What SUCCESSION Is Really About 

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One key detail Jesse Armstrong offered is that Logan does genuinely love his children, but he cannot communicate that love whatsoever. So he can't deal with those emotions, but he does feel them. The closing shot of "Safe Room" implies this inadequacy masterfully: Logan likely pieces together that Kendall is entertaining suicidal ideas on the rooftop, so his solution is to install a glass barrier. He builds Kendall a cage instead of being emotionally available for his clearly ailing son.

I once worked for an heiress who ran an NGO related to a family-led conglomerate. She was a third-generation rich and at all times she would try to prove her competence to her grandfather who founded the company. Every week, she would come up with a 'viral' idea to boost her NGO and won't see it through, delegating the execution to some managers who were not experts. She would again have another idea and want everyone to focus on the new one. Then everything would fail because there is difference between having ideas and executing them. Also she tend to forget things take time and would throw a tantrum for instant results. She would call people 'substandard' staff and incompetent and cuss at them. Her team's task became to just manage her mood and do whatever she said while hoping not to get fired. Her grandpa knew that she was no good and thus stuck her to CSR ngo. She is also married to an actor and would constantly be on diets and be insecure despite being pretty. Not serious people indeed!

Great video Kendall is such a depressing character. Strong played him so well. His 40th birthday party was one of the most miserable viewing experiences I’ve had in years

I think this might be the most complete, focused and comprehensive video essay about a story I've ever seen.

I worked in a private equity firm which was like living in an episode of succession, you guys should know that these type of people are out there and are running the world with large amounts of capitral to play with.

I like to think that "Succession" is a snobbier and lighter version of "Its always sunny in Philadelphia". It is the same case of a gang of horrible people detached from reality and jealous of each other who refuse to grow up, but with real power to carry out their plans and schemes.

It took me until around episode 4-5 to get into it, but Damn this show had me belly laughing at moments. Greg and Toms chemistry is absolutely gold.

I'm a simple man. I see an hour and a half long video about Succession, I click.

“Trained at a young age not to accomplish something, or to be great at something they love. But instead, to become the top dog. It’s not about bettering yourself; it’s about outdoing everyone else.” - does not lead to success.

kendall's L -to-the-OG rap is a total earworm

It has the awkward humor and similar camera work as The Office... but it's not a sitcom. And at times, it has similar intensity to that of Breaking Bad when shit goes wrong. But it's not Breaking Bad either. It's really hard to put a label on this show. And I don't know how to sell this to my friend. But it certainly is entertaining.

Succession taught me to be careful of this so-called polite people. The Pierces are a great example of that. It was so believable.

I could watch a 10 hours long essay about this series. It's a gem and this video is really good!

I was a little unsure what Succession was actually about at the end of season 1. But by season 2- episode 2, it became clear to me. The story is funny and the awkwardness is realistic. But behind the comedy are tragic, damaged characters. Which really daws you into wanting more. Well done! 👏

My psychiatrist was actually the one to recommend Succession to me 😂

Great analysis! I love how the show runners took painstaking measures to distance the viewers from the characters and create this clinical perspective with the "office style" story telling. You supposed to understand their trauma and motivations without identifying with them, the explanation is not an excuse, empathy without sympathy. And I hate the fact that despite their masterful efforts they couldn't stear completely clear of the breaking bad effect and a whole lot of ppl fall in love with these monsters and romanticized them!

'He doesn't know how to want anything else.' I don't think a better summation, of all these people, has been put so succinctly. They have no idea of who they are, so they're incapable of knowing what to want. This utter lack of self-awareness is only pierced by Roman's last words to Kendall. Well-done review. :)

You think Shiv is more well-adjusted than her brothers? I think she is the most like Logan, deeply broken , but functional and brazen enough to convince people she knows what she's doing. She has no confidence, and neither does Logan.

Having seen dozens of analysis vids on this series, this one has to be one of THE best. Bravo!

I’m so impressed by this. These are things I think I realized subconsciously that you have now help me fully process. Great job!

Regarding Roman’s lack of experience, while he obviously was clueless in the beginning after Gerri takes him under her arm roman learns to use his “killer” instincts and he was gaining more and more favor through a series of small victories up until he sent a dick pic to his own dad. Whoops!

