indecisive, isn't backing you, then you know there's a problem. I feel bad for Connor, and despite his delusions, he may be the single most unfairly treated family member in an already toxic family. The Bad: Nothing bad. The Unknown: Are Logan and Kerry having sex? How does Marcia feel about this? Why does Logan continue to snub her like this? Is Kendall screwed? Firing Lisa is obviously a boneheaded move, and it's hard to see him coming back from this. Will Tom join Kendall? It seems unlikely, especially since Kendall looks to be well on his way to another failure, and Tom knows it. Is Kendall going to burn Greg out of desperation? Is Tom going to take the fall for Greg? Will Greg actually keep suing Greenpeace? It's amusing to me that he's actually going through with it. Apparently Caroline is getting remarried. Will we get another episode in England for this wedding? Who is the best pick for President? Logan is backing Mencken now, but is he the right choice? Who is actually going to win? Best Moment: Tom and Kendall in the parking lot. Again, Kendall makes the same mistakes by offering absolutely nothing to the people he wants loyalty from other than "I like you". Tom, surprisingly, isn't rolled over by this despite having every reason to leave Logan's side. Instead, he fights back, and he hits Kendall with a totally valid line, suggesting that he's failed countless times and Logan never has, so why should Tom join him. Kendall naturally has no answer outside of a sloppy blackmail attempt, allowing Tom one last barb to get his frustrations out, reminding Kendall of how insignificant he has become that he is being excluded from conversations on who the next President is going to be. This scene was terrifically acted by Jeremy Strong and Matthew Macfadyen, and a brilliant indicator of Kendall's fall and also of a change in Tom's attitude as we see a more ruthless edge to him. Character of the Episode: Tom. Conclusion: Another excellent episode. This one was another hour of gripping character dealings and development, and I enjoyed seeing the storylines progress with more great acting, great dialogue, and great comedy. In its third season, "Succession" has understood what makes it great, and the season has brilliantly played to its strength to create compelling television so far. Score: 71 Summary: It's the day of the shareholder meeting. Stewy has called and agrees to talk about a deal so Logan meets with them to discuss. As the deal is negotiated, Frank stalls the shareholders. They end up at an impasse when Sandy wants veto power over the next Roy CEO. Sandi later calls with an alternate deal to forego private jets but Logan does not agree. However, Logan has fallen ill with a UTI and is delirious. Everyone is unsure of what to do. Shiv meets with Sandi and negotiates the deal while also giving them a fourth board seat. The President calls for Logan and Roman takes the call. He learns that the President will not be running again, upsetting everyone but Connor. The deal is successful and Karl announces it to everyone. Kendall arrives to make a statement but it doesn't go over well and his mic is cut off. Logan cuts off Kendall completely. He's upset at Shiv for the deal even though it did work. Greg meets with Ewan who officially cuts him out of his inheritance and intends to give the money to Greenpeace. Greg decides that he will sue Greenpeace for the money.
The Good: The one aspect of this show that bothers me the most is how it began. So much of this show hinges on the family dynamics between Logan and his children, so I have always found it an odd choice that Logan was taken out of the equation for the show's first real story arc, and we were stuck watching the kids attempt and fail to keep things together without him. It was a fine enough story, but I had no investment in the characters yet and much of the drama and intensity was lost because of that. Now, after over 20 episodes of brilliant character work, we finally revisit this idea and this time "Succession" totally nails it. I am now invested in this family and I've seen the Roy siblings enough to completely understand how they function. As such, it's so much more fun to watch them try to hold the fort with their father out of commission, and struggle so much to keep things together. I'm very glad that the show gave this idea another shot because it's further made clear that even after all we've seen from Kendall, Shiv, and Roman, it's still going to be an absolute disaster if one of them have to take over control from Logan. The shareholder meeting has been built up for a couple of season now, so it's an enormous deal now that it's finally here. The fate of the company hangs in the balance, so it's gripping to see the negotiations between Sandy, Stewy, and Sandi and the Roys. It's episodes like these where the show's strong acting and writing reaps reward because the desperation of the situation is conveyed remarkably well. Logan's failing health, the time pressure, the fear of losing the company, it's all come together to make a perfect storm at this shareholder meeting, and none of the intensity is wasted throughout what was a highly suspenseful episode. Logan's failing health is primarily what makes this so intense. Every episode