Succession Season 4 Review (Episode 1)

foreign hello and welcome back to another episode of nerd soup I am Aaron the nerd soup monkey along here with what what are you doing what do you mean that's my thing I bring us in no I succession to you oh yeah [ __ ] yeah hit me with a bear yeah that makes me cousin Greg huh makes you shiv I tomed you oh that's fine with me now I'm hot I'm a baddie I've always wanted to be a baddie yeah I'm kind of like a dweeb yeah I'm about to [ __ ] you you want to switch hell no [Music] hello everybody and welcome back to another episode of nerd soup I'm Bo Oliver joined here today with Aaron the Nerds who monkey and we are back to review succession season 4 episode 1 the monsters directed by Mark Malloy coming over from the menu and written by series Creator Jesse Armstrong I thought that this episode hit the ground running man it was succession right all the characters that we know and hate to love it was just so funny man and that that's the thing when people talk about succession entering the pantheon of greatest TV shows of all time it's because of the humor The Sopranos the wire they work for different reasons but something they share in common is the humor this may be the funniest out of the three I don't know if it's the best out of the three but God dude I just just thinking about some of the jokes in this episode made me laugh throughout the rest of the night and I thought it was a great start to season four and it's funny we joked about me cocking you because I'm shiv and you're Tom yeah now Tom's doing the cooking yeah so turntables are we getting divorced um no let's just keep this thing rolling right it's fun I feel like we're at season three yeah let's see where this ends Mutual beneficial Arrangement yeah okay you have to betray me now oh you have to flip it nice you just sell me out to Teddy in some way I don't know how that's gonna work oh you're just gonna straight up [ __ ] dad oh you're gonna do a Breaking Bad reference too yeah and find it all together right yeah well that's why I married you foreign but yeah you're right I mean this show was just I said like it operates on a different level and that's one of the reasons why I think so because not only is it just amazing dramatic writing but the comedy is so well done it literally plays if you want to do like laughs per minute like I know as a metric people used to when discussing comedy shows like it's up there probably with most of the best comedies that are running too so it just operates on so many different levels at such a high level and right from the very start like you just thrusted back in this world you're kind of confused a little because you don't know what's going on how much time has passed since the end of season three but once you're kind of back on track it just it's just a seamless transition in between seasons and towards the end when like the main I guess setup for the rest of the season starts to kick in like my heart was racing I wanted to see where it was gonna go it just drew me right back in effortlessly definitely and it was so fun to see the Roy children instead of battling each other and fighting for their father's attention and approval now they're United they're pitching their own company but what brings them right back into the fold it's this chance one last [ __ ] you to Logan right yeah and Roman's the only one who's sort of thinking with his head instead of thinking with his feelings I think Kendall and shiv see the opportunity to have a more established name moving forward but it's those family Dynamics right they just can't resist each other and with Logan it was similar right you know he's kind of sulking around his birthday party there's a big contrast between his party and season one and now his party in season four where he's surrounded by people who are not family sort of like family but he doesn't have that sort of relationship like he does with his kids right when they they can rub shoulders and and riff and make fun of him and now that's gone and he seems a little sad about it no I felt bad for Logan in this episode not only the birthday party but when he tells Colin he's his best friend I was like oh that was really sad it was like he was talking right past him yeah like you're my best friend by default because I have no other friends uh very least you're not Frank or Carl no you're gonna suck um but yeah seeing the kids together that was nice I mean the hundred I don't know it sounds like I just threw out a bunch of buzzwords so funny I don't know what the business was no no no idea well it sounds like a true business right that you would see in the real world like what do they do exactly oh we do everything yeah we have the best writers we have the best news covering Sports and this and that yeah but yeah like the unspoken thing like the first couple minutes like when I hear about Pierce like you could tell they're they shifted immediately towards that and yeah like I said it gives them an established name with the field that they're already very experienced in but like you said it also [ __ ] over their father so it's a win-win right in their minds it's a win-win but uh you know the line that Logan has when he calls him up and tells him that they're [ __ ] idiots for making that bid congratulations on saying the biggest number