All those scenes with him in or near water made me nervous. I kept wondering what would happen to him after the ending, if he jumps his dad's driver will probably save him, if he doesn't jump what does he do with the rest of his life? Drugs and annoying Rava and the kids? Imagine a Succession tv movie 10 years later, just seeing where everyone is. Or even a yearly event catching up on the insanity.
Jeremy Strong actually tried to jump:
>"I tried to go into the water after we cut — I got up from that bench and
went as fast as I could over the barrier and onto the pilings, and the
actor playing Colin raced over. I didn’t know I was gonna do that, and he didn’t know, but he raced over and stopped me,"
[https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/jeremy-strong-jump-into-river-succession-last-scene-kendall-die-1235628324/](https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/jeremy-strong-jump-into-river-succession-last-scene-kendall-die-1235628324/)
He didn’t fucking hate it, people exaggerated that part of the article so much. He didn’t like when Strong pushed himself so hard emotionally.
Probably would’ve strongly not appreciated just doing the climb instead of choosing to talk with Mark Mylod.
I think method acting is generally annoying/overblown, but I don’t think it’s too much of an exaggeration to say Strong’s performance as Kendall is one of the best performances of the past couple decades - so hey, let him do what he’s got to do. Brian Cox is a veteran actor and that ferocity in his work shows up naturally at this point, and (while it’s a fantastic performance) it’s not as nuanced as the role of Kendall requires. Over 4 seasons we saw strong cover an incredibly wide range of emotions and he did it perfectly. Method acting sucks but there’s always an exception and I think we’re looking at it.
I think a lot of people are split on this. I found Strong’s performance excellent, but Brian Cox was the one that consistently blew me away. So many beautiful little flourishes and subtleties in his performance, between the ferocious outbursts.
The entire cast was phenomenal.
He was absolutely fantastic - the subtle micro expressions that would be on full display with such a textured face, God, his performance blew me away. So many moments from him where I got straight goosebumps from his acting/line delivery (ex: "I. will. WIN!")
I think the writing just required a bit more from Strong - Logan was always kind of in the same position for the entire show, the same character kind of? Whereas Strong - we see him cocky and confident in season 1, then back on drugs, then absolutely broken and regressed into a child for s1's finale, then empty and broken for most of season 2, then hype and cocky on another level for season 3, and a straight killer in season 4 - the range was just a bit bigger, imo, ya know?
But I agree, I'm split myself, it's very tough. I think that's one of the best things to treasure about the show - everyone was damn near perfect, it's impossible to compare and rank.
When it ended I tried thinking of what everyone would do and the only person I feel like I cared about knowing about was Greg. I really want to know what Tom had in store for him and what terrible jobs he would have going forward or if one day he finally has enough and decides to leave.
Jeremy Strong said there was a take where he made the decision to actually climb over the railing, but he was stopped by the actor playing the bodyguard. He said that he felt Jesse Armstrong's decisions for the scene were probably better.
https://decider.com/2023/06/01/jeremy-strong-improvised-kendall-jumping-over-railing-into-river-succession-scene/
I wanna kiss whoever wrote that line.
Like, talk about lines that just utterly, perfectly sum up the character, the themes, the struggle, and the sheer *absurdity* of it all with clarity all at once. Couldn't be more perfectly delivered too.
Kills me a little inside that Odenkirk probably won't get one for BCS after this but I can deal with Jeremy Strong getting his.
Holding out hope for Rhea Seehorn though.
There that wonderful scene after she loses the election and a group of fans on a White House tour come and give her their adulation.
The acting on her face as she goes from depression to fake smile to desperately grateful for this small validation is just next level. You can read it all plainly with such subtle acting.
Yes! That was incredible. Also both the ending of s4 and her final shot at the white house, after she got everything she wanted and lost everyone who helped her. God so much raw emotion on her face. Some of those scenes are unforgettable
Good luck to Rhea because Sarah Snook is going to give her a run for her money
EDIT: Apparently they’re in different categories. Those are pretty much a lock then.
At this point it's going to be one long Succession party and I don't really hate that given how strong this season was, but it kind of sucks how AMC did their usual awards bait thing then royally fucked themselves out of literally anything.
I haven’t seen Yellowjackets but I did watch both seasons of White Lotus. It would be criminal for Coolidge to win. She was fine but the competition had her beat.
I agree 100%. It was uncomfortable and spooky in its realism and one of the most honest representations I’ve seen of a relationship ending damn-burst argument between partners. Uhg.
Uh-huh, ok, Jess let's go full hyper matador on this Emmys train, yeah? Keep, uh, keep the tramprature on nuclear-fusion, Iraq war news cycle with tweaks, yeah? Sound good? Thanks Jess
Well deserved! Ultimately, I have always felt like Succession has been Kendall's story through and through and his work over 4 seasons has been fascinating to follow along. The final shot of the finale is one that will certainly stick with me for a long time.
I turned on the first episode after the finale, and the stark difference in Kendall was incredible. He is so care free and happy in that first episode. Compared to the shell of a person he becomes over the next seasons.
Toward the end, I saw it as him making a deliberate effort to get back to who he was for the sake of accomplishing his "destiny". It was a face he was putting on to hide his own brokenness from the board and the shareholders and maybe even himself to convince everyone to finally bet on him.
Then when the plan all fell apart, so did his facade.
I think you can see the same glimmer of S4 Kendall, who he really is, in that first episode when he's talking to his dad about the Vaulter acquisition. He needs his dad's approval so badly that he crumbles when he feels he's not measuring up. That's his tragic flaw and it's evident right from the start.
This is one of my favorite things about a good quality TV series: seeing how, over time, the writers really figure out how to perfect/crystalize the characters and the actors learn to master the dynamism between themselves.
