Celebration

"**Celebration**" is the first episode of the first season of *Succession* and first of the series overall. It premiered on June 3, 2018 on HBO. It was written by Jesse Armstrong and directed by Adam McKay.

## Premise

On his 80th birthday, media magnate Logan Roy, whose imminent retirement was thought to be a given, shocks his family by announcing he's staying on indefinitely as CEO of Waystar/Royco. The news shatters his son Kendall, the heir apparent who's in the midst of negotiating the purchase of a digital-media venture founded by a slick operator named Lawrence.

## Plot synopsis

Logan Roy wakes sometime during the night and, disoriented, stumbles out of bed and urinates in the corner of the room. Realizing his mistake, he allows his wife, Marcia, to take him back to bed.

Logan's second-eldest son, Kendall Roy, arrives at Waystar Royco to finalize his deal with Lawrence Yee, allowing the company to acquire Lawrence's media startup, Vaulter. Lawrence, however, suddenly backs out and admits that he personally depsides Kendall and his family and has no interest in selling to them. Kendall remains unconvinced and decides to increase the offer. Despite discovering that Kendall has fumbled the deal, Logan confirms that he'll be announced as his successor later that day.

At one of the company's amusement parks, Greg Hirsch, Logan's distant great-nephew, is fired from his job as a mascot after smoking marijuana on he job and vomiting inside the suit. Over the phone, his mother suggests that he fly to New York for his uncle Logan's birthday party and ask for his job back. Logan convinces Kendall to sign some "housekeeping", ostensibly pertaining to his takeover. Meanwhile, Siobhan ("Shiv"), Logan's youngest child and only daughter, helps her obsequious boyfriend, Tom Wambsgans, shop for the perfect gift for Logan, though she insists that he doesn't like gifts.

Logan arrives at his apartment where his family, including Greg, and closest associates wait for him. Logan seems rather unimpressed, but greets everyone and thanks them for their being there. His eldest son, Connor, gifts him with a container of sourdough bread, used in traditional bread-making, but Logan remains unmoored. Greg explains his reason for coming, and Logan agrees to give him a job if he has his grandfather, Ewan Roy, intercede with Logan first. Kendall attempts to reconcile with his estranged wife Rava, but she politely declines.

Logan pulls his children aside to inform them that Marcia has been added to the family trust and asks that they sign the documents, revealing that Kendall has already done so. Just before leaving the room, he also announces that he will not be stepping down from his position as CEO. Kendall angrily confronts his father, who admits that he doesn't believe Kendall is ready for the position. Devastated, he goes into the bathroom and begins destroying things, before quickly trying to repair them himself. Roman, Logan's other son, agrees to sign the trust papers if appointed COO.

   After lunch, the family and company associates head to a field for their traditional game of softball. Kendall proposes to Shiv and Roman that they block the trust and allow him to become CEO, with the two of them as co-presidents, but they immediately decline. Kendall then leaves the game for business. Down a player, Roman replaces him with the groundskeeper's son. He offers the boy a million dollar check if he can hit a home run, only to tear it up in the boy's face once he gets tagged out by Tom. Colin discreetly has the boy's family sign a non-disclosure agreement and gives them the watch that Tom had gifted Logan moments before. Logan also fires Frank, the current COO and his longtime friend. Tom introduces himself to Greg and promises to be of help with his career.

On their flight back to New York, the remaining Roy children reveal to their father that they've decided not to sign the trust papers. Logan then begins mumbling incoherently before slumping over into Connor's lap, and the helicopter immediately reroutes to the hospital. Back in New York, Lawrence Yee hears the news of Logan's condition and agrees to take Kendall's offer, then threatens to destroy his family in Logan's absence. Kendall receives a call from Shiv, confirming that their father is in the hospital, and rushes off.

### Notes

1. ↑ It becomes clear that Rava left Kendall due to his substance abuse issues.
2. ↑ Also known as an NDA, a non-disclosure agreement is a legally binding contract that establishes that two or more parties are not to reveal a relationship or information that they may have to anyone else.

## Cast

* Hiam Abbass as Marcia Roy
* Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch
* Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy
* Peter Friedman as Frank Vernon
* Natalie Gold as Rava Roy
* Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans
* Alan Ruck as Connor Roy
* Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy
* Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy
* Rob Yang as Lawrence Yee
* Molly Briggs as Grace Roy
* Justine Lupe as Willa Ferreyra
* Swayam Bhatia as Sophie Roy
* Quentin Morales as Iverson Roy

Guest* Parker Sawyers as Alessandro Daniels

## Quotes

* **Alessandro Daniels:** Do you wanna call your dad?
**Kendall Roy:** Do I wanna call my dad? No, I don't wanna call my dad. Do you wanna call your dad?

## Trivia

* The scene in which Kendall has a breakdown in the bathroom was shot in only one take.
* Every conversation during the birthday lunch was improvised.
* The episode won a Directors Guild of America award, as well as was nominated for a Primetime Emmy award for its direction.

## References

1. ↑ Succession Ep 1: Celebration | Official Website for the HBO Series | HBO.com
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Adam McKay on Using Improv in ‘Succession’ – Watch – The Hollywood Reporter
3. ↑ DGA Awards 2019 Winners: List in Full – The Hollywood Reporter
4. ↑ Emmy Winners 2019 — FULL LIST: Emmy Award Winners – TVLine