If you’ve seen Succession Season 4, Episode 3 – then continue reading. The rest of you, watch the series and come back here… because major spoilers ahead.
Succession is the perfect example of how to marry a gripping and crisp narrative with brilliant actors.
And Episode 3 in Season 4 is a masterclass in the art of storytelling and giving the audience an extremely emotional immersive experience.
It starts with the sudden demise of Logan Roy, the father.
All 4 siblings are seen together at Connor’s wedding. However, each is informed about their father’s passing in turns and given an opportunity to, in their own way, say their piece, make amends and bid him goodbye, except Connor. The viewer is made to experience the event from the perspective of primarily Kendall, Shiv and Roman, the “rightful successors”, who’ve been central to the conflict with Logan in the whole series.
First is Roman who deeply cares for his father but tends to hide behind filthy humour and perhaps even self-harm, begins by reassuring Logan of being a good father before he breaks down into tears.
Then is Kendall, who is a rebel without a cause constantly butting heads with his dad to prove his self-worth. His last words to Logan reflect his conflicting emotions of love and resentment.
Followed by Shiv, a daughter simply reacting against her father out of spite even though she inherently finds comfort, warmth, and protection in his presence. And then there’s was Connor
The entire sequence is basically a summary of their respective relationship and conflict with him, and the fact that they ultimately just sought his validation and approval.
But did it feel odd that we, the viewer, didn’t get to see Logan’s face while he was collapsed on the aircraft? We heard Tom describing the events and activities to the Roy siblings, and we saw a staff member doing chest compressions. But at no point do we see Logan’s face.
In that moment, the viewer was reduced to a state similar to that of the Roy kids, feeling the same sense of denial, panic, helplessness, grief, and gut-wrenching loss.
Just like Kendall, Shiv and Roman, we too are robbed of any chance of seeing or communicating with Logan ever again. We too are left with the distress of processing death of a parent. Hence, feeling sympathy for the kids.
The viewer has to learn to cope with this devastating turn of events, just like every character in the series.
Even in the later episodes, only Connor visits Logan’s body which is not revealed to us or witnessed by any other character. Once again, showing the narrative from the POV of Roman, Kendall and Shiv.
It’s one of the greatest episodes I’ve ever seen that makes the audience a part of this world.
