‘Succession’: Mid-Season Reactions And Speculation!

There are only five episodes left of Succession! As we enter the series’ final stretch, let’s break down the latest episode and try to see what we can expect from the final batch.

***SPOILERS FOR SUCCESSION***

It’s sad to think that five weeks from now, Succession, one of the best shows on TV, will be completely over. So far, season four has consistently turned out fantastic episodes, giving us some of the best character moments of the entire series. Episode 5, “Kill List,” gave us some big reveals on where the rest of the show is possibly heading, and we have the best reactions and predictions.

CE-BROS

After Logan’s shocking death a few weeks ago, Kendall and Roman have stepped up to run the company, at least until the deal with Matsson goes through. In this episode, we were able to see the brothers actually run the company, and it revealed a lot about where they are both at. It seems that Kendall is thriving, and loves the power that has been bestowed upon him, while Roman is using the business as a way to grieve his father. Roman normally acts like he doesn’t care, but he seems very sentimental about ATN and the “plan” his father had before he died. Kendall also seems more bloodthirsty as he is willing to make deals behind Shiv’s back despite the promise they made to her last week.

Some have also pointed out that it appears that Roman is wearing Logan’s sweater throughout a lot of the episode, showing how emotionally chained he is to his father even after his death.

On the lighter side of the Waystar world, it was revealed what kind of blockbuster movies Waystar Studios makes.

Reigniting Toxic Flames

If any member of the Roy family walked away from this episode feeling like a winner, it was Shiv. Not only did she get the deal with Matsson to go through, but she also got some very valuable dirt on him, giving her the upper hand if things go sideways.

However, the more surprising part of Shiv’s plot line was her reconnection with Tom. At the start of this season, it felt like their divorce was rapidly approaching, but now that doesn’t seem to be the case. After a few moments of the most toxic flirting on the planet, they have agreed to have dinner together and seem closer than they have in a long time.

It seems that the divorce is at least on hold, but might not be happening at all. Tom does stand a much better chance in the company if Shiv is on his side, and Tom helps with the image Shiv is trying to create for herself. Whether or not this is better for the two of them emotionally, it makes business sense, and that seems to be both their priorities at the moment.

Killing the Deal

In a surprising reversal, Roman and Kendall tried to kill the Matsson deal. For Kendall, part of this is coming from his desire to remain CEO of Waystar (it is what he’s wanted from the beginning of the series), while Roman is clearly doing it out of the anger and fear he feels from the loss of his father. Kieran Culkin delivered an Emmy-worthy monologue in this episode, completely selling the audience on this difficult, nonsensical decision.

As previously mentioned, Matsson and Shiv were able to force the deal through, offering a number that the board won’t be able to refuse. While it would probably be best for everyone if the deal goes through, Roman and Kendall did give away their hand to Matsson on that mountaintop, with Roman explicitly saying he hatted Matsson and blamed him for Logan’s death, so if Matsson is running the company, there is a good chance the CE-Bros won’t be a part of it.

What’s Next?

While things seem pretty stable for Shiv right now, given the show’s history, that will not last. With Matsson’s weird history of giving women his blood, as well as Roman and Kendall’s attachment to the company, there is a good chance this deal will blow up in her face.

With five episodes to go, there are bound to be many more surprises and twists in store, so it is far too early to predict who will end up on top. The more important question, however, is whether any of them can break the cycle of abuse and achieve some happiness. Sadly, the odds of that happening are even slimmer than the GoJoy deal.

Make sure to catch the final episodes of Succession Sundays on HBO and HBO Max!