you're [ __ ] morons once again I think it's feelings get in the way of facts there's no way that that company is worth 10 billion dollars and you know when Roman asks uh Telly it's like is it worth that much and he goes well I guess it's worth what the highest bidder will say and Roman's like oh wow I should have went to Harvard to get a business degree you [ __ ] genius no but you know with Kendall as rational as he likes to present himself a lot of it is still coming from this place of let's [ __ ] over dad even if it is the smart move I don't know if paying that much is a smart move and it caught Logan off guard like oh these kids hate me that much that they're willing to overpay just to spite me and I think that there's a sadness that his kids are no longer there and also some of that disappointment of man I didn't raise these kids right they're not Killers like I am they're just stupid [ __ ] morons I I really think that's gonna come back to bite them it's a great way to set up the rest of the season if this is the one major mistake where their lives end up spiraling out of control that makes for great drama yeah it's interesting because I mean their purchase appears as contingent on the sale of waystar so then they get their stock so I'm sure like in terms of what we're presented here Something's Gonna Get shaken up because I don't see Logan just sitting back and letting them take that from under him oh yeah without a doubt I didn't even factor that in that it does play a role the acquisition of way Star by Gojo so there's um who knows if he's gonna pull out or what the [ __ ] he's going to do you know we've seen Skarsgard in the trailers so it looks like he's going to play a big role moving forward or a significant role moving forward but just the interactions between the characters I thought were great I mean there's so many funny lines what's that uh that was my sister saying that we would hear you better if you took dad's [ __ ] out of your mouth I thought Greg and Tom once again they always steal the episode you know it's been three months since the end of season three and uh apparently they're [ __ ] models they're living the executive life disgusting voice it's a disgusting Brothers disgusting brother how do you become a disgusting brother what's so funny about that is that they're not even trying to make it clever it's just straight up what they are they're just these disgusting men they're just tallying their sexual conquests gone full-blown neededness right and that's what Greg says at the end of season three what was I gonna do with the soul anyway yeah so now he's just uh the way he says it to Tom too it's like we're the disgusting Brothers like he's so proud of them look how far I've come but you know what I don't know if you noticed this with Greg he's a bit sharper yeah he is he is yeah I feel like we've kind of seen that over you know of course it's subtle changes but he's not that same kid that showed up season one a little more mature stands up a little straighter hair a little neater but um at the end of the day he's still like a a dork I don't want to see what happens in Guantanamo so um so you go you do do your ways and and God be willing right he's still got that social awkwardness he's never going to shape that like uh he said Logan kind of smiled but he was absolutely disgusting with me yeah who wants to smell Greg's finger hey it was just the perfect like interaction because it reminded me of like early Tom and Greg where Tom is just [ __ ] with Greg so much and he's like hey he's got cameras close circuit he watches it every night you gotta you gotta tell him right and you don't know if Tom's [ __ ] with him you know if he's just trying to get him to admit I think with Logan and Greg in this episode maybe Greg reminded him of Kendall Roy and shiv a bit you know when he's begging everybody to roast him and Greg just goes straight for the jugular it's not a joke whatsoever it's just the truth we're your kids on your big birthday and I think even Logan appreciated that right because Logan's style of comeback was always go straight for the heart he was never clever it's just how can I hurt this person yeah and Greg kind of like yeah yeah I'll take that out yeah so funny what happened now I kind of want to meet Greg's father you know like what is he up to now is he still at the county fair does he work at the fair did you just go to the fair oh so funny dude but Tom in this episode I felt like he was rotting high off of the new Dynamic he has now with shiv right give shiv a little heads up about Pierce and he's still [ __ ] with Greg so like you said it's similar to those earlier Seasons when he had that power over Greg and it's like he's reverting back to it because he's got this newfound power of being Logan's number two yeah I mean it's interesting with Tom I mean does this part of you think that he called shiv intentionally to tell him about Naomi because that's what really leads them to put the pieces together that their father is looking to purchase Pierce without Tom's phone call they don't they don't know anything about that right yeah so you're thinking it's a little bit of I'm gonna let shiv know that I'm out there doing my thing I don't know I kind of saw it as a almost like an apology yeah sorry for [ __ ] you over with Logan here's a little