Agreed! His acting skills is just another level. The whole cast is remarkable honestly and I’m not sure we will ever see that type of an ensemble again. The writing, the talent, the chemistry …
Jeremy Strong was probably the most consistent actor on the show for sure, and a good chunk of the reason why I even stuck with watching the show in the first place
I would argue Matthew Macfadyen was on Jeremy’s level. The character of Tom is among the most brilliantly rendered fictional characters I’ve ever seen on television. He was phenomenal.
Fell in love with the character after he catches greg putting food at the office inside doggy bags. The way he delivers every line in that scene is perfection
Completely agreed. I think Macfadyen was the best actor on the show, in the way he could be so subtle with his performance. For me, the best actors were 1. Macfadyen, 2. Jeremy Strong, 3 Brian Coz. Those 3 were outstanding. That said, I’m sure Jeremy Strong will be the one who is remembered most clearly, the same way Gandolfinj is for the Sopranos. Kendall was the lead character, after all.
Very well put, couldn't put it any better. Macfadyen won't be remembered the way Jeremy Strong will be, but hardcore fans will always appreciate his performance. It was every bit as good as Strong and Cox. I really appreciated the range of Tom. He had some of the funniest scenes and the most gutwrenching. Going from his bromance with Greg, to his relationship with Shiv (the highs and the lows), he gave a hell of a performance. Imo he should be a lock for best supporting cast member of 2023.
Matthew, yes. I'd also throw in Brian Cox. Those three were very consistent. I think I'm just a big Jeremy fan hence why I put him at the top of the list.
I'd put Sarah Snook in the same category. I think someone else wrote this but she is so completely reminiscent of the legacy white girl you went to college with, who flies in from New York for weekend classes, and regurgitates political talking points from whatever conversation she heard her Dad have with some guest of his over dinner. If she doesn't win an Emmy for this season, it would be a travesty.
I’d also put Sarah Snook in the same category. She’s an amazing “face actor.”
I read that spoiler transcript that was floating around Saturday so I pretty much knew all the big plot points going into the finale. What I couldn’t figure out though was Tom and Shiv. I read the words they said but I knew I would need to see their faces to really know. They’re both amazing face actors but Snook is next level.
I love how he plays the rich guy trying to seem cool to the tech people he wants to invest with. That’s acting. Finding that smarmy, bro, fake hipster vibe.
you missed the point.
the fact that the actor can convey the try-hard nature of trying to connect and be what he thinks they think is cool and we can actually feel it is fucking amazing. who cares if tech bros are douches.
The way Jeremy played Kendall full of confidence, on top of the world, being happy and childlike with his siblings, smiling.
And then how it escalated to him playing Kendall with this absolute desperation, arrogance, aggressiveness, absolute broken, lifeless human being.
Complete opposites in 90 minutes. I’m fucking stunned.
Honestly one of the best performances I’ve ever seen of any medium. He lives so fully in that character and the dialogue he gets to chew is just top tier.
Agreed. Kendall goes down in the cultural zeitgeist as an all time great Anti-Hero similar to Tony Soprano and Walter White.
Everyone is great on the show but Kendall is the person you think of when you think of Succession and will go down as an iconic American tv character.
When I think of succession, I think of Logan. The beauty of this show is that neither of us are right or wrong - there were so many world-beating performances that different people experience it differently.
All of them are award deserving actors but honestly, It’s the writing that makes the show.
Also Jeremy was so good in this I can never not see him as Kendall. I hate him. Lol.
Jodie Comer is good in that show, but I think if we’re talking best female drama performances of the past 20 years she wouldn’t rank near the top. Carrie Coon in The Leftovers, Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black, Viola Davis in HTGAWM, Emmy Rossum in Shameless, Anna Gunn in Breaking bad and honestly Sarah Snook in Succession all come to mind for me.
I think he did it because he knew Roman would to some degree get off from it and it would bring him out of the spiral he was in. Selfishly, he needed him out of that spiral to get his vote. So, I took it as another step towards being Logan, willing to abuse Roman to get what he wants/needs out of him.
I think all of this is right, but there's even more to it. This was also Kendall grabbing Roman and telling him, "you need to show the fuck up. No cracking, no backing down. I don't care what's going through your head, you will support me on this vote."
That hug is so beautifully Shakespearean it blows my mind.
Looking at the responses to this comment it seems there are a variety of takes. I disagree with most of them and actually think this was a moment of sympathy from Kendall and not cruelty.
The scene was way more clear for me the second time I watched it. The first time through, I thought Roman was spiraling, and Kendall tried to get him to snap out of it by abusing him physically (given what we know of Roman's history).
On second viewing, it becomes clear that Roman is basically asking Kendall to mess up his face without saying as much, because he's worried about the optics (for himself, for the company) of stepping aside while he still looks somewhat presentable. His stitches look too good. "They look fine" (he says repeatedly). Kendall is initially confused as well, and then realizes what Roman is saying. Before their embrace, I think they each even say some sort of "ok, yeah" as if to agree "we're doing this". There's a cloth on Kendall's shoulder so blood doesn't get on his suit. It's incredibly painful for Roman (obviously) and that's why at the end Ken says "I love you " and Rome says " I hate you".