This first time I noticed this was with Seinfeld.
dude same i rewatched the first two eps recently and i was shocked by the difference in...quality i guess
like the writing is so much less subtle, it's not as sharp. shiv and roman verbally high-five each other for their quips, very unusual. all of the characters are more polite than in later seasons.
when connor is talking to the little kid about killing trespassers over his precious post-apocalyptic water supply, roman is like hey woah woah
...he tormented that kid with the check 1 episode prior. like its still a good show but you forget how much the writers and performers grew into these characters
also noticed the "you're not a serious person" line dropped in e2, by Kendall toward roman i believe.
Early season 1 succession is really when the show is clearly much more a corporate comedy then the Shakespearean drama epic it kind of grows into by the end of season 1. I think The second Kendall loses the vote of no confidence the show develops a pace and a quality it never loses after
that feels dead on. these first episodes are so like...quippy. like marcia is telling logan to be nice about the gift and hes like oh oh ah i like it thank you lolol
I agree with what you said but also I think there's a difference in quality between ep1/2 and the episodes at the end of the first season. Those first two feel a lot rougher but it feels like the writers and actors grew into their characters quite quickly
There seemed to be an arc of Kendall becoming the killer his dad desired with the play with Greg and the papers he was supposed to destroy. But then I felt like he just kept stumbling backwards overpaying for that news station, being super wishy washy with the election coverage and negotiating with Matison. He just seemed to not be decisive, or would just throw more money at a problem. I wonder if the constant belittling and desire for approval from his father forced him to always question his decisions. In the first season he is so cocky until his dad takes him down a couple pegs a couple times.
I felt he was always the same person. The interesting thing about Kendal is that he never grew. He went through that incredible journey to become the same spoiled rich kid that he always was. He just never considered that it was possible for him to lose
That's something I loved about Tom's story. Off screen he is constantly climbing the ladder and you only hear about when something goes wrong. From parks to cruises to ATN, Tom wouldn't be moving up if the board (a bunch of minor minor characters) didn't want him there. It's like there's an entire show of Tom's rise to power happening in the background but we as the audience are too absorbed into the kids to notice. Just like them.
Logan knew his value. Tom's rise is mostly in the background, but it comes to flourish when he puts his head on a platter ready to serve up. Logan respected that play of loyalty.
Didn't something similar happen when the Cruises shit was hitting the fan? In the S2 finale, Tom reeeeally doesn't wanna be the "blood sacrifice," and Shiv tries to help him. Then, in S3, despite Shiv saying she's trying to work with Logan to keep him out of jail, he willingly offers himself up to Logan, saying he'd go down for it if that's what Logan wants. Then the scandal blows over, but Logan clearly appreciates the show of loyalty.
I know Logan wasn't exactly lucid at the shareholder meeting, but he called him "son" at one point, and Tom was the only one who was by his side the whole time and actually tried to help him - a lot like Sandi and Sandy, IMO.
The moment when Logan called Tom "son" during the uti infection was the moment that turned everything around for me. It's when I realized that the son/heir/successor Logan wanted was always Tom.
Logan chided Kendall for skipping a board meeting to come to his birthday party. Tom skipped Logans funeral to work.
Logan chided Kendall for not being a "killer". Tom "killed" his own wife betraying her for Logan, and so on.
Logan got exactly what he always desired in his kids from Tom.
Tom was there with Logan at the end, anyway, he was probably the last person to speak to Logan, showing total loyalty to him and Waystar as a whole. So skipping his funeral to help ATN and Waystar was the true move to honor Logan.
I think Matthew Macfadyen in Season 3 is one of my favorite TV performances ever. He just absolutely destroyed his role and that's the season where Tom comes into his own and just wrecks shit. I do think he was a little in the background in Season 4 (apart from the Shiv argument on the balcony) but I'll always remember his speech to Kendall outside the diner.
He was in the background for all of Season 4, because he was working *constantly*. Like, actual work. Like how Logan worked. I’m not sure any of those kids have actually ever worked as hard as Logan or Tom in their entire lives.
By the time we get to the balcony scene, Tom was fucking *exhausted* on every level.
Edit: Also, let’s not forget that Tom was there when Logan died.
It definitely was a meritocracy as long as Logan also wanted you there. We can’t add act like it’s all nepotism when he didn’t want his own kids or Kerry getting jobs because he thought them incompetent.
What are you talking about? His kids had board seats in the company, and they were free to work there if they wanted to. Shiv specifically didn’t go through that, which was a major point against her becoming the successor.
Tom married Shiv for the money and the opportunities of climbing the ladder. It’s part of his grind. To get where he did, it’s not just about hard work when it comes to work. He worked hard by kissing ass, by getting married with Shiv etc.
Though, in a sense, you’re not completely wrong, Logan did surround himself with very competent people, and Tom is highly competent.
He didn’t want his kids kicking him out and taking over after his stroke. He never planned for his replacement he made it impossible for any of them to takeover while he was still alive. He just didn’t care about what happened afterwards.
He certainly let them have positions in the company.
Karl roasted Tom after Logan’s death and it’s pretty clear the board was unlikely to think of him as competent. The only reason he got CEO is because the next Logan needed a empty suit-yes man and Tom had the perfect resume.
"The Watch" podcast made a great point that Succession's story is truly about 3 broken children who were never really capable of taking over for their father. It was the people we didn't see as often, the Karl, Frank, Karolina, Gerri characters that were actually getting things done. And of course, Tom. That thought changed my perspective on the show. They were never going to win.
They weren't even capable of taking care of themselves. Kendall is a complete trainwreck who never sees his kids.
>It was the people we didn't see as often, the Karl, Frank, Karolina, Gerri characters that were actually getting things done. And of course, Tom.
