June 3, 2018 (2018-06-03)– May 28, 2023 (2023-05-28)
Succession is an American satiricalblackcomedy-drama television series created by Jesse Armstrong that aired for four seasons on HBO from June 3, 2018, to May 28, 2023. The series centers on the Roy family, the owners of global media and entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo, and their fight for control of the company amidst uncertainty about the health of the family's patriarch.
Succession follows the Roy family, which owns the New York City-based global media conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. The family patriarch, Logan Roy, has experienced a decline in health. His four children—estranged oldest son Connor (Ruck), power-hungry Kendall (Strong), irreverent Roman (Culkin), and politically savvy Shiv (Snook)—who all have varying degrees of connection to the company begin to prepare for a future without their father and vie for prominence within the company.
Season 1
At his 80th birthday, Logan Roy, CEO of Waystar Royco, presents to his children a document that gives the voting rights to his company to his wife, Marcia. Kendall is disappointed and confronts his father, who tells him that he did not make him CEO as he is too soft, as made clear by the fact that he took a break from a deal to attend his father's birthday. Shortly afterward, Logan suffers from a stroke. The board, consisting of Gerri, Frank, Karl and Hugo, suggests naming Kendall acting CEO, which the family allows with Roman as COO. Gerri privately reveals to Kendall that the company is in massive debt because of loans Logan took in the 1980s. Kendall tries to negotiate with the bank but is unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Greg, the grandson of Logan's estranged brother Ewan, tries to make his way into the company on his mother's advice as he cannot find a job. The family ignores him, but Shiv's fiance Tom intends to mentor and guide Greg, making him serve as both an assistant and a target for his humiliation. Shiv is working as a political consultant to presidential candidate Gil Eavis, who is against Logan. She also has an affair with Gil's employee Nate.
After Logan recovers, he seems dissatisfied toward Kendall for what he views as an attempt to take over his power. With the help of Frank, Tom and other board members, Kendall stages a motion of no confidence against Logan. However, he is unable to be present at the building due to being stuck in traffic, leading to some members refraining from voting. Enraged, Logan fires half the board including Kendall. Logan injects false stories about Kendall relapsing onto drugs into the media, leading to the latter's ex-wife Rava mistrusting him. In grief, Kendall does relapse. At Tom's bachelor party, board member Stewy and Sandy get Kendall in their plan for a hostile takeover of Waystar.
At Shiv and Tom's wedding, Tom is faced with her infidelity, which devastates him. Shiv admits to it and asks Tom for an open relationship, to which Tom reluctantly agrees. Kendall presents Logan with the takeover. The family is angry at him and Logan demeans him by saying that he is nothing but a spoiled brat. Upset, Kendall leaves the venue and finds Andrew Dodds, a waiter who had been ousted from the event by Logan. He befriends him and drives his car to a friend of Andrew's where Kendall can get drugs. Andrew spots a deer on the road and quickly turns the wheel, causing the car to crash and killing Andrew. Confused and inebriated, Kendall flees the site. The next morning, Logan calls Kendall to his room. The son breaks down and apologizes, while the father saves him in exchange of him withdrawing from Sandy and Stewy.
Season 2
Kendall is now distraught with guilt over the waiter's death, as a result of which he is totally in the control of Logan. Logan calls Shiv for a private meeting where he proposes her the offer to be his successor. She is elated and leaves her job for Gil. Inexperienced, Shiv tries to understand the business but is conflicted due to Logan's apparent favoring of Kendall, who starts having suicidal tendencies. Logan decides to but the rival media brand, Pierce, using its owner Nan Pierce's close ally, Rhea Jarrell, as a double agent. The board disagrees but continues out of fear of Logan. Tom gets humiliated by Logan in a game of "boar on the floor".
The Roys have a dinner with the Pierce family. Nan Pierce asks Logan in jest about who he plans to succeed him, to which Shiv impatiently reveals that it is her, upsetting Logan. Kendall develops a relationship with fellow addict Naomi Pierce, cousin of Nan. Naomi convinces Nan to accept the deal. Meanwhile, Roman starts a pseudo-sexual relationship with Gerri.
