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Succession recap: The biggest talking points from season 4 premiere

Buckle up, f***leheads!

Jeremy Strong and Sarah Snook and Kieran Caulkin in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)
Jeremy Strong and Sarah Snook and Kieran Caulkin in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)

Everyone's favourite feuding family are back on Sky Atlantic and NOW for one final showdown, as Succession makes its long-awaited return from 27 March.

Since premiering in 2018, HBO’s satirical marble-floor take on King Lear has been lauded for its snappy writing, powerhouse acting, and laugh-out-loud levity that cuts through all the constant one-upmanship.

With big takeover deals and a winner-takes-all contest hovering over Murdochian media magnate Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his entitled offspring, a gripping swan-song promises to answer an all-important question: who will end up taking the throne?

Read more: Everything you need to know about Succession S4

Set some time after last year’s shocking finale, the fourth season begins just like the first one did. Logan grimaces his way through yet another birthday party, but an intimate family affair gives way to something resembling a corporate retreat.

Surrounded by faceless execs and profit-driven sycophants, Logan’s mind is focused elsewhere: ensuring the smooth sale of his Waystar Royco empire to Elon-esque maverick Lukas Mattson (Alexander Skarsgård), acquiring his long-time rivals Pierce Global Media (the conglomerate from season two), and keeping watch over his news outlet ATN’s support of far-right fascist Jeryd Mencken (Justin Kirk) during the upcoming Presidential elections. Logan remains the disaffected curmudgeon throughout his crusade for total control, but thoughts often turn to wondering what the “rats” are up to.

Sarah Snook in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)
Sarah Snook in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)

As Logan seeks to escape from these ghouls in suits he scathingly calls “the Munsters” (also the title of this season’s opener), the “rats” — Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), and Roman (Kieran Culkin) — are holed up in Los Angeles. The memories of their failed coup still linger, driving this freshest of united fronts to do their own thing with start-up media venture The Hundred (“it’s Substack meets Masterclass meets the Economist meets the New Yorker”, insists Kendall). For all their conditioned malevolence and so many other gnawing traits, it’s a thrill seeing the next-gen Roys finally team up after years of familial distrust — though part of it is guessing how and when it eventually implodes.

The Telegraph: TV's most monstrous dynasty approaches the end (4 min read)

After Shiv’s estranged husband and turncoat-in-chief Tom (Matthew Macfayden) let slip on Logan’s plan after a date with Pierce heir (and Kendall’s ex) Naomi, the temptation to abandon ship overwhelms them. It’s no surprise when Roman, forever fuelled by the need for his dad’s approval, shows the most apprehension over snatching PGM from underneath Logan’s clutches.

Brian Cox and Matthew Macfadyen in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)
Brian Cox and Matthew Macfadyen in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)

For the most part, he just wants to run something viable, rightly pointing out that Kendall still wants to “f*** over Dad” and Shiv just wants to “f*** over Tom”. Clearly unnerved by this abrupt pivot, he still relents to the other two’s desire for vengeance, with all three flying to the Pierces’ manor and engaging in a bidding war with Logan and his inner circle.

With this sharp reshuffling of the Roy family power dynamics, Tom has now taken up residence as one of Logan’s “trusted” hands. Betraying his wife and her brothers has sky-rocketed the Minnesotan softie to the real inner workings of Waystar, but there’s still a needy fragility beneath his veneer of new money pomp. At least he made good on his vow to take perennial sidekick and favourite patsy Greg with him.

Even though Tom’s marriage is in tatters, the presence of these two wannabe lotharios — of whom Greg gleefully labels as “the Disgusting Brothers” much to Tom’s unease — reminds us that for all the treason and tussles, Succession remains one of the funniest shows to have hit our screens in the last decade.

Nicholas Braun and Matthew Macfadyen in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)
Nicholas Braun and Matthew Macfadyen in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)

The subplot with Cousin Greg’s uninvited Tinder date, who makes a major party foul by trying to snap a selfie with Logan, is as rib-achingly hilarious as hapless Roy firstborn Connor’s (Alan Ruck) own delusional bid for Presidency (polling at just 1% at the time of writing). Logan even shows off some of his own comic chops, demanding his inner circle give him a “good roasting” whilst they battle the kids for PGM. Of course, none of them dare to even try, but props to a bold Greg for trying (and swiftly failing).

Despite the caustic back-and-forths and ceaseless scheming, “The Munsters” closes in earnest fashion. Shiv returns to her marital home and has a tearful talk with a brittle Tom, still in love but also bitter from past marital transgressions.

Read more: Jeremy Strong: Brian Cox can say whatever the f*** he wants about method acting

Logan even has his own dark night of the soul, questioning his own mortality over dinner with loyal aide and “best friend” Colin (Scott Nicholson). There are hints that the domineering patriarch is finally acknowledging his twilight years, but this episode’s ending suggests that no matter how lonely King Lear gets, he’s not ready to give up his realm just yet.

Zoe Winters and Brian Cox in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)
Zoe Winters and Brian Cox in Succession S4. (Sky/HBO)

Succession’s growth from an underrated HBO comedy-drama to bonafide pantheon TV has been a marvel to witness. A lot of the credit goes to Peep Show creator Jesse Armstrong, whose showrunning has cleverly captured a dysfunctional dynasty drawn to machinations and money like moths to the burning flame of a dollar bill. It’s been said that Succession has always been a commentary of a present-day America long rooted in dog-eat-dog capitalism.

But when stripped to its core, Armstrong’s series is simply a savage character study centred around ambition. It’s a chess game where everyone’s one bad move away from getting knocked off the board, overseen by a tycoon whose Hobbesian dogma takes no prisoners — family be damned.

Though judging by past and current promo material, evolving from an antiquated setting in the first season to glossier backdrops as the saga progressed, a change is coming. Or not. We’ve all learned to never write off Logan Roy.

For now, “The Munsters” reveals little as to who’ll end up victorious after all’s said and done, but we’re guaranteed a compelling ride nonetheless. Buckle up, f***leheads!

Succession’s fourth and final season begins on 27 March on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW with new episodes weekly. Watch a trailer below.