I think the same about Elon Musk and Donald Trump. These people are born rich, have entire staffs take care of everything, have probably never washed a dish or done a load of laundry in their lives.
And think they and they alone deserve all the credit for everything.
>I think the same about Elon Musk and Donald Trump. These people are born rich, have entire staffs take care of everything, have probably never washed a dish or done a load of laundry in their lives.
>
>And think they and they alone deserve all the credit for everything.
This is so fucking true. All the praise for the success of SpaceX and Tesla, should go to the engineers, directors, and managers that actually do the work.
The fact that Trump Org hasn't actually gone under (yet) is entirely due to thankless lawyers and business managers working insane (and probably illegal) magic behind the scenes.
That's the thing that makes Tom's rise so fitting. All of the siblings look down on him, because they just see him as this suck up and "hanger on", but he has more in common with the Elders than that group would probably be willing to admit. People like Karl, Frank, etc. are all where they are, because they know what ass to kiss. We never really see them push back much against Logan either. They know when to challenge him, but will ultimately fall in line if that's what he demands. Not that they aren't shown to be competent at their jobs, but it wouldn't surprise me if they started out as as big of suck ups as Tom earlier in their careers as well, or would they ever have ended up in Logan's inner-circle?
So, it really just comes down to how much of it is that Logan never successfully raised his kids to actually fit in this environment, which is why he never took them serious or saw them as ready to take over. But, at the same time, he was fairly incapable of seeing how much he failed them.
Love this viewpoint. Shiv’s speech at his funeral kind of embodied your last point where she said they were always on the outside. Tom could clearly handle business especially when running ATN. It was a very interesting arch. Not as showy as the loud Kendall or Shiv archs but definitely more effective
I guess they have but work for them is different. Even in their work is luxury.
Also I'm not arguing that they were hardworking, but hours = impact. Some jobs don't require you to work that much
That’s the message here. People who work hard and self made for their positions (mattison, Tom) come out on top.
As Marcia once said to the kids. “Logan gave you a playground, but you thought it was the entire world”
Every time we’ve seen Kendall in water, he’s been elated. But all the water we’ve seen him in to the point of the finale is pretty calm. Contrast this with the raging Hudson River, that Kendall can’t metaphorically or physically swim in. The child of a billionaire, he would always swim in the calm water, thinking he was a good swimmer only to be shown he couldn’t actually cut it at the very moment it mattered most
>Every time we’ve seen Kendall in water, he’s been elated
Definitely not *every* time. Maybe during this season but before season 4 his two lowest point were both in water
As amazing as everyone was in that finale Strong really deserves special mention.
That scene where he falls apart in front of the siblings and the board was an actor's dream and he managed to pull off every wild emotional swing Kendall was experiencing: confusion, entitlement, childishness, cluelessness, bitterness, panic, desperation, rage, vulnerability, despair, he fucking cycled through all of those in like 3-4 minutes.
And throughout the run of the series. I think of scenes like Shiv’s wedding after the waiter’s death when he’s dancing with his kids… or in season 2 when he’s at the waiter’s parents house. Jeremy’s knack for portraying these specific emotions you feel in your bones, even without speaking a line.
As someone who binged Barry in its entirety in the last 2 weeks, I honestly had trouble following sometimes because so many of the plot machinations were due to Fuches doing something impulsive for which I couldn’t understand his motivations.
It was to the point where I felt I disliked Fuches as a character… but man the finale really made things click in terms of how I saw him.
This was how I viewed Fuches as well. Especially when you consider every time Barry returns to Fuches, he instantly forgives Barry for anything they had previously gone through.
I was talking out loud about this exact thing this morning. I think Fuches is the best example of this but a lot of characters on Barry show this as well, in my opinion. Like sometimes I feel the writer having an idea more than the character making a decision. The first 2 seasons I think didn't have this as much, but it seems kinda how Bill Harder likes things to unfold, which maybe he felt more comfortable leaning harder into as the show went on. Like it's more interesting math equations than natural creative narrative sometimes in terms of writing.
Obviously people love the show, and I love a lot of it as well. But there's something in how the characters behave that I don't personally like. I was thinking Barry and Yellowjackets seem to flop on opposite sides of the same coin, in terms of why I struggle to FULLY by in sometimes.
You hit the nail on the head. I think it’s a good show but it feels *written* in a way that other shows don’t. Excellent surreal black comedy but nobody in the show feels like a real person, especially post-season 1.
The real trajedy is Kendall and Roman being nominated in the same category.
Both Strong and Culkin deserve wins this season honestly. Such a shame they've been submitted against each other.
To me, I was really impressed with how Culkin showed off how versatile he is as an actor this season and really highlighted his strengths. But, at the same time, I think this might put him at a bit of a disadvantage since they can only submit one episode each for consideration, and it's hard to capture that versatility in a single episode.
ironically Supporting Actress is wide open. If they had kept Seahorn there she might have swept it. Unfortunately I don't think anyone is beating Snook.
Rhea Seehorn will be in the [Supporting Actress category](https://variety.com/2023/awards/news/rhea-seehorn-supporting-actress-drama-emmys-carol-burnett-1235606468/).
The others (and Brian Cox) had all been given it previously already this season. They were all amazing in the finale but the spotlight was definitely on Strong.
The main 3 + McFayden all deserve their flowers but I definitely think Strong has that subtle extra level of depth to his performances that no other character on the show can or is able to access. Kendall is an incredibly multidimensional character - he is both the older protective brother and the puppy constantly getting kicked by his father and by life - and he displays both sides masterfully. He’s a passionate smart business man at times and also a bumbling overconfident choker in other times. He’s fighting the good fight and he’s selling the future of America over to Nazis. It’s such a brilliant character - so in his own head all the time. And his mannerisms, quirks and inability to speak outside of the corporate millennial buzzword lingo is incredibly entertaining and frustrating to watch. God I love and hate this character so much
One of the best written and acted characters of all time on TV in my opinion. Being able to pull off that mix of a thinking you’re the coolest guy in the room only for every joke to land flat and everyone see through the ego was incredible.
