(Without spoilers)
Lust. Power. Dark Humor. Trust Issues. Daddy Issues. Sarcasm. Family Traits. Indulgence. Sibling Rivalry. Money.
Ten words that describe why Succession, the Emmy-winning drama from HBO, is what everybody is talking about.
The Roy family, one of the wealthiest families in New York (and the United States), owns a huge media and entertainment company.
Logan Roy, played by Brian Cox, is the CEO as well as the head of the family. He has four children: Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Siobhan (Sarah Snook), the only daughter better known as Shiv.
Logan is getting closer to retirement every day. He knows he will need to pass the company to his children, but only one can be upfront and manage it all.
The future is uncertain, and the company’s succession plan tumbles and cannot be solidified due to the quarrel and nonconformity of the whole family and the shareholders that feel uneasy with the changes occurring.
Most scenes are filmed with a handheld camera. It is dark and fast-paced. The dark humor, sarcasm, and strong vocabulary and dialogue make it seem like a combination of Game of Thrones, the West Wing, and Suits, and sometimes it is quirky and funny, like The Office.
This show has characters from three generations: Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials, all trying to win a spot in their family’s business.
Viewers of all ages get engaged, though it is not recommended for youngsters due to the explicit language and adult themes.
Succession takes place in Manhattan in skyscrapers with corner offices and views of the city. It takes you to every level of emotion, ranging from surprise to unpleasantness. Misogyny, betrayal, ex-wives, and affairs form an amazing smorgasbord of thematic plots.
The fear of letting go of power has Logan Roy performing desperate measures putting the business at risk.
The children must play by Logan’s rules as if the succession process was a chess game between four players. This successful show is based on the Murdoch family, the real life of mogul Rubert Murdoch, and a story similar to the show’s plot. Although Jessie Armstrong, the creator of Succession, used fictional plot twists to make the story more enticing to all.
Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers find something worth watching in Succession. Whether it is sarcastic snaps, business liaisons, the power of money, or the real life of billionaires in the city that never sleeps, this show is going strong into its fourth season, and every episode is better than the previous one.
It is a show worth watching, but do not binge it in one weekend. This show needs to be enjoyed slowly to really feel how a family must stay strong even though everyone is fighting for the same thing: to follow up and succeed.
