I've always found it fascinating how even the most ardent fans of Succession keep the Roys at such a moral distance, as if they don't have little Kendalls, Shivs, and Romans in their souls. I just saw a photo of those three siblings and a Mean Girl-type game popped into my head and I heard one character say to another, "Stop being such a Kendall." And that reminded of Shiv and Roman doing their hilarious and accurate Kendall imitations on the nighttime beach.
What an outstanding show and satisfying series finale! It’s a tribute to Jeremy Strong and Matthew Macfadyen in particular as actors that they seem so vividly loathsome in their roles (and hard to imagine as anything otherwise).
Hey, Ty, thanks for opening this up today to outsiders!
I have to get this off my chest: I thought where all the characters ended up was perfect, but I found the final episode to have the weakest writing of the entire series. Very disappointed in the kitchen scene and especially the final confrontation. Shiv seemed inarticulate to me, and Roman's emotional collapse in the previous scene was unwarranted. These people are smarter than that! My wife and adult daughter all agreed there was some lazy writing.
Still, re-watching old episodes proves that the show overall remains in my top 5.
I love your summary review of Succession, undoubtedly one of the best TV series I’ve seen.
As you said, writing, direction, acting and music, just perfect!
And, yes it did draw me in and I was tempted to side with this one or that one, from week to week, except not with great enthusiasm because each of the Roy siblings were so damaged.
I hated Tom’s character.
I felt so sorry for Roman except not for his relentless racist, sexist, and pro fascist comments throughout the series!
I wish it could go on but how could it get much bleaker!?
Thanks Ty for such a wonderful summary of this season finale. Like the entire series, the finale lived up to it, with plenty backstabbing, it’s dark humor, intelligent writing and great acting 👏🏼
Thank you for this beautiful and insightful analysis of and farewell to this often times (mostly times) disturbing show that sucked me in with it’s excellent writing, skilled editing and talented acting. It seemed like nobody was watching it in the beginning and then everyone was watching it by the end. I’ve been walking around for two days mulling over the finale. Thanks for giving me some closure. It was a good one, right?
Great evaluation of the final episode, Ty. One of the things I enjoyed the most about it was that it offered a true paradigm shift. We had been coerced as viewers to see the Waystar Royco corporation through the siblings' eyes -- as an exalted kingdom, an empire. Who could fill their father's shoes? (Well, none of them, of course.) But Lukas sees Waystar Royco as something completely different -- a widget factory, making a basically outmoded product. He doesn't need a genius or Chosen One to run it, just a competent pencil-pushing toady who'll keep the production line rolling while he figures out which parts are worth keeping and which he'll jettison. Will Waystar exist in ten years? Doubtful. Will Fox News? Widgets.
I could not leave them... spent the following days watching the first season, and then various chapters of other seasons, until I saturated. I will miss them though...A wonderful summary, as always!
I loved this episode for many of the same reasons you did, Ty -- excellent writing, direction, acting, music, production. Satisfying on all levels. My take on Shiv's last scene with Tom is that it was a pitch perfect demonstration of the reality of being a woman in a world like the Roy's -- well, really, in our world. There's simply no way for a woman to hold genuine power -- it's always tainted by men's negative projections. Shiv's expression was, for me, a familiar picture of a certain kind of helplessness in the face of deeply ingrained sexism. So clear, like all of the show, and so amazing!
As for Matthew Macfadyen -- having loved his subtle acting in so many projects, like Pride and Prejudice and MI-6 to name the first 2 that come to mind -- I'll look forward to whatever character he embodies next. Shadows of that action hero and romantic lead flavored his portrayal of Tom for me -- I really wanted to like him, in spite of all his betrayals. And I happily failed.
Beautifully written, Ty. I actually guessed it would be Tom before the last episode - my wife will attest to it - but even as I watched I wondered if it would be pulled away from him. And, of course, he very well could get "the push" in the near future. My take is that Shiv indeed decided to cast her lot with the "empty suit" estranged husband as a last ditch reach for power. Tom, however, surely knows that. And now that the balance of power is on his side, he will treat her with the same disdain she showed for him. A theory.
