Succession is an American black comedy satirical drama television series created by Jesse Armstrong. It premiered on June 3, 2018, on HBO, and has been renewed for a third season. The series centers on the Roy family, the dysfunctional owners of Waystar RoyCo, a global media and hospitality empire, who are fighting for control of the company amid uncertainty about the health of the family’s patriarch, Logan Roy (Brian Cox).
Among the series ensemble cast are Jeremy Strong as Kendall, Kieran Culkin as Roman, and Sarah Snook as Siobhan, Logan’s children employed by the company. Matthew Macfadyen stars as Tom Wambsgans, Siobhan’s husband and Waystar executive; Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch, Logan’s grandnephew also employed by the company; Alan Ruck as Connor, Logan’s eldest child; and Hiam Abbass as Marcia Roy, Logan’s wife. The series also features Peter Friedman, Natalie Gold, and Rob Yang, with Dagmara Domińczyk, Arian Moayed, and J. Smith-Cameron in recurring roles, before they were promoted to the main cast.
Succession has received critical acclaim, particularly for its writing, acting, and production values. It received many awards and nominations, including the British Academy Television Award for Best International Programme, the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. Cox received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama while Strong won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Premise
Succession follows the Roy family, owners of media conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. The family patriarch, Logan Roy (Cox), has experienced a decline in health. His four children – removed oldest son Connor (Ruck), power-hungry Kendall (Strong), irreverent Roman (Culkin), and politically savvy Siobhan (Snook) – all with varying degrees of connection to the company, begin to prepare for a future without their father, and each begins vying for prominence within the company.
Cast and characters
Main
- Hiam Abbass as Marcia Roy, the third wife of Logan Roy. Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, she is often at odds with Logan’s children, whose trust she has yet to earn. She has a son, Amir, from her first marriage.
- Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch, the grandnephew of Logan Roy and grandson of Ewan Roy. Greg is unfamiliar with the rough terrain he must navigate to win over Logan, and finds himself indentured to Tom Wambsgans in his quest for an in at Waystar and with the family.
- Brian Cox as Logan Roy, the Dundee-born billionaire founder of media and entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. He is a brash leader whose primary focus is his company rather than his four children Connor, Kendall, Roman and Siobhan. He is married to Marcia, his third wife.
- Kieran Culkin as Romulus “Roman” Roy, the third and youngest son of Logan Roy, from his second marriage. Roman is immature, does not take responsibilities seriously, and often finds himself lacking the common sense his father requires of him. He is frequently at odds with his brother Kendall, with whom he is often vying for power and attention from their father.
- Peter Friedman as Frank Vernon, the COO of Waystar RoyCo and longtime confidant of Logan Roy. Frank is a member of Logan’s old guard on whom Kendall frequently relies to help win back Logan’s favor.
- Natalie Gold as Rava Roy (season 1), Kendall’s estranged wife with whom he has three children.
- Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans, Shiv’s husband and a Waystar executive who is promoted from heading the amusement park and cruise division to running ATN, the company’s global news outlet. He is a people-pleaser and enjoys his proximity to the Roy family’s power but is frequently dismissed by the Roys, and uses underlings like Greg to wield his power.
- Alan Ruck as Connor Roy, the eldest son of Logan Roy, from his first marriage. Connor is mostly removed from corporate affairs, residing at a ranch in New Mexico and deferring to his siblings on most firm-related matters. In season 2, he announces his bid for President of the United States.
- Sarah Snook as Siobhan “Shiv” Roy, the youngest child and only daughter of Logan Roy from his second marriage. She is a political fixer, working for a time for presidential candidate Gil Eavis, whose political views clash with Waystar. She is married to Tom Wambsgans.
- Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy, the second son of Logan Roy, from his second marriage. The presumed natural successor to Logan, he is struggling to prove his worth to his father amid bungling major deals and battling with substance abuse, as well as toiling to maintain a relationship with his estranged wife, Rava.
- Rob Yang as Lawrence Yee, the founder of media website Vaulter that is acquired by Waystar RoyCo.
- Dagmara Domińczyk as Karolina Novotney (season 2–present, recurring season 1), Head of PR for Waystar RoyCo and a member of Waystar RoyCo’s legal team.
- Arian Moayed as Stewy Hosseini (season 2–present, recurring season 1), an Iranian-American financier and friend of Kendall’s who becomes a member of Waystar RoyCo’s board.
- J. Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman (season 2–present, recurring season 1), general counsel to Waystar RoyCo who is also godmother to Siobhan and a mentor to Roman.
- Justine Lupe as Willa Ferreyra (season 3, recurring seasons 1–2), Connor Roy’s young girlfriend who aspires to be a playwright and is a former call girl.
- David Rasche as Karl Muller (season 3, recurring seasons 1–2), Waystar RoyCo’s chief financial officer and member of the company’s legal team.
- Fisher Stevens as Hugo Baker (season 3, recurring season 2), a senior communications executive in charge of managing a scandal involving Brightstar cruise lines.
Recurring
- Mary Birdsong as Marianne Hirsch (season 1), Logan’s niece and Greg’s mother.
- Molly Griggs as Grace (season 1), Roman’s ex-girlfriend.
- Scott Nicholson as Colin, Logan’s body man.
- Swayam Bhatia as Sophie Roy, Kendall’s daughter.
