Succession - Season 4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't there a big blowup last season where Logan wanted to give more shares (2x?) to Marsha?

I don't remember which season it was, but Marcia has been angling all along to gain more shares/take care of her son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't there a big blowup last season where Logan wanted to give more shares (2x?) to Marsha?

I don't remember which season it was, but Marcia has been angling all along to gain more shares/take care of her son.

Yes. Back when Logan was having a stroke on the helicopter, it was right after he had told Shiv he wanted Marcia to inherit his shares.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I thought it dragged a little tbh.

Also, and this really bothered me: giant corporations don’t have to all of a sudden draft a statement when their old CEO dies. You don’t think Fox News has a very clear plan for what happens if Rupert Murdoch dies in a bathroom? Of course they do! The idea that anyone would be scrambling or improvising made no sense.

The scene with Kerry was the best scene. Both on the plane and getting into the car.

This actually rang true to me. The whole point of the show is that Logan wouldn’t admit to himself that he would ever die and couldn’t bring himself to do proper succession planning (even after almost dying in the first episode). If it ever came to Logan’s attention that someone else was making plans for what happened after his demise, it would be the end for them. Everyone at the company had to participate in his delusion that he was immortal. The first episode of this season, in the conversation with Colin, was the first inkling that he was actually considering his own mortality.

Yes, agree. For a normal company, it would be unheard of to not have any plans in place. But Logan was delusional that he was immortal. The only question I have about that (not a business expert) is - obviously, with a family owned private business, he could or not do whatever planning he wanted. But aren’t they a publicly traded company with a board and associated accountability? In that case, I do think he would have been forced to not leave it all open. I wonder if his will will similarly cause a lot of issues.

They're a publicly traded company. Towards the end of the show Roman shows the stock price on his phone.

Logan doesn't get to pick in his will who his his successor, the board does. So it is important who controls the board votes.

I know Logan doesn’t get to pick. But he can leave his shares to an heir, which can tilt the balance of power on the board.

I believe Gerri was the successor CEO on paper based on earlier episodes/seasons, but I assume the board meeting that was referred to in this episode is to tee up the process for choosing a new CEO.

I predicted earlier that I think Logan left his shares to Marcia, probably by virtue of not changing his will after his stroke, so I think it's going to be an epic fight.

I do think Marcia will absolutely have significant shares and will be a huge fly in the ointment in the fight over control.

BUT I do not think Logan's will leaves all his shares to Marcia. She was his third wife. I think more likely, she negotiated shares during their split (I know they are still married but I mean the negotiation at the end of last season that got her out of his hair so he could do whatever with Kerry) and she will leverage them for all their worth. But I also think the kids will get shares (and possibly not in equal amounts) and potentially some other wild cards (Kerry? Tom? Frank? there's a lot of batshit stuff Logan might have done).

I definitely think we will see some moments of Logan reaching from the grave to screw over his family and friends with choices he made regarding his will and his shares. There's this theme emerging of freedom and independence for the kids, and how Logan's death could in theory facilitate that, but this family has all kinds of unhealthy interdependence and no way is that going to disappear overnight. Stuff is going to happen that ties people to each other uncomfortably (like maybe Shiv reconciling with Tom in large part to control any shares Logan left him, or the kids aligning with Marcia to fend off Kerry, or Roman making a deal with Gerri using the shares Logan leaves him, etc.) and people will struggle for true independence. The only true freedom is to walk away from it all, and none of them, including Connor, has proven themselves strong enough to do that yet.

I also think there's some likelihood of a classic "which will?" escapade in which Kerry plays an annoyingly large role. She was deeply involved in Logan's personal and professional life for the last year or so -- what are the odds that she suggested a will revision or got herself involved in a will revision? I think pretty decent. Nothing like a will signed (or drafted but not signed, or signed but not notarized) a couple months before death that disowns your kids and leaves a bunch of money to your mistress -- it's happened more than once.

ITA that Logan screws the kids (and perhaps others) from beyond the grave. I feel like he never really thought any of the kids were up to the task of taking over so I'd be a little surprised if he gave any of them an advantage. He'd want them to duke it out from equal footing and to the victor go the spoils. I CAN see Logan leaving his shares to his brother (Greg's grandfather).

I personally don't think Kerry gets anything except perhaps cash to keep her mouth shut and a setup on ATN or something. She was a strong presence because of her association with Logan, but not on her own.

Tom might be a candidate for some shares. I have been re-watching the series with my daughter and I think in the first episode Logan tells Kendall he just doesn't know if he's a killer (in business) as he pulls the CEO rug out from under him. But Tom. Tom screwed over his own wife. But does Logan consider that killer instinct or just being a sleazeball? Logan was happy to take advantage of Tom's actions, but that doesn't mean he approves. I do think Tom and Shiv end up being pitted against each other because that's been the dynamic in their entire relationship. But I think they stay married in the end.

Greg knows where a lot of bodies are buried and he has his grandfather. But that means he has to totally screw Tom. We haven't seen his ability or willingness to operate that way, but who knows.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone else been following this show from the beginning but is just over it? Even the theme music is annoying. The writing this season is unbearable. The humor isn't punchy. The dialogue isn't as smart. Either the budget was slashed or nobody on the set cares anymore.

