Summary: Kendall, Shiv, and Roman are starting a new media brand called "The Hundred". Tom calls Shiv about a meeting he had with Naomi and they realize that Logan is trying to buy Pierce, so they decide they will make a bid for Pierce as well. Logan is celebrating his birthday but feels lonely. The Roy kids go to meet with Nan and she eventually agrees to see them. They make a deal while Logan has Tom call in and negotiate from their end. Logan is frustrated when he finds out that his kids are the rival bidders. The Roys decide to make a conversation-ending bid of 10 bil and it works. Logan is frustrated. Shiv returns home to Tom after they had been separated for a while and tells him that they should get a divorce.
The Good: It's good to have "Succession" back for this fourth season. Things have changed after "All the Bells Say", and season 4 isn't afraid to show that. The Roy siblings have finally allied with each other, and it's nice to see that they are still working together even without the common goal of taking down their father. The interactions are as fun as ever, filled with hilarious one-liners, a total lack of sympathy for other people, loads of ego, and distrust between one another. It's a joy seeing them work together, and it's clear that each character has changed now that they are free from their father. Kendall looks like he has a weight off of his shoulders. He still does drugs, but he no longer seems like he is destroying himself from the inside now that he is surrounded by family that loves him and he has addressed what he did to Andrew Dodds. Kendall's in a happier place, and while going up against his father still excites him like always, he carries himself in a more laid back way this time. Roman seems to have matured the most without Logan around. He's still snarky, mean-spirited, and dismissive. But now he has fully developed that mature side of him since he no longer has to worry about being excessively disgusting to impress his abusive father. It's no surprise to see Roman take the most excitement in the Roy siblings doing their own thing, and he takes the most responsibility in making it happen as well. Then there's Shiv, who has actually changed the least. She is helping her siblings in their new venture, but just like with Logan, she still has one foot out the door looking for other options in case things don't work out. Where Kendall and Roman are so different from before, Shiv is interesting because of how similar she behaves, which is perhaps indicative of her unique style of coping with her family. The main plot of the episode sees the Roys join in on a bidding war to acquire Pierce to screw over Logan. Even though they tried to move on and do something new, they can't help themselves from getting involved with their dad again, and this time they're looking for petty revenge with this buyout. And remarkably, the plan actually works! These three put their minds together and are able to handle themselves with enough composure to completely screw over Logan and take Pierce for themselves, the first time we have ever seen Logan lose to his children in the entire show. This is pretty monumental, and could indicate a change in tone heading into this fourth season. It looks like Logan isn't the main threat anymore and the Roy kids may have to worry about their powerful alliance falling apart from within. I do like how this episode portrayed Logan. Now that his children (and Marcia too) are all gone, he feels genuinely lonely. His birthday is a quieter affair than Kendall's back in "Too Much Birthday", but it carries that same lonely atmosphere. Without his kids to beat down at every turn, it looks like Logan is unable to connect with anyone else and is feeling isolated by the world around him, calling all of these people "Munsters". He even takes Colin (seriously, COLIN) out for dinner and tries to connect with him a little bit. Even Colin is thrown for a loop, and seeing him struggle to have a genuine conversation is quite funny. But this shows us that Logan is starved for a connection with people, and he likely feels a bit adrift after losing his kids. The final scene of the episode perfectly shows Logan's pain as he sits alone watching and criticizing the news at night with nobody to share his displeasure with. He absolutely deserves it, but it's still sad. Shiv and Tom's relationship gets a lot of time in this episode. I'm pleased to see that Tom's actions in "All the Bells Say" had immediate consequences on this relationship, and already we are seeing those consequences play out. The phone calls between them are devastating because of the obvious tension and the buried feelings of betrayal that both characters are unable or unwilling to share with each other. It's like a pressure cooker that never explodes, and every scene carries the weight of what's gone on between them without ever going off. Even the final scene where Shiv asks for a divorce and both characters face the end of their relationship (see: Best Moment) keeps these emotions in check as Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfadyen act out what the characters feel without them ever communicating it to each other. This relationship continues to be beautifully written and acted, and it's as compelling as ever even in its denouement. The Bad: Greg is as funny as ever in this episode, but his story again feels like background filler, which has been a trend in recent episodes. I wish that "Succession" could get more utility out of Greg by giving him a more important role, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen, even in this final season. I hope I'm wrong and that Greg has a huge role to play in the plot of this final season, but I suspect that he'll be relegated to the background in the same way that he has been in the past couple of seasons. The Unknown: Will the Roy kids be able to pay the 10 bil for Pierce? Will Logan be petty enough to screw them over by tanking the GoJo deal? Will The Hundred amount to anything? Is this truly the end for Shiv and Tom? Could this be a problem for Tom since he's not technically family anymore? Will Connor be able to keep his one percent? Will his relationship with Willa last? Best Moment: Shiv and Tom's fantastic conversation at the end of the episode. This scene portrays their emotions beautifully, especially seeing that both characters are unable to express them to each other. From Shiv's sad facial expressions when she looks away, to Tom's general deflated demeanour, everything is nailed in this scene to make this divorce feel meaningful and devastating while still being logical and inevitable. Character of the Episode: Shiv. Conclusion: This show has become extremely dependable for good television. Nothing in this season premiere blew me away, but the storytelling and performances were superb and I was captivated by the character beats we were given to start off season 4. Score: 67
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Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
March 2024
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