I've always found it fascinating how even the most ardent fans of Succession keep the Roys at such a moral distance, as if they don't have little Kendalls, Shivs, and Romans in their souls. I just saw a photo of those three siblings and a Mean Girl-type game popped into my head and I heard one character say to another, "Stop being such a Kendall." And that reminded of Shiv and Roman doing their hilarious and accurate Kendall imitations on the nighttime beach.
What an outstanding show and satisfying series finale! It’s a tribute to Jeremy Strong and Matthew Macfadyen in particular as actors that they seem so vividly loathsome in their roles (and hard to imagine as anything otherwise).
Thanks Ty...such brilliant writing, such eloquence...reminds me very much of Roger Angell.
Excellent observations great review as always. You hit all the marks. And I will miss it too but boy, what a perfect conclusion to this family saga.
Hey, Ty, thanks for opening this up today to outsiders!
I have to get this off my chest: I thought where all the characters ended up was perfect, but I found the final episode to have the weakest writing of the entire series. Very disappointed in the kitchen scene and especially the final confrontation. Shiv seemed inarticulate to me, and Roman's emotional collapse in the previous scene was unwarranted. These people are smarter than that! My wife and adult daughter all agreed there was some lazy writing.
Still, re-watching old episodes proves that the show overall remains in my top 5.
I love your summary review of Succession, undoubtedly one of the best TV series I’ve seen.
As you said, writing, direction, acting and music, just perfect!
And, yes it did draw me in and I was tempted to side with this one or that one, from week to week, except not with great enthusiasm because each of the Roy siblings were so damaged.
I hated Tom’s character.
I felt so sorry for Roman except not for his relentless racist, sexist, and pro fascist comments throughout the series!
I wish it could go on but how could it get much bleaker!?
Thanks Ty for such a wonderful summary of this season finale. Like the entire series, the finale lived up to it, with plenty backstabbing, it’s dark humor, intelligent writing and great acting 👏🏼
Thank you for this beautiful and insightful analysis of and farewell to this often times (mostly times) disturbing show that sucked me in with it’s excellent writing, skilled editing and talented acting. It seemed like nobody was watching it in the beginning and then everyone was watching it by the end. I’ve been walking around for two days mulling over the finale. Thanks for giving me some closure. It was a good one, right?
Matsson, the sadistic Nordic social engineer, orchestrated the Roy's self-destruction. He hated Tom but making him CEO was his P-K4.
Great evaluation of the final episode, Ty. One of the things I enjoyed the most about it was that it offered a true paradigm shift. We had been coerced as viewers to see the Waystar Royco corporation through the siblings' eyes -- as an exalted kingdom, an empire. Who could fill their father's shoes? (Well, none of them, of course.) But Lukas sees Waystar Royco as something completely different -- a widget factory, making a basically outmoded product. He doesn't need a genius or Chosen One to run it, just a competent pencil-pushing toady who'll keep the production line rolling while he figures out which parts are worth keeping and which he'll jettison. Will Waystar exist in ten years? Doubtful. Will Fox News? Widgets.
I could not leave them... spent the following days watching the first season, and then various chapters of other seasons, until I saturated. I will miss them though...A wonderful summary, as always!
I loved this episode for many of the same reasons you did, Ty -- excellent writing, direction, acting, music, production. Satisfying on all levels. My take on Shiv's last scene with Tom is that it was a pitch perfect demonstration of the reality of being a woman in a world like the Roy's -- well, really, in our world. There's simply no way for a woman to hold genuine power -- it's always tainted by men's negative projections. Shiv's expression was, for me, a familiar picture of a certain kind of helplessness in the face of deeply ingrained sexism. So clear, like all of the show, and so amazing!
As for Matthew Macfadyen -- having loved his subtle acting in so many projects, like Pride and Prejudice and MI-6 to name the first 2 that come to mind -- I'll look forward to whatever character he embodies next. Shadows of that action hero and romantic lead flavored his portrayal of Tom for me -- I really wanted to like him, in spite of all his betrayals. And I happily failed.
Beautifully written, Ty. I actually guessed it would be Tom before the last episode - my wife will attest to it - but even as I watched I wondered if it would be pulled away from him. And, of course, he very well could get "the push" in the near future. My take is that Shiv indeed decided to cast her lot with the "empty suit" estranged husband as a last ditch reach for power. Tom, however, surely knows that. And now that the balance of power is on his side, he will treat her with the same disdain she showed for him. A theory.