assist let's see what you could do with it can you put together the pieces and they were able to I think that could have been a possibility yeah um and I think with the the angle there I don't know maybe I'm missing it but I don't know how he benefits from the Roy kids successfully purchasing Pierce I don't think they're going to bring him on the team so it really felt like a personal thing I'm sorry for what I've done and that final scene between them was super depressing as you mentioned the comedy is so good but The Dramatics can are super hard hitting at times that was just a sad back and forth between them yeah I mean shiv I think she said that like they both made mistakes and I mean there are times during the first three seasons where shiv is just basically treating Tom like garbage right and here it's kind of reverse because shiv is the one who seems very upset at Tom but it's kind of been this back and forth for three seasons now where I think they both realized like you know at this point fighting or it's useless we kind of know what we're both at and yeah it's definitely a sad moment for both those characters yeah their relationship has been transactional in the sense of Tom obviously trying to climb the corporate ladder and with shiv she gets off on people needing her so with Tom it was like keeping around found a pet that you give a little treat and you tell them to sit and dance and do all your little tricks but now he's the one holding the leash not kid I was gonna say not to get too BDSM uh but even there at the end when uh Tom says do you want me to make love to you is that something that she would is that something I can give you once again the relationship is so transactional and really what's sad about Tom's character within this Dynamic is that for three seasons he was a punching bag for shiv for Logan for the entire family everybody knew what he was and what he wanted willing to sacrifice his own dignity for his career to put up with the abuse and uh now that the tables have turned it doesn't seem like even though he rubs shiv's face in it a little bit it doesn't feel like there's any fulfillment in his life now that he is the one on top so it's like he betrayed the woman that he does love for nothing yeah I mean he's got all these material things now he's got the women he's got the money he's got the power but there's something missing and I and I think with shiv he looks at her and he sees that maybe in a different life that fulfillment could have came from their relationship but now there's just no opportunity for that because of all the mud that they've thrown at each other it's just become such a messy situation and it makes it heartbreaking oh yeah it was definitely sad and I think with Tom like he still has this uneasiness about his position or he's not as confident and I think that's when we see seeing him in the past like have that relationship with Greg where he does [ __ ] with him is when he doesn't feel comfortable with his own standing in his own position within the family he you know kind of views Greg as an outlet for that and obviously their relationship has changed now but we see him kind of like I said before revert back to some of those early season days when he's kind of [ __ ] with Greg and you could tell that he's insecure when he talks to Logan about what would happen to him if he were no longer married to shiv and like the most roundabout way possible I get such a kick out of Brian Cox's facial expressions whenever somebody's trying to ask him an important question God he cannot care about any of this if we're good we're good and the way he gives ambiguity previous answers the non-answers to everybody's questions it's you know if we're good we're good what the [ __ ] does that mean it means nothing yeah and with Tom he takes it as oh okay yeah we're still buddies you know he'll always appreciate what I did for him at the end of season three where Logan Roy you know you're good in one moment the next moment you're out of there so that's what makes his character so funny but yeah I got such a kick too out of um Tom messing with Greg about his date and even Carrie was like is this one girl from the apps Greg you on the apps Greg Greg said I'm a cousin I get a plus one but that was so funny dude he's like look at her bag what is she keeping in there I thought it was a nice bag no it was a funny bag it's just the idea that she's a corporate spy and yeah Craig unknowingly brought her to this party you gotta leave I try to take a selfie with Logan yo once she said that she's like we need to leave I asked Logan for a selfie you just know right away how he probably responded to that all right guys before we finish this episode I want to give a quick shout out to today's sponsor smile brilliant hey look I'm a floating head bad breath can be an annoying problem to deal with especially when in Social settings like out on a date or recording a podcast with your buddies only two percent of the population has enough naturally occurring good bacteria to fight off bad breath and maintain a healthy mouth what people don't realize is that when brushing your teeth or using mouthwash you're killing both the good and bad bacteria in your mouth 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products like mouth guards electric toothbrushes Whitening Gel