This deserves more than an all the hard work you put into it, which I’m sure was a whole lot.

The finale bewildered me at first, but this really made clear how great it was. Very well done. Thumbed and subbed. 👍

This is the best Succession analysis I've seen - very thorough and well articulated.

Logan didn't work his way from humble beginnings. I don't know why people believe this. Because he lies about it? He had benefactors who paid for him to go to fancy private schools. His brother said so in the eulogy. Either way they were raised by uncles who were not poor. Working class is the same as middle class. It just means you have to work and earn money instead of live off investments like a rich capitalist. Logan wants everyone to believe he came from poverty and built an empire on his own, but it isn't true. Yet, most fans of the show actually believe Logan on this. A known liar.

Thank you for a wonderful ride through this show… i am obsessed with it

It's about me. I am the succession. Or maybe the real succession was the friends made along the way.

1:09:10 weirdly your point about connor is an exact parallel with another Jesse Armstrong character, Mark Corrigan (one of the odd couple in Peep Show). Mark is obsessed with history, and often ruminates vainly about historical analogies for his current situation. However he explicitly mentions that although he desired to do history in university, his fear of his father's potential disapproval - believing his father would want him in a practical field - led him into a business degree that has led him to an unfulfilled life.

Thank you, that was really interesting. I might have to rewatch the series now!

"I'm just wondering if I can hit you for like like uh a little 100 Mill" classic

Thank you for the brilliant, insightful analysis!

This channel is the best. We wish them the best of luck.

Fantastic video. Thorough, well-put, and your incisive, insightful conclusions you drew jive well with my own interpretation of the intention of the writers and showrunners. I can tell you put a lot of work into this, and enjoyed it thoroughly!

Excellent analysis - What a show, I don't think we'll see another one like it again

I think you have a great understanding of what this story, humans in general and life are really about. Amazing video!!

Finally you upload about Succesion 😆. Been watching you since the Dark Netflix series came out. Happy to see where you are now :)

one of the few essays i've seen that actually gets it

Although lengthy it's very concise. Great job!

How Logan made his money is left unexplained purposely. We are sort of told he just built it himself with hard work, but c'mon.....are you really that naive? He had some massive help, and he will never tell the truth about the past.

Money buys happiness if in that it removes the stress of financial struggle. Once that is reached, adding more money does not translate to adding more happiness.

What a complete discourse, would love to have the transcript of this video!! Makes for a comprehensive read anytime!👍👍✅✅

Wow! Amazing video man, congrats, what a incredible tribute to this master piece of television!!

Romans 9B joke will always make me laugh @ 4:40

I appreciate your thorough analysis. It opened to me couple of points that I missed. I love that show.

Brilliant and comprehensive, amazing video!

this is extremely comprehensive, almost a second masterpiece, like a annotated version of the original.

Great video essay! Thank you sir

top notch analysis man!!

Learned a lot about myself from this damn video. Great job. Great show. 👍👍👍

Great video man, amazing stuff

This the best video about Succession.

Great video. So well put together. What happened with that Pearson deal did it fall thru as the offshoot company with the Roy’s never went forward.

Brilliant analysis

Incredible analysis, well done!|

Thank you, very interesting.

You got it wrong! Tom doesn't 'ostensibly win!' Mattson does. CEO is nothing if you aren't the Owner. Everyone gets this wrong. Logan picked Mattson as his Successor and the deal went through.

Great insight. Tom was my favorite

That was a fantastic video! I knew I had heard your voice from somewhere... You did a podcast with your brother for Better Call Saul right?

Every billionaire likes to lie about how poor they were growing up. Logan Roy is the same. Think who paid for him to go to good private schools?

18:14 bro he was an emperor not just a military commander

It has the same appeal as a car accident or a train wreck. Mayhem and chaos are fun to watch but not to participate. That’s why you watch it.

You summed it up perfectly. Basically this is the entire series. As much as I enjoyed it, I can’t deny that it was the same episode week after week, season after season. A 90 minute series summary is all you need to know.

