See you got the dad that he's one of the most powerful people in the world and a master manipulator. And our mom is a distant British lady. We have no choice but to be lizard people.
Welcome to the skip the middle podcast where we discussed the pilot and finale of a popular television show that catch one person has seen every episode and one person has seen none. Does the story work with only the bookend episodes? Doesn't make any sense? Is it any good? Does it leave the person that's never seen that one anymore? Let's find out together as we skip the middle
Hello, this is Mark and welcome to episode two of skip the middle. This is a crazy simple but very complicated experiment where we're going to talk about the pilot of a show and the finale of the show. And here's the catch. One of us has seen every episode and one of us has seen none of the episodes. So in episode one I did sopranos I had seen every episode. Our guests Laura had not seen any episodes. That was a fun one. It was about a crazy cutthroat family. So what did I decide on for episode two, six session a crazy cutthroat family apparently, and I say apparently because I'm the one who has not ever seen an episode of succession, so I watched the pilot followed by the finale. Now here's a little more background on the television series succession. Succession is an American television series that ran on HBO from June 3 2018 to May 28 2023 that was created by Jesse Armstrong. The show revolves around the anxieties of three of the Royal siblings, Kendall, Roman and shiv, whom are all vying for control of their father's multimedia conglomerate waystar. Royko lasting 39 episodes over four seasons the ensemble casts feature Brian Cox is the patriarch Logan Roy, Jeremy strong as Kindel Roy, Sarah snug as Shiv Roy, and Kieran Colgan as the youngest son, a Roman Roy, known for binding dialogue intense conversations succession and became a household name for his intense portrayal of the fictional royal family at a time where media conglomerates and corporate mergers have become all too commonplace in the real world. When succession ended earlier this year, nearly 3 million people tuned into the finale, making it the most watched episode of the series. So there's a little bit of backstory on succession before we jump into discussing the pilot and the finale. My guest today on skip the middle is AJ right. AJ is the founder of the right on network where they discuss topics ranging from comic books to Doctor Who, to even more outlandish forms of science fiction, like the sitcom Friends, AJ and I met many years ago in school, we formed a bond over a popular culture The Wu Tang Clan TV and movies. And now I do a few podcasts with him and for him on the right on network. AJ, thanks so much for being here on skip the middle. How are you doing today?
It is going quite well. Mark. I'm happy to be here. Thank
you Now AJ, you had seen every episode. Can you tell me what was the process for you watching succession? Did you binge it? Did you watch it week to week? Did you start it when it started? Or how did you get on the succession train?
That was a great question. I think that's the first time I've said that was great question. Someone hear it a lot on podcast. That was a great question. Actually. This is how I started so I was watching Veep. And as VT was going off the air. That's when they started promoting succession in the way they were cut it up. They try to make it seem like hey, this could be the next Veep as far as like the humor, but I didn't jump onto it. And I usually when I'm watching TV, I'm revisiting things. And then when I have some type of break or vacation, that's when I'll start something new. So in this situation, it was the global pandemic. Alright, the COVID-19 one, where I was like, Okay, I'm just starting things up. So let me try this. And seasons one and two, were already out. So I as it were, I binge those and I was like, Okay, this is pretty good. I don't think I would have watched it any other way. I think it was just, I had a lot of time on my hands. So I was like, let me check this out. No fault of the show totally my fault. I don't think it was something I would have watched while I'm on the grind and having other things in the queue. Then when season three came out. I didn't run to it immediately. Actually, I washed it once the season three was over because again, I watched it when I had some free time. Season Four I watched it week to week
and just for a little bit of background on why I didn't watch it. I had been going through a corporate merger. You guys can probably figure it out. I'm not gonna give any names of the two giant companies but That was happening. At the same time succession air succession aired June 3 2018. That was the pilot. And we have gotten wind of this big corporate merger, possibly starting. And so as succession was going on and catching on like fire because of the amazing cast and intense HBO storytelling, I was just burnt out on that topic. I wanted to escape it. I didn't want to talk about a media conglomerate that happened to own theme parks, and which actually didn't know before watching the violet, but I think I probably made the right choice. Because had I started watching this, when all that kind of workplace turmoil, who's going to be there? Who's not? Where am I going to end up was going on? I would not have enjoyed this show at all. And you know, me, AJ, I watch a lot of stuff. We do a doctor who podcast together, sometimes we do some comic book related podcast. So from since I've known you sort of keep it to sci fi, and basically just watch random stuff. You know, whatever you want. You're not someone who has to always keep up with the hottest show. So it's interesting that you picked succession. Well, once you pick that up, are you like, why am I doing this? Or it wasn't like once you pop, you can't stop situation?