- Quentin Morales as Iverson Roy, Kendall’s son who is autistic.
- Judy Reyes as Eva (season 1), a member of Waystar RoyCo’s legal team and an executive producer at ATN, a news channel owned by Waystar RoyCo.
- Juliana Canfield as Jess Jordan, Kendall’s assistant.
- Jake Choi as Tatsuya (season 1), an associate of Lawrence.
- Larry Pine as Sandy Furness, the owner of a rival media conglomerate who is backing Stewy’s private-equity fund.
- Ashley Zukerman as Nate Sofrelli, a political strategist and former romantic partner of Shiv’s. He convinces her to work on the Eavis presidential campaign, reigniting their former affair.
- Mark Blum as Bill Lockhart, the retiring head of Waystar RoyCo’s Adventure Parks division.
- Eisa Davis as Joyce Miller (season 1), the former attorney general of New York elected to a seat in the United States Senate for whom Shiv serves as a political strategist.
- Peggy J. Scott as Jeane (season 1), Logan’s secretary.
- James Cromwell as Ewan Roy, Logan’s estranged older brother and Greg’s grandfather who resides in Canada. He personally despises Logan and his business empire, but stops short of actively working against his brother.
- Darius Homayoun as Amir (season 1), Marcia’s son who announces at Thanksgiving dinner that he has been hired to head Waystar RoyCo’s animation division in Europe.
- Eric Bogosian as Gil Eavis, a Democratic presidential candidate and United States Senator whom Nate introduces to Shiv. He is vocally opposed to Waystar RoyCo’s attempted takeover of local news networks and becomes a target of their cable news network ATN because of it.
- Caitlin FitzGerald as Tabitha, Roman’s girlfriend who had previously had a sexual encounter with Tom at his bachelor party.
- Harriet Walter as Caroline Collingwood, the second wife of Logan Roy, and mother to Kendall, Shiv, and Roman.
- Jack Gilpin as Mr. Wambsgans (season 1), Tom’s father.
- Kristin Griffith as Mrs. Wambsgans (season 1), Tom’s mother and a highly respected attorney in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.
- Danny Huston as Jamie Laird (season 2), a banker and financier who advises Logan during the proxy battle against Stewy and Sandy, as well as during his attempted acquisition of Pierce Global Media.
- Jeannie Berlin as Cyd Peach (season 2), head of ATN, who butts heads with Tom after his promotion.
- Jessica Hecht as Michelle Pantsil (season 2), a writer researching an unauthorized biography of Logan.
- Holly Hunter as Rhea Jarrell (season 2), the CEO of PGM who aligns herself with Logan during the attempted acquisition.
- Cherry Jones as Nan Pierce (season 2), the de facto head of the Pierce family and majority owner of PGM.
- Annabelle Dexter-Jones as Naomi Pierce (season 2), Nan Pierce’s cousin who suffers from substance abuse and falls for Kendall.
- Babak Tafti as Eduard Asgarov (season 2), an Azerbaijani billionaire pursued by Roman for his money and ties to the Azerbaijani sovereign wealth. Co-owns the Heart of Midlothian Football Club with Roman.
- Sanaa Lathan as Lisa Arthur (season 3), a high profile well-connected New York lawyer.
- Linda Emond as Michelle-Anne Vanderhoven (season 3), a senior White House aide.
- Jihae Kim as Berry Schneider (season 3), a leading public relations consultant.
- Hope Davis as Sandi Furness (season 3), Sandy’s daughter.
- Dasha Nekrasova (season 3)
Guest
- Parker Sawyers as Alessandro Daniels (“Celebration”), an executive of Waystar RoyCo present during the Vaulter acquisition meetings.
- Annika Boras as Anna Newman (“Sad Sack Wasp Trap”), an on-air personality at ATN, the news network owned by Waystar RoyCo, that Kendall takes to the family’s annual charity event, the Roy Endowment Creative New York (RECNY) ball.
- David Patrick Kelly as Paul Chambers (“Which Side Are You On?”), a member of Waystar RoyCo’s board that votes against a vote of no confidence in regards to Logan.
- Griffin Dunne as Dr. Alon Parfit (“Austerlitz”), a corporate therapist hired to work with the Roy family as Logan attempts to rehabilitate their public image.
- Jeremy Shamos as Mark Pierce (“Tern Haven”), a member of the Pierce family who is the recipient of two PhDs, and briefly comes at odds with Shiv.
- Mark Linn-Baker as Maxim Pierce (“Tern Haven”), a member of the Pierce family who works as a consultant at the Brookings Institution and holds Connor’s presidential ambitions in scorn.
- Nore Davis as Zell Simmons (“Argestes”), a stand-up comedian who roasts the Roys as part of a comedy special at the Argestes business conference.
- Notes
- ^ Credited among the main cast in the pilot only.
