HBO's Succession - Season 2 and Beyond

There's a sog factor

Ngl I don't really follow all the business stuff. So what do Sandy and Stewie want here?

Also Connor saying he'd seen karaoke in the movies but nobody ever wanted to do it was quite sad

It's like Jaws if everyone worked for Jaws.

This is one of my favourite lines of the whole show ever. Every description of Logan in that scene was gold. And his nickel and diming over pizza and people being too slow, OMG, I would be looking for another job so fast if I heard he was going to be doing that all the time (although I did notice that they buy Hammermill paper. They could definitely save some money by buying cheaper own-brand paper).

Loved how fast the kids, especially Roman, were able to shut down Kerry's anchoring ambitions. Sure, they had to throw in some Roy cruelty as well, but they got it done. Unlike Greg, who just made it worse.

Because unlike the kids he still needs to keep dad sweet!

The scene where Logan makes him mind-read him about Kerry was delicious. "Yes, uh, needs.... ahh? A little more time? Like...... years? Okay."

iirc Sandy and Stewie think Logan is selling to Matson/Gojo too cheaply. They want to form an alliance with the kids that will block the sale at board level unless they get Matson/Gojo to cough up more money. There may be some ulterior motive here that I don't understand but that does make sense on the face of it. If the deal blows up they make nothing, and they are investors, the whole point is to make money. For the kids that's NOT the point, even if Shiv keeps saying it is. The point is to keep fucking with Dad. To make him pay. Literally and figuratively. What I don't get with Kendall is that he seems to have proof that dad isn't lying when he says Matson will walk away if he's squeezed - yet he wants to go ahead with it anyway. ALl in an effort to get back at dad? But if the deal blows up... they can't buy Pierce! I mean yes all the kids are morons. But is Kendall THAT much of a moron?

Kendall wants to be seen as succeeding but as we have seen he is ultimately success-averse.

Because unlike the kids he still needs to keep dad sweet!

Right. For a second I wasn't sure why he handed it off to Greg, but of course it's so that when it goes wrong (which it was bound to), it's not his fault.

For the kids that's NOT the point, even if Shiv keeps saying it is.

I got the impression from all the lawyer talk that Shiv is worried about money. She's the only one of the kids going through a divorce at the same time that a massive block of money is about to come in, and she specifically mentioned that Logan shafted their mother with the exact lawyers he has now put at Tom's disposal. It seems unlikely, in the end, that Logan will allow Tom to take any of Shiv's money, but I guess neither Tom nor Shiv can be 100% sure that's the case?

Poor Tom wouldn't take a dime from Shiv imo. I just feel like with these kids it's not the money, it's what the money represents. In this case, making Dad pay. Although they do seem to say at one point that because they overpaid for Pierce they have to try this gambit.. but Kendall knows as well as anybody can know that it won't work. Not only will they fail to squeeze more juice from the lemon, they won't get the lemon at all.

what if ken goes full reject all money and worldly possessions mode? he's been talking very Buddhist lately. not that those things are totally connected but I could see that as one way forward for him

also the Ken and Shiv are so into SHINY OBJECTS it just floors me, and it kills me that Ken took one look at Stewie's #'s and decided to tank the deal. but maybe he's doing that intentionally? I dunno they all seem so dumb except Roman and Connor (who is dumb in other ways)

Logan seemed pretty smart for most of this episode until he asked *checks notes* Roman to be his ATV fire-breather? That is what was happening at the end, right? (In which case, whither Tom?)

sorry ATN

I guess I just saw that as a move to break up this alliance of the kids?

Yeah, it's also what I was trying to say about how Roman dealt with Kerry's ambitions. Quick, cruel, clean, no suggestion that it comes from Logan. That's exactly what Logan wants. Roman doesn't care if other people like him as long as his dad is pleased with him. Whereas Tom wants everyone to like him. He's just not horrible enough.
Plus Roman is funny, and we saw at Logan's birthday party how he misses having mean, funny people around him. God, he really is horrible.

I guess I just saw that as a move to break up this alliance of the kids?