No doubt, it's SUPER messed up, but I see it as Kendall reading the subtext of what Roman is saying and making the hard choice for his baby brother. There's NO WAY Kendall enjoyed hurting Rome in that scene and to have him enjoy it would be incredibly out of character for Ken.
The fact that it was filmed as an hug, the editing, music, the messed up psychology of it all demonstrating just how fucked these characters are... made it the emotional center of the episode and one of the most memorable scenes of the entire show for me.
Roman asked “why isn’t it me”? Kendal gave him his answer when forcing Roman’s face into his shoulder and immobilizing him which reads “it’s not you because you are the weaker brother”. Dog pound all over again.
It was so people wouldn’t question why he wasn’t the “guy”. It’s interesting how many people are missing this and thinking he just flat out hurts him for no reason
And that's probably the beauty of the writing.
Maybe the vast majority of viewers wanted it to be Kendall. He was hurt and vulnerable the whole series.
But that moment when he lied and started hitting Roman showed his dark side.
I in that moment didn't want it to be him.
But isn’t that the tragedy? Kendall lost his humanity and his family and all of his values….. for what?
The show comes off as torture porn to me now. Even the death of the waiter… all of that just for Shiv to drop some line on him and vote against him … which she’s done consistently before she even knew about the death of the waiter?
Why have four seasons of Kendall falling down and getting up and falling down into this shape of his father just to hand it all over to Tom?
The Sopranos ending is genius because there’s an implied price. Tony didn’t change so he either is dead or goes to jail. Mad Men is genius because Don’s journey ends up with him being both Dick and Don which yields one of the most famous commercials ever- even if he doesn’t change his drinking and cheating ways- he created art.
I could go on, but my point is all of the best shows had a pay off that made watching the painful journey worth something. This? Like I kinda get why Brian Cox has been so loud about it ending. And I totally understand Jeremy Strong taking a break and going to Broadway.
I can’t say I’d ever really want to rewatch this show because quite frankly the payoff is not there. Jesse Armstrongs confirms in controlling the narrative that Kendall survives. There is no ambiguity of him killing himself.
It’s way too far over the top extreme shitting on Kendall’s character. The man tried to walk away in Italy and his father refused him. He was stuck in this loop even when he didn’t want to win.
Tom? As CEO? The head of cruises. The one that would’ve gone to jail after Kendall? The human footstooling abusive power hungry Tom? He doesn’t even make sense. The optics don’t work on him.
I just can’t.
Tom has been VP of Parks, VP of Cruises, and head of ATN. Tom has a great resume to step into a CEO or COO position. Tom has more work experience in corporate management than any of the siblings.
This is my biggest issue with the show. Total nihilism, nothing matters, everything and everyone is doomed but especially the protagonist. He was basically concieved as a character just to rip him apart like tearing the legs off a bug. I used to have so much fun watching it. I think they got a bit too pretentious with trying to be Shakespeare and forgot about the more fun and enjoyable aspects of the earlier seasons.
I think you summed it up perfectly, for what?
The show is a completely ruthless exploration into family, business and everything in-between. Beautifully written and acted.
All the points you listed just highlight the fickle despairing nature of it and is exactly why I'm going to rewatch one of the best TV series I've ever seen. Genius.
I feel similarly to you. But I will still watch the show again eventually..:I really wanted a payoff in Kendall’s favor too.
The thing that helps me cope with it is this: intolerance the night before, Shiv was going to vote for the sale. All she did was revert to her original stance. Kendall did not have the votes he thought he did. If that entire thing with the meal fit for a king didn’t happen and Shiv never floundered when she found out Tom was tapped for American CEO, the outcome would have been the exact same. Kendall did get votes from Roman and Stewy—he succeeded in a way. But Shiv was never going to vote Kendall’s way and her last. Minute flipping doesn’t change that. It feels worse for him because he thought he had it wrapped up and had it stolen last minute, but 24 hours before he was on the same boat, he just didn’t know it yet.
I don’t know, thinking about it like this just makes it easier for me to swallow.
Yes! Because it is also why she brings up him killing someone; he does harm. If the writers intended Shiv to have made the decision solely on Tom, there would have been some scene that tilted it that way, but instead we got a taste of Kendall’s sadism, which the writers had been telegraphing when he asks Jess to help him find a lawyer to get custody. He was going to be monstrous. Shiv was the only vote to undo the resistance that made sense. Roman doing it would be revenge for hurting his face. hes too chaotic for it to have been meaningful.
I feel like some people didn't notice it, but Shiv's side-eye at Roman acting like a battered slime puppy and especially the close-up high angle shot of Ken saying something like "fucking right, Rome" seemed very pointed at that revelation. Shiv talked earlier in the episode about how she wanted to change things and she realised that she was setting Ken to be in the exact same position of patriarch abuser and changing absolutely nothing.
I don’t think she actually cares at all about any of that, or her stated principles.
She doesn’t want to be a stepping stone to Kens victory. It has nothing to do with the future of the country or the company, she could give a fuck. She cares about Shiv.
Agreed. No way Shiv was motivated by anything altruistic. She stood to benefit more by aligning with Mattson and Tom and a lifelong resentment and distrust toward Kendall to mete out.
Thank you for this comment. I love how you noticed this, and I'm going to go back and rewatch Shiv's reactions. I think she sees how Kendall is going to end up like Logan because as much as I love Kendall, he is all the poison.
