Succession

***Succession*** is an American satirical comedy-drama television series created by Jesse Armstrong. It premiered on June 3, 2018 on HBO, with the finale airing on May 28, 2023.

## Premise

The series follows Logan Roy, founder and CEO of global media conglomerate Waystar Royco, and his dysfunctional family as they vie for company control amid uncertainty about the aging patriarch's health. As his second-eldest son and heir-apparent, Kendall Roy, attempts to solidify his eventual takeover, he and his siblings are faced with the choice of power or family loyalties. Though the future seems increasingly uncertain, it is the past that threatens to ultimately destroy them.

## Cast and characters

### Main

* Hiam Abbass as Marcia Roy
* Nicholas Braun as Gregory "Greg" Hirsch
* Brian Cox as Logan Roy
* Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy
* Peter Friedman as Frank Vernon
* Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans
* Alan Ruck as Connor Roy
* Sarah Snook as Siobhan "Shiv" Roy
* Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy
* Dagmara Domińczyk as Karolina Novotney
* Arian Moayed as Stewy Hosseini
* J. Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman
* Justine Lupe as Willa Ferreyra
* David Rasche as Karl Muller
* Fisher Stevens as Hugo Baker
* Rob Yang as Lawrence Yee (seasons 1-2)
* Alexander Skarsgård as Lukas Matsson (seasons 3-4)

### Recurring

* Natalie Gold as Rava Roy
* Ashley Zukerman as Nate Sofrelli
* David Rasche as Karl Muller
* Scott Nicholson as Colin Stiles
* Larry Pine as Sandy Furness
* Caitlin Fitzgerald as Tabitha Hayes (seasons 1-2)
* Juliana Canfield as Jess Jordan
* Jeannie Berlin as Cyd Peach (seasons 2-4)
* Holly Hunter as Rhea Jarrell (season 2)
* Annabelle Dexter-Jones as Naomi Pierce
* Eric Bogosian as Gil Eavis (seasons 1-2)
* Danny Huston as Jamie Laird (season 2)
* Cherry Jones as Nan Pierce (season 2)
* James Cromwell as Ewan Roy
* Harriet Walter as Caroline Collingwood
* Zoë Winters as Kerry Castellabate (seasons 2-4)

## Production

### Conception and writing

   In 2008, Jesse Armstrong began writing what would be a mockumentary about the infamous Murdoch family; however, the project was essentially scrapped in 2011. It was then suggested that instead he create a television series about a similar-but-fictional family, which he dismissed as being not near as impactful. Five years later, after immense research on controversial American families and the true, often dark nature of corporations, he decided to progress with the project. He eventually pitched his idea to HBO, and on June 6, 2016, it was announced that HBO had given the series a pilot order, with Adam McKay set to direct.

### Soundtrack

*Main article: Soundtracks*
On November 17, 2017, it was announced that Nicholas Britell would serve as the series' composer, having previously worked with McKay on his films *The Big Short* and *Vice*.

For the series' soundtrack, he was heavily inspired by late-18th century classical music, often utilizing loud bass and experimenting with piano, bells, strings, and percussions. He decided to stray from being "musically funny", fearing that it would drain the series of its preexisting humor, and opted for a darker feel. He also often infused the score with hip-hop beats to reflect the lifestyle and tastes of its focal character, Kendall Roy, using a Roland TR-808 drummed machine to do so. He has said that when composing the soundtrack, he intended to capture "what the Roy family might imagine for themselves."

## Series timeline

In the series pilot, which presumably takes place in 2018, Logan Roy has just turned 80. However, his next on-screen birthday isn't until season 4 and his age is left unsaid. Only a few days to six weeks pass between seasons and no more than six months pass in each season, with season 4 being only 10 consecutive days. If the events of the series are meant to mirror real-world events, it's likely that the Jiminez v. Mencken election is based on the 2020 election (Biden v. Trump). Thus, it's believed that two years have passed in the Roy family's universe despite the series having aired for five years.

Jesse Armstrong, the series' creator, warned fans of "digging too deep" into the timeline, stating: "We've been doing the show for six or seven years, and people have aged, but the story moves at a pace that the story demands. I think that there's probably been a **couple of years** elapsed in story time, but, to an audience, and indeed to ourselves as writers, it feels rather longer. The show has to live in a weird TV reality."

## Reception

### Critical response

Throughout its four season run, *Succession* has received widespread critical acclaim as well as attracted a large fanbase. It upholds an average score of 95% and 85 on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, respectively. In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked the series number 11 on its list of the "100 greatest TV shows of all time". It also ranked 10th on BBC Culture's similar list in 2021. It has frequently been compared to the works of Shakespeare.