For sure, Roman just does not seem like the guy to do it, like, at all, but I dunno

Logan only needs to get one of them to change their vote, right? might as well be lil baby Roman who he can manipulate with the suggestion he thinks Romey might be capable of something

I couldn't read Kendall's motivations either, other than to see what happens if you piss off based 4chan Swede

avclub had quite a good recap https://www.avclub.com/succession-review-season-4-episode-2-rehearsal-1850281823

not sure if people are talking about Roman changing his vote (could totally see that) or running ATN (he could totally do that, he's a scum puppy) but yeah he seems the least worst of the kids in terms of having a good business sense

I actually took Logan at face value. Like there's a chance he thinks Roman can turn ATN into what he wants it to be, vicious and brutal and smarmy etc

Kendall really confused me as well though. But I think maybe at this point he just like setting things on fire and causing damage? Unlike Shiv he knows Matson is serious, and unlike Shiv he probably doesn't really care about def getting the money and running pierce. More important to him to just fuck with dad?

^this is my take also

yes that is a great take

Yeah it's a little heartbreaking that Roman actually seems to want to work on something to prove that he can (even if he doesn't care whether it's 'The Hundred' or ATN), when the other siblings are more purely concerned with family politics and grievances.

I'm going to be sad if they make Romey go full brownshirt but I expect that is exactly what will happen

who's gonna have the worst crash--my vote is on Kendall

Kendall's gonna OD.

That AV Club article was great.

in the pre-show recap prior to the episode there was the snip of previous-season Tom saying to Logan that he'd be the one to go to prison and now I think that however this ends, Tom goes to prison and Logan escapes

as I am putting together the question "Is Logan gonna fuck Tom?" I realized I had the answer right in front of me OF COURSE HE WILL

“Famous blue raincoat” was hilarious

kendall saw something that moved him in his call with lukas but its unclear what it was, very mysterious

He saw an open bag of Doritos and Made a mental note to send for some

Yeah but obviously he would have just closed the window before connecting to the projector, I mean c'mon.

― change display name (Jordan), Monday, April 3, 2023 6:05 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

he was already wirelessly connected to the tv logan walks in and he closes the laptop when he reopens it just picks up where he left off

It's a small point but I swear I saw him plug in the hdmi before reopening it!

ok i rewatched it youre right not sure why they did it like that

the glare of Logan tells him he must. plus they would've heard it anyway I assume.

"i'll just have whatever a regular joe would have, just uh, a belgian weiss beer... not hoegaarden though"

I Wonder where that bar scene was shot

My immediate reading of the Kendall/Matson call was that Kendall recognised thirsty behaviour when he saw it. Is it possible that Matson is actually under some pressure himself to get the deal made and so is using threats to avoid the possibility of having to spend more money? Feels like everyone is taking Matson at face value and I’m not sure why.

Some hearty fare

So it's actually Connor's wedding in the next ep? That's the third wedding so far, it's like a soap opera!
And on Gojo deal day too!

it's very Arrested Development

Feels like everyone is taking Matson at face value and I’m not sure why.

Shiv was def making fun of this, like "oh really, if he said it then it must be true, surely there is not the possibility of saying an untrue thing" or whatever, but I'm on the hook to see how it goes down.

yeah i guess kendall getting a read that matsson wld pay more is the most likely answer, it felt like he had some emotional reaction to the call tho, i guess that emotion could just be recognizing an opportunity for business wins, or maybe he believed him and decided it would be fun to kill the deal

I do love that the sibling alliance has fallen apart before it even started, they’re all shiftily making calls and making moves behind each other’s backs and then without knowing it playing each other and potentially wrecking multiple deals.

I think as always the issue with this show is the alliances and plots are built on shifting sands and what’s an established group now may be at each other’s throats soon. Logan knows divide and rule has been a winning strategy for generations of tyrants!

theres no trust theyre weak not serious people

now help me down from these paper boxes

that speech was so good im ready get on the pirate ship

i kinda wanna watch the ep again before we get ep 3--it was so good. ha! I forgot about Con wanting a Hoegarden

his whole speech about the kinds pf people at bars with blood on their heads & sweating through their hands or whatever