Again, Mark? That is another great, great question. I actually have a very complicated relationship with this show. I think the show is well written. It's a masterpiece is a masterclass. If you want to crown it, Crown it. And then at the same time, I have issues with it as far as it gets to the point where I'm not rooting for anyone. Right? Like, I'm not like going for folks. And then you watch the show, you start falling in love with it. You do start rooting for people, but then it's kind of like, well, I don't know. So when you're watching Valkyrie with Tom Cruise, it's this thriller, right? And this espionage thriller, and you're really into it, then I remember halfway into the movie, I was thinking, Wait a minute, I know the outcome of this for the future. So it can take away that suspense. But not really because it's a well executed movie. This show is fantastic. But some of the steaks they're dealing with is not like, like, let's say like, shall I good times where if I don't get this job, my family will freeze and starve in Chicago, this situation where if I get this, my name could be on that building. Folks will say my name in the future may not even know that I even existed as a person, but my name will be on our brand forever. But if I don't get this, I'll just have 3 billion only. So it just it it was just that kind of stuff where it was very complicated the relationship I was having with the show.
Yeah, the show is not really based in reality as far as this is not something that everyday person is going to deal with. Especially like unless, unless they catch like a crazy windfall. But to your point about I'm either gonna have my name on this building, or I'm only gonna have $3 billion Womp womp. But I do think that it's just a different type of show. Like, like I said, episode one we did Sopranos episode two, we did succession AJ, I don't know which family I'm more scared of, to be honest. Hey, AJ, before we jump into this discussion about the pilot of succession, I just want to make a real quick comment regarding the intro. To me. It's the absolute perfect intro. It looks exactly like the shining meets Royalton, a Mazda, which is I think what the show actually is?
Yeah, that's brilliant. Mark. Yeah, I think so. It's even the music every time I hear the music, wine. I don't skip the intro. And put always like man Pusha T or Jay Z should rap to this. And there is an unofficial release track of Pusha T from Virginia rapping to the succession. Music.
Oh, really? Well, I got to check that out. With that. I think we should just jump into it. We're going to start with the pilot. The pilot was entitled celebration, which once you see the pilot could have a myriad of meanings about any one number of storylines that pop up in the scene. Again, it was on June 3 2018. Shout out to my parents June 3 Is their wedding anniversary.
And June 3 1987. That's when Wu Tang forever came out. That's my favorite album of all time.
You gave me that double album on CD forever grateful for that because Wu Tang is for the children. Wu Tang forever. So let's get into this AJ, we have celebration so I'm gonna kind of give a little bit of a scene by scene of what I was watching because the way the pilot is built, obviously, I don't need to know anything about the show. So I'm kind of judging it based on are they telling me Story and let me know who the people are. So it starts off with Brian Cox stumbling down a hallway. He's confused. It's scary. It's dark. I have no idea what's going on. He just keeps going, where am I? Where am I? he urinates on the floor. It's sad, it's scary. A lady helps him out. You can tell he's in a bad way it looked like there was like blood on the carpet that he stained. And it was just I kind of had this thought about, you know, it's weird. sopranos is so different from this, but so similar because that was about a big, tough, strong guy, patriarch of the family, Tony, you know, having a panic attack and being rendered almost useless in that moment. And this was like the same type of thing. So to introduce, like, the patriarch of this family, just because it's called succession, we sort of know what the deal is gonna be right. So we understand that he owns this giant company, media conglomerate, and it just starts off from there. So you're like, Okay, well, is it gonna pass away? First episode? I have no idea what's going on. So can you give me your thoughts about that character, Logan Roy, played by the wonderful Brian Cox, whom I remember as the dad and Spike Lee's 25th hour.
Yes, exactly. A great actor. This is a character where I remember, I teach children and I use as a as an example of an archetype. And I tried to say, you know, like Ebenezer Scrooge. And a lot of the kids they didn't know, Ebenezer Scrooge was like what I should that should be a touchstone. Why'd you say that? And while I'm thinking, Brian Cox's character, Logan, Roy, in this TV show, that should be one where when we named drop it, everyone knows what we're talking about. Even if you haven't watched the show. It's like one of those things where it's just imprinted in the culture. But yeah, this show, I have to keep giving it up to the show runners on this. And directors, this show does a lot of not misdirection, but interesting choices. The actors do interesting choices when I mean by that, they don't always do the obvious route they make you think, oh, okay, I've seen something like this before. I know they're gonna go this way. And they'll go another way. And not just to be cutesy about it. But actually being, I think, more realistic. As far as the actor choices in each one of these actors. The way they come off, is not the obvious choice. But when you're watching it, the show is so great. You just think, oh, okay, this is what it is. But as I know, these people are so talented. If you picked other talent to do this, it wouldn't have come off this way. It could have still been great. But it would have been a different show, just because it was a different actor. But yeah, when you first started watching, they see like, yeah, what's going on? Like you said, it's in the title of succession. Is this guy about to die off? What's What's the deal.
