In which ‘Succession’ is finally about to live up to its name

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

I mean, I get it.

Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News

All right — even if you don’t watch Succession, you for sure know what happened in last night’s episode by now, right? BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT, YOU GUYS. If you have somehow managed to remain unspoiled and want to stay that way, scroll down until you get to the gif of Logan Roy screaming that he will win.

First of all, I know I’m not the only one who spent most of the episode in disbelief that Logan Roy was actually dead, and thinking that he was just pulling some sort of stunt to manipulate his children, right? And that’s just how goddamned good this show is: it’s called SUCCESSION, for fuck’s sake. They were always going to have to kill Logan to get to the, you know, Succession part, because the old man was never going to let go of power on his own. Furthermore, they couldn’t wait and kill him in the last episode, because the fight for control is the point — it always has been. And the series began with him nearly dying; they’ve been telling us that it was coming from the first episode! And still, despite knowing all of that, news of Logan’s death felt as shocking to the viewer as it did to his children. That’s what good writing looks like.

As creator Jesse Armstrong explains, “I think much more prominent was the feeling of if we’re going to do this, we don’t just want to see people crying and then have a funeral and be done with the show. We want to see how death of someone significant rebounds around a family.”

This “plot twist” (not a plot twist, just the plot) was perhaps hinted at in the season poster, we just didn’t realize it. The plane is there, and it sure looks like the Roys are standing on the bow of a ship. Sarah Snook even hinted that the poster hid some Easter Eggs in a Tonight Show interview: “I feel like you won’t know until you know. There is a thing that once the season begins airing, it may get related back to this moment.”

Brian Cox is out here making trouble:

“We don’t actually see Logan die,” Cox said in the official Succession podcast. “We know about it, we hear about it; but we don’t actually see it. We don’t even know if that body at the end of the episode is Logan’s body. So there’s a sort of mystery — is Logan dead? Or is he just gone to somewhere else? Or is he testing his family to see how they’re going to react when he’s dead. That’s the other attitude.”

Yes, Logan Roy is really dead, no he did not fake his death.

Here’s Cox talking about Logan’s death and how while he was surprised at how early it happened in the season, he also wasn’t upset about it. He also talks shit about Game of Thrones’ ending:

You think about “Game of Thrones,” when they didn’t know what they were doing at the end, and they had an ending which was not really satisfactory. And the audience was furious.

And you know what? VALID.

Brian Cox also showed up to Logan Roy’s funeral to keep his death a secret.

The scene where the Roy kids receive Tom’s phone call about Logan was taken in a single 27-minute shot.

The L.A. Times put out an obituary for Logan Roy:

But, WHOOPS, they published it last night and people were pissed that they had been spoiled.

The question now is, which Emmy category will Brian Cox be nominated for? Conceivably, he could be in Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, or Guest Actor.

Twitter had feelings:

As for what comes next?

The fanboys are crying about Lizzo and Jack Black guest starring on The Mandalorian, and, Jesus Christ this is so stupid:

1. Lizzo said that she literally cried for an entire day after being offered the role because she grew up with Star Wars (as we all did, you dork).

2. I can’t think of two performers who embody “nerds in high school” energy better than Lizzo and Jack Black. You just know that Jack Black was a goofy metalhead and she literally played the flute in high school, dude.

3. Star Wars has always been for everyone, not just the nerds. Like any corporate product, it’s designed to make money and appeal to as many consumers as possible. Star Wars has never been an indie, what even is this bullshit take?

The HFPA has added 215 new international voters, bringing the number up to 310, and increasing its diversity.

Don Lemon attacking Jon Stewart for arguing on behalf of reasonable pay for our military is not something I expected to see today.

Elon Musk is a Fucking Idiot: Chapter 760.

Elon Musk is a Fucking Idiot: Chapter 761.

This list of the 10 most dramatic Love is Blind couples is pretty good, but how do you leave off Bartiste and Nancy??

Speaking of Bartiste, congratulations are apparently in order:

And while we’re talking Love is Blind (SHUT UP, IT IS ADDICTIVE), Irina and Micah are somehow still friends; Marshall doesn’t have any hard feelings; Jackie is officially the worst. THERAPY, GIRL. GET IT.

Apparently, Hannibal turned 10 last week. Here’s an overly long piece celebrating the deeply strange and deeply terrifyingly beautiful series.

Kelly Ripa will be joined by her real-life husband, Mark Consuelos, on Live! a week from today, and she jokes that they’ve taken a “vow of chastity” in response to the whole T. J. Holmes/Amy Robach debacle.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-CA), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) have co-signed a letter to the Department of Justice, asking them to investigate the Warner Bros. Discovery merger claiming that the merger “appears to have enabled” the company to “adopt potentially anticompetitive practices that reduce consumer choice and harm workers in affected labor markets.” YES. DO IT. IT HAS.

Drag him, Mehdi:

Fox News has settled a lawsuit filed by a Venezuelan billionaire that Lou Dobbs accused of rigging the 2020 election because Lou Dobbs is a lunatic.

Renewals

Cancellations

In Development

Casting News

  • Kim Kardashian is joining the cast of American Horror Story on FX.
  • Ariana Madix will compete on Dancing With the Stars on Disney+.
  • Kerry Condon is joining Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Disney+.
  • Bruce Campbell will guest star on this week’s Impractical Jokers on TruTV.

Mark Your Calendar

  • Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing will premiere on May 7 on Discovery Channel.
  • Mama June: Family Crisis returns on WE tv on May 5.
  • Wave Makers will debut on Netflix on April 28.
  • Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King premieres on Netflix on June 16.

R.I.P.

Michael Lerner, Oscar-nominated actor who appeared in Glee, Clueless, and Barton Fink among many many others. (Also, incidentally, the uncle of Sam Lerner of The Goldbergs who broke the news on his Instagram page):

Elizabeth Hubbard, 11-time Daytime Emmy nominee for her work on As The World Turns

Harry Lorayne, Magician and memory expert who appeared on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show countless times

Francesca Cappucci, Entertainment reporter at Los Angeles’ KABC

Julián Figueroa, Singer-songwriter and telenovela actor

Jacques Haitkin, Cinematographer who worked on Nightmare on Elm Street among many other projects

Gareth Richards, British comedian and broadcaster

John Regan, Bassist who worked with Peter Frampton, Ace Frehley, Billy Idol, the Rolling Stones, and David Bowie

Michael Leon, Music industry executive

WATCH THIS

The Neighborhood: It’s the 100th episode and to celebrate, Jerry O’Connell will guest star. I mean, I guess it’s something. 7 p.m., CBS

Below Deck Sailing Yacht: Season four premiere. 7 p.m., Bravo

The Rock: Nick Cage + Sean Connery + Ed Harris + Alcatraz … ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? 8 p.m., AMC

Late Night:

  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Brian Cox, Keri Russell
  • The Late Late Show with James Corden: Allison Janney; Bryan Cranston; Brett Goldstein; SG Lewis with Tove Lo
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live: Jeremy Renner, Metallica
  • Watch What Happens Live: Ciara Miller, Paige Desorbo

MON. 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30
ABC American Idol
(new)		 The Good Doctor
(new)
CBS The Neighborhood
(new)		 Bob ♥ Abishola
(new)		 NCIS
(new)		 NCIS: Hawai’i
(new)
CW All American
(repeat)		 The Flash
(repeat)		 Local
FOX 9-1-1
(new)		 Fantasy Island
(new)		 News/Local
NBC The Voice
(new)		 That’s My Jam
(repeat)

Leave a Reply