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Average viewership (in millions) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||||
| 1 | 10 | June 3, 2018 | August 5, 2018 | 0.603 | ||
| 2 | 10 | August 11, 2019 | October 13, 2019 | 0.597 | ||
Season 1 (2018)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | “Celebration” | Adam McKay | Jesse Armstrong | June 3, 2018 | 0.582 | |
| Members of the Roy family prepare to celebrate the 80th birthday of Logan Roy, CEO of the family owned media conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. Logan’s second-oldest son Kendall believes he is the company heir following his father’s retirement, but Logan shocks his family at his birthday celebration by announcing that he will not be stepping down as CEO. He presents his children with papers naming his third wife, Marcia, as his successor upon his death. During the family’s traditional softball game, Logan fires his longtime COO Frank Vernon, and agrees to give a new position to his estranged great-nephew Greg Hirsch, who was fired from his job at one of Waystar’s parks. Kendall leaves the game to secure Waystar’s acquisition of the media startup Vaulter. On the helicopter ride back to New York City, Logan and his children Roman, Shiv, and Connor argue over the terms of the agreement, but Logan suddenly collapses from a hemorrhagic stroke and is rushed to the hospital. | |||||||
| 2 | 2 | “Shit Show at the Fuck Factory” | Mark Mylod | Tony Roche | June 10, 2018 | 0.491 | |
| Kendall receives word of Logan’s stroke from Lawrence Yee, Vaulter’s CEO and Kendall’s rival, immediately after securing the acquisition deal, and rushes to the hospital. The Roy children are in disagreement over who should take control of Waystar in the wake of Logan’s incapacitation: Roman and Connor want to sign the papers out of respect for their father’s wishes, whereas Kendall believes he should become CEO, and Shiv is opposed based on doubts about Marcia’s role in the company. Marcia sends Greg to retrieve Logan’s items from his apartment. Roman asks Greg to bring the will, but Shiv instructs the opposite; Greg ultimately decides not to bring the papers. Shiv’s boyfriend Tom Wambsgans proposes to her at the hospital, and she accepts. It is eventually agreed that Kendall become acting CEO of Waystar with Roman as COO. Waystar’s general counsel Gerri Kellman informs Kendall that Logan is $3 billion in debt due to his expansion into parks. Logan wakes up in his hospital bed. | |||||||
| 3 | 3 | “Lifeboats” | Mark Mylod | Jonathan Glatzer | June 17, 2018 | 0.605 | |
| Kendall learns that one of the creditors to Waystar’s family holding company is entitled to demand full repayment for Logan’s $3 billion debt if Waystar’s stock falls below 130 points. After a failed attempt to negotiate with the bank, Kendall enlists the aid of Stewy Hosseini, his friend from college who is now a private-equity investor. Stewy agrees to inject $4 billion into Waystar in return for stock and a seat on the company’s board. However, Greg later spots Stewy meeting with Sandy Furness, Logan’s enemy who wants to take control of Waystar. Kendall is also trying to repair his marriage with his estranged wife Rava, but after a night together, she confirms she has already hired a divorce lawyer. Shiv asks Nate Sofrelli, a fellow political fixer and former boyfriend, to run a background check on Marcia. Kendall visits a recovering Logan to inform him that Waystar’s stock has still fallen below 130, but that his efforts have staved off a greater financial decline. Logan nonetheless disapproves. | |||||||
| 4 | 4 | “Sad Sack Wasp Trap” | Adam Arkin | Anna Jordan | June 24, 2018 | 0.543 | |
| The Roys prepare for the company’s annual foundation gala. Frank is rehired to mentor Roman in his position at COO. Upon entering his new role as the head of the Waystar’s Parks and Cruises division, Tom is given secret documents confirming a massive cover-up of crimes committed on the company’s cruises including sexual assault and potential murder. Panicked, he confides this information to Greg. At the charity gala, Connor notices changes in the transcript of Kendall’s speech, leading him to believe that Kendall plans to announce Logan’s retirement. He tells Logan, who opts to make a speech in Kendall’s place announcing that he is returning to his role as CEO. Tom plans to go public about the cruises scandal, but Gerri advises against it during the gala. Tom angrily accuses Greg of snitching to Gerri about the scandal, which Greg denies. However, Gerri later thanks Greg in private, confirming that he did disclose the information to her. | |||||||
| 5 | 5 | “I Went to Market” | Adam Arkin | Georgia Pritchett | July 1, 2018 | 0.583 | |
| Marcia invites Logan’s estranged brother Ewan to Thanksgiving, and Greg travels to Canada to pick him up. Logan wants the company to expand into local news, against the advice of his children and counsel. Kendall plots to hold a vote of no confidence against his father amidst his erratic behavior. Tom sends Greg to shred company documents pertaining to the cruises scandal, but Greg secretly makes copies. During dinner, an argument erupts between Logan and Ewan over the company and family’s values, and Ewan storms out, warning Greg not to trust the Roys. As he leaves, Kendall suggests the possibility of a company takeover to Ewan – who is on Waystar’s board – but Ewan refuses to conspire against his own brother. The dinner falls apart after Logan strikes Kendall’s son Iverson during a game. Logan’s behavior convinces Gerri to support Kendall in his vote of no confidence. | |||||||
| 6 | 6 | “Which Side Are You On?” | Andrij Parekh | Susan Soon He Stanton | July 8, 2018 | 0.673 | |