And to your point about characters not being what you expect, we then cut to one of the younger Roy's the eldest son, Kendall, Roy, and he is wrapping very poorly in a very fancy car, like being driven around like in the Lincoln Town Car, or whatever. But I'm just like, whoa, wait, this is the guy like because it's called succession. We see an elderly man, he's on his way out. Then we see this younger guy like smashing cigarettes with his feet wrapped into bad music, people treating him with respect when he probably doesn't deserve any. He goes into this meeting room and people aren't really like taking him seriously or anything. So really quick, just kind of hitting on. Jeremy stone has Kendall Wright character, what do you think about him?
Okay, he is someone on the page. I think if you were just reading this, you wouldn't think his performance. He's one of the the actors in this, where they are making interesting choices that I don't think is obvious. I think if this show was made in 2004, the execution of what this actor is doing would not have been done this way. I can't remember the name of the movie. It wasn't Glengarry Glen Ross, but it was like an like, it was like a 2000s version of that, that he was in, like one of the big shot or something where he's dealing with stocks and bonds and Uppercross, whatever, whatever Making Moves. So I guess they saw him in that and when you can do this, but I don't know about you, Mark. Do you think the Raiders name was coming off? I'm not talking about the rapids scene. That's fine. But everything he was doing, and this is so like, whoa, like, I wouldn't expect like what is this guy doing? Yeah, I remember that scene where it sounded like a beastie boy song that I'd never heard of. But he was also very New York. And that's something there was a lot of, in this episode. There are a lot of things that they were doing. Not a lot of things, but there are some things they were doing that was on the nose. Were or later in the show, they'll do things is very subtle, but it means 1000 things. And or it's very subtle, but it's very loud. And one thing that this show is kind of Soto about, like, it's not hitting you over the head with the bus like, whoa, this shows very New York. But they don't hit you over the head with that. But it's it's very New York. And I think that this guy and this character, and the show itself and the lifestyle they live in it's it's another kind of York like, when you're watching Seinfeld, it made New York kind of vaudeville. And when you're watching this, it's another side of New York. But yeah, the show is very New York. And I thought this actor, throughout the run of the show, made interesting choices.
In my notes, I put the younger Royals, goofy in a slimy way.
Yes. And he's one where in again, in this episode, very blatant about, like how he came off, then the character get more refined and a little bit more complicated. And it's that same description you said, but more layers
to it. And it happens pretty fast here, where he's having this meeting with a guy from a tech startup, and he's about to buy him out. And he thinks I'm gonna seal the deal and press Papa, whatever, because you already get that impression. Like, again, we saw older guy than younger guy. You know, one is in bad medical shape ones out at the office, like in command of all these people. And so they have this meeting, and it didn't go very well. And so he chases the guy out in the hallway, and he's trying to still be respectful at this point. But this the head of the tech startup, it just so mean to Kendall, Roy, and just verbally abusive, he cusses them out, uses profanity, and he calls him a daddy's boy. And then when he goes back into the meeting, his subordinates say, do you need to call your dad, and he flips out? And he like points at everyone it goes, Do you need to call your dad? Do you need to call your dad? Do you need to call your dad? Do you need to call your dad? No, I'm not calling my dad. And you just feel like this is going to follow this character for the rest of his life. Like in that moment. And that's with you know, we're only five minutes in. We haven't got to the other two main children yet, but I just felt almost instantly bad for Kindle in that moment. And then we kind of cut away from everything we cut to an amusement park, you and I are from Euston. It was reminiscent to me of AstroWorld. And they didn't in the first episode, or the finale didn't really talk about the business aspect of Royko very much. But this is a character that is known as cousin Greg, and he's having a bad time. Like he's watching a video he sees like the Roy's all talking like Welcome to this amusement park. We don't know at the time that he's related, but he's not having a good time he gets into like a panic attack. He's in a big mascot head and then he pukes through the eyes and all the kids scream and it kind of comical scene. Then he goes and calls his mom and his mom goes do What are you doing? Did you tell him who you are. So we kind of get this idea of oh, this is sort of like an outlier in the family. But he also kind of earns credit in my eyes because he's not using that ROI name to not only keep his job but to get a way better job. And his mom's like, fly on the plane. You know, wish Logan Roy Happy Birthday. And they'll take care of you because I say sir. So what were you making of all this shift from this New York office where did not go well with Kendall. And then we see this cousin Greg character who apparently became like the hero of the show at some point, or at least people gravitated towards them. What is going on there?