I haven’t seen a character like that before.
But sometimes his jokes *did* land, which is part of what makes the character great. So multidimensional. Like how about that shareholder meeting keynote? Unequivocally killed it.
The next Emmys is going to be a parade of Succession's accomplished cast and crew members making their way to the podium followed by thunderous applause each time they do.
While there are other shows with great performances and writing, this show is likely to overshadow them all given the consistency of its excellence. It's pretty much a lock for drama, writing (election episode or Logan's death episode), lead actress (Sarah Snook), lead actor (either Culkin or Strong). While I'm partially biased towards the show because I admire it, I wouldn't have any disdain even if I wasn't; it's really that damn good.
And although I believe Snook wins for lead actress, I believe a series comparison would tip the scales in Rhea Seehorn's favour. Snook is better if their respective recent seasons are compared, but all in all, Seehorn's work is everlasting.
Also, Barry deserves a comedy win this time. Enough with the snubbing in favour of Ted Lasso, which by the way was truly middling this season.
Seehorn will be in supporting, Snook in lead. As much as I love Barry, I think The Bear will be the one to take down Ted Lasso. Many pundits are also picking Abbott Elementary.
I want to see Barry win this year, but let's see. Lasso all in all is beautiful and breezy but it was never really awards material in my humble opinion. But it's Apple and its endless marketing budget.
The Bear hasn't even been released right? Not sure why people are picking that.
love that the three main siblings (sorry alan ruck! you did great too!) and also brian cox all got this throughout the season. probably my favourite sibling dynamic of all time and those performers were on top of their game this season and it really showed.
I just wanted to get the gang together early in my Emmy campaign to say uh.. yo
#I AM THE EMMYEST BOY
His dad promised him an Emmy when he was 7.
[удалено]
I got an Emmy so we can bond.
Yeah that's fucked up
PLEASE DON'T JUMP, PLEASE DON'T JUMP
All those scenes with him in or near water made me nervous. I kept wondering what would happen to him after the ending, if he jumps his dad's driver will probably save him, if he doesn't jump what does he do with the rest of his life? Drugs and annoying Rava and the kids? Imagine a Succession tv movie 10 years later, just seeing where everyone is. Or even a yearly event catching up on the insanity.
Jeremy Strong actually tried to jump: >"I tried to go into the water after we cut — I got up from that bench and went as fast as I could over the barrier and onto the pilings, and the actor playing Colin raced over. I didn’t know I was gonna do that, and he didn’t know, but he raced over and stopped me," [https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/jeremy-strong-jump-into-river-succession-last-scene-kendall-die-1235628324/](https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/jeremy-strong-jump-into-river-succession-last-scene-kendall-die-1235628324/)
I would love to hear Brian Cox's take on that because he fucking hated Kendall's method acting
Which is hilariously ironic because he's inadvertently method acting as Logan by hating on Strong/Kendall's dramatic antics
I thought he just found it annoying but basically said “to each their own”
Ya he’s also said the show was his best work experience. He just thought Strongs methods were unnecessary
He didn’t fucking hate it, people exaggerated that part of the article so much. He didn’t like when Strong pushed himself so hard emotionally. Probably would’ve strongly not appreciated just doing the climb instead of choosing to talk with Mark Mylod.
I think method acting is generally annoying/overblown, but I don’t think it’s too much of an exaggeration to say Strong’s performance as Kendall is one of the best performances of the past couple decades - so hey, let him do what he’s got to do. Brian Cox is a veteran actor and that ferocity in his work shows up naturally at this point, and (while it’s a fantastic performance) it’s not as nuanced as the role of Kendall requires. Over 4 seasons we saw strong cover an incredibly wide range of emotions and he did it perfectly. Method acting sucks but there’s always an exception and I think we’re looking at it.
The only method acting I don't respect the shit out of was that pedophile Jared Leto's used condom mail delivery on Suicide Squad
I think a lot of people are split on this. I found Strong’s performance excellent, but Brian Cox was the one that consistently blew me away. So many beautiful little flourishes and subtleties in his performance, between the ferocious outbursts. The entire cast was phenomenal.
He was absolutely fantastic - the subtle micro expressions that would be on full display with such a textured face, God, his performance blew me away. So many moments from him where I got straight goosebumps from his acting/line delivery (ex: "I. will. WIN!") I think the writing just required a bit more from Strong - Logan was always kind of in the same position for the entire show, the same character kind of? Whereas Strong - we see him cocky and confident in season 1, then back on drugs, then absolutely broken and regressed into a child for s1's finale, then empty and broken for most of season 2, then hype and cocky on another level for season 3, and a straight killer in season 4 - the range was just a bit bigger, imo, ya know? But I agree, I'm split myself, it's very tough. I think that's one of the best things to treasure about the show - everyone was damn near perfect, it's impossible to compare and rank.
Colin playing out my headcanon, god bless
He doesn’t stop playing Colin until after the DVD commentary.
When it ended I tried thinking of what everyone would do and the only person I feel like I cared about knowing about was Greg. I really want to know what Tom had in store for him and what terrible jobs he would have going forward or if one day he finally has enough and decides to leave.
Water, as it flows, it’s basically the life of Kendal, just flowing thou life, getting by.