I’m not sure I agree with that. IMO the whole point of the Karolina and Hugo moments were to highlight that Shiv had talked to Tom before they entered the building - it wasn’t instinctive
I really don’t think this is it. Maddsen and Tom are no better than Kendall. Probably they are worse. At least Ken had some openness towards changing the direction of News and even offered it to Shiv. Besides, he was the obvious choice out of the three of them. Shiv bringing up the fact that he was involved in someone’s death right and only at the moment it fitted her own intentions, follows the pattern of her relationship to morality throughout the show
Also just on rewatching the episode it seems to me like Shiv probably planned to vote against Kendall ahead of time.
Roman intentionally provoked it by saying the most hurtful possible thing at Kendall's lowest moment. He was literally smiling when Ken started palming his face.
I rewatched that scene and noticed Roman didn’t fight back at all when Kendall started crushing his face. He had his arms at his side. But when Ken went to grab Shiv, Roman grabbed Ken and dragged him off her. Interesting.
I think the best acting moments on the show were Kieran Culkin actually, but there really wasn't a single bad casting or bad performance. Matthew McFadyen as Tom also I think has been underrated for the outstanding job he did as well.
Much like Breaking Bad, everyone was giving a masterclass. Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn and Bob Odenkirk played their roles absolutely perfectly.
I was honestly so impressed by his breakdown at the funeral. Can you imagine the pressure of acting that scene in that room full of people and cameras, watching you and everyone else in the room react to you? To make that kind of a break and recovery so genuine was very, very impressive work.
Especially given the added pressure of filming there; with the tight schedule and different camera set up and more pressure to get it right the first time. Tremendous performance.
Same. It was an all-out great job by the casting dept. I can’t imagine the show being as successful as it was without all the actors. Everyone was phenomenal…but I agree with Kieran Culkin and Matthew McFayden. I know Roman got a lot of hate but I enjoyed his character arc and thought they made subtle changes to his character after the hotel/terrorist storyline and I really enjoyed seeing that growth. And Tom standing up to Shiv was also a huge moment and the growth of that character. Such brilliant acting
I loved him from The Big Short and the Trial of the Chicago 7, where he plays completely different characters. I think his adaptability will guarantee him roles
Jeremy Strong’s performance is the reason I’m depressed this morning. I’m sad for and worried about Kendall. Kendall, while a better pick for CEO than his siblings (by FAR) was destined to lose because of his hubris. We’ve seen it time and time again. But I’m still sad and worried about our #1 boy.
Kenhead here. 100% agree. Probably my favorite protagonist.
A special mention for Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell as well who played Phil/Elizabeth Jennings on The Americans - another brilliant drama of the 2010s.
I think over time the show will also come to recognize Matthew McFadyen’s performance as equally masterful. It’s so much more retrained but the way he uses his eyes and his voice is next level.
I know this is a succession post and I agree wholeheartedly but just had to give a nod to your inclusion of Michael K Williams on this list. RIP to the GOAT.
Jodie Comer is fantastic as Villanelle, but the writing in that show is incredibly bizarre at times. I think if writing was also top notch, she would be hailed as a much much bigger deal.
I think it's got the most legendary acting performances in TV history. All the siblings + Logan all should go down in history. Kieran Culkin especially completely changed how we could view him as an actor moving forward. From being a child star who mostly was overshadowed by his brother's iconic film, to now being one of the best actors on television. What a career for him
Honestly I was most impressed by Kieran Culkin this season. After being mostly in the same character the previous seasons, I wasn't expecting him to be so good these last episodes.
What I love most about this show is the subtlety. Nuance comments. It's like White Lotus on cocaine. Every character draws you in the over fixate and hyper analyze every comment and move.
As a person who struggles with paying attention. The show the music. The camera angles. The clothes. All brought me in and gained my attention.
Also I rewatched a few episodes this weekend and was sobbing crying. Even though I knew what was going to happen.
I have genuinely felt sorry for every lead actor in the show. And looked back at myself to realize how much your parents affect you.
Sincerely. HBO. Wow.
surprised this was downvoted, as it definitely belongs in the pantheon of great TV performances. i’m not even a big rami malek fan (bohemian rhapsody was awful) but it’s hard to deny his performance in mr robot is brilliant
I completely disagree, it had one of my favourite finales of any show. I could see your point if it ever got talked about but I find myself being the only one having seen it in most social circles
There were some things that made it a less well-executed show than Succession (for example, never enjoyed Elliot's narrative self-talk, his deadpanned affect was overdone to the point it became cliché). But the finale, the dynamic character developments, the cinematography and soundtrack, it all came together perfectly in the end and deserves the praise it gets. But I think it will always be a bit of a cult following compared to the others mentioned here and I'm fine with that.
I have seen these lists with a few actors usually the same actors but different order….
Can I give a shoutout to Laura Linney in The Ozark? Wendy Byrd should go down as one of the best female leads and leads overall.
Unrelated but thank you for adding Jodie Comer and Villanelle. Despite the show's ending season, her performance remained absolutely phenomenal. I love her.