| Kendall, Roman, Frank and Gerri work together to amass a majority vote in favor of removing Logan from his position as CEO. Roman is able to sway Lawrence to their side. Logan travels to Washington D.C. for a meeting with the President, but the meeting is cancelled last-minute amid concerns regarding a terror threat. Greg is advised by Ewan to stay out of the no-confidence vote, but Greg later discloses his knowledge of the vote to Tom. On the day of the vote, Kendall flies to Long Island to visit an ailing board member at her home to convince her to vote with him, but is unable to take a helicopter back to Manhattan due to a lockdown over the terror threat. He is thereby delayed in his arrival to the vote while stuck in traffic, and Frank begins the vote without him. However, a furious Logan refuses to leave the room during the vote and instead berates several board members (including Roman) to side with him, and fires everyone who voted against, including Kendall and Frank. | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | “Austerlitz” | Miguel Arteta | Lucy Prebble | July 15, 2018 | 0.626 | |
| Kendall has cut off communications with his family and is suing Logan for firing him from Waystar. Tabloids falsely suggest that Kendall, a recovering addict, has relapsed. Logan attempts to repair his public image by holding a weekend family therapy session at Austerlitz, Connor’s ranch in New Mexico, which Kendall chooses not to attend. After a fruitless initial session, Shiv leaves to meet with Senator Gil Eavis, a staunchly liberal presidential candidate and Logan’s public rival, after Nate persuades her to join him in working on Eavis’ campaign. Afterwards, she and Nate have a sexual encounter in her car. Kendall eventually does arrive in New Mexico, but chooses to join some locals on a cocaine and methamphetamine binge. Roman brings him back to the ranch, where an argument erupts between Logan and the rest of the family. Logan insults Tom and berates Shiv for meeting with Eavis, causing her to leave crying. He also admits to planting the tabloid allegations about Kendall’s drug use prior to his actual relapse. The argument nearly turns violent when Kendall dismisses Logan’s stories of the abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his uncle. The next morning, Logan is seen privately swimming with visible scars on his back, attesting to his abuse. | |||||||
| 8 | 8 | “Prague” | S. J. Clarkson | Jon Brown | July 22, 2018 | 0.637 | |
| Roman is put in charge of planning Tom’s bachelor party. Though he initially wants to host it in Prague, Stewy invites him to a secret underground party held inside an abandoned New York railway station where powerful business and media figures mingle. Logan tasks Greg with ensuring Kendall’s safety amid his renewed drug abuse. Tom is initially drawn to the party’s unhinged, sexual atmosphere, but he becomes doubtful about his relationship with Shiv, unaware of her ongoing affair with Nate. He is eventually goaded by Roman into having sex with a woman at the party. Shiv meets Logan for dinner, where he implies that he knows of her affair. Shiv, perceiving this as a veiled threat, refuses to stop working for Eavis. Marcia later calls Shiv to say that Logan will not be attending Shiv and Tom’s wedding. At the party, Kendall meets with Stewy and Sandy, who want to buy out his share in Waystar for half a billion dollars. A vengeful Kendall instead proposes a hostile takeover that will grant them a controlling interest in the company and name him CEO. | |||||||
| 9 | 9 | “Pre-Nuptial” | Mark Mylod | Jesse Armstrong | July 29, 2018 | 0.558 | |
| The Roys gather at an English castle in preparation for Shiv and Tom’s wedding. Shiv believes Logan won’t be present, but Logan chooses to attend to avoid the poor optics of being absent. Kendall, Roman and Shiv reunite with their mother Caroline, Logan’s second wife. To Tom’s surprise, Roman is now dating Tabitha, the woman with whom Tom previously had an embarrassing sexual encounter. Nate meets Tom and tells him of his history with Shiv, but when Tom confronts Shiv about her infidelity, she denies it and instead asks to know about the cruises incidents he covered up. Greg later spots Shiv and Nate talking, but when he attempts to relay his suspicions to Tom the following morning, Tom attacks him. Shiv tells Gerri that she will let the cruises scandal remain secret as long as ATN – a right-leaning news network owned by Waystar – stop slandering Eavis over his wife’s suicide. Eavis and Logan later shake hands on the truce. Kendall is told by Stewy and Sandy that their takeover of Waystar has been moved up to the day of Shiv’s wedding, as they would have more leverage over Logan while he is out of the country. | |||||||
| 10 | 10 | “Nobody Is Ever Missing” | Mark Mylod | Jesse Armstrong | August 5, 2018 | 0.730 | |
| Kendall serves Logan with his planned takeover bid. A furious Logan kicks him out, but begins scrambling to get ahead of the situation with his lawyers immediately afterwards. Roman, whom Logan had placed in charge of a Japanese satellite launch, privately watches the live broadcast, where the shuttle explodes on the launchpad. He later learns from Gerri that no one was killed. Connor tells Willa, his escort “girlfriend,” that he plans to run for President of the United States. During the wedding reception, Logan gathers his children aside and tells them of Kendall’s takeover plans, which infuriates them. Shiv admits her infidelity to Tom and suggests that she is better suited for a non-monogamous relationship. Tom forgives her and later ejects Nate from the wedding. While searching for cocaine, Kendall runs into Greg, who reveals that he kept copies of the cruises documents as leverage to get him a better position in the company. Kendall, impressed, agrees to his wishes. Outside the castle, Kendall does drugs with Andrew Dodds, a young waiter whom Logan had fired from the staff, and the two drive off in search of cocaine. They swerve to avoid a deer, and the car lands in the water. Unable to save Andrew, Kendall flees the scene and returns to the wedding in shock. The police investigate the following morning, and Logan tells Kendall that he will make the case go away if Kendall calls off the bear hug and attends rehab. Kendall obliges and breaks down crying in his father’s arms. | |||||||