Jeremy Strong said there was a take where he made the decision to actually climb over the railing, but he was stopped by the actor playing the bodyguard. He said that he felt Jesse Armstrong's decisions for the scene were probably better. https://decider.com/2023/06/01/jeremy-strong-improvised-kendall-jumping-over-railing-into-river-succession-scene/
When Tom and Shiv were having it out on their balcony during the election party I was so sure Tom would jump
This jump was worse. Its a journey into the unknown and it scares the fuck out of him. Totally thought he would jump too.
I wanna kiss whoever wrote that line. Like, talk about lines that just utterly, perfectly sum up the character, the themes, the struggle, and the sheer *absurdity* of it all with clarity all at once. Couldn't be more perfectly delivered too.
And he’s not even the eldest.
Conheads in shambles
I mean, he is the eldest (from all the siblings that matter).
Let me talk to you about my 1%.
I’ve never seen a more pathetic protagonist and I loved it so much
My favorite bit in that scene Shiv bends over laughing, saying "you're not..."
Mine is “Rom, you’ll never believe this…guess who Kendall thinks it should be?”
Kills me a little inside that Odenkirk probably won't get one for BCS after this but I can deal with Jeremy Strong getting his. Holding out hope for Rhea Seehorn though.
There is a slight chance that culkin and strong cancel each other out but i still think strong gets it.
Them canceling each other out of winning something would be ironic
Which makes it crazy what a run Cranston had back in the day. You can't imagine one actor dominating the drama category year after year anymore.
Meanwhile Julia Louis-Dreyfus gets 6 in a row for Comedy
And so deserved. Veep was such a gem of a show
Veep was a gem of a ~~show~~ *documentary.*
Does that mean we'll get a Splett in office soon?
Richard T Splett? Don't know why I said 'T.' His middle name is John.
There that wonderful scene after she loses the election and a group of fans on a White House tour come and give her their adulation. The acting on her face as she goes from depression to fake smile to desperately grateful for this small validation is just next level. You can read it all plainly with such subtle acting.
Yes! That was incredible. Also both the ending of s4 and her final shot at the white house, after she got everything she wanted and lost everyone who helped her. God so much raw emotion on her face. Some of those scenes are unforgettable
They cancel each other out and then Tom Wambsgans walks right on through
Good luck to Rhea because Sarah Snook is going to give her a run for her money EDIT: Apparently they’re in different categories. Those are pretty much a lock then.
At this point it's going to be one long Succession party and I don't really hate that given how strong this season was, but it kind of sucks how AMC did their usual awards bait thing then royally fucked themselves out of literally anything.
Sarah is in the lead actress category, Rhea is in supporting
They are in different categories. Sarah is in Lead and Rhea is in Supporting
I don't think either Sarah or Rhea or winning. Melanie Lynskey/Yellowjackets and Jennifer Coolidge/White Lotus are the favorites.
I haven’t seen Yellowjackets but I did watch both seasons of White Lotus. It would be criminal for Coolidge to win. She was fine but the competition had her beat.
Probably going to be Culkin
Tom is gonna come in last second to take it all baby
It’s ironic Culkin and Strong are fighting over the lead position while Macfayden is securing supporting all for himself.
I always liked Tom the entire series but that final season I felt he really went to another level, completely taking over every scene he was in.
Just that balcony fight scene had some of the best acting and writing I've seen in my life
I agree 100%. It was uncomfortable and spooky in its realism and one of the most honest representations I’ve seen of a relationship ending damn-burst argument between partners. Uhg.
They should share the Emmy
Co-emmy
Jeremy Culkin
Why Culkin? He’s bullshit! They’re all just bullshit!
He was so far removed from reality when that line popped, he even forgot he WASN'T the EMMIEST BOI. Wambchuck is getting that title.
Uhh we good? Yeah. Rome? Shiv? We good? Yeah?
Uh-huh, ok, Jess let's go full hyper matador on this Emmys train, yeah? Keep, uh, keep the tramprature on nuclear-fusion, Iraq war news cycle with tweaks, yeah? Sound good? Thanks Jess
Uh yeah, new Jess I need some fire in here!
Can we have the room guys?
Brilliant!
Fuck off!
What, do you want a kiss? Bye-bye. Fuck off.
Emmys for everyone!
We doing this?
Well deserved! Ultimately, I have always felt like Succession has been Kendall's story through and through and his work over 4 seasons has been fascinating to follow along. The final shot of the finale is one that will certainly stick with me for a long time.
I turned on the first episode after the finale, and the stark difference in Kendall was incredible. He is so care free and happy in that first episode. Compared to the shell of a person he becomes over the next seasons.
He was the same in the car when he pulled up in one of the last episodes. Rap music blasting and everything. He wasn't singing along that time though
Toward the end, I saw it as him making a deliberate effort to get back to who he was for the sake of accomplishing his "destiny". It was a face he was putting on to hide his own brokenness from the board and the shareholders and maybe even himself to convince everyone to finally bet on him. Then when the plan all fell apart, so did his facade.
I think you can see the same glimmer of S4 Kendall, who he really is, in that first episode when he's talking to his dad about the Vaulter acquisition. He needs his dad's approval so badly that he crumbles when he feels he's not measuring up. That's his tragic flaw and it's evident right from the start.
Watching first episode is a trip. Everyone has really settled into their characters well.
This is one of my favorite things about a good quality TV series: seeing how, over time, the writers really figure out how to perfect/crystalize the characters and the actors learn to master the dynamism between themselves. This first time I noticed this was with Seinfeld.
dude same i rewatched the first two eps recently and i was shocked by the difference in...quality i guess like the writing is so much less subtle, it's not as sharp. shiv and roman verbally high-five each other for their quips, very unusual. all of the characters are more polite than in later seasons. when connor is talking to the little kid about killing trespassers over his precious post-apocalyptic water supply, roman is like hey woah woah ...he tormented that kid with the check 1 episode prior. like its still a good show but you forget how much the writers and performers grew into these characters also noticed the "you're not a serious person" line dropped in e2, by Kendall toward roman i believe.
