Succession S2 |OT| We Here For You - Sundays, 9 PM EST

[TTG]

Tonight was too monotone. The same awkward scummy evasions, talking past the other person, deflection conversations repeated 4 or 5 times in these would be heart to hearts that go sour. Kendall is definitely this week's MVP. Roman landed some good shots on Malala Roy.

I hope Rhea sticks around, that she's more than a propped up villain to be taken down in the finale. So many shows are built on a character who's good at their job. Big giant shows that are good revolve around a capable operator in any field(usually something terrible, but whatever) and Succession is categorically against it. It's like an NBA team that refuses to run pick and roll ever. I'm looking at Rhea like a fucking life raft at this point, someone step the fuck up and do something, anything right.

Logan was supposed to be it, but while he promised to kill pets and fuck wives it's the other side coming through with the dirt. The Pierce merger is a shit show and he just watches it crash and burn, now he needs "ammunition" to hold off his daughter? Some titan he's turned out to be in season 2.

 

[Nude_Tayne]

Tonight was too monotone. The same awkward scummy evasions, talking past the other person, deflection conversations repeated 4 or 5 times in these would be heart to hearts that go sour. Kendall is definitely this week's MVP. Roman landed some good shots on Malala Roy.

I hope Rhea sticks around, that she's more than a propped up villain to be taken down in the finale. So many shows are built on a character who's good at their job. Big giant shows that are good revolve around a capable operator in any field(usually something terrible, but whatever) and Succession is categorically against it. It's like an NBA team that refuses to run pick and roll ever. I'm looking at Rhea like a fucking life raft at this point, someone step the fuck up and do something, anything right.

Logan was supposed to be it, but while he promised to kill pets and fuck wives it's the other side coming through with the dirt. The Pierce merger is a shit show and he just watches it crash and burn, now he needs "ammunition" to hold off his daughter? Some titan he's turned out to be in season 2.

Click to shrink...

I just enjoy the fact that the people running Waystar are this shitshow of a family. It's part of what makes this show a comedy to me.

 

[snackshack]

Damn, Holly Hunter is deadly.

 

[Thewonandonly]

Damn, Holly Hunter is deadly.

Click to shrink...

Fuck ya she was! I really dislike shiv because I don't like the way she treats my boy Tom. God damn did I feel bad for here tho. I honestly thought the show was going to go the route of shiv being ceo, but nope holly is just a ducking savage!! She is easily my favorite character supporting character this season so I'm glad she's getting a big role it seems.

 

[Chaos Legion]

1. Was Greg trying to falsify a conversation in the bathroom scene?
2. So the mom is terrible, right? As in she wants her children but avoids anything unpleasant? Damn. Logan may not be the worst parent of the two.

Poor Shiv

 

[TTG]

Damn, Holly Hunter is deadly.

Click to shrink...

You think this season ends without Marcia opening a can of whoop ass? It won't. The only question is how much of it we will understand because at least 40% is likely to be in French.

 

[BanGy]

Rhea is going to be ripped to shreds.

 

[woman]

I hope Rhea sticks around, that she's more than a propped up villain to be taken down in the finale.

Click to shrink...

I agree. She's too entertaining to be wrapped up by season's end. Stewy and Sandy have stuck around for a while now so hopefully it's the same with her.

 

[Deleted member 42055]

Halfway through season 1 and I cant recall the last show ive watched that was this well done ... in which I wanted every single character to completely fuck off. It really is quite a testament to how well made it is that it keeps you so hooked

 

[nDesh]

I'm in Europe right now and HBO Go doesn't work 😭

 

[MrBS]

lol Shiv you got played

 

[THEVOID]

1. Was Greg trying to falsify a conversation in the bathroom scene?
2. So the mom is terrible, right? As in she wants her children but avoids anything unpleasant? Damn. Logan may not be the worst parent of the two.

Poor Shiv

Click to shrink...

I don't think she's terrible in that she probably doesn't know them all too well.

 

[THEVOID]

Fuck ya she was! I really dislike shiv because I don't like the way she treats my boy Tom. God damn did I feel bad for here tho. I honestly thought the show was going to go the route of shiv being ceo, but nope holly is just a ducking savage!! She is easily my favorite character supporting character this season so I'm glad she's getting a big role it seems.

