I haven't been able to watch TV as much lately, but I'm back and I'm ready to finally review the final season of Succession. If you've seen my past reviews, you'll know that I'm not the biggest fan of this show. I think it's good and more than competent on pretty much every level, but it's just too repetitive. Season 3 in particular felt like it kept hinted at the illusion of change without doing anything to actually change. But now we're at the final season, and if there's any time to shake things up, it's now. And boy, does Season 4 of Succession shake things up.
Season 4 of Succession starts right where the previous season ended off, with Kendall, Shiv, and Roman Roy forming a united front against their father Logan. The first two episodes are about what you'd expect, with the three siblings repeatedly facing off against their father. It's pretty much standard Successon fare, solid, but not particularly memorable. But then the third episode happens, and Logan dies. I remember the night that episode aired and just how shocked everyone was, this was a massive plot twist. We all thought Logan would either pick someone to take his place or be forced to step down, and if he did die, it'd be near the end of the season if not the finale. But with eight episodes remaining, the one question on everyone's mind was: Where would the series go from here?
Well, the answer to that question would be: Some of the best material in the entire show. For starters, Logan's death ironically breathes new life into a series that I had previously found repetitive. With Logan gone, there is now a deadline. Someone has to take his position because Waystar Royco can't stay without a CEO for long. It's also a concept rich with dramatic potential. The Roy siblings are already messed up from lifetimes of abuse, so forcing them to grapple with their feelings towards their father post his death is simply really compelling television. And on top of all that, there's the looming buyout from Matsson which the siblings are incredibly conflicted towards. Matsson himself is a great new antagonist, he's absolutely despicable and revels in it, a joy to watch in all of his appearances throughout the season. What really solidifies Season 4 as the high point of the season for me, though, are the final three episodes which take the three Roy siblings and systematically takes everything from them piece by piece. Episode 8 focuses on Shiv's downfall (along with one of the worst things the siblings has ever done), Episode 9 focuses on Roman's downfall, and the finale gives the dealing blow to Kendall. It's an intense, crushing, and satisfying final streak that ends the series on a really high note.
Highlights:
Connor's Wedding: What can I really say about this episode that hasn't already been said? Logan's death was a massive plot twist that shook up the show for the better, and this episode in particular did a great job dealing with the sibling's complex grief. Better episode than anything from the first three seasons and we haven't even gotten started yet.
America Decides: The last three episodes in this season are all amazing, but America Decides in particular pretty much sickened me. Taking place during an election, America Decides is the most political episode of Succession, showing how the fate of who becomes president is less up to the voters and more up to the few volatile rich people in power, and it just so happens that things are really starting to come to roost for those few volatile rich people. The Roys putting a literal Nazi in power is absolutely one of the worst things they've done in the show, and a grim reminder that as bad as you may feel for them after Logan's death, they're still horrible people. This episode also just has so many amazing individual moments. Tom asking Shiv if her pregnancy is just another trick, Connor's hilarious "the conheads are coming" speech, and of course, Kendall learning Shiv is working with Matsson and voting for the aforementioned Nazi out of spite. Amazing episode, and absolutely deserved of being called the most "shocking episode of the season" by the showrunner.
Church And State: While definitely the weakest of this finale trio, Church And State is still a stellar penultimate episode in a number of ways. It tackles the fallout of the events of America Decides and shows Roman getting some sort of comeuppance, and it shows Logan's funeral and the incredibly varied eulogies that the siblings deliver.
With Open Eyes: And finally, With Open Eyes was an absolutely stellar finale that manages to encapsulate the entire series in less than 90 minutes. None of the siblings become CEO of Waystar Royco, instead Tom does, and even he's still being held under a tight leash. Kendall, Shiv, and Roman can't be CEO because when their last chance is to form a united front, they still can't resist the urge to backstab and turn against each other. Even if it seems like they settled on Kendall being CEO, Shiv and Roman just can't bring themselves to actually go through with it because it's not in their nature. It's a vicious cycle of betrayal, and with this finale, it finally bites the Roys in the ass. Perfect ending.
Ugh, fine, this season was really good. I never really got Succession, and honestly I still don't think that's the case, but I can't deny that it stuck the landing hard. It makes sense, though. My biggest issue with the show was that it felt like it kept treading water, so it's only natural that the final season, where everything finally comes to a close, would be the best season of the show. It's simply a great payoff.
5/5 Stars
Here's my ranking of the seasons of Succession:
4 > 2 > 3 > 1
Here's my ranking of the Succession finales:
4 > 2 > 3 > 1
Favorite Episode: America Decides
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