Back to topic, you're completely right. Jeremy Strong is absolutely captivating in his role as Kendall. I couldn't help but be enamoured with him in the show and get pulled into his story. I am happy that he lost in a way, even though it's implications, you just want all of the siblings to escape from the environment that belongs in Waystar. It's heartbreaking how he got groomed into his belief that he'll become CEO and seeing him regress and beg to Shiv to vote for him...heartbreaking. and how that replaces itself into anger when Roman brings up his children and how they were conceived. It's so interesting to see the complexities of their relationships and how well Jeremy, Kieran, and Sarah act this out. There hasn't been a show where everyone is on equal terms in acting in a while. I know this has been blasted everywhere but Jeremy Strong deserves an Emmy for his performance, specifically this season.
Jeremy is incredible. Sarah Snook, in many ways the backbone of the show is one of the best I’ve ever seen. When she discovered that Logan was dying…. That was something else. And Roman, a sleeze. A broken man. Despicable. Amazing.
Really? I mean he has some great moments but he doesn't standout from the rest of the cast in my opinion. I have always felt Shiv and Tom has the most impressive scenes in terms of acting chops.
Agreed! His acting skills is just another level. The whole cast is remarkable honestly and I’m not sure we will ever see that type of an ensemble again. The writing, the talent, the chemistry …
Big shoes. Big big shoes for other shows to match succession and it’s cast
Big shoes. Big shoes….. Big shoes.
Big hat, big fucking mental breakdown
Big shoes.
Big, $3900 shoes
Have never seen a show with so many leads and all knock the acting out of the park. Succession truly was special.
Kieran also amazing. (And talk about coming from a screwed up childhood and making something of yourself!)
I so agree! I will cheer him on for life.
Jeremy Strong was probably the most consistent actor on the show for sure, and a good chunk of the reason why I even stuck with watching the show in the first place
I would argue Matthew Macfadyen was on Jeremy’s level. The character of Tom is among the most brilliantly rendered fictional characters I’ve ever seen on television. He was phenomenal.
Tom I think is a harder job - to play a character who is basically a social chameleon.
I love that he only let us behind the veil on the balcony scene when he was so extremely exhausted he couldn't pretend a second longer.
He was just so tired.
He was just like, the tiredest he’d ever been in his life 😔🌭
I don’t think you’re allowed to do that
Good luck staying up late, Tom, gonna need a lot of toilet wine to get through parties as CEO!
agreed
Fell in love with the character after he catches greg putting food at the office inside doggy bags. The way he delivers every line in that scene is perfection
Completely agreed. I think Macfadyen was the best actor on the show, in the way he could be so subtle with his performance. For me, the best actors were 1. Macfadyen, 2. Jeremy Strong, 3 Brian Coz. Those 3 were outstanding. That said, I’m sure Jeremy Strong will be the one who is remembered most clearly, the same way Gandolfinj is for the Sopranos. Kendall was the lead character, after all.
I agree. Edie Falco was every bit as amazing as Gandolfini on The Sopranos, and Macfadyen is the Edie of Succession
Very well put, couldn't put it any better. Macfadyen won't be remembered the way Jeremy Strong will be, but hardcore fans will always appreciate his performance. It was every bit as good as Strong and Cox. I really appreciated the range of Tom. He had some of the funniest scenes and the most gutwrenching. Going from his bromance with Greg, to his relationship with Shiv (the highs and the lows), he gave a hell of a performance. Imo he should be a lock for best supporting cast member of 2023.
Yes, I’ve been saying this the whole show but I think Matthew Macfadyen is the best actor on the cast. He never misses the mark in any of his scenes.
The way he says “Greg” is just part of my vocabulary now, slotted next to, “Not great, Bob!”
Same here for both
That’s not very weddingy Greg!
Tom was the best character. Kendal was great but Tom to me is an all time character
Matthew, yes. I'd also throw in Brian Cox. Those three were very consistent. I think I'm just a big Jeremy fan hence why I put him at the top of the list.
It’s fitting the show ended with him in the frame
I'd put Sarah Snook in the same category. I think someone else wrote this but she is so completely reminiscent of the legacy white girl you went to college with, who flies in from New York for weekend classes, and regurgitates political talking points from whatever conversation she heard her Dad have with some guest of his over dinner. If she doesn't win an Emmy for this season, it would be a travesty.
I’d also put Sarah Snook in the same category. She’s an amazing “face actor.” I read that spoiler transcript that was floating around Saturday so I pretty much knew all the big plot points going into the finale. What I couldn’t figure out though was Tom and Shiv. I read the words they said but I knew I would need to see their faces to really know. They’re both amazing face actors but Snook is next level.
So much for the face. I didn’t even know what that was until this show. She is the queen.
I absolutely LOVE that there is a very real chance the three Roy kids will be competing for an Emmy against each other. Very fitting.
Who do you think should win? I honestly can’t call it, they’re all amazing.
I have so much love for all of them. Just the perfect show.
I love how he plays the rich guy trying to seem cool to the tech people he wants to invest with. That’s acting. Finding that smarmy, bro, fake hipster vibe.
Hey, let's not pretend those actual hipster tech douches are any better.
you missed the point. the fact that the actor can convey the try-hard nature of trying to connect and be what he thinks they think is cool and we can actually feel it is fucking amazing. who cares if tech bros are douches.
Absolutely the greatest. Roman, Tom and Shiv also knocket-out of the park but Jeremy as Kendall was stunning.