Click to shrink...

I think she doesn't treat Tom bad. She's honest with him and her needs and Tom has a cushy job.

She supports Tom 100%.

 

[Arkestry]

1. Was Greg trying to falsify a conversation in the bathroom scene?
2. So the mom is terrible, right? As in she wants her children but avoids anything unpleasant? Damn. Logan may not be the worst parent of the two.

Poor Shiv

Click to shrink...

Greg was testing recording quality on his phone. I think he's going to try and get some new blackmail material.

 

[Deleted member 9100]

Greg was testing recording quality on his phone. I think he's going to try and get some new blackmail material.

Click to shrink...

He already did it. He was recording Tom while they burned the evidence. That's why he kept saying ridiculous things about burning the evidence, trying to get Tom to say something to implicate him.

 

[NinjaScooter]

He already did it. He was recording Tom while they burned the evidence. That's why he kept saying ridiculous things about burning the evidence, trying to get Tom to say something to implicate him.

Click to shrink...

Greg being so blatant about it, and Tom being too stupid to realize what he was doing, was hilarious.

 

[Arkestry]

He already did it. He was recording Tom while they burned the evidence. That's why he kept saying ridiculous things about burning the evidence, trying to get Tom to say something to implicate him.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I hadn't finished the episode when I replied xD

 

[Deleted member 25606]

I think she doesn't treat Tom bad. She's honest with him and her needs and Tom has a cushy job.

She supports Tom 100%.

Click to shrink...

Really. Like when he's sinking fast with legitimate concerns he's going to be hung out to dry and she just steamrolls over him more concerned with why she is not on the London trip? Or her deciding their marriage is open with no input from him on that fact or who she sleeps with but telling him no the one time he has chemistry with someone? Shiv is horrible, though it's partly Tom's fault for allowing it.

As for my thoughts I accidentally posted them in the season 1 thread because that keeps getting bumped for some reason.

 

[Deleted member 9100]

Glad this show at least won an Emmy for writing.

Pretty ridiculous that what's widely considered the worst season of game of thrones won the best drama series Emmy.

 

[Deleted member 3896]

Hmm, the season has been incredible but last night's episode was off to me. A lot of the writing just didn't land how it usually does and there were some odd choices in direction that made the whole episode feel sort of budget Succession or Succession-lite. That said, every scene with Holly Hunter is amazing and it's delightful to see Shiv get played. Also, seeing Greg(ory) rehearsing his recording of his and Tom's conversation was hysterical.

 

[Deleted member 11637]

Double-H back on top.

Comeback Kid Kendall hasn't been paying attention, doesn't have a happy ending.

Shiv Fuckin' Roy just isn't cut out for this.

Bad Dad still bad.

Bad Mom Christmas dinner to feature two turtledoves à la birdshot for six people.

The Eggory is a The Informant!-tier corporate whistleblower blessed with an idiot boss.

Rockstar & The Molewoman bide their time...

 

[Deleted member 43]

Hmm, the season has been incredible but last night's episode was off to me. A lot of the writing just didn't land how it usually does and there were some odd choices in direction that made the whole episode feel sort of budget Succession or Succession-lite. That said, every scene with Holly Hunter is amazing and it's delightful to see Shiv get played. Also, seeing Greg(ory) rehearsing his recording of his and Tom's conversation was hysterical.

Click to shrink...

Agreed, was indeed an off-night.

 

[caliph95]

As soon as Kendall is starting to grow a backbone and being more himself suddenly Logan decides they need to visit the family of the waiter that Kendall feels guilty about

 

[Violet]

Hmm, the season has been incredible but last night's episode was off to me. A lot of the writing just didn't land how it usually does and there were some odd choices in direction that made the whole episode feel sort of budget Succession or Succession-lite. That said, every scene with Holly Hunter is amazing and it's delightful to see Shiv get played. Also, seeing Greg(ory) rehearsing his recording of his and Tom's conversation was hysterical.

Click to shrink...

I think it was a great ep but revisiting the british family did feel like a misstep. And all the mom stuff definitely felt like a little side plot to kill time

 

[Deleted member 25606]

As soon as Kendall is starting to grow a backbone and being more himself suddenly Logan decides they need to visit the family of the waiter that Kendall feels guilty about

Click to shrink...