up until now since "Lifeboats" has had Logan at the helm to make these hard decisions, but with him out of commission at the most crucial junction, it's hard to imagine any of the other characters making a correct decision on instinct like he does. The nerves on show by everyone in the room are stellar and it leads to a number of great, panicky scenes, such as my favourite moment of the episode (see: Best Moment). The three Roy siblings are all given moments to shine here and they all have their ups and downs throughout the episode. Shiv is the most successful as she is the one who secures the deal with Sandi and saves the company. It's great to see Shiv prey on Sandi's personal desires to secure the deal, and she even goes a step further to play to her own desires, getting herself a seat on the board. It's a decent deal, but unfortunately for her, Logan can see through her and understands that she made a selfish play, and he's not happy about that. Logan scolding her at the episode's end was intense, and it's sad to see that Logan dressed Shiv down the same way that he did with Kendall back in "Lifeboats". Roman was relegated to the background for much of the episode, and he seemed to be the one most unnerved and scared by his father's failing health. But he ended up really shining when asked to speak with the President. At first he is hilariously awkward, but by the end he's able to convey the message effectively to Logan, and seems to have entered Logan's good graces following Shiv's perceived failure. Then we have Kendall, who is spiraling rapidly. As always, Kendall is listening to nobody and running ahead on his high with disastrous results. Sure, he plays a role in securing the deal with Sandy, but he doesn't get much for his efforts. He tries to cash in at the episode's end by appearing at the shareholder meeting, but comes off as awkward and crazy and has a negative effect on his PR. Then, in a power move, Kendall is ghosted by Logan who blocks his number, officially ostracizing Kendall from the family and leaving him sadly alone by the episode's end. He isn't done yet, but it has been a steady fall since the highs of the season 3 premiere for Kendall. The side characters have an excellent episode all things considered. Greg has officially been cut out by Ewan, and it's sad to see him fall into such a vulnerable position because he's trying to keep everyone happy but is indecisive on which side to stay with. Ewan nails Greg down by saying that he has to take himself seriously to truly advance, perhaps the kindest advice that Ewan has ever offered Greg. But I'm sure it went over Greg's head like everything else, especially as Greg hilariously tries to sue Ewan "in a way that says I love you", and ultimately settles on suing Greenpeace, a hilariously stupid idea. Meanwhile Tom continues to panic under the pressure of prison and tries to get Shiv pregnant to give him some motivation to get through it. Shiv is suitably upset by this, though it's revealing of her narcissism that she expects Tom to just take going to prison, yet has double standards when it comes to her being "imprisoned" by pregnancy. These two continue to have a fascinating relationship and it's sad to see their moment of genuine elation ruined by the tension between them. Lastly, I'll highlight the supporting cast of Gerri, Frank, Karl, and Hugo who are all fantastic in this episode and I think they add a welcome amount of depth to the proceedings. Each character offers unique input and has their own degree of comedy, like poor Frank being stuck stalling for so long, Karl being a weasel who sneaks out of bad situations and sneaks into good ones, and Hugo going from sheer loyalty to saying some of the most hilariously outrageous things. I enjoy these characters, and they added a lot to this episode. The Bad: The ending moments with Kendall feel a bit strange and I wasn't able to connect with them like I probably should have. I'm confused by how the episode seems to treat this as a failure for Kendall, which really isn't the case. Stewy, Sandy, and Sandi failing to acquire the company is what Kendall wanted and this ultimately has no bearing on his war with his father, so I was confused by the tone of the show suggesting that this was a defeat for Kendall. I'm also confused by Logan's decision to ghost and block Kendall. I absolutely believe him to be petty like that, but why wait until this point, and why is it such a big deal to Kendall that it happened? I was a bit confused by this note in the story and I could have used some more context for the emotions of the characters. The Unknown: Did that poor rabbit die? I should have expected that it would meet an unfortunate fate under Kendall's care. Jess's reaction to Kendall getting the news was absolute gold though. What disease does Sandy have? Who is going to be the next President? Don't tell me that Connor actually has a shot. Will Logan recover from his UTI? Best Moment: The brief scene when Kendall arrives to scold everyone for not accepting the deal. There's so much happening in this one brief minute and I love it. We have Kendall's pretentious anger, Roman's frustration and concern for his father, and the hilarious visual of Colin removing an imaginary dead cat. This