So I guess when I first watched the show, I just took it as they're putting things on a table. They're setting stuff up, because they you may have alluded to this when you're watching the first episode. They're just jumping straight in. So it's like was there a time before this? But that means that those characters and all of this, it seems it's coming across as if it's been lived in? His trajectory is great. So when I went back and watched this, I was like, yeah, he sure did start like from this angle. So again, credit to the show with the vision of like having characters start one way and then go on a journey. This actor I know was in Perks of Being a Wallflower, right, but yeah, great character. infectious, you would think the way he comes off and how he injects himself that they will get rid of them. But I love how they always want to keep them around like people always want him on their team and stuff. And it's also a control thing that I'll talk about a little later and power.
Yes, he is. definitely used as quite the pawn in the finale. We'll get to that in a little bit. So we see the other two main children when I say main children, this is what I'm picking up, you know, kind of jumping ahead a little bit to the finale, where you have Kendall you have Shiv and then you have Roman so Roman is the next one introduced. He is Kieran Culkin I may switch this up and refer to him as he goes down because of that indie movie he was in if you haven't seen that, check that out. incredible performance. Of course, one of the famous Culkin brothers younger brother of Macaulay Culkin from home alone. Roman right off the bat. Just wild no other way to describe it, AJ, he was insane. In a crazy way where it's like, I don't know what this dude's about to do. I know it's not going to be good. He comes in the office after this kind of failure, a meltdown by his older brother, Kendall. He announces that we'll actually his Alchemist comes in the office first and starts lighting sage. And then he tells the dude to eff off. I'll clean it up a little bit. And that is crazy. He's like he's a good guy. He like he like told this guy that has a suitcase full of sage and incense to get out and not nice terms. And then he turned everyone goes, he's a good guy. And I'm like, oh, what's about to happen here and he just starts laughing at his older brother that blew the deal. And everyone knows that the dad's not going to be happy. Kieran Culkin, I mean, right off the bat. He just wow, he lights up the screen where it's just like, I don't like this guy. And I know I'm not supposed to like this guy. So he's doing good. Good job. So I kind of like him. What did you think of Roman Roy?
Electric man, while just great performer. So you saw manda the movie? Did he behave like this?
I'm trying to Did you ever see Scott Pilgrim? No. Versus the world? No, he's in that. He's a very good character actor. He doesn't exactly act like this. And Igby because he's basically I get a teenager and is supposed to be like one of these coming of age independent movie. I'm quirky. I'm quirky. So sort of like that. There are elements to it. But he is very good. I mean, if I had to define his character, I would just say smarmy. And I don't know if that's like giving him enough credit from what I've seen, you know, but again, I'm limited in two episodes. Then if that's not enough, if I'm already not dealing with enough, where it's like, well is going to happen in the show. Now we're introduced to the sister shiv. And it's a scene where there's a guy she's talking to that I later figured out was Tom. And so at the time, I'm like, Are they together? Are they not together? And then in the finale, I'm like, Are they together? Are they not together? Is it I assume her and Tom are like, on again off again, this is horrible. This is great. But the the conversation they had in front of that jewelry store, where Tom is desperate to impress Logan, Roy, his birthday party, he's I need to get him something that says, I respect you, but I'm not afraid of you. And she turns to him at some point, kind of flustered and disgusted and says, It doesn't matter what you get him, he's not going to care about it. It doesn't matter if it's the nicest thing or the worst thing. He's going to hate it. He's not going to pay any attention to it. And he's going to forget that you gave it to him. So just go into the store and spend 10 grand. And I was like, whoa. So this show kind of hit that point where it's like, okay, they're well to do but they are well to do you know what I mean? Like they live that lifestyle. Go ahead. So
I want to talk two things, one with the Roman ROI with the actor. I want to mention what he's doing in the performance throughout the show. I don't think he just went like okay, I read the script, I got an idea. I think he studied some folks that are on the spectrum. Like it's just certain things that he's doing, whereas I've reckon like the things that he's doing, I've seen it before I recognize it. And I don't think he just came up with that. I think he did some studies. So I just want to give tribute to that actor, now gone with Shiv and her husband, Tom. That is definitely a relationship with power because she is very powerful character. So seeing her here, whereas a character still kind of uncooked, a little bit young, but then you saw the financier, you know where it goes. But she's a very powerful character, complicated and then time Um, you know, he talked about like, he's from the Midwest. He's coming in here. He's trying to make a name where it's like, Does my wife really love me? Am I like nothing to her, like what was happening here? And just seeing that he is like, wow,
Tom is a very interesting character. I do not trust him at all, especially because when he meets cousin Greg, for the first time, he's weird and creepy. And he's, like, very controlling. And he's seeing if he can control Greg, which again, pops up in the finale. So I can only assume that it's throughout the series like that. Like he just sort of turns into this. Like, he seems like a sheep. And then he's a wolf all of a sudden, and then he's a sheep again, and then he's a wolf again, and then he's a sheep again. So does something to him just came off, very untrustworthy. Go ahead.
