Anna Daniels
HBO’s Succession starts off with a story familiar to anyone who’s studied Shakespeare. In this modern take on King Lear, the patriarch of a successful media empire, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), announces he will step down as the CEO of Waystar Royco as his health declines, leaving his children to squabble over his empty throne. Kendall (Jeremy Strong), who works closely in the company alongside his father, seems to be the top contender for the crown, but after Logan’s announcement, his siblings — including the irresponsible Roman (Kieran Culkin), the conniving Siobhan (Sarah Snook), and the oft-forgotten Connor (Alan Ruck) — pop out of the woodwork to lay claim to their father’s role in the company.
Succession‘s first season performed reasonably well, marking another hit for HBO, but as viewers started to discover this savvy, dark, and incredibly funny show (which was, unfortunately, often confused with Showtime’s Billions), the second season hit the airwaves in 2019, giving fans even more drama than the first outing. No matter what the future holds for the Roy family, there’s no doubt that Succession‘s future is bright, and even over two short seasons, it has earned its place as one of the standout shows of the entire decade.
Written by: Looper