### Response from the Murdochs

According to a insiders of the Murdoch family, they found the show to be "interesting" and even "amusing"; however, Rupert Murdoch, claimed that he himself had never seen the show. Furthermore, Vanity Fair reported that as part of the settlement for her divorce from Murdoch, Jerry Hall was barred from contacting show producers with ideas for storylines.

### Accolades

*Main article: Awards and nominations*

In five years, *Succession* has won a total of 56 awards; of which are thirteen Primetime Emmy Awards, five Critics Choice Awards, nine Golden Globe Awards, two Producers Guild of America Awards, four Writers Guild of America Awards, and one Peabody Award. It has been nominated for 191 awards total, including a Grammy Award. Its third (25 nominations) and fourth seasons (27) were the most nominated productions at the Primetime Emmy Awards of their respective years. It was also the most nominated television series at the 81st Golden Globe Awards with 9 nominations.

## Podcast

*Main article: Podcast*
    In July 2020, following the success of its second season, HBO launched a companion podcast for the series. British-American broadcaster and filmmaker Roger Bannett hosted the first season, with American journalist Kara Swisher hosting the second and third. Throughout its 31-episode run, the podcast featured many members of the cast, unpacking the events of the series and psychology of their characters. In its second and third seasons, Swisher would also speak with outside experts, such as titans, whistleblowers, and political consultants, to reveal *Succession*'s terrifying accuracy in portraying real world events. All three seasons can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, and more.

## References

1. ↑ Succession: Season 1 ratings (tvseriesfinale.com)
2. ↑ Succession: Season 2 ratings (tvseriesfinale.com)
3. ↑ Succession: Season 3 ratings (tvseriesfinale.com)
4. ↑ Succession: Season 4 ratings (tvseriesfinale.com)
5. ↑ Jesse Armstrong on the roots of Succession: ‘Would it have landed the same way without the mad bum-rush of Trump’s presidency?’ | Succession | The Guardian
6. ↑ HBO Orders Drama Pilots From Adam McKay & Kathryn Bigelow – Deadline
7. ↑ Adam McKay Reteams With Composer Nicholas Britell On Two Projects – Deadline
8. ↑ How ‘Succession’ composer Nicholas Britell captured the HBO series’ gravitas and absurdity - The Washington Post
9. ↑ The Music of 'Succession': Composer Nicholas Britell on Show's Score - Variety
10. ↑ ‘Succession’: Nicholas Britell’s Score Mixes Classical and Hip-Hop – IndieWire
11. ↑ https://time.com/6272360/succession-timeline-season-4/
12. ↑ The End of “Succession” Is Near | The New Yorker
13. ↑ Succession - Rotten Tomatoes
14. ↑ Succession - Season 1 Reviews - Metacritic
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Succession (TV Series 2018–2023) - IMDb
16. ↑ Succession - Rotten Tomatoes
17. ↑ Succession - Season 2 Reviews - Metacritic
18. ↑ Succession - Rotten Tomatoes
19. ↑ Succession - Season 3 Reviews - Metacritic
20. ↑ Succession - Rotten Tomatoes
21. ↑ Succession - Season 4 Reviews - Metacritic
22. ↑ Succession - Rotten Tomatoes
23. ↑ Succession - TV Show Reviews - Metacritic
24. ↑ The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time (20-11) | Rolling Stone (rollingstone.com)
25. ↑ The 100 greatest TV series of the 21st Century - BBC Culture
26. ↑ 'Succession's Shakespeare References Go Back to the Very Beginning (collider.com)
27. ↑ Have You Noticed that “Succession” Is Like Shakespeare? | The New Yorker
28. ↑ The Shakespearean miscalculation in 'Succession's' Season 3 - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
29. ↑ 'Succession' Plays Out Like a Shakespearean Tragedy — Where People Are Doomed to Live | The Swaddle
30. ↑ Confirmed: Yes, Rupert Murdoch's Family Enjoys Watching "Succession" | (townandcountrymag.com)
31. ↑ Inside Rupert Murdoch’s Succession Drama | Vanity Fair
32. ↑ Emmy Nominations 2022: Full List of Nominees (variety.com)
33. ↑ Emmy Nominations 2023: Full List Of Nominees (variety.com)
34. ↑ Grow, K., Blistein, J.‎ (January 7, 2024). "‘Succession’ Wins Best TV Drama at Golden Globes, Just Like Everyone Predicted". *Rolling Stone*. Retrieved on January 8, 2024.
35. ↑ 6 TV Tie-In Podcasts to Enhance Your Next Binge - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
36. ↑ Kara Swisher to Host ‘Succession’ Season 3 Companion Podcast – The Hollywood Reporter
37. ↑ HBO's Succession Podcast on Apple Podcasts

## External links

* Succession on HBO
* Succession on Wikipedia
* Succession on IMDb
* Succession on Instagram
* Succession on Facebook
* Succession on Twitter
* Shop Official Succession Merchandise