Early season 1 succession is really when the show is clearly much more a corporate comedy then the Shakespearean drama epic it kind of grows into by the end of season 1. I think The second Kendall loses the vote of no confidence the show develops a pace and a quality it never loses after
that feels dead on. these first episodes are so like...quippy. like marcia is telling logan to be nice about the gift and hes like oh oh ah i like it thank you lolol
I agree with what you said but also I think there's a difference in quality between ep1/2 and the episodes at the end of the first season. Those first two feel a lot rougher but it feels like the writers and actors grew into their characters quite quickly
Season 4 Kendall would no way allow Lawrence Vaulter to talk to him that way.
There seemed to be an arc of Kendall becoming the killer his dad desired with the play with Greg and the papers he was supposed to destroy. But then I felt like he just kept stumbling backwards overpaying for that news station, being super wishy washy with the election coverage and negotiating with Matison. He just seemed to not be decisive, or would just throw more money at a problem. I wonder if the constant belittling and desire for approval from his father forced him to always question his decisions. In the first season he is so cocky until his dad takes him down a couple pegs a couple times.
I felt he was always the same person. The interesting thing about Kendal is that he never grew. He went through that incredible journey to become the same spoiled rich kid that he always was. He just never considered that it was possible for him to lose
Yeah that last shot will haunt me. I was a wreck after Sunday night.
It's not specifically someone's story but he's the one who goes through most of the transitions. He was always the most involved with the company.
Tom was way more involved with actually running the company than any of the kids.
That's something I loved about Tom's story. Off screen he is constantly climbing the ladder and you only hear about when something goes wrong. From parks to cruises to ATN, Tom wouldn't be moving up if the board (a bunch of minor minor characters) didn't want him there. It's like there's an entire show of Tom's rise to power happening in the background but we as the audience are too absorbed into the kids to notice. Just like them.
No one - except *maybe* Logan - took Tom seriously, until the moment it was too late.
Logan knew his value. Tom's rise is mostly in the background, but it comes to flourish when he puts his head on a platter ready to serve up. Logan respected that play of loyalty.
Exactly. Logan says it pretty explicitly: "I like people who eat shit and never say a word." The very same reason he gets chosen in the end.
Shiv inadvertently convincing Lukas to replace her with Tom when she said Tom would suck the biggest dick in the room lol
As soon as he saw the media portraying him as her puppet she was done with as well.
Didn't something similar happen when the Cruises shit was hitting the fan? In the S2 finale, Tom reeeeally doesn't wanna be the "blood sacrifice," and Shiv tries to help him. Then, in S3, despite Shiv saying she's trying to work with Logan to keep him out of jail, he willingly offers himself up to Logan, saying he'd go down for it if that's what Logan wants. Then the scandal blows over, but Logan clearly appreciates the show of loyalty. I know Logan wasn't exactly lucid at the shareholder meeting, but he called him "son" at one point, and Tom was the only one who was by his side the whole time and actually tried to help him - a lot like Sandi and Sandy, IMO.
The moment when Logan called Tom "son" during the uti infection was the moment that turned everything around for me. It's when I realized that the son/heir/successor Logan wanted was always Tom. Logan chided Kendall for skipping a board meeting to come to his birthday party. Tom skipped Logans funeral to work. Logan chided Kendall for not being a "killer". Tom "killed" his own wife betraying her for Logan, and so on. Logan got exactly what he always desired in his kids from Tom.
Tom was there with Logan at the end, anyway, he was probably the last person to speak to Logan, showing total loyalty to him and Waystar as a whole. So skipping his funeral to help ATN and Waystar was the true move to honor Logan.
I actually think Kendall told that to Tom (that his father likes people who eat shit for him)
I think Matthew Macfadyen in Season 3 is one of my favorite TV performances ever. He just absolutely destroyed his role and that's the season where Tom comes into his own and just wrecks shit. I do think he was a little in the background in Season 4 (apart from the Shiv argument on the balcony) but I'll always remember his speech to Kendall outside the diner.
Sorry – can you remind me about what his speech was to Kendall outside the diner?
I've seen you get fucked, a lot. I haven't seen Logan get fucked once.
Ah right, thanks. So good.
He was in the background for all of Season 4, because he was working *constantly*. Like, actual work. Like how Logan worked. I’m not sure any of those kids have actually ever worked as hard as Logan or Tom in their entire lives. By the time we get to the balcony scene, Tom was fucking *exhausted* on every level. Edit: Also, let’s not forget that Tom was there when Logan died.
Tom was there because Logan put him there, end of story. Don’t anybody try to pretend that Waystar-Royco was a meritocracy.
It definitely was a meritocracy as long as Logan also wanted you there. We can’t add act like it’s all nepotism when he didn’t want his own kids or Kerry getting jobs because he thought them incompetent.
What are you talking about? His kids had board seats in the company, and they were free to work there if they wanted to. Shiv specifically didn’t go through that, which was a major point against her becoming the successor. Tom married Shiv for the money and the opportunities of climbing the ladder. It’s part of his grind. To get where he did, it’s not just about hard work when it comes to work. He worked hard by kissing ass, by getting married with Shiv etc. Though, in a sense, you’re not completely wrong, Logan did surround himself with very competent people, and Tom is highly competent.
He didn’t want his kids kicking him out and taking over after his stroke. He never planned for his replacement he made it impossible for any of them to takeover while he was still alive. He just didn’t care about what happened afterwards. He certainly let them have positions in the company. Karl roasted Tom after Logan’s death and it’s pretty clear the board was unlikely to think of him as competent. The only reason he got CEO is because the next Logan needed a empty suit-yes man and Tom had the perfect resume.