whitening trays water flosser and more plus you will receive 20 off your order when you use promo code nerd soup at checkout so don't wait head on over to their website choose the products that are right for you and take care of your teeth but yeah Logan's uh character as you said was pretty sad in this episode you definitely feel the loneliness of not having his kids there and he's never gonna make the call first so Kerry's trying to get them to call and he's she's saying I could uh get him to text a request for a call so ridiculous but that scene when he becomes a philosopher when he's sitting down with Colin and they're having that small dinner when he's talking about his perspective on the world it makes his character even sadder because he's so cold where he can't even see other people that aren't in his position as people he just sees them as numbers everything is a market and he controls the markets and at the very least his children humanize him a bit they can ground him in that reality that everybody else is living in besides him so that scene to me I thought his performance there was some of the best work he's done on the show as I said he's talking past Colin but it's great insight into his psyche and where he is right now and where he has been his entire life leading him to this point yeah I mean I feel like a non-sociopath would have those thoughts and then realize like well there might not be anything after this I already have all the money in the world what's the one thing I can't buy right now and that's my relationship with my children maybe I should make amends no it's there yeah it's it's hidden deep deep down but he just won't confront that aspect of himself he can't look himself in the mirror and say I miss my kids I love my kids he always has to be expressed through a joke or being mean to somebody he just can't flat out say it uh unlike his children who people would say some of them are sociopaths too but they're they just got a bit more stability to them right especially when you see Roman and shiv embrace the way they did where she comes in she gives him a kiss on the cheek still not with Kendall right Kendall's probably the the most like Logan I think out of the three children or he's been damaged the most because he's got terrible relationships with his kids that just that the show never addresses he's just a terrible father yeah you know I mean he's definitely they all got their flaws yeah seeing them together in those moments even like you know just strategizing they got there talking together something that's akin to you know how he used to see them before this all went to [ __ ] and even like throughout the whole process of the bidding and just seeing their different perspectives on things and how they kind of work together to finally reach a common goal and the joy it brought them to do it together I thought that was you know one of the more pleasant moments we've seen from these characters throughout the whole series it's been nothing but betrayal and backstabbing and to see them back as a little family unit here I think it's just it's like one of the rare moments you can actually take and sit back and appreciate before it probably goes to [ __ ] again somehow right you're just thinking in the back of your head how is Logan going to drive a wedge between them because you know he's going to get his sticky little fingers and try and divide and conquer as one does but it was pleasant to see Kendall his first scene he's doing a goofy little voice he's happy to see Roman and Romans happy to see him and they're working together as a team it was really heartwarming to just see them like as you said United trying to pitch their company realizing that there may be a better option I think it's something to keep your eye on with Roman that he was the most hesitant to make this move and maybe the 100 is a [ __ ] company but at the very least it's theirs right and they don't have to get back in the ring with their father because they've been taking their licks over time and time again you know if I'm in that room I'm like guys let's be realistic we cannot beat this guy this [ __ ] is Superman so I think Roman was showing the uh the most maturity which is funny because you see how far he's come we're in season one he's just the goofball right the [ __ ] up of the family the guy's just living off of Daddy's Money who has no actual responsibility and now he's the one probably making the most rational Choice out of the three but eventually they they push him into it you know it's definitely sad that he doesn't have his kids on his birthday but he always has Connor he'll always be there Pro Conor's presidential election it's just so sad and even Willows trying to you know she's a bit on board with it right yeah I feel like she's got that like first lady look I know she does yeah [ __ ] yeah hold on yeah massaging the shoulders yeah Craig's saying uh they're gonna squeeze you from one percent isn't that the lowest number but like him saying going under one percent's embarrassing he's about to spend 100 million to maintain one percent it's so [ __ ] funny Connor is such a funny character man a character like that could be lost in the shuffle and can almost feel like a filler right between all the stuff that you want to see but I get such a kick out of everything he's