Too Much Birthday

"**Too Much Birthday**" is the seventh episode of the third season of *Succession* and twenty-seventh of the series overall. It premiered on November 28, 2021 on HBO and HBO Max. It was written by Georgia Pritchett and Tony Roche, and directed by Lorene Scafaria.

## Premise

At Kendall's lavish birthday bash, Shiv and Roman try to arrange a meeting with Lukas Matsson, a tech mogul who recently snubbed Logan.

## Plot synopsis

Waystar's senior management receives good news that the DOJ's investigation will likely end soon. Tom is incredibly relieved to hear that he no longer faces the threat of going to prison, even flipping Greg's desk and sitting on top of filing cabinets. Logan discreetly tells him that he will remember Tom's dedication to him during that time. Lukas Matsson, the CEO of GoJo, declines to meet with Logan personally in regards to an acquisition. Shiv and Roman offer to meet with him later that night at Kendall's 40th birthday party. Logan sends Roman off with a "gift" for Kendall.

Roman, Shiv, and Connor arrive at the party, greeted by an "immersive theater" exhibit of Kendall's mother's birth canal, one of many exhibits. Many high-profile guests are also in attendance. Roman hands Kendall his gift from Logan, which is simply a note that reads "CASH OUT AND F\*\*K OFF." Shiv is upset to learn that Roman is a beneficiary in the buyout agreement but she isn't. Kendall then learns that Roman and Shiv only came to meet with Matsson and, upset, bans them from the VIP area (a giant replica of his childhood treehouse) where Matsson is currently hanging out.

Kendall runs into his ex-wife Rava at the party and she informs him that Waystar has been sending men to harass her and their children, as encouraged by Roman. Rava tells Kendall that the kids handmade him a gift and he frantically searches for it in a huge pile of others. He then becomes embarrassed of the grandiose party and backs out of giving a speech.

Roman, meanwhile, forces himself into the treehouse anyway and speaks with Matsson. Roman suggests that Matsson would never have to have any personal dealings with Logan, who Matsson avidly hates, and also offers to discontinue Waystar's streaming service, which is outdated anyway. Matsson enjoys Roman's offers and says they will revisit the discussion later in the week. Roman, feeling successful, mocks Shiv for being sidelined from the negotiations. Connor is repeatedly asked during the party to take his coat off but refuses, likely solely to be disobedient.

Greg works up the courage to ask Comfry out, despite being forbidden by Kendall. Comfry accepts, shocked that Kendall had forbidden it, and Greg is excited. He informs Tom but is met with drug-addled Tom's resentment, still unhappy and not enjoying the party despite avoiding prison. Kendall, still searching for his children's gift, accepts his defeat and breaks down crying, asking to go home. As they leave, Kendall confronts his siblings and lashes out. Roman viciously mocks him, as well as makes fun of Shiv, and pushes him to the ground. Kendall, humiliated, leaves and returns to his apartment, where Naomi comforts him, saying “It’s just a party. Let it fizzle.”

## Cast

* Brian Cox as Logan Roy
* Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch
* Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy
* Dagmara Domińczyk as Karolina Novotney
* Peter Friedman as Frank Vernon
* Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans
* Alan Ruck as Connor Roy
* J. Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman
* Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy
* Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy
* Natalie Gold as Rava Roy
* Annabelle Dexter-Jones as Naomi Pierce
* Scott Nicholson as Colin
* Zoë Winters as Kerry
* Jihae as Berry Schneider
* Dasha Nekrasova as Comfry

## Quotes

* **Greg Hirsch:** Well, how'd- how'd you get Shiv? She's out of your league.
**Tom Wambsgans:** Oh! Testy, Greg!
**Greg:** Well?
**Tom:** Well, Greg, I'll tell you. I got a dick the size of a red sequoia and I fuck like a bullet train. Okay? Satisfied?
**Greg:** Prove it.
**Tom:** What?

## Trivia

* The title was derived from the Berenstain Bears book "The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday", which follows Sister Bear as she becomes overwhelmed and upset at her birthday party.
* Jeremy Strong revealed that he genuinely could not find the box he was searching for when filming the scene in which Kendall searches for the gift from his children.
* The episode was nominated at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards for its production design and sound mixing, as well as at the Primetime Emmy Awards for its direction.
* Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin both submitted the episode to support their nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Succession Ep 7: Too Much Birthday | Official Website for the HBO Series | HBO.com
2. ↑ Shows A-Z - succession on hbo | TheFutonCritic.com
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 *Succession*: Season 3, Episode 7: "**Too Much Birthday**"
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Succession | Official Website for the HBO Series | HBO.com
5. ↑ Shows A-Z - succession on hbo | TheFutonCritic.com
6. ↑ Succession: Season 3 | Controlling The Narrative: The Birthday Party | HBO
7. ↑ https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/succession-jeremy-strong-adam-mckay-too-much-birthday-1235340397/
8. ↑ 2022 Creative Arts Emmys Night Two Winners List – The Hollywood Reporter
9. ↑ Lorene Scafaria - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins | Television Academy (emmys.com)
10. ↑ Jeremy Strong (‘Succession’): Emmys 2022 episode submission - GoldDerby
11. ↑ Kieran Culkin (‘Succession’): Emmys 2022 episode submission - GoldDerby