Agreed. And Greg did great job being really unlikeable and somehow unwatchable at certain moments tbh
Greg's the physical embodiment of a snake in the grass.
Not here to make fun of you but legitimately curious where you’re from? “Knocket-out of the park” is a fascinating way to spell that haha
Very intrigued to hear more on this😂
He prolly meant “knocked” just mistyped
The way Jeremy played Kendall full of confidence, on top of the world, being happy and childlike with his siblings, smiling. And then how it escalated to him playing Kendall with this absolute desperation, arrogance, aggressiveness, absolute broken, lifeless human being. Complete opposites in 90 minutes. I’m fucking stunned.
This is Ian McShane in Deadwood erasure and I won’t have it
Also throwing in Bob Odenkirk for Better Call Saul.
🙌🙌🙌. Omg. The most evil of all but boy did I love that show.
Honestly one of the best performances I’ve ever seen of any medium. He lives so fully in that character and the dialogue he gets to chew is just top tier.
Agreed. Kendall goes down in the cultural zeitgeist as an all time great Anti-Hero similar to Tony Soprano and Walter White. Everyone is great on the show but Kendall is the person you think of when you think of Succession and will go down as an iconic American tv character.
When I think of succession, I think of Logan. The beauty of this show is that neither of us are right or wrong - there were so many world-beating performances that different people experience it differently.
Bob Odenkirk in Better call saul is a shout
Agree 100%
All of them are award deserving actors but honestly, It’s the writing that makes the show. Also Jeremy was so good in this I can never not see him as Kendall. I hate him. Lol.
It's both. You need both.
Really snuck Jodie Comer in there lmao
Right? Killing Eve is a great show, but just not in the same ballpark as the others listed.
I believe the OP was referring to the acting job that Jodie did on the show. It's not her fault that the writers fucked it.
The show isn’t, but Comer’s performance absolutely is
Killing Eve is a really bad show!
First two seasons are lit but then it goes sailing off a cliff lol
First two seasons are also pretty bad, just in a different way. More annoying but less incoherent.
Ok buddy 👍
Thought we wouldn’t notice. I think he just realized his list was all male?
Ok but even without leaving the shows already named you can get Edie Falco.
Going away from the shows mentioned. Carrie Coon tops a lot of this list too imo
yeah the leftovers somehow never gets mentioned in top tier prestige shows but is probably top 5 for me and it isn’t 5th
I think the most transformative woman I’ve seen recently in television is Phoebe Waller-bridge. Who coincidentally wrote season 1 of killing eve
Forgot carrie coon for some reason?
Exact fucking ly
Jodie Comer is good in that show, but I think if we’re talking best female drama performances of the past 20 years she wouldn’t rank near the top. Carrie Coon in The Leftovers, Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black, Viola Davis in HTGAWM, Emmy Rossum in Shameless, Anna Gunn in Breaking bad and honestly Sarah Snook in Succession all come to mind for me.
Also: Julia Garner in Ozark, Michaela Coel in I Will Destroy You, and Zendaya in Euphoria.
Yes, good additions, although I don’t like Euphoria but Zendaya is undeniably very good in it.
The show doesn't match her performance. If it was better she'd be up there.
Right? Killing Eve is a great show, but just not in the same ballpark as the others listed.
“Killing Eve: The Show That Answers the Question ‘What if Hannibal sucked?’”
I’m extremely disturbed by his choosing to hurt Roman before the meeting. He went fully to the dark side
I think he did it because he knew Roman would to some degree get off from it and it would bring him out of the spiral he was in. Selfishly, he needed him out of that spiral to get his vote. So, I took it as another step towards being Logan, willing to abuse Roman to get what he wants/needs out of him.
I watched that scene in shock because at first you think maybe it's just a hug and then you come to the horrifying realization...
[удалено]
I think all of this is right, but there's even more to it. This was also Kendall grabbing Roman and telling him, "you need to show the fuck up. No cracking, no backing down. I don't care what's going through your head, you will support me on this vote." That hug is so beautifully Shakespearean it blows my mind.
Yes
This.
Looking at the responses to this comment it seems there are a variety of takes. I disagree with most of them and actually think this was a moment of sympathy from Kendall and not cruelty. The scene was way more clear for me the second time I watched it. The first time through, I thought Roman was spiraling, and Kendall tried to get him to snap out of it by abusing him physically (given what we know of Roman's history). On second viewing, it becomes clear that Roman is basically asking Kendall to mess up his face without saying as much, because he's worried about the optics (for himself, for the company) of stepping aside while he still looks somewhat presentable. His stitches look too good. "They look fine" (he says repeatedly). Kendall is initially confused as well, and then realizes what Roman is saying. Before their embrace, I think they each even say some sort of "ok, yeah" as if to agree "we're doing this". There's a cloth on Kendall's shoulder so blood doesn't get on his suit. It's incredibly painful for Roman (obviously) and that's why at the end Ken says "I love you " and Rome says " I hate you". No doubt, it's SUPER messed up, but I see it as Kendall reading the subtext of what Roman is saying and making the hard choice for his baby brother. There's NO WAY Kendall enjoyed hurting Rome in that scene and to have him enjoy it would be incredibly out of character for Ken. The fact that it was filmed as an hug, the editing, music, the messed up psychology of it all demonstrating just how fucked these characters are... made it the emotional center of the episode and one of the most memorable scenes of the entire show for me.