was a chaotic minute that made me laugh at the humour, recoil at Roman's harsh words for Kendall, and scoff at Kendall's self-absorbed speech. Character of the Episode: Shiv. Conclusion: Another terrific episode, one that highlights everything that "Succession" does well. The shareholder meeting is an intense blast, every character is utilized effectively, and the themes at play are some of the most exciting and interesting in the show. I enjoyed this greatly. Score: 75 Summary: One of Waystar's shareholders Josh is threatening to join Sandy and Stewy so he invites Kendall and Logan to his island to talk things through. Kendall initially refuses but ultimately agrees to go. There are tensions between Kendall and Logan but they discuss with Josh. Josh is unconvinced by their relationship and decides to join Sandy and Stewy. Greg meets with Logan who offers him an excellent deal to leave Kendall. Roman looks into a tattoo man who he and Kendall convinced to tattoo Kendall's initials on his forehead. Shiv is tasked with making ATN more critical of the President and she tries to get Tom to do her bidding. Tom is able to talk to Greg and secure him on Logan's side, but can't get ATN to do Logan's bidding. Shiv meets with Mark herself and convinces him, but her approach upsets Karl and Frank.
The Good: The main story is a lot of fun. The idea of Logan and Kendall interacting with all the tension between them has been exciting for the first few episodes in this season, and "Lion in the Meadow" finally allows them an excuse to be together to explore how their dynamic has changed. What we got was splendid. Seeing these two tested by Josh was gripping, and their dynamic never failed to shine in this scenes. Logan saying nice things about Kendall when under pressure before letting him know that it was all a load of crap was sad and powerful. As was Kendall attempting to befriend Josh and seemingly hitting it off only for Josh to show much more interest and energy around Logan instead of him. I love the way this show handles its characters and this was no exception. Josh was a formidable foe for these two, and he preyed on their weaknesses. Logan and Kendall thought they just had to reassure Josh and act tough, but Josh was looking for so much more. Seeing Josh turn the tables on them in their discussion was fantastic, and Josh forced Logan to play to his tune, which is something we don't always see from the Roys. The Roys are so arrogant that they very rarely place value on other key members of their company, and that showed in this episode. Furthermore, I love that Josh did not decide to stick with them. He seems far more cunning than he initially let on. I'm sure his daughter was never sick, and I suspect that he took Logan out on such a long walk to test how much Kendall cares for his father. When Kendall failed to intervene on his behalf, that was likely when Josh decided not to side with them. It's terrific writing because we know that Kendall actually does care for his father, but he's too terrified to step in on his own to help Logan for fear of his wrath; a childhood fear manifested in adulthood. And this weakness ends up being the reason that the Roys lose Josh's support. Brilliant writing. I am enjoying Tom's storyline a lot this season because of how different he feels. So many shows keep their characters static throughout every season, and it would be easy to do the same with Tom, who is such a funny and well-received character. But this show is better than that and we are getting a long-term storyline with Tom. I'm not sure if this is an act anymore as I predicted last episode, and it looks like Tom is genuinely afraid of prison and he realizes too late that he has nobody in his corner to protect him. He thought he had Shiv, but now that he can see her narcissism in full effect, he realizes that Shiv doesn't give a damn about what happens to him. Tom's conversation with Shiv is so sad because you can see Tom understand this, and hearing Shiv neglect to give any thought or time to his worries is so sad. Add on a terrific scene with Greg where Tom realizes that lowly Greg is likely to end up in a better position than him is sad, especially as Tom tries to wrestle him, likely in a confused effort to make some sort of connection with someone around him. This is sad stuff buried under the mask of comedy, and it's great to watch. Roman, Shiv, and Greg have solid side stories in this episode. Shiv finally has her job and she's trying to slip into it but doesn't realize that she needs to establish herself before she does all the "badass" things she wants to do. As a result, she quickly alienates her own people and is only successful when it comes to Tom and threatening other people with Logan's name. Compare this to Roman who has adjusted over time by this point. Roman doesn't just do what Logan has ordered him to do, and he actively pursues the tattoo man, his own project to get some extra leverage over Kendall. It's great to see how Roman has matured over the last few seasons, and his interactions with tattoo man are quite funny, a further reminder of the complete disregard the Roys have for lower-class people. Greg's rise continues to be fun to watch. Kendall tries to assure Greg's loyalty at the