Marcia suspects Logan of having an affair with Rhea and leaves him. It then leaks to the press that the cruise division of Waystar had cases of sexual misconduct by prominent players like Lester McClintock. The Roy family testifies before the senate. Tom botches up the defense, but Kendall manages to defend Logan against Gil. Shiv also talks down a victim into testifying against Waystar, promising her that she'll get rid of these corrupt men once she takes over. Rhea gets afraid of taking over the company in this state and leaves.
The situation comes to a member of the company being sacrificed and taking the blame for the scandal. After much discussion, Shiv begs Logan to not let it be Tom. Logan chooses Kendall, who accepts it out of guilt over the accident. But when he asks Logan if he could ever "do it", Logan tells him that he couldn't as he is "not a killer". In the morning, Kendall has a press conference where he is supposed to admit guilt for the cruise scandal. However, he goes against the plan by revealing to the media that Logan is a malicious presence in the company, and that he was responsible for overseeing the abuse.
Season 3
Logan and Kendall set up their respective defenses for war. Logan's preferred lawyer Lisa Arthur sides with Kendall. However, the rest of the Roy children opt to side with Logan due to hope that they may get to impress and succeed him. High on his popularity after the press conference, Kendall indulges in drug parties with Naomi and other wealthy personalities. But he is trolled in media over his privilege and performative wokeism. He fires Lisa Arthur when she rebukes him over his behavior. Shiv is named President of Domestic Operations. At her first speech, Kendall sabotages the event by playing Nirvana's "Rape Me" on speakers. Angered, Shiv publishes an open letter detailing Kendall's substance abuse and failed relationships, making the latter spiral into depression.
The Roys debate over which presidential candidate to back. While Shiv prefers Democrat Daniel Jiménez, Roman wants to support Jeryd Mencken, a Republican with far-right beliefs. Logan chooses the latter, alienating Shiv and making Roman closer to Logan. Logan now wishes to acquire Gojo, a tech brand owned by eccentric entrepreneur Lukas Mattsson. Caroline Collingwood (Kendall, Roman and Shiv's mother and Logan's ex-wife) announces her marriage to Peter Munion. The siblings and Logan attend the wedding. There, Logan invites Kendall for a private conservation. Kendall expresses his wishes to quit Waystar and start a fresh life, as he does not want to become corrupt like his father. Logan, however, disapproves, and reminds him of the accident, questioning his claim of being a good person. The next day, Kendall tries drowning himself in the pool.
Logan and Roman meet Mattsson. Mattsson asks to have a private talk with Logan. Confused, Roman talks to Shiv, who immediately gets suspicious and realizes that Mattsson has talked Logan into selling Waystar to Gojo. Kendall breaks down and confesses his role in the waiter's death. Surprisingly, Shiv and Roman reassure him that his guilt was not as massive as he's telling himself. The siblings put their differences aside and team up to confront Logan. Logan attempts to turn the siblings against each other again, making them understand the true nature of their father. It's then revealed that Caroline had agreed to sell the siblings' share in return of a palace for her new husband, and that Tom betrayed Shiv by telling Logan about her arrival beforehand.
Season 4
The siblings except Connor have totally left Logan's side and are working on their own media outlet called The Hundred. Logan is lonely on his birthday with only his bodyguard, Colin, for company. Tom and Shiv decide for a divorce. Connor proposes to Willa and invites his family to the wedding. The siblings arrive but Logan refuse. While at the event, Tom calls them to tell that Logan collapsed in the bathroom and that his health is very poor. The kids tearfully bid their father farewell on phone while not knowing if he's even listening. Logan's death is confirmed, devastating the siblings. The company gathers at his house, where the old guard discover a document that Logan wrote at some point, which instructs Kendall to be his successor and take over Waystar in the event of his death. Ultimately, Roman and Kendall become co-CEOs until the shareholder vote, which makes Shiv jealous.