Season 2 (2019)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | “The Summer Palace” | Mark Mylod | Jesse Armstrong | August 11, 2019 | 0.612 | |
| Shortly after Shiv and Tom’s wedding, Kendall spends time at a rehab facility in Iceland, but within 48 hours of his stay, he is called away to give a public statement regarding his decision to back off from his part in the hostile takeover. A traumatized and disoriented Kendall is instructed to simply say, “I saw their plan, and my dad’s plan was better.” Logan’s financial adviser Jamie Laird suggests that he sell the company and name his successor. Despite going to rehab, Kendall continues to indulge his cocaine addiction and receives his deliveries from Greg. The Roys assemble for lunch at the family’s summer home in the Hamptons. Logan is unable to extract an honest opinion from his children about whether he should sell the company; he has each of his children individually meet him in his office, and offers Shiv the role of CEO during their meeting. Shiv is interested, but doesn’t disclose this to Tom, only telling him that he has been promoted to ATN’s Chair of Global Broadcast News. That night, Logan flies Kendall to a meeting with Stewy and Sandy, who refuse to come to a compromise. Kendall promises them that they will lose the proxy battle. | |||||||
| 12 | 2 | “Vaulter” | Andrij Parekh | Jon Brown | August 18, 2019 | 0.603 | |
| Eavis promotes Shiv to chief of staff for his presidential campaign. Connor and Willa return to New York, where Connor prepares to announce his own bid for President. Logan and Shiv meet to talk strategy, where Logan suggests that it would take three years for her to fully integrate into her CEO role. Tom tasks Greg with rooting out inefficiencies in ATN’s operations, despite Greg’s reluctance to work for the network. Greg eventually suggests that they digitize the entire business. Logan has Kendall and Roman review Vaulter’s performance. Kendall wants to keep the company, but Roman reports to Logan that its business is failing and that its employees want to unionize. Logan sides with Roman and tasks Kendall with closing down Vaulter. Shiv tells Tom that Logan offered her the role of CEO, which puts Tom’s ambitions to inherit the company in jeopardy. Shiv assures him that his inheritance is safe. Shiv later quits Eavis’ campaign. Kendall secretly installs Wi-Fi blockers in Vaulter’s offices, and terminates its employees the following morning, flatly telling Lawrence that he is doing so on his father’s orders. | |||||||
| 13 | 3 | “Hunting” | Andrij Parekh | Tony Roche | August 25, 2019 | 0.607 | |
| Greg meets with Michelle Pantsil, an editor seeking to write a biography on Logan, but abruptly leaves when he learns he is being recorded. Logan plans to acquire rival media giant Pierce Global Media (PGM), against the counsel of his peers and family, and rehires Frank due to his friendship with the head of its board. Roman, meanwhile, asks Tabitha to use her connection with PGM board member Naomi Pierce to broach the idea of an acquisition, without informing Logan. The family departs on a hunting retreat in Hungary. On the way, Logan is furious to learn that someone disclosed information on him to Pantsil and demands to know who it was. While hunting, Greg confides to Tom that he met with Pantsil, and asks that he keep it secret. Connor announces his presidential bid on a platform against taxation. Shiv has a one-night stand while Tom is away. During dinner, Logan finds out that PGM is already aware of his plans, and subjects Greg, Tom and Karl to a vicious hazing ritual called “Boar on the Floor” until the source comes forth. Kendall finds out that it was Roman who reached out to PGM, though Roman insists that he did so to help secure the deal. Kendall observes that none of Logan’s associates support his plan to acquire PGM, but Logan insists on doing so regardless. The next morning, Logan learns that Mo, a recently deceased board member, talked to Pantsil, absolving Greg of suspicion. Frank informs Logan that PGM’s CEO is interested in a meeting. | |||||||
| 14 | 4 | “Safe Room” | Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini | Georgia Pritchett | September 1, 2019 | 0.577 | |
| Logan and Kendall meet with Rhea Jarrell, CEO of PGM, who relays the Pierce family’s disinterest in selling their company. Tom investigates ATN anchor Mark Ravenhead, an alleged Nazi sympathizer, but their meeting is cut short by the sound of a gunshot. The building’s occupants are ushered into panic rooms, where Kendall and Logan sway Rhea with a $24 billion offer for PGM. Rhea agrees to present Logan’s offer to the Pierces on the condition that Ravenhead is fired from ATN. The source of the gunshot is found to have been an ATN employee who committed suicide in his office. Greg reveals to Tom that he kept copies of the cruises documents and blackmails him into giving him a promotion. Connor and Willa attend Mo (real name Lester McClintock)’s funeral in search of donors for Connor’s presidential campaign. Pantsil is present and presses Connor on his association with Lester, a known sexual predator, but Willa helps rewrite Connor’s eulogy into a series of generic statements to sabotage Pantsil’s attempts to entrap him. Roman, following Gerri’s advice on how to earn his father’s respect, enrolls in Waystar’s management training program. He later finds himself sexually aroused when Gerri humiliates him over the phone. Kendall tearfully confides to Shiv his belief that his loyalty to Logan is all he is worth. | |||||||
| 15 | 5 | “Tern Haven” | Mark Mylod | Will Tracy | September 8, 2019 | 0.507 | |