start of the episode, but when Logan gives Greg a fantastic offer that could have him go to any department he would like, of course Greg caves in. Kendall has provided no reason for Greg to remain loyal, so naturally Greg ditches him as soon as he gets a good reason to. The Greg/Logan conversation was superb, and Greg does a lot of fun things as always, like chugging his rum and coke in front of Logan. The Bad: This episode does feel a bit slow and inconsequential ultimately. The way "Succession" structures its episodes by introducing a unique conflict to be solved in each episode usually prevents there from being transition or set-up episodes. But in rare exceptions like this episode and last season's "Vaulter", some episodes do feel like they are just stalling time or filling in the gaps before more significant events happen. This episode feels like an extra plot before the shareholder meeting, and as such it does not provide as engaging, intense, funny, or emotional of an experience as the episodes that have come before it. This episode doesn't do anything outwardly wrong, it's just that the type of episode it is prevents it from scoring highly. The Unknown: Greg didn't sign any paperwork with Logan, so is he confirmed to be leaving Kendall? Or is he still weighing his options? How does Ewan factor in with all of this? What will be the consequences of Josh siding with Sandy and Stewy? Is this going to screw over the Roys? Or will they still be able to win at the shareholder meeting somehow? Shiv's attempts to sway Mark appear to have worked. What does this mean for Logan's relationship with the President? Will the President be able to help him out now? Will Roman ever make the tattoo man story public? I suspect that Tom may leave Waystar and join up with Kendall. Will this happen? Best Moment: Logan assuring Kendall that what he said to Josh was bullshit. Another reminder to Kendall that his dad is a manipulative ass and that he made the right choice in cutting him off. Both Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong performed wonderfully in this scene and gave it some real weight. Character of the Episode: Tom. Conclusion: A solid episode of storytelling that never aspired to be more than that. This did what it wanted to do effectively, but this is the type of episode that you enjoy and quickly forget about in the long run. Score: 65 Summary: Kendall becomes infatuated with his social media presence and gives several interviews. Logan refuses to cooperate with the DOJ and plans for future events. Kendall and Shiv attend the same conference and Shiv tries to convince Kendall not to come in to Waystar. Kendall watches a segment from a TV show called "The Disruption" and decides that he wants to appear. Tom tells Shiv that he thinks he might end up in prison and that it might be worth sacrificing himself. She agrees, and Logan does too when he brings it up to him. Tom then hires another lawyer. Kendall impulsively decides to come into Waystar and sends everyone in a panic. Shiv makes an announcement, but Kendall ruins it by playing loud music. In retaliation, Shiv releases a letter condemning Kendall, bringing up issues like his addiction, mental illness, and being an absentee father. Upon learning about this, Kendall walks away from his interview on "The Disruption". Logan tries to make a deal at ATN with the President, but the DOJ find out and the FBI raids the Waystar building.
The Good: Kendall is again the star of the show here. After a couple episodes of feeling himself again, Kendall's mania has reached a new level here. He's living it up in every scene and making increasingly ridiculous and cringeworthy statements at every turn like talking to a worker at Waystar, shouting "f*** the patriarchy!" for no reason, and allowing himself to be slandered on TV, calling it "good PR". The good tweet/bad tweet game is another example that's amusing to watch, and this episode feels like it's 90% Kendall making increasingly bad decisions while in a state of total enjoyment. It does make me wonder if he is bipolar as he flips between manic and depressed so frequently sometimes. In any case, this behaviour is an effective reminder that Kendall is not the good guy in this story even though it might feel that way. He's no hero, and he's every bit as flawed as the rest of his family. Kendall makes so many unnecessary moves in this episode. He doesn't need to appear for the media, but he does anyways because, despite his denial, he is obsessed with the idea of how he comes across to other people, not realizing that in trying to be "cool", he's actually looking like an idiot. Even stupider is his decision to visit Waystar Royco unnecessarily. Lisa advised against it, but he ignores his genuine legal help and decides to make an appearance just to make his family sweat. And what do you know, it all blows up in his face. By antagonizing Shiv (more on this in a sec), he stirs up dissent and ends up having his name slandered by a volatile letter that completely destroys all of his energy and good vibes. The scene where Kendall returns back to being a shell is fantastic (see: Best Moment), and it's great pay-off for all of Kendall's stupid moves in the past few episodes. A conflict that surprised me in this episode is between Kendall and Shiv. Things went extremely badly with the both of them, and they ended up firing the most deadly shots on each other in this Roy civil war. Their brief conversation at the journal conference suggested some more fascinating differences in how the two operated, but I did not expect things to get so personal so fast with both of them. Kendall's arrival at Waystar was intense and I didn't know what to expect from his presence. What we ended up getting was so petty, mean-spirited, and humiliating, and I was quite shocked by it. Shiv's speech was likely a moment she had dreamed of for a long time: a moment where she finally got to announce her presence and begin her dream to be in control of the company. However, the moment is ruined by Kendall who blasts Nirvana's "Rape Me" all over speakers, and the result is Shiv completely losing her composure and leaving the stage in tears. I was caught off guard by her emotional release, and that really sold how needless, humiliating, and cold Kendall's actions were. Sadly for him, Shiv is not weak and doesn't take hits without punching back. She embraces her inner Logan, just like Kendall did last episode, and releases a brutal letter that condemns Kendall's image permanently and airs all of his dirty laundry for the world to see. The battle between the siblings has gotten nasty, ruthless, and public, and it looks like the Roys are in more danger of destroying each other than anything else. Roman appears to be caught in the middle of all of this. While his siblings get rotten with each other, Roman is the lone wolf trying to better himself and become a good fit for CEO. But it's clear that Roman is also the one who is most in need of some sort of affection or connection, especially from his father, but he gets nothing. This episode makes Roman do an interview recounting past memories of his father and how much he loves him. With such little good memories to share, Roman doesn't have much to say, but tragically he still has to lie and pass off a moment with Connor as something he did with Logan. Even still, poor Roman's only reward for his troubles is to be berated by his father and get called a faggot. It's brutally depressing, and it's clear that poor Roman has been belittled all his life, when all he has needed is just a little bit of love and support. This family really is tragic. Logan spends much of the episode continuing his insane decision-making. He's so stubborn that he refuses to cooperate with the DOJ and pays dearly for it when he tries to go behind their back to secure protection from the President. By the end of the episode, he pays the consequences by getting the Waystar building raided by the FBI. With Waystar's image getting thrown in the mud, the family entering a public blood feud, and the shareholder meeting coming up shortly, "Succession" looks like it is setting up a perfect storm for the Roys, and I'm enjoying it. Tom has a very different atmosphere this season, and I really like it. Where in seasons 1 and 2 he felt like a purely comedic character, he's now carrying a degree of disappointment and pent up fury in every scene he's in. Instead of being an awkward fool, he has had enough of this family and of the way Shiv treats him, and it looks like he's trying to make a play himself. His scenes with Shiv and Logan were fascinating because it looks like he is testing their loyalty to him, rather than exercising his own loyalty. From the look of things, he may be planning to make a move soon, and I'm excited to see what's going to happen and how it affects his relationship with Shiv. Meanwhile Greg continues to be fun. I have some questions about what he's currently up to (see: The Unknown), but his relationship with Tom continues to provide the laughs, and his situation with the watch in this episode is a good bit of comic relief even if it is a bit superfluous. The Bad: My biggest issue with this episode is the storyline with Logan trying to use ATN to connect with the President. The most entertaining parts of this show involve the family dynamics, so having a simple plot that allows the fmaily dynamics to shine is where "Succession" is at its strongest. The problem with all of this ATN/President/DOJ plot is that it doesn't capitalize on the family dynamics and it instead becomes an unnecessarily convoluted plot, especially for those who aren't familiar with how all of these government organizations operate and what their significance is. These scenes ended up taking away from the episode, and I was much less interested in them. The writing and performances are still good, but that fascinating storytelling that I get out of the other scenes and storylines was missing. The Unknown: Was Tom testing Logan and Shiv with his offer to take the fall? Why was he testing them? Why did he call for a private lawyer? Is he thinking of joining Kendall? Why is Greg working at Waystar again? How did he get to return? Does Kendall know about this? Was this Ewan's idea? Is Greg content to work for him for now? There's a great scene where the fixer from last season, Colin, comes to see Kendall and threatens him. Is there any weight to this? Will Kendall's secret be spilled in this season? Logan refused to do it in the