been trying to do throughout these four seasons and now with his presidential election so uh those scenes were very funny it's a good business decision saving 100 million dollars getting in a new cycle with a wedding yeah and episode three is called Connor's wedding so you know everybody's gonna be there right that's probably the first time we may see Logan with the kids well episode two is called rehearsal so maybe they'll the rehearsal wedding get some moments between Logan and the kids there's always the best moments in the show and they've taken some time or a big event happen and the first time they finally reunite it's always at weddings I feel like and you know as United as the kids are you already hear shiv talking about keeping her options open she's not so confident in the company the pier steel could fall through there's a you know the most important election of their lifetimes is politicians like to say coming up so that's going to be fun the way they incorporate the the election with uh the battles between the Roy family yeah and just you know the power owning a new news news network holds when it comes to those things I mean Logan if you ask him he pretty much is picking the next president of the United States right and you saw the the attention he was paying at the end of the episode when he's watching ATN and he's criticizing the anchor so maybe the Pierce acquisition will go through where the kids take control of peers and that's how they kind of battle Logan throughout the season they have a war through the media where they have Pierce Logan's got ATN he gets a bit more involved because you see in the one of the trailers he's walking the room he's in The Newsroom just walking around you know towering over people looking over their shoulders so I think that could be an interesting way the The Show Goes got a back Gail oh kill right that's Bernie right yeah oh that would be crazy dude they're not gonna backgill I got a kick out of that line too when um Tom's telling Logan about why Nam wants to sell like oh even the left is coming after Logan they eat their owns lost all interest in the business the laughter going after them now oh Savages they eat their own yeah Nan Pierce is [ __ ] hilarious she is just the way she pretends like she doesn't care or doesn't want to be involved like I don't want a bidding war I don't want to be involved and literally just starts a [ __ ] bidding war and she's loving every second of it oh yeah 100 which she's like oh it's so nasty so disgusting what's your number what's it what's the number again yeah that gives us something to think about [Laughter] yeah she's she's great at playing that role of somebody who acts like she's above it all but clearly is looking for the Top Dollar Payday so that's funny where they've always played with that oh the the conservatives look how evil they are the Liberals they're better right no they're just as money obsessed as as the Roy family and uh with Nan you know that's her angle too right Logan hates her I'm sure Dan hates Logan so it's a great way to [ __ ] him over at the end sell to his kids yeah 10 billion though it's uh I don't know how Economics work but it seems like they were kind of bidding against themselves at the end there yeah I think so dude the way Roman was trying to explain to them do you know how much 500 million actually is I mean you do know what half a billion dollars is Right 500 million dollars no it was a it was a stupid move and once again it's those personal feelings that they can't let go of leave us an opportunity to [ __ ] over dad the way Logan was talking about shiv too this episode like nasty oh yeah really shiv is like no matter what kind of his like favorite you know yeah I I don't think he maybe Roman but at this point it's because he was like the last one we saw like Roman throughout the series even in the first vote of no confidence the way his father was able to change his mind and at the end of season three he's kind of the last one to finally get on board to fully closing on their father right yeah he says to shiv why don't you get for the first time in your life get your own [ __ ] idea so he's kind of pinning what Kendall and women are doing what the three of them are doing he's pinning it solely on shiv and I think that speaks to a little bit of sexism of his character that shiv was always his favorite because she never challenged him shiv was always off doing her own thing but now she's probably his biggest adversary so he's the meanest to her right he can flip on a dime when shiv's the sweet little girl she's the princess yeah but now she's the worst out of the three and she's going to Bear the brunt of Logan's wrath congratulations on saying the biggest number you're [ __ ] morons so I think it does speak to that you know a little bit of sexism a little bit of misogyny and we'll see the way that he tries to wiggle his way back in there because I don't know out of the three I think Roman may be the easiest as you said Yeah because it looks like Roman he's not as scarred by Logan as the other two are I mean he's pretty messed up no he is messed up yeah but in terms of you know recently I don't know he he seems to have the what Logan did to Kendall on the way Logan built up shiv to pull out the rug yo he turned Kendall into Theon Greyjoy literally turned