| The Roys spend a weekend with the Pierces at their family estate. Logan is determined to buy PGM and instructs each of his children on how to make a good impression with the Pierce family, but both Shiv and Connor clash with some of the members. During dinner, conversations between the Roys and the Pierces become increasingly tense and culminate when family matriarch Nan Pierce asks Logan who will replace him as CEO. Logan refuses to name his successor, and an incensed Shiv stuns the room by announcing she has been chosen to take over Waystar. Kendall does drugs and later has sex with Nan’s cousin Naomi, also a recovering addict who flew in from California to aid in negotiations. She admits she despises the Roy family for running tabloids on her during her troubled past, and that she came to ensure that the acquisition deal fails. The following morning, however, Nan agrees to sell PGM to the Roys on the condition that Shiv be named Logan’s successor on the day of the merger. Logan refuses and calls off the deal. However, he receives a call soon after saying the Pierces have changed their mind. The Roys celebrate at Logan’s home. | |||||||
| 16 | 6 | “Argestes” | Matt Shakman | Susan Soon He Stanton | September 15, 2019 | 0.610 | |
| The Roys – with the exception of Shiv – attend Argestes, an international business conference, where they plan to finalize their agreement with the Pierces. However, they learn that New York Magazine has received a tip on the cruise line scandal and plans to publish an exposé within the next 36 to 48 hours. Shiv is called to the conference to help handle the situation. Despite the Roys’ attempts to block the story’s publication, it goes online the following morning while Logan and Kendall meet with Nan and Rhea to finalize their agreement. Shiv meets privately with Rhea, who admits that she wants the Waystar-PGM acquisition to succeed regardless of the scandal. Roman attempts to secure funding from Eduard Asgarov, a wealthy Azerbaijani investor who agrees to provide his family’s money if Waystar will run propaganda on behalf of his home country. Kendall, Roman and Shiv take the stage for a scheduled panel discussion, but offer conflicting responses to questions about the cruises scandal. Shiv shocks the audience when she makes comments seemingly suggesting that Logan should step down from the company. An argument ensues after the event, during which Logan strikes Roman. Nan decides to call off the deal and fires Rhea for betraying her and siding with Logan. | |||||||
| 17 | 7 | “Return” | Becky Martin | Jonathan Glatzer | September 22, 2019 | 0.508 | |
| Sandy and Stewy launch a public smear campaign against Waystar in the wake of the cruises scandal. Logan, Kendall and Roman travel to London to secure shareholder support from Caroline. Logan invites Rhea along to aid in strategy, and the two spend the night together. Kendall continues his relationship with Naomi Pierce. Shiv arrives in London and meets with Rhea, who proposes that Shiv become CEO of PGM; Shiv is not opposed to the idea, but remains suspicious of Rhea’s motives. Shiv and Roman meet Caroline, who agrees to a payout of 20 million dollars in exchange for seeing her children every Christmas. Sandy and Stewy run news stories suggesting that Andrew Dodds’ death was a suicide triggered by Logan’s bullying. Logan has Kendall come along to visit Andrew’s family to sort out the situation; Kendall is visibly shaken, and revisits the house that night to secretly deliver cash to the family. Tom faces an internal investigation into the cruises incidents. He and Greg burn the latter’s copies of the documents, though Greg covertly withholds some of them. Shiv meets with Logan to discuss her position in the company, but Logan accuses her of disloyalty, indicating that he orchestrated her meeting with Rhea. Shiv begins suspecting Rhea of trying to take over the company. | |||||||
| 18 | 8 | “Dundee” | Kevin Bray | Mary Laws | September 29, 2019 | 0.579 | |
| Rhea organizes a celebration for Logan’s 50th anniversary at Waystar in his hometown of Dundee, Scotland. Shiv, now intensely suspicious of Rhea, schemes with her siblings to sabotage Rhea’s chances of being named Logan’s successor. Though they play along in hazing Rhea, none of the other Roy children are genuinely opposed to having her take over as CEO. Ewan arrives in Dundee and warns Greg that he will relinquish his $250 million inheritance unless he stops working for Logan. Gerri and other company advisors inform Shiv that a whistleblower plans to go public with details of the cruises incidents and is refusing to take a payout. Realizing that Rhea will bear the burden of the scandal as CEO, Shiv gives Logan her approval to name Rhea as his successor, which he does during a speech prior to his plaque unveiling ceremony. Ewan confronts his brother at the ceremony and warns him that he will face a reckoning for his actions. | |||||||
| 19 | 9 | “DC” | Mark Mylod | Jesse Armstrong | October 6, 2019 | 0.705 | |
| The company whistleblower gives a televised interview disclosing his knowledge of the misconduct on Waystar’s cruises, naming Lester personally responsible for most of the behavior but implicating Gerri, Tom and Kendall in the cover-up. Eavis compels the Roys to testify before the Senate. Tom is the first to be called to the stand alongside Gerri and flubs his responses to Eavis’ questioning. Shiv attempts to leverage her past connection to Eavis and learns that he has a second witness. Shiv meets with the woman, Kira, and talks her out of testifying by warning her that her allegations will follow her for the rest of her life. Logan sends Roman along with Karl and Laird to secure funding from Eduard’s family so Waystar can go private; Eduard introduces them to his father in Turkey, but the pitch meeting is cut short when anti-corruption militia hold the building’s occupants hostage. Logan and Kendall testify; Logan attempts to deflect blame onto Kendall for overseeing the cruises scandal, but Kendall delivers a sharp rebuke to Eavis, accusing him of personal bias against the Roys. After the hearing, Rhea tells Logan she no longer wants to be CEO. Logan tells Shiv that a “blood sacrifice” will have to be made to appease the company’s shareholders. | |||||||
| 20 | 10 | “This Is Not for Tears” | Mark Mylod | Jesse Armstrong | October 13, 2019 | 0.660 | |
| Logan is advised by Waystar shareholders to take the blame for the cruises incidents. The Roys spend a holiday on their extravagant yacht in the Mediterranean, where they debate over who should be the company’s public scapegoat. Roman, Karl and Laird return from Turkey apparently having closed the financing deal with Eduard’s family, though Roman admits to Logan that it is likely illegitimate. Logan and Kendall unsuccessfully attempt to convince Stewy to back Waystar’s privatization. Tom admits to Shiv that he is unhappy with their relationship. Shiv pleads with Logan not to have Tom take the fall for the scandal. Logan ultimately chooses Kendall; during a private conversation, Kendall asks Logan if he ever saw him fit to run the company, but Logan tells his son that he doesn’t see him as a “killer.” The next morning, Kendall and Greg are flown back to New York for a press conference, where Kendall is set to accept responsibility for the company’s handling of the crimes. However, he suddenly deviates from his prepared remarks and instead blames Logan, announcing that his father was well aware of the misconduct and personally oversaw the ensuing legal settlements. Greg is present at the conference with the probative documents. Logan, who is watching a telecast of Kendall’s statement, smiles enigmatically. | |||||||
Production
Development
Showrunner Jesse Armstrong initially conceived the series as a feature film about the Murdoch family, but the script never went into production. Armstrong eventually expanded the scope of the story to include the larger landscape of Wall Street, which he felt better suited for a television format. Armstrong wrote a new script centered on original characters loosely inspired by various powerful media families such as the Murdochs, the Redstones and the Sulzbergers. On June 6, 2016, it was announced that HBO had given the production a pilot order. The episode was written by Armstrong and directed by Adam McKay. Executive producers for the pilot include Armstrong, McKay, Will Ferrell, Frank Rich, and Kevin Messick. On May 16, 2017, it was announced that HBO had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. The previously announced creative team continued their involvement as the series entered into production.
On November 17, 2017, it was reported that Nicholas Britell would serve as the series’ composer. On April 26, 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere on June 3, 2018. On June 11, 2018, HBO renewed the series for a second season. On May 23, 2019, it was announced that the second season would premiere on August 11, 2019.
On August 20, 2019, HBO renewed the series for a third season. On March 28, 2020, HBO announced the third season’s production was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Casting
On October 6, 2016, it was announced that Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Nicholas Braun, and Matthew Macfadyen had been cast in lead roles in the series’ pilot. On November 4, 2016, it was announced that Hiam Abbass, Alan Ruck, Rob Yang, Parker Sawyers, and Peter Friedman had also joined the main cast of the pilot. On January 24, 2018, it was reported that Ashley Zukerman had joined the series in a recurring role. On March 7, 2018, it was reported that Jake Choi had been cast in a recurring role. On May 21, 2019, Holly Hunter joined the cast in a recurring role in the second season.
In January 2021, it was announced Sanaa Lathan, Linda Emond and Jihae had joined the cast of the series in recurring roles in the third season. In February 2021, it was reported that Hope Davis was cast in a recurring role in the third season.
Filming
Principal photography for the first season of the series began in October 2017 in New York City at locations including Lexington Avenue and East 75th Street. During the week of November 20, 2017, production took place in the Financial District of Manhattan. In December 2017, the series was reportedly in production on the sixth episode. From mid-January 2018 to the end of the month, the production moved from New York to New Mexico. Filming reportedly took place around the Santa Fe area of the state. On February 22, 2018, filming took place in New Jersey which required the closing of the Atlantic City-Brigantine tunnel. On February 25, 2018, filming took place at Eastnor Castle near Ledbury in Herefordshire, England.
For the second season, in April and May 2019, casting directors recruited for extras to film scenes in Lake Placid, New York, and Lake George, New York, respectively. Starting from July 17, 2019, the crew filmed in Korčula, Croatia, for the second-season finale, including extensive scenes on a yacht.
Filming for season 3, which was slated to begin in April 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In early November 2020, star Alan Ruck announced that filming would begin in mid-November in New York City. The season had begun filming in New York as of December 2020.
Release
Promotional poster
Marketing
On January 18, 2018, HBO released the first teaser trailer for the series. On March 27, 2018, a second teaser trailer was released. On April 26, 2018, the first full trailer was released.
Premiere
On April 27, 2018, the series held its official world premiere during the Series Mania Festival in Lille, France in which the pilot episode was screened. On May 22, 2018, the series held its official US premiere at the Time Warner Center in New York City.