previous episode because of blowback, but could that change at some point? Is Kendall going to fail again? If he continues to ignore the advice given by everyone around him, I can't see him succeeding. Will Lisa and the others give up on him if he continues to be so aberrant? What is going to happen following the FBI raid? How does this change things? Best Moment: Kendall leaving the talk show to hide in the control room was a spectacular moment. I really have to praise the score because it elevates the scene significantly, but the score isn't the only thing genius about this sequence. Jeremy Strong is absolutely phenomenal here, and it's amazing to see the joy get slowly wiped off of his face and replaced by the broken depression from season 2 that we are all too familiar with. The scene is so somber and powerful, and it makes Kendall's fall from his manic state feel powerful and impactful. This show has a lot of talking usually, so when a scene goes so long without any dialogue, it immediately feels important and captures a unique emotional feeling that many other scenes in the show cannot. Character of the Episode: Kendall. Conclusion: Another terrific episode. There is more great character conflict, more heartbreak, more intrigue, and more comedy. The story gets deeper and more exciting with every passing episode, and season 3 has been an absolute blast so far. Score: 70 Summary: Logan grows paranoid as he is unable to get in touch with Shiv and Roman. They both arrive at Kendall's place and Kendall tries to convince them to join him. Kendall meets with Sandy and Stewy and offers a deal to avoid a shareholder vote. Kendall again tries to convince his siblings, but after Shiv discusses with Tom and Roman discusses with Gerri, they decide not to side with Kendall. Logan reaches out to Marcia who returns, but gives steep conditions to Hugo for her amicable return. Logan returns to New York and reunites with his children. Logan offers Shiv a new position in the company. Greg confides to Kendall that he is uncertain and Kendall decides to set him up with a lawyer. Greg is unsure of what to do and is further confused when Gerri sends him a lawyer. Greg goes to Ewan who sets him up with his lawyer.
The Good: The concept of this episode is terrific. Roughly half of the length of this episode is spent in Rava's home as Kendall negotiates with Roman and Shiv in an effort to coerce them to join him. Connor is there too, but as usual the poor guy is treated like a side-thought. Still, the dialogue between them all is gripping and there is so much enjoyment and fascination to be had from the character dynamics. Kendall continues to thrive on this manic high, and he has complete confidence that he can convince his siblings to join him. However, he gets a bit lost in this high and overlooks details in an effort to sell to the siblings he wants on his side. Shiv and Roman really want to join Kendall, but they have affirmed their loyalties to Logan and are concerned that joining Kendall is not a smart move. The episode is so fascinating because the idea of the Roy children teaming up on their father feels like it should be central to the main story, but the characters all have individual flaws and quirks that prevent them from wanting to join up with each other. Mostly, it's because their selfish desires get in the way. Shiv wants to join Kendall, but upon realizing that Kendall doesn't see her as a leader, just like her father, she doesn't hesitate to walk out on him, even as he rages at her. Roman is also tempted to join. He and Shiv may emphasize that they are sticking with Logan, but they stick around with Kendall because they are contemplating whether to join him or not. For Roman, things are less personal than with Shiv. But with Gerri in charge, a fear of his father's wrath, and the concern that Kendall may not succeed, Roman makes his own logical choice and opts to stay with Logan. But both Roman and Shiv didn't have the courage or commitment to leave Kendall on their own. Connor had to go first. Connor, who has more reason than anyone else to betray his father, opts to stand by him and he suddenly goes from irrelevant to a catalyst that causes everything to crumble for Kendall (see: Best Moment). These character dynamics and the thought process that leads them all to the decisions that they make is why this episode is so effective. These characters feel so real and so understandable because of this show's terrific writing and acting. Seeing these beautifully realized characters going through such engaging conflicts for an entire episode is exactly what I want from a TV show, and "Succession" did not disappoint with this one. On top of this, there are so many delightful details that keep the episode fun. Roman, Shiv, and Kendall are constantly throwing clever and original barbs at each other throughout the episode. The show maintains a sense of reality since many of these barbs are often funny because of how poorly thought out they are, so the dialogue never feels phony. It feels crushingly real that these three siblings are never able to share a sweet moment together and are constantly at odds in even the most docile discussions. I also have to highlight Connor's presence in these scenes. Connor is