Great video

I was rooting for Tom the whole time

This was such a weird show to get into. The setting and plot of a serious prestige drama with the idiocy and farce of veep or arrested development. I get it, the satire , dark humour, absurdity, but its hard to care about a show when there are no protaganists. The only times i genuinely cared was the glimpses of possible redemption for kendal, and his eventual failures. The series last 4 episodes in particular were probably the best, because genuine change was possible. Genuine character development was possible.

I did quite enjoy in the new season how Carries outer appearance was farrr more in line with the person she really is on the inside : D

I really loved Roman. He’s unhinged but there’s something there. There’s pain and love and insecurity. Ultimately, in the end, Kendall never became “king”. So many times he’d been promised the CEO title then it was taken away. He almost had it, then he didn’t. And sadly for him, his own sister never had faith in him to vote for him.

Bro psychoanalysed me during the using dark humour to not have a real conversation bit.

Thanks!

i really loved this analysis! not sure why some here are so negative about it (and then don’t explain why…)

Excellent

Since guardians three is out now, you should do a ‘Guardians of the galaxy timeline!’ (You do the best timelines)

Wow this was such an incredible deep dive on my fourth favorite show Please do one on Attack on Titan

BEST ONE

Thank you for acknowledging that the waiter crashed the car, not Ken. So sick of people sincerely believing Kendall KILLED someone. He did not

Just finished the finale an hr ago and now im sad and lost about what to watch. I think i had watched sopranos at least 5 times to completion in the last 2 years. I couldn't find another show worth getting into that i hadnt already watched or still watch. This show was the best I've watched in years

Please I would like you to do a video on Predestination...

“Life is a number on a piece of paper. It’s a fight for a knife in the mud”

Secession scanners that I can see the same thing on days of our lives every week, but still a good season finale series finale

That was surprisingly short 1,5 hours. Great job.

Bravo

i was surprised i got so into this show, but then i've always been drawn to character driven stories -- the characters, though static, are very compelling in a horrible kind of way

I think we all are waiting for an in depth video of what fucking happened to the touch screen.

The show is about how hot Kendall Roy is and it’s concerning I find him so attractive

Great video, but one nitpick, it’s never confirmed that Menken supporters started the fire in Milwaukee, that’s what was coming from Jimenez’ camp. The opposite came from Mencken’s.

Succession is like entrouge the world is there playground

For me the show is mostly about narcissism, especially narcissistic parents and how it wounds children forever, not matter your social status or wealth. It is a tragedy, as suggested by Jeremy Strong

The best way to pitch Succession is: "Its an exploration of the darker and toxic side of human nature and how its always molded and doesn't just "exist". This is showcased through some absolute asshole characters who are all messed up, and their "messer" (Logan) always sits on the throne, because he made these kids who they are. Its like an emotional and mental heirarchy of sorts. And if you're not into that stuff... its pretty f##king funny!"

Succession is show where you hope that clinical depression or drug addiction wins and Kendall dies.

This analysis was so good, it was actually better than Succession

That rap and that bowtie with him looking like Peewee f****ng Herman was the lowest point of Kendall in the whole show.And he f*****g killed someone...

I absolutely fucking HATE Greg. Watching the first episode I thought he was going to be there for that one then gone. To my shock and disgust, not only did he stay, but he won in the end

Is it the best argument for eating the rich❤

But what is happiness? There are moments of joy in life but no chronic state of bliss. And if you go out and live life and take chances there are always ups and downs. But at least there is some growth when you put yourself out there. My problem with any of these characters is that they hardly ever learn from their mistakes. There is no introspection or management of their decisions. It's this lack of self-awareness and inability to learn from their mistakes that detracts from Succession.

The three kids lack gratitude towards everything their father provided and who he is.

What FROM Is really about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My 2 cents - this video started good but felt like it recited too many beats from the show in a play by play rather than making point, giving examples, then relying on your analysis or moving on

I don't think Roman has written a screenplay. I think you've just maybe misunderstood the line, Roman is the one saying "written a screenplay" about Willa because she is a prostitute and maybe he thinks her saying that she's a playwright is a cover up or something.

King Lear ..but with a lot funnier lines .