Succession #2 HBO

[rosebud07]

wow, what an ending. what a show.

Spoiler: spoiler for finale

that was truly a bitter-sweet finale, very fitting. if you have been carefully watching the past 4 seasons it is crystal clear that none of the kids should become CEO. they are all duck-ups, every one in their own tragic way.
Kendall is definitely the most tragic. I wrote here once that all his highs were followed by incredible lows. it was sooo obvious that he wouldn't win. I'm only surprised that Stewy had not betrayed Kendall one last time, voting for the deal. Kendall would NOT be a good CEO, he is impulsive, he gets in his own way, he is not qualified, and he would run the company into the ground. if the media discovered that Living+ numbers were taken out of his @ss that would be the end of his reign. a part of me wishes that there would be season 5 with this exact storyline.
I actually think Shiv's decision is for the best for all the siblings. it will do them best to free themselves from their father's legacy, they would never do that if Waystar Royco stayed within the family.

 

[caremum]

I don't know if what Shiv did could be made out as noble or thinking on a higher plane. Jealousy pure and simple.

 

[Walkthehemline]

I have been reflecting on The Shiv Decision and I think it might have been the only time she was “right” to go with her gut feeling.

It’s a crappy thing to pull on Kendall at the eleventh hour but they’re crappy people after all. I think Shiv spent a long time trying to be taken seriously in the Waystar world and only ever ended up disappointed. Her father, brother, ally (Matsson) and husband all betrayed her. Maybe she could see this nauseating cycle starting up again of Ken being totally unbearable and reckless and realised at last there was nothing for her to gain from backing him. It’s selfish and jealous for sure, but also cycle breaking for the siblings.

Plus she already made it clear that she wants Tom back and they are pretty much on their last legs anyway. The only way she’d be able to give their relationship a chance is by making sure he could realise his ambitions for change.

 

[Stillwater]

The sibling fight in the side room off from the Board was It - spoilt, horrible children squabbling. Just brilliantly done.

I thought Rome looked rather wistful over his martini - maybe just pleased Kendall didn’t get it?

Shiv and Tom in the car at the end is very intriguing- both looking miserable as sin. She’s ended up being the CEO’s wife! Is she just keeping her hand in or so broken by this point she can’t even walk away from that toxicity.

In the Board meetingat the start when Hugo was summarising, Shiv didn’t even get a name check - just the co CEOs. The camera really focussed on her face. - I think it was that moment (along with being right about much else about him).

 

[Silverback]

Roman clearly wasn’t wanting to vote no at the board meeting either. He hesitated. Guess they both had a change of heart.

I suspect it was sibling rivalry that ultimately made Shiv change her vote. She couldn’t stomach Kendall being the boss. Hence why when challenged over it in the side room she started throwing out random reasons like ‘you killed someone’ (which obviously is a fair point, but was spat out in anger and had never come up before).

They are all best off out of it. It was draining the life out of all of them and none of them were suited to the task.

 

[LittleMissOnions]

Can so see there being a pre-quel, seeing Logan and Ewan coming over, the drama with Connor’s mum and the loony cake, how Logan met Lady C and then shafted her with ‘her Kerry’ while building up the biggest company on the planet, with all the glamour of 80s Wall St thrown in too, bring on those shoulder pads.

 

[Sheeeet]

Just finished rewatching and Ken really just went full Logan nut-nut as soon as he got into the office. That 'hug' with Roman on second look was specifically to burst his stitches. I think Rome's hesitation at giving his vote was the thing that gave Shiv pause. They both looked very uncomfortable when Ken sat in Logan's chair and the gaslighting about the waiter's death was the cherry on the cake. Ken tried to verbally bully them both but lacked the force and fear Logan would have instilled and had to resort to a tantrum and then physical assault.

If that were my brother, there's no way I'd be voting for him at that stage and even Rome had fully changed his mind by then, so I don't get the disdain for Shiv changing her mind.

Great episode. Also face eggs.

 

[Ablemabel]

Just finished rewatching and Ken really just went full Logan nut-nut as soon as he got into the office. That 'hug' with Roman on second look was specifically to burst his stitches. I think Rome's hesitation at giving his vote was the thing that gave Shiv pause. They both looked very uncomfortable when Ken sat in Logan's chair and the gaslighting about the waiter's death was the cherry on the cake. Ken tried to verbally bully them both but lacked the force and fear Logan would have instilled and had to resort to a tantrum and then physical assault.

If that were my brother, there's no way I'd be voting for him at that stage and even Rome had fully changed his mind by then, so I don't get the disdain for Shiv changing her mind.

Great episode. Also face eggs.

That bit was so grim.

Such a clever show that can make you empathise with someone one minute and have your stomach turned by them the next.

Roman 🥹

 

[laughing]

I found it boring!

 

[bubbadabut]

Random observations now the dust has settled.

I'm a bit sad that Geri didn't get a line in the final show. She deserved that at least.

Loved Kerry and Co being referred to as "secondary mourners" or however Connor put it.

Willa's face when confronted with the fact that Connor might not be going to Slovenia after all

So was Kenny firing blanks then? You can bet your bottom dollar that Logan would have been keen for him to produce an heir. I think he references that in the first series. Rava can obviously carry a child so...