I honestly don't think I'll finish this season. I don't care anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been following this show from the beginning but is just over it? Even the theme music is annoying. The writing this season is unbearable. The humor isn't punchy. The dialogue isn't as smart. Either the budget was slashed or nobody on the set cares anymore.

I honestly don't think I'll finish this season. I don't care anymore.

Uh huh. Tune for you to move on.

I love them theme music.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone catch Logan's final 'uh huh'?

No one?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The actress that plays Marcia does not have this season listed on her IMBD.

That's really not definitive.

Also, a plot point like Maria having significant shares does not necessarily mean that Marcia is in a bunch of scenes. It could play out like: kids learn of Marcia's shares when will is read or from Logan's estate lawyer, there are conversations about her but she's not talking to anyone, then she shows up for a single board vote.

I'll be interested to see if they do an episode around Logan's funeral or not. If yes, will be hard not to pull in characters like Marcia, Kerry, the kid's mom because it's hard to imagine them not being there and, if there, not interacting with the kids. But I could also see the show pointedly not really showing the funeral, just referencing it, and focusing instead on stuff like the board vote and a succession fight, because it supports this theme they have where the business activity is always central and weddings/funerals/birthdays/family events are always secondary.

If they stay laser-focused on the board vote and who becomes CEO, there are fewer characters who might pop up. Though I still think Marcia and Kerry could show up in some capacity, and we'll be seeing Greg's dad either way, right?

We've never seen Greg's dad.

Maybe they mean his Grandfather? Greg's mother is the relevant connection to the Roy family (who we also have never seen.)

Yes, I meant grandfather, Logan's brother, Ewan. He's on the Waystar board so he will be there for the board vote no matter what, plus presumably he'd go to Logan's funeral. I definitely expect to see him this season. Curious what his share in Waystar is (if any? it's always been a bit weird to me that he's on the board since he claims to hate Logan and the company) and whether that will come into play.

Oh, and I looked it up because I was curious, and Marcia did indeed renegotiate the terms of her prenup with Logan last season -- he wanted her to to stay with him to create a "united front" while they wooed Waystar, but she was pissed about Kerry, so he agreed to renegotiate the prenup. Now I feel extra confident Marcia is going to be in the mix regarding Waystar via shares from Logan.

Oh, and I also remembered -- the kids' mom sold her shares in Waystar back to Logan last season. That was part of the big betrayal at the wedding, not just Tom flipping on Shiv. Presumably those shares would have gone to Kendall, Shiv, and Roman when she died otherwise, but since they now belong to Logan and Logan is dead... curious to see if that factors into things.

[Anonymous]

^ wooed Gojo

[Anonymous]

This season demonstrates why Seinfeld was so smart to leave while on top. This show stuck around too long. If you’re still obsessively watching it’s not because it’s good anymore. You just want it to conclude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This season demonstrates why Seinfeld was so smart to leave while on top. This show stuck around too long. If you’re still obsessively watching it’s not because it’s good anymore. You just want it to conclude.

No, I like this season. It had to end with Logan dying. He was never going to name a successor. But they should have skipped season 3 and had Logan die in season 3 and do whatever they have planned now over the last three years they seesawed on the same back and forth multiple times. They could have cut some out.

[Anonymous]

Logan leaves his shares to his brother, who leaves them combined with his existing shares to Greg and Greg wins!!!

That would be some Arrested Development level stuff.

PS - I listened to the HBO podcast for this episode on which Brian Cox states that this season, each episode represents 1 day so with 10 episodes the entire season takes place over the course of 10 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been following this show from the beginning but is just over it? Even the theme music is annoying. The writing this season is unbearable. The humor isn't punchy. The dialogue isn't as smart. Either the budget was slashed or nobody on the set cares anymore.

I honestly don't think I'll finish this season. I don't care anymore.

This sucession theme song is the best one

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This season demonstrates why Seinfeld was so smart to leave while on top. This show stuck around too long. If you’re still obsessively watching it’s not because it’s good anymore. You just want it to conclude.

No, I like this season. It had to end with Logan dying. He was never going to name a successor. But they should have skipped season 3 and had Logan die in season 3 and do whatever they have planned now over the last three years they seesawed on the same back and forth multiple times. They could have cut some out.

I agree. Seinfeld was a sitcom. Each episode could stand alone. They could end the show at any time. Succession is telling an overarching story. There was a lot of fat they could have trimmed from the story (most of season 3) but they couldn't end the show without the actual succession.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been following this show from the beginning but is just over it? Even the theme music is annoying. The writing this season is unbearable. The humor isn't punchy. The dialogue isn't as smart. Either the budget was slashed or nobody on the set cares anymore.

I honestly don't think I'll finish this season. I don't care anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This season demonstrates why Seinfeld was so smart to leave while on top. This show stuck around too long. If you’re still obsessively watching it’s not because it’s good anymore. You just want it to conclude.

Seinfeld ran for 9 seasons and was self-described as a show "about nothing."

This is Succession's fourth and final season, and it is a show about the succession of a family business empire, thus the title. It would be weird for the show to end BEFORE the thing described in the title of the show happens, and four seasons is really not a long time for a show to run. Even the Wire ran 5 seasons. The West Wing ran 7 seasons. Breaking Bad -- 5 seasons. Mad Men -- 7 seasons.

Four is actually a very short run for a "prestige" television program. If you don't like it, fine, but I'm enjoying this season and it really feels like the show runners are executing a plan, not dragging something out.