But that's not really what happened. The media was calling it a suicide and blaming it on how Logan treated then fired him, and the family visit was an idea from Gerry and that PR guy which Logan did very reluctantly. As for making Ken go considering Logan is taking the hit to protect him by covering up that it was manslaughter, and Ken was going to spend that time at the zoo with a heiress of the family that just snubbed his buyout attempt leading to an unwanted board vote during a hostile takeover attempt (the whole trip being for Kendall and Roman to convince their mother to vote in Logan's favor) calling it "Logan deciding they need to visit the family" is seriously reductive and missing oodles of subtext, and in that situation if I was Logan you can bet your ass I would have made Kendall go too.

 

[Deleted member 43]

But that's not really what happened. The media was calling it a suicide and blaming it on how Logan treated then fired him, and the family visit was an idea from Gerry and that PR guy which Logan did very reluctantly. As for making Ken go considering Logan is taking the hit to protect him by covering up that it was manslaughter, and Ken was going to spend that time at the zoo with a heiress of the family that just snubbed his buyout attempt leading to an unwanted board vote during a hostile takeover attempt (the whole trip being for Kendall and Roman to convince their mother to vote in Logan's favor) calling it "Logan deciding they need to visit the family" is seriously reductive and missing oodles of subtext, and in that situation if I was Logan you can bet your ass I would have made Kendall go too.

Click to shrink...

The problem with this explanation is: Logan is a monster, and everything he does is in the service of manipulating others to get what he wants.

He did want Kendall to go to take him down a peg and keep him weak and susceptible. Trying to rationalize his actions under any other framework is a fool's errand.

 

[ryseing]

I think it was a great ep but revisiting the british family did feel like a misstep. And all the mom stuff definitely felt like a little side plot to kill time

Click to shrink...

I enjoyed seeing Caroline again, and the whole thing with her avoiding real communication with Ken said a lot about how the kids have never been able to rely on either parent.

 

[Deleted member 25606]

The problem with this explanation is: Logan is a monster, and everything he does is in the service of manipulating others to get what he wants.

He did want Kendall to go to take him down a peg and keep him weak and susceptible. Trying to rationalize his actions under any other framework is a fool's errand.

Click to shrink...

I'm not disagreeing with that, in fact I agree that making Kendall go was specifically to shit in his cornflakes. I'm just saying the larger reason for the visit and it happening at all wS because of those things. If the body was pulled and the Roy name wasn't being dragged in the papers or connected to the death that visit wouldn't have even been an idea nevermind something that happened.

Basically I wasn't disputing the idea of Logan forcing Ken to go being manipulative or to break him, what I was disputing was (and the original poster may not have meant it this way but it is how the post reads) the idea that visiting the family at all was Logan's idea or pulled out of a metaphorical hat.

 

[caliph95]

This episode did reinforce both their parents being shit not just Logan the mom using the kids as a bargaining chip and straight up bailing on Kendall even when he obviously needed help

I'm not disagreeing with that, in fact I agree that making Kendall go was specifically to shit in his cornflakes. I'm just saying the larger reason for the visit and it happening at all wS because of those things. If the body was pulled and the Roy name wasn't being dragged in the papers or connected to the death that visit wouldn't have even been an idea nevermind something that happened.

Basically I wasn't disputing the idea of Logan forcing Ken to go being manipulative or to break him, what I was disputing was (and the original poster may not have meant it this way but it is how the post reads) the idea that visiting the family at all was Logan's idea or pulled out of a metaphorical hat.

Click to shrink...

Obviously they had to go to the family to "apologized" but he forced Kendall to go after kendall dared to question his relationship with Rhea

I'm not saying that visit came out of nowhere just that Logan had an obvious ulterior motive

 

[TTG]

The problem with this explanation is: Logan is a monster, and everything he does is in the service of manipulating others to get what he wants.

He did want Kendall to go to take him down a peg and keep him weak and susceptible. Trying to rationalize his actions under any other framework is a fool's errand.

Click to shrink...