It does explain Logan's ambivalence to Kendall's kids. I doubt he would've casually suggested poisoning his own blood grandchild.

I thought Alexander Skarsgaard played the Mattson character so well. I can't resist a weird yet creepy yet strangely sexy and probably high‐functioning autistic spectrum, extremely striking Viking.

Makes me sad I won't hear the theme tune on a regular basis again. I feel like walking round my crappy town with it playing on a pair of massive headphones, feeling like a boss.

 

[Smca53]

That 'hug' with Roman on second look was specifically to burst his stitches.

Oh wow I missed that

 

[LaBlonde]

shiv is going to become her mother - completely distant and the cold “wife of the ceo”.

i think we knew that it wasn’t going to be one of the kids and for roman and shiv, that’s probably for the “best”, but i feel it will destroy kendall mentally. everything that he’s convinced himself he was destined for, gone. jeremy strong also heavily hinted that, while we won’t see it, this is probably it for him.




also sarah snook and alexander skarsgard have wild on screen chemistry, get them in something where they can play a couple please.
---

Spoiler

Shiv became her mother, Kendall is alone (and even tho all season I’ve denied that he would kill himself it’s kind of canon in my mind that he did), and Roman was free. Connor was the real winner

absolutely this

 

[ButtonDownTheHutches]

I’m still processing (soooooo much to process)

But seriously, Mattson - what the duck was that hideous cardigan?!

 

[Silverback]

shiv is going to become her mother - completely distant and the cold “wife of the ceo”.

i think we knew that it wasn’t going to be one of the kids and for roman and shiv, that’s probably for the “best”, but i feel it will destroy kendall mentally. everything that he’s convinced himself he was destined for, gone. jeremy strong also heavily hinted that, while we won’t see it, this is probably it for him.




also sarah snook and alexander skarsgard have wild on screen chemistry, get them in something where they can play a couple please.
---


absolutely this

Someone on Reddit saw him filming the scene where he went to chuck himself in the water and revealed it months back! I thought it was nonsense but it seems not.

 

[capriallie]

Spoiler

Thought the ending perfectly encapsulated the show. Was never going to end well for Kendall was it. Found most the final season a bit dry apart from the plane episode with Logan and the final one which were both perfect television. When that music played at the end with Kendall stood by the water- sublime. Brilliant show.

Also I fancy Stewy so much

 

[sylviepie]

I'm a bit sad that Geri didn't get a line in the final show. She deserved that at least.

She got her limerick in
---

Not mad keen on Shiv but I don’t blame her - toxic male ego’s insisting that it should be them.

To be fair, Shiv insisted it should be her as well.

Tom holding out his hand and waiting without even looking at her made me think the power could have permanently shifted. Shiv looked crushed, not as if she was planning on getting her own way eventually.

The Tomlette made with a few broken Gregs continues.

I wondered if Kendall broke Roman's stitches as a kindness (just a little bit). He could see he was wavering after seeing his face looked fairly healed, and wanted to take the decision away from him.

Shiv switching her loyalties so quickly said to me she was unsuitable to be in charge. It's one thing to make business decisions that have to be done, but she'd have no allies.

 

[chocolatepeaches]

To people who say Connor was the real winner, is he though?

Yes, he got Logan's house and his medals but he's doing a long distance marriage with Willa while she's working on her play (I feel like she's avoiding being just a trophy wife).

Spoiler: Finale Thoughts

The real winner is Marcia. She was able to make $63 million on the sale of the house that she sold to Connor, didn't have to bid/auction or collect any belongings, I am sure as the former lady of the manor, she was able to collect some expensive stuff and destroy things that could have vindicated Kerry. I didn't spot Marcia in the finale but before and during the funeral, she walked and talked with her head held high.

Team Sandi and Sandy + Stewie were going to win no matter the board's outcome. Also, nice way to reveal Stewie is actually gay/bisexual with Kendall revealing he likes his cock sucked and sucks cock on molly.

I never, ever believed Shiv would support Kendall. She lived up to her namesake. She had her knives out for him since she lost her Daddy's approval in Season 2 and in Season 4, she was definitely annoyed that Kendall was in the will (crossed out or not). Shiv bringing up the fact that Kendall killed someone was just nasty (her spitting into the drink was nasty too, ew). The biggest shock for me was finding out that Kendall is impotent and that Rava adopted Sophie and conceived Iverson through a sperm donor. That was so very unnecessary by Roman, I lost so much respect for him. As someone going through infertility, couples have so many ways to conceive and using a sperm donor or not, should not be an insult to either parent.

Jesse Armstrong in the making of the episode, did mention, he wanted Tom to be the successor all along. From Logan's trust in him with the UTI episode, Tom eating his chicken and Tom's betrayal of Shiv, he's the real successor or pain sponge, whatever you call it, although he's a cuck and a follower rather than a leader.

 

[FenellaTheWitch]

One of favourite bits was Lady Caroline saying 'blimey O'Riley'. Really took me by surprise. Also referring to Branston as 'war pickle'. So random.

 

[Pulltheotherone]

I loved that bit … Jesse Armstrong is British !

 

[Beverley Macker]

I read that Tom said he was bringing back Geri, did I miss that bit? Plus, Kendall isn’t impotent? We’ve seen him have sex with Rava, Naomi and the actress from Willis play? I assume he’s infertile though after what Roman said.