Mattsson calls the siblings to a retreat. He talks with Shiv and expresses interest in having a relationship with her. But Roman and Kendall work against the deal and berate Mattsson for his hastiness to make the purchase so soon after Logan's death. Shiv finds out that she is pregnant. On election night, Jiménez appears to be the winning candidate, to the delight of Shiv and Kendall. However, Mencken lures Roman into making ATN call for him, so he can block the Mattsson deal. Being in a dilemma, Kendall asks Shiv to ask Nate if he can block the deal, to which she agrees but doesn't actually do it as she's with Mattsson. Once Kendall knows it, he's outraged and calls for Mencken.
ATN's call tarnishes Waystar's reputation. Worried for their safety, Rava takes the kids away. Kendall's assistant, Jess, too resigns. At Logan's funeral, Roman breaks down and is unable to give the eulogy. With his siblings devastated, Kendall takes charge and gives a powerful speech, impressing Mencken. Mattsson tells Shiv that he plans for a US CEO for Waystar, for which Shiv recommends her name. Mattsson has a conversation with Tom over his potential role after the purchase. Tom tells him that he is ready to do any work for whoever controls him, satisfying Mattsson, who is actually looking for a puppet in the form of CEO. Greg overhears it and phones Kendall to tell him that Mattsson is betraying Shiv. Soon, Tom tells Shiv that Mattsson has planned him to be the new CEO. He beats up Greg for telling on him. When Shiv is faced with the news, she is furious and sides with her brothers. After some discourse, the siblings agree to vote as a bloc against the deal and make Kendall CEO.
At the shareholder vote, there is a tie and Shiv's vote becomes the deciding factor. At the last minute, she leaves the room and admits that she has changed her mind. Kendall claims the position as his birthright as the "eldest boy", to which Shiv sneers and says that he cannot have it as he is responsible for a death. In desperation, Kendall acts violently toward Roman, cementing Shiv's decision. The company is sold to Gojo and Tom becomes CEO. He forgives Greg by marking him with a sticker. Roman signs the purchase and leaves in humiliation, while Shiv watches on melancholically. Tom invites Shiv for a ride back home. He offers her his hand and she emotionlessly holds it, now a subordinate in the relationship she used to control. Alone and defeated, Kendall walks in Battery Park with Colin following him.
Hiam Abbass as Marcia Roy (seasons 1–2 and 4;[a] recurring season 3): Logan's third and current wife. Born and raised in Beirut, she is often at odds with Logan's mistrustful children. She has a son, Amir, from her first marriage and a daughter from a previous relationship.
Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch: the bumbling yet opportunistic grandson of Logan's brother Ewan. Greg is unfamiliar with the rough terrain he must navigate to win Logan over, and finds himself indentured to Tom Wambsgans in his quest for a place at Waystar.
Brian Cox as Logan Roy: the Dundee-born billionaire, born into poverty before establishing the media and entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. He is a brash leader whose primary focus is his company, rather than his four children: Connor from his first marriage and Kendall, Roman, and Siobhan from his second marriage. He is married to Marcia, his third wife.
Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy: half-brother to Connor and the middle child from Logan's second marriage. Roman is immature, does not take responsibilities seriously and often finds himself lacking the common sense his father requires of him. He is frequently at odds with his older brother Kendall and sometimes his sister Shiv, with whom he often vies for power and their father's attention.
Peter Friedman as Frank Vernon: COO and later vice-chairman of Waystar RoyCo, and longtime confidant of Logan. Frank is a member of Logan's old guard, on whom Kendall frequently relies to help win back Logan's favor. He is Kendall's mentor and godfather, and is disliked by Roman.
Natalie Gold as Rava Roy (season 1; recurring seasons 3–4): Kendall's former wife and mother of their two children.
Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans: Shiv's fiancé and then her husband. Tom is a Waystar executive who is promoted from head of the amusement park and cruise division to running ATN, the company's global news outlet. He enjoys his proximity to the Roy family's power, but is frequently dismissed by the family's inner circle. He ingratiates himself with those more powerful than he, but torments his hapless subordinate Greg.
Alan Ruck as Connor Roy: the only child from Logan's first marriage. Mostly removed from corporate affairs, he defers to his half-siblings on most firm-related matters and resides at a ranch in New Mexico with his younger girlfriend Willa. He is prone to delusions of grandeur and "had an interest in politics from a young age." Similar to his half-siblings, Connor does not have the best recollections of his childhood, as he mentioned that he went three years without seeing Logan when he was a child.
Sarah Snook as Siobhan "Shiv" Roy: Logan's youngest child and only daughter. A left-leaning political fixer, she worked for a time for presidential candidate Gil Eavis, whose political views clash with Waystar. She eventually leaves politics to focus on building a future at Waystar. She is engaged to and then marries Tom, but their relationship is undermined by Shiv's infidelity.
Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy: the younger half-brother of Connor and the eldest child from Logan's second marriage. As Logan's heir apparent, Kendall struggles to prove his worth to his father after botching major deals and battling substance abuse. He toils to maintain a relationship with his siblings, as well as his ex-wife Rava and their children.
Rob Yang as Lawrence Yee (seasons 1–2): the founder of media website Vaulter that is acquired by Waystar RoyCo. He holds great contempt for Waystar and particularly Kendall, with whom he is often at odds.
Dagmara Domińczyk as Karolina Novotney (seasons 2–4; recurring season 1): the head of public relations for Waystar RoyCo and a member of the company's legal team.
Arian Moayed as Stewy Hosseini (seasons 2 and 4;[a] recurring seasons 1 and 3): Kendall's friend from the Buckley School and Harvard who is now a private equity investor with a seat on Waystar's board. He is covertly in partnership with Logan's rival Sandy Furness.
J. Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman (seasons 2–4; recurring season 1): the general counsel to Waystar RoyCo, who is also godmother to Shiv. She becomes a mentor figure to Roman, with whom she also shares a secret sexual connection.
Justine Lupe as Willa Ferreyra (seasons 3–4; recurring seasons 1–2): Connor's younger girlfriend, and later wife, who is a former call girl and an aspiring playwright.[13]
David Rasche as Karl Muller (seasons 3–4; recurring seasons 1–2): Waystar RoyCo's CFO and member of the company's legal team.[13]
Fisher Stevens as Hugo Baker (seasons 3–4; recurring season 2): a senior communications executive for Parks and Cruises in charge of managing a scandal involving Brightstar cruise lines.[13]
Alexander Skarsgård as Lukas Matsson (season 4;[a] recurring season 3): the Swedish CEO of streaming media giant GoJo who is looking to buy Waystar RoyCo.[14]
Showrunner Jesse Armstrong initially conceived the series as a feature film about the Murdoch family, but the script never went into production. Armstrong eventually expanded the scope of the story to include the larger landscape of Wall Street, which he felt better suited a television format. Armstrong wrote a new script centered on original characters loosely inspired by various powerful media families such as the Murdochs, the Redstones, the Maxwells, and the Sulzbergers.[19][20] On June 6, 2016, it was announced that HBO had given the production a pilot order. The episode was written by Armstrong and directed by Adam McKay. Executive producers for the pilot include Armstrong, McKay, Will Ferrell, Frank Rich, and Kevin Messick.[21][22][23] On May 16, 2017, it was announced that HBO had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. The previously announced creative team continued their involvement as the series entered into production.[b]