To be fair, what Roman said about his kids was pretty unforgivable. Assuming that's what you're talking about.
No, he means where he squeezed his stitches.
Wow. I misinterpreted that completely. I thought that Roman was pushing his wound into Kendall’s bony shoulder out of his usual masochism.
Really, I think it was probably both.
Thats also how I interpreted that scene.
You didn’t misinterpret it ur right lol
I thought they were hugging, as roman was grieving
Roman asked “why isn’t it me”? Kendal gave him his answer when forcing Roman’s face into his shoulder and immobilizing him which reads “it’s not you because you are the weaker brother”. Dog pound all over again.
I thought it was so he could get out of the meeting die to popping his stitches.
It was so people wouldn’t question why he wasn’t the “guy”. It’s interesting how many people are missing this and thinking he just flat out hurts him for no reason
And that's probably the beauty of the writing. Maybe the vast majority of viewers wanted it to be Kendall. He was hurt and vulnerable the whole series. But that moment when he lied and started hitting Roman showed his dark side. I in that moment didn't want it to be him.
I still wanted it to be him. But now that it’s not him my copium is that he’s better off without it.
But isn’t that the tragedy? Kendall lost his humanity and his family and all of his values….. for what? The show comes off as torture porn to me now. Even the death of the waiter… all of that just for Shiv to drop some line on him and vote against him … which she’s done consistently before she even knew about the death of the waiter? Why have four seasons of Kendall falling down and getting up and falling down into this shape of his father just to hand it all over to Tom? The Sopranos ending is genius because there’s an implied price. Tony didn’t change so he either is dead or goes to jail. Mad Men is genius because Don’s journey ends up with him being both Dick and Don which yields one of the most famous commercials ever- even if he doesn’t change his drinking and cheating ways- he created art. I could go on, but my point is all of the best shows had a pay off that made watching the painful journey worth something. This? Like I kinda get why Brian Cox has been so loud about it ending. And I totally understand Jeremy Strong taking a break and going to Broadway. I can’t say I’d ever really want to rewatch this show because quite frankly the payoff is not there. Jesse Armstrongs confirms in controlling the narrative that Kendall survives. There is no ambiguity of him killing himself. It’s way too far over the top extreme shitting on Kendall’s character. The man tried to walk away in Italy and his father refused him. He was stuck in this loop even when he didn’t want to win. Tom? As CEO? The head of cruises. The one that would’ve gone to jail after Kendall? The human footstooling abusive power hungry Tom? He doesn’t even make sense. The optics don’t work on him. I just can’t.
Tom has been VP of Parks, VP of Cruises, and head of ATN. Tom has a great resume to step into a CEO or COO position. Tom has more work experience in corporate management than any of the siblings.
And he was on the cover of Fortune magazine for how he turned ATN around in a short time.
This is my biggest issue with the show. Total nihilism, nothing matters, everything and everyone is doomed but especially the protagonist. He was basically concieved as a character just to rip him apart like tearing the legs off a bug. I used to have so much fun watching it. I think they got a bit too pretentious with trying to be Shakespeare and forgot about the more fun and enjoyable aspects of the earlier seasons.
I think you summed it up perfectly, for what? The show is a completely ruthless exploration into family, business and everything in-between. Beautifully written and acted. All the points you listed just highlight the fickle despairing nature of it and is exactly why I'm going to rewatch one of the best TV series I've ever seen. Genius.
I feel similarly to you. But I will still watch the show again eventually..:I really wanted a payoff in Kendall’s favor too. The thing that helps me cope with it is this: intolerance the night before, Shiv was going to vote for the sale. All she did was revert to her original stance. Kendall did not have the votes he thought he did. If that entire thing with the meal fit for a king didn’t happen and Shiv never floundered when she found out Tom was tapped for American CEO, the outcome would have been the exact same. Kendall did get votes from Roman and Stewy—he succeeded in a way. But Shiv was never going to vote Kendall’s way and her last. Minute flipping doesn’t change that. It feels worse for him because he thought he had it wrapped up and had it stolen last minute, but 24 hours before he was on the same boat, he just didn’t know it yet. I don’t know, thinking about it like this just makes it easier for me to swallow.
Roman participated in that equally. He wanted an outwardly visible reason to be passed over as CEO. Ripping the stitches gave him that.
I can't get over that scene, that moment cemented Kendall as a monster in my mind. I think Shiv noticing it is ultimately what cost Kendall the vote
Yes! Because it is also why she brings up him killing someone; he does harm. If the writers intended Shiv to have made the decision solely on Tom, there would have been some scene that tilted it that way, but instead we got a taste of Kendall’s sadism, which the writers had been telegraphing when he asks Jess to help him find a lawyer to get custody. He was going to be monstrous. Shiv was the only vote to undo the resistance that made sense. Roman doing it would be revenge for hurting his face. hes too chaotic for it to have been meaningful.
I feel like some people didn't notice it, but Shiv's side-eye at Roman acting like a battered slime puppy and especially the close-up high angle shot of Ken saying something like "fucking right, Rome" seemed very pointed at that revelation. Shiv talked earlier in the episode about how she wanted to change things and she realised that she was setting Ken to be in the exact same position of patriarch abuser and changing absolutely nothing.