Completely disagree with you there. In Logan's mind that was character building, whether that makes him a monster or not is another deal, but it was not a deliberate attempt to cut Kendall down. That's a facile read of the character.

 

[Deleted member 25606]

This episode did reinforce both their parents being shit not just Logan the mom using the kids as a bargaining chip and straight up bailing on Kendall even when he obviously needed help

Obviously they had to go to the family to "apologized" but he forced Kendall to go after kendall dared to question his relationship with Rhea

I'm not saying that visit came out of nowhere just that Logan had an obvious ulterior motive

Click to shrink...

So like I said to Matt it was just the way your post was phrased which I thought might be the case because your not a dummy (or any other word for someone who wouldn't understand what they were seeing)

As for your other point, yeah they were doomed at birth were parents like that. She may be worse in some ways better in others. Worse because she seems to have no emotional attachment and Logan for all his faults and fucking them up actually is attached and I think he does love them, he just seriously has a fucked up view of love and what a parent supposed to be. The better is because at least 2 of 3 are not even really affected by it, only Kendall seems really disappointed but even he gets over it quick. But with Logan half of why he fucks them up so much is because their is an emotional connection and they actually want to please their dad, which sucks and is sad because it's never going to happen.

 

[i_am_ben]

something felt off in the tone of the most recent episode. Logan felt very differently written.

 

[Deleted member 38573]

Logan only offered Shiv the top job to get her away from the presidential candidate she was working for right? He felt that Shiv was doing too much damage to ATN with the leftist candidate (whose name escapes me)

Am I tripping? How on earth hasn't Shiv realised and why did it seem like Logan was genuinely considering her this episode?

 

[TTG]

Logan only offered Shiv the top job to get her away from the presidential candidate she was working for right? He felt that Shiv was doing too much damage to ATN with the leftist candidate (whose name escapes me)

Am I tripping? How on earth hasn't Shiv realised and why did it seem like Logan was genuinely considering her this episode?

Click to shrink...

That was resolved in season 1 in London when the two agreed on a detente, the results of which catapulted Shiv over the dude she was cheating on Tom with into the top adviser spot on the campaign.

You guys need to stop ascribing these outright sociopathic qualities to Logan, not everything he does is a monstrous machination to retain power. Is this like some Game of Thrones effect? Because I missed the last season of that show. He offered her the job to get her to "compete" as he would put it. It was never entirely hers, but if her response wasn't such a flailing mess he probably would have made good on that promise. When he's asking Rhea for advice on who it should be he's sincere.

 

[Deleted member 38573]

That was resolved in season 1 in London when the two agreed on a detente, the results of which catapulted Shiv over the dude she was cheating on Tom with into the top adviser spot on the campaign.

You guys need to stop ascribing these outright sociopathic qualities to Logan, not everything he does is a monstrous machination to retain power. Is this like some Game of Thrones effect? Because I missed the last season of that show. He offered her the job to get her to "compete" as he would put it. It was never entirely hers, but if her response wasn't such a flailing mess he probably would have made good on that promise. When he's asking Rhea for advice on who it should be he's sincere.

Click to shrink...

Ahhhhh, thanks for clearing that up.

I'm still going to second guess his moves until he finally follows through on his "everything is for the family" mantra, instead of always having an excuse.

Maybe i'm impatient, but I haven't seen any actual good come from his "character building" exercises. It always ends up with his kids becoming more reliant on him or more scared of him. Whether he intends on being a cunt is irrelevant if the only visible impact we're seeing (Logan included) is very negative.

 

[William]

Roman and Shiv in the English shop was hilarious. I think the can he picked up asking if it was a historical display was Golden Syrup.
Them talking about scotch eggs and English food was great

 

[Nameless]

It's been a while since I've seen someone playing ruthless 8D Chess on HBO on that level.

Cheers Rhea

 

[THEVOID]

Completely disagree with you there. In Logan's mind that was character building, whether that makes him a monster or not is another deal, but it was not a deliberate attempt to cut Kendall down. That's a facile read of the character.

Click to shrink...

Agreed. Ken is already under his thumb no reason to drive that point home. It was a face your fears kinda thing.