him into reek yeah and never obviously with shiv and everything him basically promising her CEO and using that to control her and then just not giving it to her yeah Roman has never really been in that position to be fully [ __ ] over by his father but um because even at the end of season three right where it was the final episode where Logan it was his last resort trying to convince Roman to come on over to him and the kids are like don't trust him Roman feels the most caught between the two right if you could say that I I think he is very much still on the side of the siblings but we will see there may be some wiggle room there yeah Matthew McFadden continues to be maybe the best actor in the show and that's probably because Tom is the most interesting character I I think he's become one of the most compelling because he's just got so many things going on with him like I said his obsession with his career but now he's sort of confronting what he's lost and that is shiv that final scene between them is just full of the atmosphere in that room in that apartment the atmosphere is full of so much regret so much longing and a lot of it is coming through their performances so that scene I think that was the best scene of the episode when she walks into the apartment and it just feels feels like such a lonely Place poor Mondo now nothing like makes a somber atmosphere or environment more than just like a lonely looking house yeah [ __ ] three stories in the city too God damn and it's such a weird advice like you know normal people you know get divorced and that's kind of it but being in the positions they are they're gonna have to interact after this so right we'll see I mean the whole series is built on strand relationships and the design they're Dynamics so you know call me optimistic but maybe they can patch things up you know maybe they can reconcile come back together yeah we will see it's so hard to predict this show because the writing is so realistic and that's another thing I wanted to compliment about the dialogue this is one of the best written episodes I think of the series and it maybe I'll have to go back and and re-watch but the dialogue just always feels so natural these situations always feel so real and genuine like these are the real things that people would say and respond to it's never overly clever it always fits the characters personalities that they've built but at times it's just so sharp yeah it catches You by surprise and makes you laugh and makes you think so the writing was just so tight in this episode episode and that's something I appreciated and I think for cat like I said with McFadden uh as Tom but also Sarah snuka's shiv continues to be one of the best actors on this show like I said every delivery she absolutely Nails no real like really everyone is just plays their role perfectly and that's something that you kind of lose appreciation don't lose appreciation for but it's you know after three plus seasons of this like it's a testament to their performances and the dialogue where everything just flows so naturally and it like you said it it just seems like it's actually happening like an actual conversation that you're spying in on and that's just a testament to everyone involved yeah and I think at times sometimes the writing caters to memes and Twitter and the online fan base but I didn't notice that whatsoever in this episode all the writing felt very genuine to what the characters were going through and where the story is heading so it's going to be a fun episode to look back on when the season does end to see what they were foreshadowing but overall I thought it was just a great start to season four man and if the whole season keeps the quality of this episode we're in for an all-time great season of Television yeah because like we all know that or most people think that the show isn't going to end with everybody just being like let's just let's all forget the past it's reconcile let's be a family again I'm just right off into the sunset so like every move that's made this season is going to be looked under like a lens of how is that gonna [ __ ] somebody over or how is this going to cause even a further divide within the family so it's almost like every move they make is going to be criticized going forward because you just feel like in some way or another it's going to have unintended consequences all right guys that does it for our review of succession season 4 episode 1 probably the only video we're going to do for this season because nobody watches these so but hey I had fun that's all that matters at the end of the day right yeah I think for most people yeah it's about having fun no it's about making money yeah down now yeah if anything I mean succession has showed us that yeah it's pretty Logan Roy with you Bogan Roy take that to the bank wow that was probably our best review yet hey guys Aaron the nerd soup monkey here with a brief Shameless plug before we end the video do you ever feel like you don't have an adequate amount of nerd soup in your life like you're going to bed hungry and yearning for the nonsensical yet 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Channel: Nerd Soup

Views: 45,108

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Id: 1f06-wd7Unc

Length: 31min 41sec (1901 seconds)

Published: Mon Mar 27 2023