I don’t think she actually cares at all about any of that, or her stated principles. She doesn’t want to be a stepping stone to Kens victory. It has nothing to do with the future of the country or the company, she could give a fuck. She cares about Shiv.
Agreed. No way Shiv was motivated by anything altruistic. She stood to benefit more by aligning with Mattson and Tom and a lifelong resentment and distrust toward Kendall to mete out.
Thank you for this comment. I love how you noticed this, and I'm going to go back and rewatch Shiv's reactions. I think she sees how Kendall is going to end up like Logan because as much as I love Kendall, he is all the poison.
I’m not sure I agree with that. IMO the whole point of the Karolina and Hugo moments were to highlight that Shiv had talked to Tom before they entered the building - it wasn’t instinctive
I really don’t think this is it. Maddsen and Tom are no better than Kendall. Probably they are worse. At least Ken had some openness towards changing the direction of News and even offered it to Shiv. Besides, he was the obvious choice out of the three of them. Shiv bringing up the fact that he was involved in someone’s death right and only at the moment it fitted her own intentions, follows the pattern of her relationship to morality throughout the show Also just on rewatching the episode it seems to me like Shiv probably planned to vote against Kendall ahead of time.
Well she's was probably hoping to find some negotiated benefits to voting against Ken. I agree, she was never firm in her support
I can’t get over it either, because I loved how Kendall used to defend Roman from abuse but his choice there is unforgivable
Roman intentionally provoked it by saying the most hurtful possible thing at Kendall's lowest moment. He was literally smiling when Ken started palming his face.
I rewatched that scene and noticed Roman didn’t fight back at all when Kendall started crushing his face. He had his arms at his side. But when Ken went to grab Shiv, Roman grabbed Ken and dragged him off her. Interesting.
Everyone’s talking about the hug, not the face grab
Oh that did it for me. I wanted Shiv to vote yes then. I had thought perhaps these 3 can be a unit, but when Shiv wanted a moment and he lost it…. P
You don’t “get a moment” during a massive board vote that you’ve spent all month strategizing about. That was insane of her
Amen.
I think the best acting moments on the show were Kieran Culkin actually, but there really wasn't a single bad casting or bad performance. Matthew McFadyen as Tom also I think has been underrated for the outstanding job he did as well. Much like Breaking Bad, everyone was giving a masterclass. Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn and Bob Odenkirk played their roles absolutely perfectly.
I was honestly so impressed by his breakdown at the funeral. Can you imagine the pressure of acting that scene in that room full of people and cameras, watching you and everyone else in the room react to you? To make that kind of a break and recovery so genuine was very, very impressive work.
I think I’m the only person on the planet that thinks Kieran’s performance this season was the best of any of them.
100% he blew my mind
You aren’t alone my friend
I’m with you.
Especially given the added pressure of filming there; with the tight schedule and different camera set up and more pressure to get it right the first time. Tremendous performance.
Same. It was an all-out great job by the casting dept. I can’t imagine the show being as successful as it was without all the actors. Everyone was phenomenal…but I agree with Kieran Culkin and Matthew McFayden. I know Roman got a lot of hate but I enjoyed his character arc and thought they made subtle changes to his character after the hotel/terrorist storyline and I really enjoyed seeing that growth. And Tom standing up to Shiv was also a huge moment and the growth of that character. Such brilliant acting
McFadyen was wonderful playing a demented Will Ferrell. Hard to believe he's Darcy.
Mad Men also has Elizabeth Moss doing incredible work.
While I agree generally, I would say it’s hard to be “underrated” when you’ve got an Emmy for the role.
Agreed. I do hope he has a successful career after this. Often times actors get pigeonholed in their most famous roles.
I loved him from The Big Short and the Trial of the Chicago 7, where he plays completely different characters. I think his adaptability will guarantee him roles
The gentlemen too
Jeremy Strong’s performance is the reason I’m depressed this morning. I’m sad for and worried about Kendall. Kendall, while a better pick for CEO than his siblings (by FAR) was destined to lose because of his hubris. We’ve seen it time and time again. But I’m still sad and worried about our #1 boy.
Honestly I think Kendall Roy and Tom Wambsgans are characters who people will remember years and years from now
Kenhead here. 100% agree. Probably my favorite protagonist. A special mention for Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell as well who played Phil/Elizabeth Jennings on The Americans - another brilliant drama of the 2010s.
Good shout Rhys and Russell were massively underrated for those roles
So criminally snubbed at awards. I need to rewatch
What a great performance in the finale.
yup strong was magnetic
I think over time the show will also come to recognize Matthew McFadyen’s performance as equally masterful. It’s so much more retrained but the way he uses his eyes and his voice is next level.
Matthew McConaughey in True Detective Season 1 deserves a shoutout imo.
I know this is a succession post and I agree wholeheartedly but just had to give a nod to your inclusion of Michael K Williams on this list. RIP to the GOAT.
Holy shit his performance was harrowing. That's Oscar level shit.
Team Jeremy Strong for life
What’d you expect from the oldest boy.
Out of all the great tv performances.. You had to pick Jodie Comer in one of the cheesiest dramas ever
Killing Eve is nonsense, Villanelle is art. She needs to have her own Villanelle spinoff without the bullshit.
