Succession Season 4, Episode 4: Power Rankings

Who won big this week? Hint: it wasn’t Kerry.

Logan is burning in hell gone, and the mad dash for power (siblings vs. the old guard) and inheritance (Marcia vs. Kerry…as if it’s even a contest) begins. Elsewhere, Con makes real estate moves, Willa absolutely bodies Marcia, and Matsson lets the Roy siblings know that he does not give a crap about their dead father (we get it, you’re NORDIC).  Aside from that bitchy phone call, the smarmy Swede takes a bit of a backseat this week, so it’ll be interesting to see how the power shakeup affects the Gojo deal going forward.

#8: Tom

• There is little guessing in this episode with regard to Tom’s position. The old guard told him to fuck off, Shiv told him to fuck off, and Kendall told him to fuck off. There’s a lot of fucking happening and none of it is pleasant. 

• It’s kind of hilarious how, in the wake of losing his protector, Tom reverts to some Greg-like survival mechanisms in terms of kissing ass and generally putting on this bumbling, goofy affectation (“I’m here to serve!”). 

• Tom tries to win some points with the old guard by calling the kids “dipshits” but is immediately undercut by Karl using a much more diplomatic “constitutionally not equipped” turn of phrase, thereby also showing Tom his rightful place in the backseat. As you might have noticed, the ability to use pejoratives is a power-meter on Succession. 

• Of course, Tom’s recollection of his and Shiv’s first intimate moments makes sense for what we know about their relationship: he mailed her handwritten notes, he flew to her, he was desperate to please (“do you like this?”) and so on and so forth. This is funny in retrospect because it’s hard to imagine Shiv not HATING the handwritten notes. 

• Honestly, props to Tom for hearing Shiv say that “she’s the only one who lost something here” and not saying a word; meanwhile his entire future is in jeopardy. 

#7: Greg

• Greg’s gradual transformation from humble country boy to sycophantic interloper (“What am I gonna do with a soul anyway?”) is on full-display here, what with his cozying up to Marcia and faux-innocuously throwing his name in the ring for CEO.

• Greg’s “SO distasteful” about Kerry’s presence at the apartment was insane and hilarious — certainly looks like he ended up on top in their little war.

• Whereas the tide seems to be actively turned against Tom, things are looking semi-alright for Greg because he’s not perceived as a big enough player for someone to try to take him down – no one hates him, but no one thinks about him either. 

#6: Shiv

• Ohhh it’s not good to be Siobhan. Divorce. Incompetency allegations. Brothers squeezing you out of every deal. Taking tumbles and whatnot…

• Obviously we’re all in agreement that Shiv is about to get screwed left, right, and center by the Kendall-Rome CEO team. Or she will be paraded out to read PR statements and make the company line look softer. 

• At the same time, Succession has a history of flipping the script, and I’m interested in seeing what course of action Shiv will pursue now that she’s backed into a corner and clearly ended the episode on a desperate, frustrated note. The Matsson deal is still up in the air…

• I’m not crazy about the fact that we learn about Shiv’s pregnancy and then ten seconds later she falls down the stairs (well, stair).

• It’s really sad to see her continuously be unable to maintain even a veneer of being calm and collected. Par exemple, she freaks out over Ken being named the successor in front of the old guard, immediately showing that the sibling trio is ready to crumble under an ounce of pressure. Why not show a united front and discuss privately?
  Shiv thinks that the only reason she ever gets fucked over is that she is a woman: 

Kendall: “It needs to look fucking dry and clean and tough.
Shiv: “And I don’t? Yeah? I look too teary eyes and mascara streaked, and like I might fucking faint?” 

• ^No Shiv, you’re certainly not teary-eyed, just very transparent. 

#5: Connor/Willa

• As usual, while the other three siblings get bogged down fighting over who’s taking over the company, Connor has bigger (more decadent, pre-war) fish to fry. Secure the apartment Con!

• Con is honestly not too unaware of money. Note the little line about not paying realtor fees, which would be a very real sum in his case. 

• While it’s nice to see Connor making real estate moves, all of this pales in comparison to the singular moment of devastation that Willa delivered unto Marcia: