Does anyone else hear Bach's Prelude in C Minor (BWV 847) in Kendall's "L to the O.G." rap?
1
I get so much more from this show after reading the recap and comments here. However, recap typos cast a pall: stationary for stationery, can'y for can't & I wasn't looking for them. If someone is proofing these columns, I think you need to hire someone else.
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@ileen Sadly, there was a time when this paper employed proofreaders and typos were few. No longer true. As with all other online papers, the copy is full of errors and careless editing. But who needs quality control when you can be trendy instead?
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Every week I wonder when we're going to get a really juicy bit from Marcia. This week's needling of Rhea was good, but I hope that at some point she's going to unload on the four children. She is clearly a very smart woman and she's been holding her peace for a long time and I, for one, hope that when she stops holding it we will have a memorable moment. After all, the exchange with Rhea was very cool.
31
I get reallyreally tired of all the stammering dialogue. Some is okay, but the constant stammering and hedging words and sounds from the characters goes over the top. I get that the characters are cowed by Logan, but it's not a good substitute for real dialogue. Dial it down.
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@Russian Princess - Interesting. I think the dialogue and delivery are exceptionally fine.
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@Russian Princess
This is a director error. He needs to know that a little is better than more. He has almost everyone doing it and it takes me out of the story.
4
Trivia bit - the actress who plays Jennifer, of one too many awesomes, is Jack Lemmon’s granddaughter. Father, Chris Lemmon.
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I’m intrigued by Logan’s concern that Rhea doesn’t drink - is he genuinely disappointed that she might be uptight? Or, does he realize she got him drunk so he’d ask her to stay the night, yet she was “sorority-sipping” the bourbon while he guzzled it? Or, does he suspect she is a recovering alcoholic? Which Shiv all but implied in her mock apology for maybe exposing that skeleton In Rhea’s briefcase, as it were? In which case, wouldn’t Logan be having more second thoughts about Rhea’s drinking problems rather than the fact that she’s a liberal?
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@TurandotNeverSleeps I suspect Rhea's being "blue" (liberal) is much of a piece with her maybe being an alcoholic for Logan.
1
I can't get a handle on Kendell's character. At the beginning of the series he seemed like the bellwether, most sensible of the children. Now it's as if the writers don't know what to do with him - turn him back into a junkie? A spoiled daddy's boy? And why don't we see his kids anymore? I'm just not convinced.
9
Why can’t he be both things? A rational human and an addict? All the kids are severely damaged by their upbringing. As for the ex-wife and kids: I’m relieved not to see them week after week. Drama is for adults. And maybe since Kendall’s addiction became evident again, she’s keeping the kids away from him and he’s abiding by that just now. I’m not sure why complexity should be confounding.
26
@Tom Phillips I get the idea of a complex, seemingly all-together person who has flaws, I just don't think his character is convincing.
2
@In the know - he's a person on the verge of a complete breakdown. His character is that he's in a tailspin and latching on to drugs, sex, alcohol to avoid reality. He's trying to appear happy/put together but failing miserably, which is why we see him switch from manic to depressive states
38
Seems like Ewan could pull his 3% interest in Wayco if he were sincere about doing something to help save the planet. He holds a holier than thou attitude, but he's as ethically corrupt (slimy) as Logan. Where do Ewan's millions come from if not from Wayco?
Please correct me if Ewan's money isn't mostly Wayco money.
In any case, it's brother v. brother, not good v. evil at play. Ewan revels in having moral sway over Logan. (Whatever happened to Sister Rose may have something to do with it.)
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@Redsetter119 I wondered if Logan's brother Ewan is backing the whisteblower. He's got hundreds of millions to match any amount of hush money.
19
@Tim Riese No way, it's definitely Sandy and Stewie backing the whistleblower. It feels so obvious that they would be the ones supporting this play, especially as the main antagonists this season, that it surprised me that no one else seemed to automatically offer their names when speaking on Logan's enemies.
3
If anyone can handle this fast-moving scandal, it’s Rhea. I think there’s a good chance that Shiv’s calculation that this will sink Rhea will blow up in Shiv’s face. And Tom’s. Rhea will serve up anyone she has to in the way of a sacrificial lamb — and that means Tom, who was responsible for illegally ordering salient documents to be destroyed. Logan has contempt for Tom and has everything to gain by giving up his own son-in-law to the authorities. Rhea has every season to want to hurt Shiv. And since Greg(ory) has some insurance to prevent his own total implication, I think I see where this is going. My question is: What will Marcia do? She has effectively put a curse on Logan and Rhea and were I they, I’d be scared. And I’m scared for Ken, a deeply flawed character I like and have sympathy for. Marcia (and her son, of all people) know Ken was involved in that waiter’s death. Will that shoe drop now?
35
@Tom Phillips It's an interesting thought, and it could go that way. But despite how cruel Logan is to his family, I still think protection of the family is his priority. Whether it's out of love, vanity, some ingrained sense of duty stemming from his early years, who knows. When push comes to shove, I don't see him allowing an outsider take down a member of the Roy clan without a fight.
7
@Jill And I think what sometimes seems like cruelty towards Kendall, is really just tough love. Remember he heightened the wall on the top building rooftop when he worried Kendall would do something to himself, he showed serious concern for his safety when there was a possible shooter in the building, and in season 1 he asked Greg to look out for Kendall at that decadent party for Tom.
14
Yes, and 2 other things that help Rhea: she’s not taking over right away and she wasn’t around when the scandals happened. She may inherit a mess but she won’t be personally or professionally blamed. Of course Shiv’s aim may have been just to salt the earth — let the company be destroyed so Rhea ends up being CEO of nothing.
6
I meant to amplify: “Succession” has built up the character of Marcia as an almost supernatural Medea figure, a witch who hates as intensely as she once loved. Which makes her an unstable wild card in this nest of vipers.
47
@Tom Phillips ; Marcia is the most stable and controlled person of all. Remember in the first few episodes that Logan wanted the 'kids' to sign some Trust documents that would leave Marcia with two board seats upon Logan's death. She has a mysterious past that has yet to come to light.
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@Paula V - I agree completely. She could run the company in the manner Katharine Graham ran The Washington Post.
3
"Cousin Greg" will wind up at the top of the heap of whatever is left of the empire. He has gotten pushed around for two seasons and still passes himself off as an "aw shucks" kind of guy but he the biggest eyes and ears of anyone.
11
@barb I think Greg actually is a bit of an aw-shucks guy. True, he has the instincts of the rest of the family - i.e., conniving and crafty - but he does not have the training or the ingrained cruel streak. I think he is also genuinely shocked by the level of craziness.
3
Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails would have been the perfect closing music for this episode. Not only did Ewan denigrate the "empire of dirt" Logan spent fifty years creating, but Logan's legacy - with the buffoonery of each of his children on full display- appears as tenuous as the vermin-laced sand Connor purchased (by the bag, no less!) for Willa's play. Connor's and Roman's many inadequacies are on full display whenever they open their mouths. The sympathy Kendall was building pretty much evaporated with his daddy-worshiping, eyeball burning (and ear drum melting) rap paean to Logan and his caddish dismissal of "awesome"Jennifer. And Shiv's latest tactical blunders appears to be her worst, and they may prove fatal to her ambition to become Roystar Wayco CEO. First, she takes full responsibility for withholding from Logan the information about the soon-to-be whistleblower; information that would have allowed Logan to deduce that Ewan was probably bankrolling the individual and given him an opportunity to dissuade Ewan. Second, she accedes to Rhea being named Logan's successor, all because of someone's offhand opinion that the newly named successor would be overwhelmed by the scandal. Except that Rhea, unlike Shiv, is a seasoned, well-respected former media CEO, with no ties to either the cruise scandal or its cover-up. A bullet-proof female successor: who better to go dinosaur hunting and hold the culpable accountable?
42
There's a vivid character in this show I've been noticing and appreciating more and more: The music. Arrangements in variations on the theme in delicate piano and string solos that accompany moments of melancholy, despair, some whimsical revelation or insight, seems to give these characters soul. They're easy enough to dislike in cascading plot twists, but there's nothing like a cello to make them sympathetic.
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@DavonaD We mute the song in the opening credits every time. There is something way too unnerving in it to listen to it each time, but that might be why it’s so good.
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@DavonaD
I love the theme. I think that is what got me to start watching the series in the first season. Certainly, 'nasty people being vicious to each other while running a copy cat Murdoch empire' would not have drawn me in. In fact, this is probably the only series whose opening I watch. (OK: GoT, too.)
10
@Chicks I don't mute the song, but I agree it's unsettling, and I was surprised to learn that some fans have adopted it as their ringtone https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-the-succession-theme-revive-the-custom-ringtone-11570638578
1
Brian Cox is the sun in the solar system of Succession, but there are a lot of other brilliant planets orbiting him.
Kudos all around in this episode: Marcia, Rhea, all four Roy children (sorry, but I just can't think of those characters as anything other than "children"), the whole court of sycophantic, scared-stiff Waystar executives. Everybody got some screen time and made the most of it.
But the scenes that shone brightest were between Brian Cox and James Cromwell. Two actors at the top of their game, who make you believe they're brothers just by the way they needle one another constantly. And, yes, I agree that Ewan is the person bankrolling the whistleblower.
Fraternal rivalry, if not outright fratricide, indeed!
Eight down, two to go, my friends.
38
Perhaps the boldest development on a show replete with them is Gerri and Roman’s inchoate romance. Lesser storytelling would leave them as an April/October punchline. Instead, their relationship appears to be deepening each week. Kieran Culkin’s private look of heartbreak(?) at the supposition that Logan and Gerri had a past affair truly stood out for me.
50
It is so creepy I’d rather not think about it.
1
If Greg is suffering from Sand Mites from sitting in the front row, wouldn't the actress from the show be miserable with them? And Kendall's dumping of her because of her overuse of "awesome" was despicable and hilarious all at once.
39
After the bathroom scene with Logan and Gregory, when Logan tells Gregory he likes him, and you can tell he meant it, I honestly thought for a moment there, when he later paused to announce his choice of CEO, that it might be cousin Greg(ory).
I still feel he is going to come out on top through all of this.
He is definitely one of my favorite characters, and so well played by Nichola Braun.
Though I love the whole crew, even though they are really just awful people at times. This is such a fantastic show.
39
Does anyone else think that Greg was trying to play Logan for a bigger payoff than his grandfather is promising? Even if for no other reason than for Logan to infuriate his brother? That Greg is quite the little schemer indeed.
Marcia's telling Logan he was boring to her was delivered with maximum venom.
Any sympathy I could muster for Ken went right out the window after his cowardly handling of Jennifer, which was the most predictable plot line in the episode.
Love Mr. Murray's characterization of Ewan as the Greek chorus - just perfect.
One episode left in season...I can only hope that it's longer than an hour...
27
@SCDC I think there are two episodes left in season 2.
4
@Puzzled Yes, 2 left.
TWO more left- that’s a relief. Thank you!
2
I'm not sure what the rap thing was all about. Logan has broken Ken so completely that he no longer has any shame?
8
Now that Veep is gone, I love this show. Thank you, Executive Producer Frank Rich.
19
I loved this episode, and Mr.Murray does a great job of hitting on the highlights. I can't wait to see if/how Rhea retaliates.
Why doesn't Ewan have an accent to match Logan's?
4
@EMH
It's not that unusual for two siblings to have different accents. Henry Kissinger has a strong accent; his older brother, who immigrated to the U.S. at the same time when they were children, doesn't. His explanation: "Henry listens to no one but himself."
38
@EMH
I just realized that it could be Ms. Murray - apologies. I'll just say Noel or Mx.Murray from now on.
@EMH
It was mentioned they left for Canada at age 4 and 5.
6
O.K., I’ll say it: has the mumblecore reached a tipping point with this episode? Fast banter is delicious. Consonants without vowels are inedible.
19
@RedOxen
When Logan announced his successor I missed the name completely. Couldn't understand who he named until another character mentioned it.
2
@RedOxen I watch Sucession with the subtitles on. Maybe it's middle age but I tend to miss things without them.
39
@RedOxen I put on subtitles for that reason.
5
This show is the best written show of any available to watch on any platform. Beautifully polished. Rapid fire deliveries and top drawer acting throughout. Simply remarkable.
65
I think I may be confused but whose vote are they trying to buy off for $ 20,000,000.00? Is it someone on the board?
What did I miss?
1
@Margo Channing they were trying to buy the silence of a Waystar insider who was going to give the media more information on the cruise-ship scandals. but in the end he "couldn't be bought" so they thought someone "must be bankrolling him." By the end of the episode it seemed like that someone might be Ewan.
36
@Dave
Thank you Dave for this, along those lines I too thought that whoever this person was he must be bankrolled by someone who hate Logan. And yes Ewan has the money to do it.
4
@Dave I think a couple of commenters suggested before that Ewan might be behind some threats to Waystar. And interesting idea that Ewan might be bankrolling a threat involving the cruise ships, when his grandson Greg has seen the evidence.
8
What ever happened to the impending takeover that the acquisition of Pierce was supposed to prevent?
10
Re: Jennifer's comment that she's 'not an actress.'
What's that about?
Remember in Season One when the family goes to Connor's home in the desert - and while there, Marcia tells Willa she recognizes that Willa is a prostitute.
14
@fast/furious
I think that in Logan's presence she was self-conscious and intimidated and began to put herself down. But I have to say I didn't find Jennifer to be especially pretty or interesting: maybe she wasn't supposed to be a very actor.
6
@fast/furious
In the moment, I thought she had swiftly chucked her former identity as an actress and wanted to be known simply as Kendall's girlfriend.
9
@fast/furious Wow, I don't recall Marcia making a comment like that, although I picked up the idea that Willa might have been an escort of some sort. It's not strange for her to think it, but strange for her to say it. What does that say about Marcia?
I agree with Printer's comment above. The very pretty Jennifer was caught up in the "awesome" evening and turned into an "balloon head," to quote Logan speaking to Siobhan. What does that say about Logan?
1
That playhouse now has three actors who have slept with the three of the four Roy children: Connor, Shiv, Ken.
Who in the cast will finally get to Romoan to engage in the actual act instead of dirty talking Geri?
And how will the playhouse bring down the House of Roy? Financially and romantically.
5
Sensational episode. Brian Cox once again shows that great actors hold something back, a reticence that animates their performances. He doesn’t speak nearly as much as the other actors yet is at the center of the story. You get the sense he knows in his bones that the landscape of his life is a wasteland.
51
It was Shakespeare, Euripides, Arthur Miller and Neil Simon all rolled into one in this episode, ( maybe the whole series.) James Cromwell stands out with his greek chorus expressing the doubt and fragility almost all the men seem to share, but what stands out yet again are the female characters.
The women are devoid of the fragility and seem rather adept at the game.
It is refreshing - Then again so is the Neil SImon like moments to break the tension
32
I would add that the rapid-fire, obscenity-laced dialogue is right out of Glengarry Glen Ross.
14
@Mark Siegel
Especially Roman's 2nd take on his recorded tribute to Logan. The look of disgust on his face when he finished was priceless.
3