Television Succession

Someone mentioned it earlier and I think it's spot on, the writers really dont know what to do with greg now. That whole scene with him and the swedes could easily have been cut and wouldnt have changed anything.

I think it was valid. It balanced out his ‘Quad Squad’ nonsense with the kids. He knows he doesn’t fit in. He’s always looking to be part of something and have an actual adult validate him. Seeing him play both sides in one episode was great. He’s not trying to win. He just wants someone to value him.
 
It will have terrible replay value - as others have said the entertainment is purely not knowing what will happen. This isn't like Mad Men which often had good stories within a single episode.
I’ve watched it through a second time and it’s just as brilliant for two reasons:

1. The dialog. It’s brilliant and hilarious.
2. The acting is incredible at times.
 
Will be interesting to see if it has any replay value once it's done.
It's very good but will be hard to rate it top 5 or top 10 if I have no desire to watch it again.

Should also say… not everything needs to have replay value to be incredible. I’ve seen Goodfellas at least ten times but only watched The Godfather movies once apiece. Both great Cinema.
 
I'd put Mad Men firmly ahead of it, too. But you only have to think about Tom's and Shiv's interactions, to see the replay-value. There's a lot happening on a non-verbal or subtle level, aside from Greg most/all the characters have several facets to them. And I think you can probably watch this 10 times over and still not be entirely sure what went through Logan's mind at certain points, which makes all the little things in interactions with him all the more interesting.
 
I’ve also watched it twice and almost enjoyed it more the second time.
 
I'd put Mad Men firmly ahead of it, too. But you only have to think about Tom's and Shiv's interactions, to see the replay-value. There's a lot happening on a non-verbal or subtle level, aside from Greg most/all the characters have several facets to them. And I think you can probably watch this 10 times over and still not be entirely sure what went through Logan's mind at certain points, which makes all the little things in interactions with him all the more interesting.

“Uh-huh?”
 
Maybe the weakest episode of the season so far?
I enjoyed it. Shows how desperately these kids want to be like Logan and for Logan to appreciate them but ultimately they are simply nepo-babies. Kendall especially seems like a broken man who stepped into something way too big for his shoes (even he says so in the speech).
 
Interesting to see what the significance of the ending scene means. Almost like a baptism for Kendall and he’s washing away his sins.
 
Interesting to see what the significance of the ending scene means. Almost like a baptism for Kendall and he’s washing away his sins.

I took it as a nod to that floating in the pool scene from last season. Similar to how they showed him driving in to hip hop music on his first day as CO-CE-BRO was a nod to the first episode.

I'm not sure about Roman at the end - was he just annoyed that he chickened out and missed his chance to be part of the show? Or was this something more - e.g. the self flagellation with the doctored Logan clip.

And didn't Lukas give the brothers precisely what they wanted with the Tweet - proof of erratic behavior!?
 
I enjoyed it. Shows how desperately these kids want to be like Logan and for Logan to appreciate them but ultimately they are simply nepo-babies. Kendall especially seems like a broken man who stepped into something way too big for his shoes (even he says so in the speech).
Only Kendall wants to be like Logan. Roman is the one whose broken as he even admits it during the rant at Matsson, and Shiv is still reeling from her marriage and just wants the whole thing to be over. The whole thing seems set up for Ken to take the throne and ruthlessly screw over everyone in the end. Karl will be the one of the first lambs to be served.
 
I found Ken's part a bit baffling this episode - for the most part he seemed pretty manic, then, after Roman and Carl had approached him, he looked pretty dead inside and then the presentation seemed way too balanced and professional in comparison.
Also, while we didn't see him bring up the specifics of the cooked numbers, the fact that they played the doctored Logan clip means he went against Carl's warning, didn't it?
 
Definitely a bit of a weak episode in comparison to the rest of the season.

the writing with Kendell felt a bit all over the place or something.
 
I found Ken's part a bit baffling this episode - for the most part he seemed pretty manic, then, after Roman and Carl had approached him, he looked pretty dead inside and then the presentation seemed way too balanced and professional in comparison.
Also, while we didn't see him bring up the specifics of the cooked numbers, the fact that they played the doctored Logan clip means he went against Carl's warning, didn't it?
In my mind, yes. But I come at this from the angle of being a stock analyst. We listen to these sorts of presentations to pick up on anything that hints at the financial impacts, and we even read back the transcripts afterwards to make sure we caught every single item. If this were in the real world, analysts would pick up on that.

But from what I've seen on reddit, not everyone thought it meant that he had gone against Karl, and I understand that the show isn't written with realism from the perspective of a stock analyst in mind (if it were, the whole thing was still extremely unrealistic). So I think it sort of remains to be seen, and after the presentation Karl was all backslaps and compliments to Ken.
 
Roman is done. The firing of the movie exec and then firing the woman who he sent dick pics to, along with his bathroom wanking antics.