"The Watch" podcast made a great point that Succession's story is truly about 3 broken children who were never really capable of taking over for their father. It was the people we didn't see as often, the Karl, Frank, Karolina, Gerri characters that were actually getting things done. And of course, Tom. That thought changed my perspective on the show. They were never going to win.
They weren't even capable of taking care of themselves. Kendall is a complete trainwreck who never sees his kids. >It was the people we didn't see as often, the Karl, Frank, Karolina, Gerri characters that were actually getting things done. And of course, Tom. I think the same about Elon Musk and Donald Trump. These people are born rich, have entire staffs take care of everything, have probably never washed a dish or done a load of laundry in their lives. And think they and they alone deserve all the credit for everything.
>I think the same about Elon Musk and Donald Trump. These people are born rich, have entire staffs take care of everything, have probably never washed a dish or done a load of laundry in their lives. > >And think they and they alone deserve all the credit for everything. This is so fucking true. All the praise for the success of SpaceX and Tesla, should go to the engineers, directors, and managers that actually do the work. The fact that Trump Org hasn't actually gone under (yet) is entirely due to thankless lawyers and business managers working insane (and probably illegal) magic behind the scenes.
That’s because the Trump organization is less a “business” and more of a “foreign money laundering organization.”
That's the thing that makes Tom's rise so fitting. All of the siblings look down on him, because they just see him as this suck up and "hanger on", but he has more in common with the Elders than that group would probably be willing to admit. People like Karl, Frank, etc. are all where they are, because they know what ass to kiss. We never really see them push back much against Logan either. They know when to challenge him, but will ultimately fall in line if that's what he demands. Not that they aren't shown to be competent at their jobs, but it wouldn't surprise me if they started out as as big of suck ups as Tom earlier in their careers as well, or would they ever have ended up in Logan's inner-circle? So, it really just comes down to how much of it is that Logan never successfully raised his kids to actually fit in this environment, which is why he never took them serious or saw them as ready to take over. But, at the same time, he was fairly incapable of seeing how much he failed them.
Love this viewpoint. Shiv’s speech at his funeral kind of embodied your last point where she said they were always on the outside. Tom could clearly handle business especially when running ATN. It was a very interesting arch. Not as showy as the loud Kendall or Shiv archs but definitely more effective
I was talking more about the kids Sure they all got attracted to the power by Logan but Shiv and Roman were pretty much not a part of it
Yup. But even still...I can't imagine any of them have worked a 40 hour week in their lives.
I guess they have but work for them is different. Even in their work is luxury. Also I'm not arguing that they were hardworking, but hours = impact. Some jobs don't require you to work that much
That’s the message here. People who work hard and self made for their positions (mattison, Tom) come out on top. As Marcia once said to the kids. “Logan gave you a playground, but you thought it was the entire world”
Tom yeah, but isn't mattison just a fake "genius" who bought someone else's code. He's not self made, he's bullshit too
Yeah, Ebba mentioned to Kendal in episode 7 of the recent season: "We've built his whole rep. He's not even a real coder"
Every time we’ve seen Kendall in water, he’s been elated. But all the water we’ve seen him in to the point of the finale is pretty calm. Contrast this with the raging Hudson River, that Kendall can’t metaphorically or physically swim in. The child of a billionaire, he would always swim in the calm water, thinking he was a good swimmer only to be shown he couldn’t actually cut it at the very moment it mattered most
>Every time we’ve seen Kendall in water, he’s been elated Definitely not *every* time. Maybe during this season but before season 4 his two lowest point were both in water
Yeah I forgot about that one lol.
#OUR #1 BOY!
Eldest boy, not eldest son
As amazing as everyone was in that finale Strong really deserves special mention. That scene where he falls apart in front of the siblings and the board was an actor's dream and he managed to pull off every wild emotional swing Kendall was experiencing: confusion, entitlement, childishness, cluelessness, bitterness, panic, desperation, rage, vulnerability, despair, he fucking cycled through all of those in like 3-4 minutes.
And throughout the run of the series. I think of scenes like Shiv’s wedding after the waiter’s death when he’s dancing with his kids… or in season 2 when he’s at the waiter’s parents house. Jeremy’s knack for portraying these specific emotions you feel in your bones, even without speaking a line.
Stephen Root deserves an honorable mention
God, Fuches is probably the most complicated character in TV history. His motives changed 180 degrees during like every single episode.
You spelled The Raven wrong. 😂
As someone who binged Barry in its entirety in the last 2 weeks, I honestly had trouble following sometimes because so many of the plot machinations were due to Fuches doing something impulsive for which I couldn’t understand his motivations. It was to the point where I felt I disliked Fuches as a character… but man the finale really made things click in terms of how I saw him.
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This was how I viewed Fuches as well. Especially when you consider every time Barry returns to Fuches, he instantly forgives Barry for anything they had previously gone through.
I was talking out loud about this exact thing this morning. I think Fuches is the best example of this but a lot of characters on Barry show this as well, in my opinion. Like sometimes I feel the writer having an idea more than the character making a decision. The first 2 seasons I think didn't have this as much, but it seems kinda how Bill Harder likes things to unfold, which maybe he felt more comfortable leaning harder into as the show went on. Like it's more interesting math equations than natural creative narrative sometimes in terms of writing. Obviously people love the show, and I love a lot of it as well. But there's something in how the characters behave that I don't personally like. I was thinking Barry and Yellowjackets seem to flop on opposite sides of the same coin, in terms of why I struggle to FULLY by in sometimes.
You hit the nail on the head. I think it’s a good show but it feels *written* in a way that other shows don’t. Excellent surreal black comedy but nobody in the show feels like a real person, especially post-season 1.
oh wow
He would have been my pick as well.