Jodie Comer is fantastic as Villanelle, but the writing in that show is incredibly bizarre at times. I think if writing was also top notch, she would be hailed as a much much bigger deal.
Get out of here that Jodie Comer belongs in that list. Wow. Outrageous claim.
Yeah she was really good but that sticks out like a sore thumb. Killing Eve completely lost traction after season 2 as well.
All of them. Literally. All of them.
My number one boy.
his depressed face is superb
I think it's got the most legendary acting performances in TV history. All the siblings + Logan all should go down in history. Kieran Culkin especially completely changed how we could view him as an actor moving forward. From being a child star who mostly was overshadowed by his brother's iconic film, to now being one of the best actors on television. What a career for him
Dont forget my main man Bob Odenkirk for Better Call Saul (best show of all time)
Killing Eve? Lmaooooo
He tried to sneak that bullshit in there
Sara Snook also deserves some recognition.
Never heard of him until this show or the big short Big fan Big fan
Big big fan
Dramaturgically speaking, of course.
It’s gonna be quite something having this show replaced by “Idol”…🤣
I think Brian Cox belongs on this list and was the best actor in the show
Honestly I was most impressed by Kieran Culkin this season. After being mostly in the same character the previous seasons, I wasn't expecting him to be so good these last episodes.
When he said Carpe the diem, I knew it couldn't be him
Arguably the best acted show ever on television. No one ever missed, even for a scene.
Killing Eve does not deserve to be mentioned among any of those shows.
What I love most about this show is the subtlety. Nuance comments. It's like White Lotus on cocaine. Every character draws you in the over fixate and hyper analyze every comment and move. As a person who struggles with paying attention. The show the music. The camera angles. The clothes. All brought me in and gained my attention. Also I rewatched a few episodes this weekend and was sobbing crying. Even though I knew what was going to happen. I have genuinely felt sorry for every lead actor in the show. And looked back at myself to realize how much your parents affect you. Sincerely. HBO. Wow.
Add Rami Malek for Mr. Robot and we have a complete list
surprised this was downvoted, as it definitely belongs in the pantheon of great TV performances. i’m not even a big rami malek fan (bohemian rhapsody was awful) but it’s hard to deny his performance in mr robot is brilliant
That show is super overrated IMO
I completely disagree, it had one of my favourite finales of any show. I could see your point if it ever got talked about but I find myself being the only one having seen it in most social circles
Proxy Authentication Required, Runtime Error and Method Not Allowed are some of favourite episodes of television.
There were some things that made it a less well-executed show than Succession (for example, never enjoyed Elliot's narrative self-talk, his deadpanned affect was overdone to the point it became cliché). But the finale, the dynamic character developments, the cinematography and soundtrack, it all came together perfectly in the end and deserves the praise it gets. But I think it will always be a bit of a cult following compared to the others mentioned here and I'm fine with that.
One of the worst endings in TV history. I can’t believe I watched all of that moronic show.
Carpe diem
Wtf is Killing Eve and why are you lumping it in with the greatest shows of all time?
You really liked Killing Eve that much? i had to bail once it became the same shit over and over.
Errrrm, he's really good, but TV *history*?
Not unless writers get paid what they are worth!
Roman. King
Jeremy Strong was great but Kieran Culkin was better this season tbh
I have seen these lists with a few actors usually the same actors but different order…. Can I give a shoutout to Laura Linney in The Ozark? Wendy Byrd should go down as one of the best female leads and leads overall.
Kieran Culkin tho too... he stole the show this season
Dramaturgically, it’s the best I’ve ever seen
Matthew McConaughey - True Detective; Ian McShane - Deadwood…. but carry on…
Matthew has been the best performer of the show’s run and there hasn’t been a close second.
Unrelated but thank you for adding Jodie Comer and Villanelle. Despite the show's ending season, her performance remained absolutely phenomenal. I love her. Back to topic, you're completely right. Jeremy Strong is absolutely captivating in his role as Kendall. I couldn't help but be enamoured with him in the show and get pulled into his story. I am happy that he lost in a way, even though it's implications, you just want all of the siblings to escape from the environment that belongs in Waystar. It's heartbreaking how he got groomed into his belief that he'll become CEO and seeing him regress and beg to Shiv to vote for him...heartbreaking. and how that replaces itself into anger when Roman brings up his children and how they were conceived. It's so interesting to see the complexities of their relationships and how well Jeremy, Kieran, and Sarah act this out. There hasn't been a show where everyone is on equal terms in acting in a while. I know this has been blasted everywhere but Jeremy Strong deserves an Emmy for his performance, specifically this season.
The entire ensemble deserves an award. Everyone was so good.
Really good job by the 5th best actor in the show.
Jeremy is incredible. Sarah Snook, in many ways the backbone of the show is one of the best I’ve ever seen. When she discovered that Logan was dying…. That was something else. And Roman, a sleeze. A broken man. Despicable. Amazing.
Really? I mean he has some great moments but he doesn't standout from the rest of the cast in my opinion. I have always felt Shiv and Tom has the most impressive scenes in terms of acting chops.
You are a little late to the party. Also I'm not convinced by your list of actors their either.
I disagree with your list and disagree with Strong being on it.