Roman #MeToo'd and public meltdown. Kendall fails. Shiv takes the reigns with Tom in tow and attempts to course correct things is how I think it finishes up.
 
Roman is done. The firing of the movie exec and then firing the woman who he sent dick pics to, along with his bathroom wanking antics.

Roman #MeToo'd and public meltdown. Kendall fails. Shiv takes the reigns with Tom in tow and attempts to course correct things is how I think it finishes up.
This show has always been the story of Kendall Roy. This will be a Godfather like ending with Kendall winning but at the cost of everything he holds dear. Tom is going to betray Shiv once more I feel and she will have a total breakdown.
 
I found Ken's part a bit baffling this episode - for the most part he seemed pretty manic, then, after Roman and Carl had approached him, he looked pretty dead inside and then the presentation seemed way too balanced and professional in comparison.
Also, while we didn't see him bring up the specifics of the cooked numbers, the fact that they played the doctored Logan clip means he went against Carl's warning, didn't it?
The way I read it- Kendall genuinely wanted Roman to support him in his vision but once Rom backed out he was hurt and that along with the conversation with Karl evoked a reaction within him and snapped him back to reality. And at the end he left Karl to dry by never mentioning any numbers but basically claiming all projections were overseen by Karl. Karl can't squeal immediately because the reaction to the presentation was so positive but once it becomes apparent it was all air talk, Karl will be the sacrificial lamb.
 
This show has always been the story of Kendall Roy. This will be a Godfather like ending with Kendall winning but at the cost of everything he holds dear. Tom is going to betray Shiv once more I feel and she will have a total breakdown.
But what does he hold dear? Winning and being on top is everything to him.

He had kids and an estranged wife but that's been quietly shelved for about 2 seasons now.
 
But what does he hold dear? Winning and being on top is everything to him.

He had kids and an estranged wife but that's been quietly shelved for about 2 seasons now.
His siblings. I can see him becoming like Logan at the end. At the top but totally alone. As you say kids are already out of the picture and pretty sure by the end the siblings will be gone as well.
 
It’s hard to believe any of the three would end up in a position to run Waystar by the end of it, because they are all so moronically stupid in their own way. Each has shown their brief moments of capability across the four seasons, as one should with all the exposure to big business and expensive grad schools they’ve had; but they are all just so painfully stupid. It’s hard to watch at times. It’s an utterly brilliant show, but such a hard watch for me, because I am completely reviled by most of the lead characters, and desperately want them to fail, but I can’t stop watching.

Logan was the biggest cnut of all, clearly, but he gets away with it because he was exceptionally successful and self made. His comments to his children at the karaoke bar - “you are not serious people” - really sums up the clusterfeck of delusion, entitlement, and incompetence that are his spawn.
 
Only Kendall wants to be like Logan. Roman is the one whose broken as he even admits it during the rant at Matsson, and Shiv is still reeling from her marriage and just wants the whole thing to be over. The whole thing seems set up for Ken to take the throne and ruthlessly screw over everyone in the end. Karl will be the one of the first lambs to be served.
Roman definitely wants to be like his dad, but he is not a delusional man like Kendall and probably knows he is not good enough for the role, which is why he keeps firing anyone doubting him. Shiv is probably the most like her dad in terms of personality. She is a complete narcissist, selfish and arrogant, but probably still the most clever out of the three and I think will end the show on a relatively positive note for her, at least compared to the other two main characters. Kendall might take the throne but will completely feck up any relationships he has with the family, ultimately leading to a miserable ending, showing how Logan basically set them all up for failure.

I am so excited for the ending, if they land it correctly it might be the best TV show of the past 10 years.
 
I thought it was good! Started a bit slow but built up and I think the twist was the presentation actually landed. I think Kendall is starting another manic depressive cycle.

Karl absolutely killing it again :lol:

A lot of shit is about to blow up in people’s faces I think.
 
Has the show actually told us that Ken is bad at the job - beyond his addiction?
 
Has the show actually told us that Ken is bad at the job - beyond his addiction?
Other than Vaulter he's not made any bad decisions. He's easily the most competent of the three. I really don't get why Shiv gets so much support. She constantly shows her brothers are right in not trusting her because she's always looking out only for herself and thinks she's smarter than she really is.

She has already been betrayed by Tom once and wouldn't surprise me if it happens again given the Nero/ pregnant wife story from last season.
 
Other than Vaulter he's not made any bad decisions. He's easily the most competent of the three. I really don't get why Shiv gets so much support. She constantly shows her brothers are right in not trusting her because she's always looking out only for herself and thinks she's smarter than she really is.

She has already been betrayed by Tom once and wouldn't surprise me if it happens again given the Nero/ pregnant wife story from last season.
She's extremely entitled. She thinks she deserves it all and should be top dog, without actually having the know how or qualifications for it. It's truly remarkable to see.