 

[Deleted member 42055]

Finally caught up with aaall the episodes and yep this show is fantastic even if I'm struggling to find people to recommend it to, it's not the most palatable thing.
That said it is intersting seeing people jump the gun calling this show a GOAT after 17 episodes.

For me personally it is far too one note for me to elevate it so high so soon.
Watching horrible people fuck each other (and others) over again and again in varying degrees of severity/cruelty/callousness (often with plenty of snark).

Immediate example of my issue with this would be I cant even imagine what it would take for this show to elicit a genuine reaction of sadness/sympathy from me. It's fantastic at those couple notes it's hitting so far but the GOAT shows have all forced their audience to run the entire gamut of human emotion at some point.

Also, in this latest episode the mother has already been established as a piece of work but she needs to call her daughter a Nazi and a whore but oh isn't it hilarious because she's got an accent , their mother is terrible get it? Oh and she has to respond to a clear cry for help from her son who is clearly hanging by a thread by ghosting him in the morning with a " sorry" note scrawled on some ripped piece of cardboard.
Like jeeeeeeeesus I get it already. Sometimes I wish this show would just dial back on being so outlandishly cruel.

I look forward to the amazing Holly Hunter being absolutely fucked over in some awful way because she's far too interesting and nuanced a character to remain amongst such jackals like the Roy's.

 

[haxan]

For the fans:

Now it's Conan's turn to relentlessly bully Succession's Cousin Greg

it's basically a Greg mini ep.

 

[Everybody Lies]

I hate every single one of these characters --except Greg, he's Sucessions' Columbo -- but I can't stop watching.

 

[Valiant]

Completely disagree with you there. In Logan's mind that was character building, whether that makes him a monster or not is another deal, but it was not a deliberate attempt to cut Kendall down. That's a facile read of the character.

Click to shrink...

If it's character building then why didn't he let Kendall speak to the family?

 

[Directed by Fulci]

Finally caught up. The show is excruciatingly good. It's amazing how I've gone from being totally repulsed by these characters to feeling as though they are my own disappointing children. I find myself yelling at the tv a lot as they endlessly fuck themselves over and fall back into bad behaviors. Surely one of these eps they will heed my warnings.

 

[BringBackSonics]

What's Naomi Pierce's angle?

Spoiler: Spoiler about pierce

at first I thought she was going to be a Trojan horse, but now I'm not sure what her future is with Ken?

 

[TTG]

If it's character building then why didn't he let Kendall speak to the family?

Click to shrink...

I don't know, Kendall looked like he was about to confess to some shit.

What's Naomi Pierce's angle?

Spoiler: Spoiler about pierce

at first I thought she was going to be a Trojan horse, but now I'm not sure what her future is with Ken?

Click to shrink...

Those dick pics are gonna leak!

 

[BringBackSonics]

Those dick pics are gonna leak!

Click to shrink...

Plausible deniability? No face pick.

 

[Valiant]

I don't know, Kendall looked like he was about to confess to some shit.

Click to shrink...

So then the purpose of him being there wasn't to build character. And if it were to build character it would be what Logan Roy thinks to be good character and that's going to the family of the kid who crashed his car and you had a hand in the cover up and just sitting there and smiling thru it because you're rich and you're gonna get away with it.

I don't think everything that Logan does is sociopathic but lets not kid ourselves... he is a sociopath and most of the time acts like one.

 

[BrightLightLava]

We Here for You

 

[TTG]

So then the purpose of him being there wasn't to build character. And if it were to build character it would be what Logan Roy thinks to be good character and that's going to the family of the kid who crashed his car and you had a hand in the cover up and just sitting there and smiling thru it because you're rich and you're gonna get away with it.

I don't think everything that Logan does is sociopathic but lets not kid ourselves... he is a sociopath and most of the time acts like one.

Click to shrink...

He didn't bring him along to confess, he brought Kendall along to make him face the consequences. Of what value that is and how hypocritical the distinction is another argument, but none of this is a devious plot to destroy his son, in fact the only time he's moved against his kids was when they were directly challenging him. But hey, you want to reduce him to some caricature, go for it. I'm not here to play Logan Roy apologist.

 

[PersonAndStuff]

Watching S1, am I the only one who immediately assumed Roman was fucking with cousin Greg when he said Willa was a prostitute? I had to google it.