As dark as it is funny, HBO's "Succession" mixes family drama with a high-stakes struggle for corporate power. Logan Roy (Brian Cox) built Waystar, a media empire, and now either death or retirement could be right around the corner. But is Logan willing to give it up? And if so, to whom?
In a rave review, The Cleveland Plain Dealer called the show "an intoxicating mix of wicked comedy and 'Lear'-like tragedy, served up in a bubbling cauldron of dirty deals, double deals, betrayals, shifting alliances, plotting and counter-plotting." Think of it as "Arrested Development" crossed with Shakespeare. Creator Jesse Armstrong leaves no storytelling tool on the table, using comedy, drama, tragedy, and satire in equal measure to follow this tumultuous family saga.
The characterization and the performances are what really make "Succession" great. You might not like the Roys, but it's hard to stop watching them. Disgust at their behavior mingles with pity for their essential brokenness. That psychological sophistication keeps viewers coming back, and that's why it's 18th on the Metacritic ranking.