Reception
Critical response
| Season | Critical response | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | ||
| 1 | 88% (83 reviews) | 70 (29 reviews) | |
| 2 | 97% (70 reviews) | 89 (19 reviews) | |
Season 1
The first season was met with a positive response from critics. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds an approval rating of 88% with an average rating of 7.78 out of 10, based on 80 reviews. The website’s critical consensus reads, “Peppering its pathos with acid wit, Succession is a divine comedy of absolute power and dysfunction – brought to vivid life by a ferocious ensemble.” Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 70 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews.”
Season 2
The second season received critical acclaim. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 97% rating with an average rating of 8.99 out of 10, based on 68 reviews. The website’s critical consensus reads, “Succession returns in darkly funny form, with sharp writing, exceptional performances, and a surprising new level of sympathy for some of television’s least likable characters.” On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating “universal acclaim.”
Ratings
The premiere episode drew 582,000 live viewers, down from the 1.39 million viewers that watched its lead-in, Westworld. The season 2 finale drew 1.1 million viewers across all viewing platforms.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | American Film Institute Awards | Top 10 TV Programs of the Year | Succession | Won | |
| 2019 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Kieran Culkin | Nominated | |
| Critics’ Choice Television Awards | Best Drama Series | Succession | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Matthew Macfadyen | Nominated | |||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series | Adam McKay (for “Celebration”) | Won | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Television: Dramatic Series | Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Jon Brown, Jonathan Glatzer, Anna Jordan, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Susan Soon He Stanton and Daniel Zelman | Nominated | ||
| Television: New Series | Nominated | ||||
| Satellite Awards | Best Television Series – Drama | Succession | Nominated | ||
| BAFTA TV Awards | Best International Programme | Won | |||
| Shorty Awards | Best TV Series | Nominated | |||
| Television Critics Association Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding New Program | Nominated | ||||
| Primetime Emmy Awards (Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards) |
Outstanding Drama Series | Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Mark Mylod, Jane Tranter, Tony Roche, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Jonathan Glatzer, Jon Brown, Dara Schnapper and Jonathan Filley | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Jesse Armstrong (for “Nobody Is Ever Missing”) | Won | |||
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Adam McKay (for “Celebration”) | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Douglas Aibel, Henry Russell Bergstein and Francine Maisler | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music | Nicholas Britell | Won | |||
| 2020 | Casting Society of America | Television Pilot & First Season – Drama | Francine Maisler, Douglas Aibel and Henry Russell Bergstein | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Television Series – Drama | Succession | Won | |
| Best Actor – Television Series Drama | Brian Cox | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Kieran Culkin | Nominated | |||
| Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards | Outstanding Original Score for a Television or Streaming Production | Nicholas Britell | Nominated | ||
| Critics’ Choice Television Awards | Best Drama Series | Succession | Won | ||
| Best Actor in a Drama Series | Jeremy Strong | Won | |||
| Best Actress in a Drama Series | Sarah Snook | Nominated | |||
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama | Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Mark Mylod, Jane Tranter, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Georgia Pritchett, Will Tracy, Jonathan Glatzer, Dara Schnapper and Gabrielle Mahon | Won | ||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series | Mark Mylod (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Nominated | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Television: Dramatic Series | Jesse Armstrong, Alice Birch, Jon Brown, Jonathan Glatzer, Cord Jefferson, Mary Laws, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Gary Shteyngart, Susan Soon He Stanton and Will Tracy | Won | ||
| Television: Episodic Drama | Will Tracy (for “Tern Haven”) | Won | |||
| Satellite Awards | Best Television Series – Drama | Succession | Won | ||
| Best Actor in a Drama / Genre Series | Brian Cox | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or TV Film | Jeremy Strong | Won | |||
| Peabody Awards | Entertainment | Succession | Won | ||
| BAFTA TV Awards (BAFTA TV Craft Awards) |
Best International Programme | Nominated | |||
| Best Writer, Drama | Jesse Armstrong | Won | |||
| Television Critics Association Awards | Program of the Year | Succession | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Achievement in Drama | Won | ||||
| Individual Achievement in Drama | Jeremy Strong | Nominated | |||
| Primetime Emmy Awards (Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards) |
Outstanding Drama Series | Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Mark Mylod, Jane Tranter, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Georgia Pritchett, Jonathan Glatzer, Will Tracy, Dara Schnapper, Gabrielle Mahon and Lucy Prebble | Won | ||
| Outstanding Lead Actor In a Drama Series | Brian Cox (for “Hunting”) | Nominated | |||
| Jeremy Strong (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nicholas Braun (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Nominated | |||
| Kieran Culkin (for “Tern Haven”) | Nominated | ||||
| Matthew Macfadyen (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Sarah Snook (for “The Summer Palace”) | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Jesse Armstrong (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Won | |||
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Mark Mylod (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Nominated | |||
| Andrij Parekh (for “Hunting”) | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | James Cromwell (for “Dundee”) | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Cherry Jones (for “Tern Haven”) | Won | |||
| Harriet Walter (for “Return”) | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Avy Kaufman | Won | |||
| Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) | Nicholas Britell (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Ken Eluto (for “DC”) | Nominated | |||
| Bill Henry and Venya Bruk (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) | Stephen H. Carter, Carmen Cardenas, George DeTitta and Ana Buljan (for “This Is Not for Tears”) | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Casting Society of America | Television Series – Drama | Avy Kaufman | Pending | |