Succession is a drama about media mogul Logan Roy and his four children as they fight to take over his billion-dollar empire. The show is in its 4th and final season on HBO, and it’ll be a sad day when the final episode airs. And since its premiere in 2018, Succession has quickly become one of HBO’s top-rated shows. Why? Apart from the intense drama and family rivalry, the lavish lives of the Roys are so captivating that they leave you wanting more by the end of each episode. And even though Succession, we have a couple of reasons why it should be at the top of your watchlist!
1. Succession’s Plot Will Get You Addicted To The Show
At its core, Succession is a show about the Roy family’s struggle to maintain their vast money and power. Brian Cox plays Logan Roy, the CEO of the global media empire Waystar RoyCo, a multi-billion dollar media company with its hand in everything. From newspapers, adventure theme parks, and cruises to a right-wing news station, ATN. Logan’s children, Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Shiv (Sarah Snook), all fight to not only inherit their father’s global empire but also win his love.
Logan’s stroke at the beginning of season one raises the stakes and gets things more interesting as each Roy kid tries to inherit Waystar RoyCo. To do this, Kendall, Shiv, and Roman backstab and plot against each other. All this to become CEO makes for an intriguing drama-filled series that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In the Roy family, there is no line they won’t cross to get ahead.
2. Logan Roy Is One of The Greatest Villains on Television
Brian Cox’s portrayal of the narcissistic, selfish, and power-hungry Logan Roy is one of the many reasons Succession is the show everyone is talking about. As a villain, Logan is ruthless, abusive, and manipulative to his employees and children, but he enjoys it. In several scenes, Logan belittles, insults, and puts his kids against each other for amusement. His messed-up, bullish approach to his business dealings makes him a force to be reckoned with in his industry but a terrible father to his four kids.
Logan’s plotting and scheming against his kids make for a great villain who uses everything in his arsenal to destroy his rivals. The family’s patriarch sees life as a massive game of chess and the people in his life, including his children, as pieces on the board that he can play with. His witty comebacks and insults, like when he asked Greg about his father during season 4, episode 1, saying, “Where is your father? Still sucking cock at the county fair?” will keep you coming back for more of the older man’s antics. Most people end up loving Logan or seeing their father’s traits in the cold-hearted businessman.
3. Jeremy Strong’s Portrayal of Kendall Roy Touches A Part of All Of Us.
Out of all the Roy children, Logan’s second son, Kendall, outshines the rest regarding who is the most broken out of the bunch. Growing up with a father like Logan Roy can mess anyone up, and Jeremy Strong does a great job of portraying his insecure yet entitled son in Succession. Kendall comes across as a boy pining for his father’s approval, only to get rejected every time. The lack of love and empathy from Logan turns Kendall into a broken man who will step on anyone to get to the top.
Kendall’s fight to become Waystar RoyCo CEO brings out the worst in him, and Jeremy’s facial expressions communicate the intense turmoil the character goes through. Not only does Kendall do whatever it takes to get the seat, but just like his father, he is willing to use his family to get what he wants. Jeremy’s portrayal of Kendall makes him more relatable, from his strained relationship with Logan and his siblings to his struggle to find his place. Something about Strong’s acting makes you root for Kendall, even though he is a complete douchebag.
4. Succession Succeeds In Balancing Comedy and Drama
Despite Succession winning a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series, the HBO show is more of a comedy than your regular drama series. Most of the show’s dialogue, especially between Logan and his children, is a lot of insults and cursing, some coming across funnier than others. In each episode, the dialogue between the Roys gets better with savage one-liners that simultaneously make you laugh and pitty those it’s directed to. You get to appreciate the time and effort to make the show hilarious while maintaining an air of seriousness.
Mathew Macfadyen, who plays Tom Wambsgans, is one character that brings out the dark humour in Succession. As he deals with his insecurities and place in the prestigious Roy family, Tom never fails to terrorize cousin Greg, played by Nicholas Braun, or make him the butt of a joke. Anytime the duo is on screen, it is like watching a scene from The Office.
5. Succession Is One of HBO’s Most Expensive Shows
According to The Guardian, each season of Succession costs close to $90 million to shoot, which is no surprise considering the epic sets, expensive props, and filming locations. Most of the scenes in the show are filmed in New York City. One of the world’s most expensive places to live, so imagine what it costs to film there. The end of season one saw the cast move filming to the UK for Shiv’s wedding to Tom in her mother Lady Caroline’s (Harriet Walter) home. The lavish wedding ceremony was filmed at the real 19th-century Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire.
In addition, during season 3, the cast went to Tuscany, Italy, for Lady Caroline’s wedding to Peter Munion (Pip Torrens). Villa Cetinale, a 17th-century home, hosted the wedding while the Roys vacationed at Villa La Foce and Kendall stayed at Villa Bonriprosi. The show’s cast has filmed in other costly yet breathtaking locations, including Iceland and Croatia. Season 4 will see the cast film in Norway when the Roy siblings visit businessman Lukas Mattson (Alexander Skarsgard).
Not convinced yet? Check out the Succession season 1 trailer below to see if it will change your mind!
In conclusion, Succession is just the show for you if you’re looking for a suspenseful series full of unexpected twists and turns. New episodes of Succession air every Sunday on HBO.