On April 26, 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere on June 3, 2018.[30] On June 11, 2018, HBO renewed the series for a second season.[31] On May 23, 2019, it was announced that the second season would premiere on August 11, 2019.[32] On August 20, 2019, HBO renewed the series for a third season.[33] On March 28, 2020, HBO announced the third season's production was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[34] The third season premiered on October 17, 2021.[35] In June 2021, executive producer Georgia Pritchett commented that the series would not go beyond five seasons, and possibly would end after season four.[36] On October 26, 2021, HBO renewed the series for a fourth season which premiered on March 26, 2023.[37] In an interview with The New Yorker in February 2023, Armstrong confirmed that the series would conclude with the fourth season. He stated that while the season was not initially pitched as the series' last, "the decision to end solidified through the writing and even when we started filming: I said to the cast, 'I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I think this is it.'"[38]
Michelle Matland served as costume designer for all four seasons, and primarily costumed the characters in variations in black, navy blue, and beige and avoided using primary colors.[50] The series' costuming aesthetic, using designer clothing with neutral colors and minimalist, logo-less designs, has been described as "stealth wealth" and "quiet luxury".[51]
The series was primarily filmed in Manhattan, and shot on 35 mm film.[52] The series is distinct for its predominantly handheld cinematography, which was inspired by the Dogme 95 movement and intended to embody the style of mockumentaries.[53] Cinematographer Patrick Capone characterized the series' camerawork as "voyeuristic" and "non-cinema[tic]", relying on natural light, close coverage and frequent zooms to evoke the feeling of "eavesdropping" upon the characters and their environments.[54]
Director Adam McKay filmed the pilot in late 2016,[55] while principal photography for the rest of the first season of the series began in October 2017.[56] Key locations included the American Irish Historical Society on Fifth Avenue as the location for Logan's apartment, 714 Broadway as the location of Shiv's season 1 apartment, and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport on the East River for scenes of the Roys departing on their helicopters. For scenes depicting the interiors of the Waystar RoyCo offices, the crew uses towers 4 and 7 of the World Trade Center, while 28 Liberty Street is used for exterior shots. Silvercup Studios in Queens houses many of the sets used for the series.[57]
For season 2, scenes were filmed on location in Dundee, as well as surrounding areas in Scotland.
The second season saw a significant increase in location shifts. The opening scenes of the season premiere were shot on location in Iceland,[65] while Henry Ford II's 1960 estate in the Hamptons was used as the Roys' summer home.[66]Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York, stood in for the Roys' hunting lodge in Hungary for the episode "Hunting".[67] Filming also took place on Long Island, with a mansion once belonging to Junius Spencer Morgan featuring prominently in the episode "Tern Haven".[68] The estate is one of several in the area used as filming locations for the second season.[66] From April through May 2019, the production recruited extras for filming in Lake Placid, and Lake George, New York, where the episode "Argestes" was shot.[69] Production moved to Cox’s hometown of Dundee for the eighth episode, with additional filming taking place in Glasgow and Ayr for the preceding episode (which takes place in England).[70] Starting from July 17, 2019, the crew filmed in Korčula, Croatia, for the second-season finale episode "This Is Not for Tears", including extensive scenes on a yacht.[71][72]
Production on the ten-episode fourth season began in New York City on June 27, 2022, with Mark Mylod directing the first episode.[82] In October 2022, it was confirmed that filming occurred in western Norway, including locations such as the Atlantic Ocean Road, Romsdalen Gondola, Eggen Restaurant, and Juvet Landscape Hotel, as part of a storyline involving Skarsgård's character.[83] The series also filmed in Los Angeles and Barbados for the fourth season.[84][85]
On November 17, 2017, it was reported that Nicholas Britell would serve as the series' composer.[86] The score is considered as a combination of "hip hop and classical music"[87] and along with the main title theme, it received critical acclaim and several accolades.