always treated like an afterthought and his presence feels exactly like that. People appeal to him so that he feels included, but ultimately it is clear that nobody really cares about his presence, and that's quite sad. It adds another dimension to these scenes when you remember Connor's presence. Lastly, I loved the donuts moment. This is such a small thing, but it's hilarious how a single box of donuts completely changes the dynamic of the conversation, and the suggestion that Logan may have poisoned them is really funny. Logan continues to be a fascinating character. This episode sees him giving into his own paranoia and he constantly panics about all of the events happening that are out of his control, especially Shiv going rogue and ignoring everyone's calls. Seeing Logan so desperate also allowed us a look at his manipulative side. If it wasn't clear before, this episode makes Logan's manipulations completely transparent. He only ever embraces the "caring father" personality when he wants something, and it was disgusting to hear him use that same "number one boy" line with Connor that he used on Kendall back in "Nobody is Ever Missing". It's never been more clear that Logan is full of garbage and doesn't seem to have a caring bone in his body. Marcia returns in this episode and her presence is welcome. I was upset when it seemed like her story was written out of the show unsatisfyingly last season, but it appears that is not the case. She has returned and is hellbent on getting what she wants this time, and it's great to see. Greg is terrific in this episode and offers laugh after laugh in his scenes as he realizes he's completely in over his head. His phone call with Tom is comedy gold ("Tom? This isn't the Tom number", "I know, aren't I clever"), but it also sends Greg into a heightened paranoia, making him afraid of everything. It's so funny watching Greg stumble through every conversation as he tries to make sure that he gets a lawyer on his side. Everyone knows his nature and are trying to prey on him, and even Ewan ends up doing the same with his big confusing sentences (it's an eternal joy to hear Greg awkwardly nod along to Ewan). Greg ending up with an anti-capitalist lawyer is a hilarious development and I'm excited to see where this all goes. The Bad: Where are Kendall's kids? He uses them as an excuse to leave, but we're given no indication of where they actually are. Hell, the meeting between Kendall and his siblings takes place in one of his kids' rooms, so it's strange that we are never updated on where they have gone. I get that this may be done to further show us how irresponsible Kendall is as a father, but I felt myself getting distracted by this question during moments where I should have been getting sucked into the drama. The Unknown: Will Shiv and Roman continue to stick by Logan, or are they just looking for the first opportunity to betray him too? Shiv's new position sounds like another farce and I'm sure she knows it. Is she going to look for another opportunity to take over? Will Stewy and Sandy back Kendall, or are they going to turn on him? What is Connor's next move? It seems like he has been alienated by everyone, so what's next for him? Is Greg going to be doing Ewan's bidding with his new lawyer? Will Greg realize what's going on, or is he now going to be Ewan's puppet? Will Marcia continue to follow her agenda and secure a future for Amir? Will Logan allow this? How long will Marcia be around for? Who sent the donuts? Was it Logan? If so, how did he find out where everyone was? Was he just paranoid, or is someone informing on Kendall? Best Moment: Kendall's rage as each of his siblings turned him down was a terrific scene beautifully realized by Jeremy Strong. After a whole episode of trying to convince them to join him, failure is going to hurt a lot. You can see Kendall fall from his manic state as the rejections kept coming at him, and it was fantastic to see the frustrations boil over. Kendall feels so much like Logan in this moment as he personally dresses down his siblings and unleashes an angry rant very similar to Logan's at the end of "Argestes". It seems like this manic personality quirk has been passed down to him, and Kendall's anger flare-up highlights that he might not be any better than Logan. Great writing. Character of the Episode: Greg. I could give it to a lot of characters, but Greg had one of his funniest episodes yet. Conclusion: I loved so much about this episode. This was an hour of tense negotiations with gripping character dynamics, fantastic acting and writing, and some brilliant moments of comedy. "Succession" at its best. Score: 74 Summary: Kendall leaves with Greg and goes to Rava's since he can no longer get into Waystar. Logan calls Kendall to give him a chance to back down but he does not. Logan convenes on what to do and listens to Roman who wants to go to war against Kendall. Roman, Gerri, and Shiv are sent to New York and everyone else goes to Sarajevo. Logan plans to step back as CEO but is unsure of who to pick. Kendall phones everyone in an attempt to gain allies. Roman and Shiv find out about the CEO selection. Roman calls Logan to give input and disqualifies himself. Logan eventually settles on Shiv who he sends to recruit Lisa Arthur to represent them. However, Kendall has already secured her, and with Shiv's failure, Logan picks Gerri instead to be CEO. Shiv is disappointed and changes plans. Kendall meets with Lisa successfully and invites Naomi over for support. Logan hires a different lawyer and prepares for war.
