Chris Connor reviews the fifth episode of Succession’s fourth and final season…
After the previous couple of episodes focused on the shock reaction to Logan Roy’s death, episode five of Succession’s final season is built around the deal to sell Waystar Royco to Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård) who summons the board and siblings to Norway to discuss the ins and outs of the deal in more detail. The majority of the episode takes place in Norway, continuing the largely one-location nature of the previous couple of episodes and again taking place over the course of a day.
Shifting the location is a clever tactic, with the siblings the outsiders and away from their comfort zone. It is a shift in pace and tone from the previous episodes, still finding room for the trio to process the still very recent loss of their father, with comments around how he would have handled the deal but the episode is focused more heavily on the machinations of the business and what this deal might mean for all involved, who is safe and who isn’t. There are even questions of whether the deal will go ahead at all, proving constantly gripping TV.
One of the major sticking points is the potential sale of ATN, which is a clear must for Lukas but something the siblings aren’t as keen on. The stunning locations in Norway subtly contrasts the more heated and tense discussions about the company’s future and it is an intelligent move to have these discussions in person and in such an idyllic location rather than simply a boardroom.
A discussion atop a mountain between Lukas, Kendall and Roman is one of the highlights not just of this season but the show overall, showing the scheming nature of all three parties. Who is telling the truth and who is playing who, as an audience, we are kept guessing all the way. Having spent three seasons in the company of the Roys, they still have the power to surprise, often on multiple occasions in one episode. The range of emotions from Skarsgård, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin in this sequence is simply breathtaking.
‘Kill List’ is another incredibly strong episode in Succession’s final season as the siblings face of against Lukas Matsson, the writing is again top draw and the cast all rise to the challenge showing the uncertainty from all involved about going ahead with the deal while still processing the recent grief around their fathers death. Skarsgård slots naturally into the wider ensemble who once again all get a chance to shine, highlighting how the deal affects them all. It will be interesting to see how prominently Lukas features later on in the season as he is a constantly captivating presence on screen.
We’ve reached the midpoint in this final season and we are still no clearer on where the road is ultimately leading the Roy siblings, however, one thing is clear this final season is shaping up to be one for the ages, showing why Succession is one of the most well-regarded shows of the past few years, there are surely more twists and turns to follow in its second half.
Chris Connor