Release and reception
On April 27, 2018, the series held its official world premiere during the Series Mania Festival in Lille, France, in which the pilot episode was screened.[88] On May 22, 2018, the series held its official US premiere at the Time Warner Center in New York City.[89] All four seasons aired on Sky Atlantic in the UK.[90]
HBO released the first season on DVD on August 6, 2018, which included special features;[91] a Blu-ray release was made available on November 6 of the same year.[92][93] Subsequent seasons were released on DVD; season 2 on September 15, 2020,[94] season 3 on May 17, 2022,[95] and season 4 and the complete series on September 12, 2023.[96][97] The complete series was released on Blu-ray on August 27, 2024.[98]
The first season was met with positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds an approval rating of 89% with an average rating of 7.9/10, based on 89 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Peppering its pathos with acid wit, Succession is a divine comedy of absolute power and dysfunction – brought to vivid life by a ferocious ensemble."[99] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 70 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[100]
The second season received widespread critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 97% rating with an average rating of 8.9/10, based on 238 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Succession returns in darkly funny form, with sharp writing, exceptional performances, and a surprising new level of sympathy for some of television's least likable characters."[101] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[102]
The third season received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 97% approval rating with an average rating of 9.3/10, based on 146 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Fans already buying what Succession is selling will be pleasantly surprised to find its third season in crackling form – even if it gets a little too real from time to time."[103] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 92 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[104]
The fourth and final season has been met with widespread critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds an approval rating of 97% with an average rating of 9.2/10, based on 324 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "As compulsively watchable as ever, Succession's final season concludes the saga of the backbiting Roy family on a typically brilliant – and colorfully profane – high note."[105] On Metacritic, the season has received a weighted average score of 92 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[106]
Reaction from Murdoch family
Executive producer Frank Rich told Town & Country in 2019 that he heard from Murdoch insiders that members of the family found the show to be "interesting" and even "amusing".[120]Rupert Murdoch responded to an e-mail sent by a Semafor reporter that he had never seen the show.[121] Furthermore, Vanity Fair reported that as part of the settlement for her divorce from Murdoch, Jerry Hall was barred from contacting Succession producers with ideas for storylines.[122]
According to a December 2024 Nevada commissioner's report for the state's probate court in the disputed succession of Rupert Murdoch, the depiction of the chaotic aftermath of Logan Roy's death in "Connor's Wedding" in April 2023 prompted Murdoch's children to discuss their own public relations strategy for their father's death. Ultimately the discussions led to Elisabeth Murdoch's trust representative drafting a memorandum to create a plan to avoid a similar scenario from occurring in real life.[123] The commissioner's report also criticized one of Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch's trust representatives for lacking knowledge about the family and conducting research through watching Succession.[124]
Ratings
The series premiere drew 582,000 live viewers, down from the 1.39million viewers that watched its lead-in, Westworld.[125] The second season finale drew 1.1million viewers across all viewing platforms.[126] The third season premiered to 1.4 million viewers across various platforms and ended with 1.7 million viewers across all viewing platforms, a record high for the show.[127][128] The series finale drew 2.9 million viewers, making it the highest watched episode of the show. This was a 68% increase from the 1.7 million viewers for the third-season finale.[129]
Its fourth and final season received a leading 27 nominations with six wins at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards: including Outstanding Drama Series; Culkin for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series; Snook for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series; Macfadyen for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series; and Armstrong and Mark Mylod for Outstanding Writing and Directing for a Drama Series, respectively, for the episode "Connor's Wedding".[138] Nominations included Cox and Strong for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series; Braun, Alan Ruck, and Skarsgård for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series; Smith-Cameron for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series; and Cromwell, Moayed, Abbass, Jones, and Walter all received guest acting nominations. It also received two nominations for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (for the episodes "Living+" and "America Decides").[139]
Podcast
In July 2020, HBO launched a companion podcast, HBO's Succession Podcast. The first season featured British-American broadcaster, podcaster, and filmmaker Roger Bennett interviewing members of the cast over eight episodes.[140] The second season featured American journalist Kara Swisher discussing with guests how season three plot points tied to real world events.[141] A third season of the podcast continued the same format to examine the fourth and final season of the series, with Swisher reprising hosting duties.[142]
↑Fienberg, Daniel (May 29, 2018). "'Succession': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
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