CONNOR’S WEDDING

Well, that happened.

In the most recent episode of HBO’s Succession, viewers were witness to perhaps television’s most shocking death since Tony Soprano suffocated Christopher Moltisanti.

And like the death of Christopher Moltisanti, the death of Logan Roy pulled off the difficult task of simultaneously being expected while also being a genuine surprise. However, the glaring difference is that unlike Logan, Christopher at least died in the company of a family member/business associate who at one time loved him, even if that person was his executioner.

Dying in the company of ANYONE who used to love him was one of the few luxuries billionaire mogul Logan Roy couldn’t afford and as a result he died alone, in an airplane bathroom, surrounded by flunkies, hanger-ons, and sycophants. Had Logan been a better person, he could have died at a wedding surrounded by friends, family, and coworkers who adored him.

Like fellow fictional titan of industry Big Tom Callahan (Tommy Boy), but that is a story for another day.

However, we all know that wasn’t who Logan was, as his desire to build and obsession to protect his media empire insulated him from friends and family and as a result made him one of the more intriguing, layered, and intricate characters in modern television history. A tip of the cap to all involved in Connor’s Wedding, especially episode director Mark Mylod, who perfectly created the environment of getting a phone call alerting you to the unexpected death of a love one and absolute chaos that follows.

My father was 60 years old when he unexpectedly passed away and I still remember everything about that morning. I remember who I was with, where we were, and what my mother told me over the phone. Let me ASSURE you that the phone call, the tears, and the shock induced confusion portrayed in this episode is on point. And I mean to-a-T.

A call like that never fully graduates to existing solely in your rear view mirror. Even with therapy, even with coping mechanisms, and even with the love and support of friends and family, I still occasionally, 20 years later, get unnerved by a seeing a friend or family member’s name pop up, at an unexpected time, on my cell phone screen.

I hope my therapist isn’t reading this. Well, actually I do. A click is a click.

Another masterful touch was Logan, a perpetually tough and rugged character, dying alone and off screen. At Logan’s end, the audience was not subjected to him being led away away from a court room, transported into a jail cell, or rushed into a hospital. Like a family member looking back on the life of a loved one, the audience will eventually forget Logan’s failing health and will remember him as a shrewd and cunning bastard who was 10 foot tall and bullet proof.

Also like family members, the audience will remember their final visual of Logan; his corpse, hidden inside of a body bag, escorted by paramedics off of a plane and into a waiting ambulance with lights aglare and muted sirens. Logan Roy died the way he lived. Alone.

Logan Roy is dead. Long live Logan Roy.

LOONEY CAKES & PRESS RELEASES

• In an episode destined for the television pantheon, Mylod should also be applauded for a TWENTY EIGHT MINUTE CONTINOUS SHOT of the Roy children finding out and coming to grips with the news that their father was dead. This was an incredible feat and if you are interested in how the Succession team pulled it off, make sure to watch the Behind The Episode feature on HBO MAX.
• ‘Mr. Scrooge was a great wealth creator. They don’t mention that in Mr. Dickens’ books, do they?’ One of the funniest lines in the series, delivered by Connor, without even a hint of irony.
• Perhaps the most pleasant season 4 surprise in the amount of screen time Connor is getting. Even more pleasant is the fact that esteemed character actor Alan Ruck is FINALLY getting his time to shine and I am looking forward to seeing him sink his teeth into his new and meatier role as the season progresses.
• The last shot of Brian Cox that the audience can see is of the back of his head, mirroring the last two shots in the title sequence. THAT is how you make quality television.
• Watching Logan’s ‘best pal’ and bodyguard Colin morosely look at the scene unfolding on the runway was touching, even if he and Logan covered up the waiter’s death at Greg and Shiv’s wedding in season 1.
• Speaking of Weddings, HBO sure has a penchant for making episodes that revolve around matrimony violent and death laden. We are all familiar with the infamous Game of Thrones ‘Red Wedding’, the Succession weddings, and harkening back to The Sopranos, Allegra Sacramoni’s wedding which ultimately led to the death of Rusty Millio.
• Shiv is still not drinking alcohol, which to me (in disagreement with my wife), signals that she was not only processing her father’s death, but also digesting the fact that her in-utero child will never meet their grandfather.

Netflix and Grill Succession ‘F@@k Off’ Power Rankings

ELIMINATED FROM CONENTION: Logan Roy. Logan Roy is dead, long live Logan Roy

SUPER WILD CARD: Kerry Castellabate – AKA, Chuckles The Clown, Kerry was Logan’s girlfriend, confidant, and person closest to him at the time his death (and even they were drifting). Kerry is almost certainly eliminated, but there is the SLIGHTEST of chances that she may be pregnant.

WILD CARD: Kendall Roy – Family tragedy and self destructive tendencies aside, Kendall is out of capital, both financial (Roystar stock crashing) and personal, with the passing of his father. Given Ken’s baggage laden past and poor chess playing skills, it seems that outside of Logan, Kendall is the least likely Roy to take the crown.

#5: Roman Roy – Ironically the most confrontational Succession character is also the most vulnerable and least likely to fight family members for control of Roystar Wayco. There is going to be a lot of dirty fighting in the last seven episodes and in a moment of BRILLIANT writing, (earlier in the season) mirroring Roman’s perceived asexuality and unwillingness to fight the ones he loves, states, ‘I’m the only one who doesn’t want to fuck anyone’.

#4: Gerri Kellman – Gerri not only knows where the bodies are buried, but also has photos of their appendages on her phone. Being fired by the boss’ son who just happens to have sent her unsolicited nudes, coupled with her sharp instincts, connections, and knowledge of the company business, make Gerri a foe not to be trifled with.

#3: Tom Wambsgans:

Plusses: His high charting emotional IQ, (displayed by delicately breaking the news to his estranged wife and her siblings), combined with his shrewdness, and chameleon-like ability to adapt.

Minuses: His greatest ally is dead, his soon to be ex-family members don’t trust him, and the Waystar old guard doesn’t take him seriously.

Still, Tom is a fighter and a one of the smarter characters on the show, which means he probably isn’t out of cards to play.

#2: Shiv Roy: The Roy child who is taken the most serious (a very low bar) by the rest of the world, Shiv in the midst of chaos, competently delivered a well written press release announcing her father’s death while simultaneously putting the world on notice that she would be helping Waystar navigate it’s future path. That gravitas could go a long way towards pulling power players, and former Logan Lieutenants, into her orbit.

#1: Lukas Mattson: More than just, as Roman so eloquently put, “a 4 chan Swede”, Mattson, the CEO of GOJO, can now buy Waystar without any concessions (such as giving up control of the ATN news network) for pennies on the dollar. Of course, there will now be more sharks in the water vying for the Roy family chum, but as for the end of episode three, Mattson seems hard to beat.