Succession season 4 episode 1 review and recap: Logan's worthy adversary(s)
It doesn't seem that long ago that Logan Roy (Brian Cox) decided to turn Succession upside down with a shrewd betrayal taking down his own children. After such breathtaking drama in the finale of season 2, the show has finally returned with its final season, continuing the story of the Roy siblings following the betrayal from their father.
The first episode of the final season of Succession premiered on March 26, 2023, and gave viewers a glimpse at the aftermath of the huge events of season 2's finale.
Apart from the lingering tension and the recently separated family, this episode also delivered another very odd birthday party, something that Succession seems to have mastered.
This latest episode is titled The Munsters and it is available for streaming on HBO Max.
Disclaimer: Major spoilers ahead.
Succession season 4 episode 1 review and recap: The siblings are back in action
Succession season 4 kicks off with another birthday party, Logan's 80th. Most would remember the huge travesty that was Kendall's (Jeremy Strong) birthday party, which was an absolutely stunning commentary on rich whims. This time, though, Logan's birthday party is geared at conveying something else entirely - loneliness.
After burning the bridge with Marcia (Hiam Abbass), who is now permanently shopping in Milan, and taking his three children out of the competition, Logan is both at his strongest and weakest in this episode. On one hand, he seems to have secured the future of Waystar, he has beaten his biggest nemesis (his children), and he is very close to getting his hands on Pierce Global Media, something that has been on the books for ages.
But the question that the premiere episode keeps asking in one form or another is "at what cost?" This seems to be Logan's struggle as well. With beautiful shots of empty rooms, slow-panning cameras, and a score to remind us how Logan has achieved everything he wanted, this is perhaps the peak of Succession's dramatic endeavors.
However, Kendall, Roman, and Shiv (Sarah Snook) were not among the people who would step down and accept defeat. That's where we get to see one of the rarest scenes in the show's history: Roman actually working. It turns out that the siblings have not been sitting idle over the past three months. Instead, they have ventured out to do something commendably brave.
The siblings have managed to open a new media company named the Hundred, an apparently revolutionary company that would reinvent the way news is delivered to the masses. Shiv does not shy away from calling it "bullsh*t" later in the day, but anyhow, this seems to be the only response left with the three siblings.
It is noteworthy how well Kendall and Roman are seen working together. This is perhaps the effect of being separated from Logan, who somehow managed to bring the worst out of everyone around him. However, the siblings' intensive history of competition and hatred against each other, a lot of it created by Logan Roy, may yet lead to another breaking point.
It is clear that Logan now has a nemesis that he can't take lightly, but he is also at the top of the mountain at the moment.
The start of Succession season 4 was brisk and different. It will take some time to get into the plot completely. But for now, the series continues to deliver like it has delivered so many times in the past.
Succession is streaming on HBO Max.
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Upasya Bhowal