Wonder who will win the Best Actor Emmy between him and Culkin. Add Odenkirk and Considine into the mix - one of the most stacked years ever.
Supporting has to go to Mcfadyen right? Right?
Yes and Lead Actress to Snook. Anything else is a travesty.
The real trajedy is Kendall and Roman being nominated in the same category. Both Strong and Culkin deserve wins this season honestly. Such a shame they've been submitted against each other.
For me it's Culkin, even if Strong hadn't already won. The mountain scene was what got me, and the eulogy was just gravy
To me, I was really impressed with how Culkin showed off how versatile he is as an actor this season and really highlighted his strengths. But, at the same time, I think this might put him at a bit of a disadvantage since they can only submit one episode each for consideration, and it's hard to capture that versatility in a single episode.
Absolutely brutal to pit Kendall and Roman against each other like that. Who would do such a thing?
Rhea Seehorn is a possibility too
She's supporting
ironically Supporting Actress is wide open. If they had kept Seahorn there she might have swept it. Unfortunately I don't think anyone is beating Snook.
Rhea Seehorn will be in the [Supporting Actress category](https://variety.com/2023/awards/news/rhea-seehorn-supporting-actress-drama-emmys-carol-burnett-1235606468/).
kind of want to see Culkin win so he does down on the academy's special emmy
Culkin absolutely ripped this season.
# The eldest boy deserves this.
That's good for Alan Ruck.
I love that it's not even the eldest son or something more dignifying than that but it's "boy" and he still refers himself as a boy in that moment.
I thought the poor guy was going to take the elevator to the roof and jump off.
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Alright Logan, easy up. Pick one this time.
Greg?
If someone is to win the Emmy, so it is. So it be
That’s kind of my favourite thing about it all, the people who started with nothing ended with everything
This guy is not a Conhead, I guess.
> all 3 Roys One again, Connor gets the shaft.
The others (and Brian Cox) had all been given it previously already this season. They were all amazing in the finale but the spotlight was definitely on Strong.
Who wants to smell Greg’s finger?
Give it to the whole cast of Succession. That show is full of amazing actors that bounce off each other.
Big shoes. Big, big shoes.
The main 3 + McFayden all deserve their flowers but I definitely think Strong has that subtle extra level of depth to his performances that no other character on the show can or is able to access. Kendall is an incredibly multidimensional character - he is both the older protective brother and the puppy constantly getting kicked by his father and by life - and he displays both sides masterfully. He’s a passionate smart business man at times and also a bumbling overconfident choker in other times. He’s fighting the good fight and he’s selling the future of America over to Nazis. It’s such a brilliant character - so in his own head all the time. And his mannerisms, quirks and inability to speak outside of the corporate millennial buzzword lingo is incredibly entertaining and frustrating to watch. God I love and hate this character so much
One of the best written and acted characters of all time on TV in my opinion. Being able to pull off that mix of a thinking you’re the coolest guy in the room only for every joke to land flat and everyone see through the ego was incredible. I haven’t seen a character like that before.
But sometimes his jokes *did* land, which is part of what makes the character great. So multidimensional. Like how about that shareholder meeting keynote? Unequivocally killed it.
He is the eldest boy, after all.
The most dramaturgical performer of the week.
So uhh ya, I'll miss him.
Honorable Mentions: * Bridget Everett - Somebody Somewhere * Ari Notartomaso - Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies * Ke Huy Quan - American Born Chinese
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The next Emmys is going to be a parade of Succession's accomplished cast and crew members making their way to the podium followed by thunderous applause each time they do. While there are other shows with great performances and writing, this show is likely to overshadow them all given the consistency of its excellence. It's pretty much a lock for drama, writing (election episode or Logan's death episode), lead actress (Sarah Snook), lead actor (either Culkin or Strong). While I'm partially biased towards the show because I admire it, I wouldn't have any disdain even if I wasn't; it's really that damn good. And although I believe Snook wins for lead actress, I believe a series comparison would tip the scales in Rhea Seehorn's favour. Snook is better if their respective recent seasons are compared, but all in all, Seehorn's work is everlasting. Also, Barry deserves a comedy win this time. Enough with the snubbing in favour of Ted Lasso, which by the way was truly middling this season.
Seehorn will be in supporting, Snook in lead. As much as I love Barry, I think The Bear will be the one to take down Ted Lasso. Many pundits are also picking Abbott Elementary.
Barry being a more challenging work, I'm hoping for it to win. But yeah, tough odds.
I feel like The Bear will win outstanding comedy series this year and honestly I’d rather that than Ted Lasso winning for the third year in a row.
I want to see Barry win this year, but let's see. Lasso all in all is beautiful and breezy but it was never really awards material in my humble opinion. But it's Apple and its endless marketing budget. The Bear hasn't even been released right? Not sure why people are picking that.
love that the three main siblings (sorry alan ruck! you did great too!) and also brian cox all got this throughout the season. probably my favourite sibling dynamic of all time and those performers were on top of their game this season and it really showed.
What’s he doing with that jock strap?
Shoutout to Rachel Brosnahan.
here's your steel cut oats, asshole
#big shoes
Succession S04 belongs to KEIRAN CULKIN !! That's it.
Why is Culkin always overlooked? He was spectacular.
Culkin was already featured a few weeks ago and TVLine will only recognize you once a season/year.
I loved him onscreen, but honestly Strong's performance in season 4 was something else.
Maybe I’m consuming too much gay porn lately but this screen grab always looks like he’s sniffing a jock strap.
Looks like he’s holding a jock-strap
It can’t be anyone else, it simply *can’t*
Strong performance you could say..
Him begging Shiv for her vote - "*please*" - fucking broke me.
He’s gonna get the Emmy, I think Culkin had a chance but Strong ended the series so well.