The Good: It was every bit as captivating to watch the fallout from the season 2 finale as I had hoped. There were no explosive twists, betrayals, humiliations, or character fights in the entire episode but there did not need to be any this early in the season. Instead, the episode opted to focus on the characters and what they decide to do in the wake of such a pivotal moment. I don't think that we've ever seen an episode of "Succession" follow up on a key event directly like this (usually we get a large gap in time between episodes), so this was a uniquely effective way to explore the consequences of Kendall's press conference. The show did not disappoint in the character dynamics. Kendall starts off the episode looking frightened and terrified, but after letting that fear out, he spends the rest of the episode in a manic, excited state and it is glorious. Kendall spent an entire season inhibiting himself, and now that he's free, he feels on top of the world. I don't think he is currently using, but he maintains the same type of confidence that he only had when he was on drugs in season 2. It's so satisfying to see him call everyone to see if he can sway them to join him, like Frank and Shiv. And his mannerisms around Rava, Lisa, Greg, and Naomi are an absolute delight. Meanwhile Logan is as furious and ever and ready for a war. You got the sense that he was impressed in the previous episode, but after a phone call revealed Kendall to be the same bumbling fool (what the hell was that beanstalk line), Logan went back to his usual self, putting everything on the line to go for the kill. I liked Roman once again showing how he's developed by astutely describing why trying to overpower Kendall is the best move in the scenario, and I liked seeing all of the background characters deal with the chaos. Frank recounting Logan's vapid decision-making is hilarious, Hugo gets some great lines in (especially to Tom), and poor Karl is hilarious as he clearly has one foot out the door. The CEO debate is a lot of fun. Karl and Frank throwing their own names in is quite funny, but the actual debate is gripping. I was amused seeing all three candidates immediately find out about the discussion through various means (Frank and Tom), and Roman and Shiv keeping secrets from each other is pretty funny. Logan nicely frames all three candidates by including three categories and having each person check off two of them. The discussion is signature "Succession" with great dialogue, comedy, and an unpredictable result. Roman disqualifying himself by calling Logan was spectacular (see: Best Moment), and Shiv gets to rise as a result. But her success is short-lived as a failure to acquire Lisa Arthur sees her fall back to the bottom with Gerri being preferred over her. Shiv tries the same strategy with Lisa that she used back in "DC", but it's clear that her manipulations are far more effective on people who are not already in the game. When Shiv is dealing with people on a similar level to her, it is suddenly apparent that she's not as smart as she thinks she is. Seeing her fall once again was sad, and I'm curious to see what's next for her. Tom and Greg are a lot of fun in their supporting roles. Greg does a whole lot and accomplishes nothing throughout the entire episode, and he's an absolute blast. Nicholas Braun plays him so well, and Greg was a constant source for laughs. Tom played a more dramatic role for much of this episode and I continued to enjoy him. Shiv is trying to get their relationship back on track, but Tom's misgivings are still carrying on, giving them a unique dynamic in this episode with some nice imagery highlighting the distance between them. The Bad: Nothing I would call bad. The Unknown: Who is going to side with Logan, and who is going to side with Kendall? Karl looked to have one foot out the door, so can he be swayed? Will Frank turn to Kendall once again? Will Shiv after being snubbed by Logan? How will Gerri do as CEO? Will Roman play a role in her new position? How long will it last? What will Kendall's next move be? Will he continue to raise the stakes against Logan? Where do Stewy and Sandy factor in with all of this? How do they feel about the Roy civil war? Will they pick a side? Will Kendall get allied with them again? Best Moment: Roman's call to Logan was so delightfully awkward, and Logan immediately removing him from contention following it was the perfect follow-up. Roman thought he did something good, when in reality he totally destroyed his own chances in spectacular fashion. Character of the Episode: Kendall. Conclusion: This was a strong and energetic start to season 3. I wasn't blown away by anything, but the fallout from Kendall's press conference was gripping and the episode maintained a level of intensity and drama that kept me invested for the entire hour. Score: 69 |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
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