Yes, he's just trying to jump in there. But your sense of things might be very excited. So with the whole thing, have we seen this where someone's being bullied, and then when you look into them, you find out, they're being bullied as well. So you have time where he's in this marriage where I feel impotent. I feel like I don't have any type of say, or power in the relationship, healthy power or unhealthy power, whatever. But I feel like I have none of it. So then cousin Greg comes in, oh, this is something I could probably pounce on is crazy. It's so crazy, not thinking about it is the actor that's playing time and what he's being written for. Fantastic. Usually with his scenes and what he's doing, I'm like, I don't care. Like, like, he does that for me, especially like when they do the time and the Greg stuff. Because they're like a pairing. They're a double lat. It's great is wonderful. I'm less than less than I just was, I just don't care, whatever, whatever. But again, it's a complicated relationship that I have with the show. But again, the show is fantastic. It's awesome. And it's great.
And just to throw this out there, Tom is played by Matthew McFadden, and he's
British. Schiff is Australian. So again, you're having people wear these actors, they make very interesting choices. I feel like they're not obvious is not something where it's on the page. And I'm a robot, and all I did was recite lines, or all I did was give a good performance. That's all I did. I just gave a good performance. These folks are doing more than a little because just all the things that they're doing is just so interesting. They're doing a great job.
And speaking of shiv again, she's played brilliantly by Sarah snug, but I'm also terrified. I'm terrified of a lot of this family, you we
should be terrified this family because you said at the beginning, I don't know if I'm more afraid of the soprano family or this family. You're more afraid of this family, the royal family because they can destroy empires. They can destroy livelihoods. They can destroy the narrative or something that happened in the news and persuade people to do an insurrection of this. So yeah, we're more afraid of the royal family.
And then back to cousin Greg again. His mom basically sent him to New York, right. And he has this super weird and kind of scary interaction with Logan Roy, where he's just holding like this black plastic bag. And he runs up on this billionaire media mogul and a security like, you know, throws them against the wall, of course. And then he ends up on this weird elevator ride up to the penthouse, and then the whole family is there. And then they have this party that Brian Cox's character Logan Roy clearly did not want to have is Marcia his wife? Is that who that is? Yes. So she's kind of constructed this whole thing. And he gave her all these rules, and she broke the rules. So I don't know if there was like a dynamic there. Like he said, Whatever you do, keep them away from the elevator. I don't want to be crowded, and then she intentionally had them all line up right when he popped out and crowded it up. So that was crazy. And then if you thought family gatherings or scary enough, just wait because the other thing that I forgot to mention is at some point during that episode, during the day before this lunch for his birthday, Logan Roy decided to stop by the office and kind of undermine his son, who obviously had just blown this deal. And I think it was because he saw a magazine at his house that said, the air will flare and he saw his son and I could tell that magazine. I don't know why I thought this I was just like, he looked at that magazine and decided, no, I'm the boss. I'm gonna I'm gonna be the boss.
Yes. So and again, Marsha. I don't know if she's lived in live in honey or marriage. So I'm unclear about that. Yeah, it's several things going on with that, like women. He's soft gun, but also I think he knows my kids. They're not ready. Like they're not ready for the grind like he's low. We're gonna even confronts him saying, Hey, I heard this website guy came in and embarrass you. So I like what this show is playing around with where he tells him, like, you got all the book smarts, but I have all this life experience. And I just know how to get people I know how to get folks. I've seen some things that you have never seen. Right? So because you guys grew up privilege. I didn't grow up privilege. Logan Roy didn't. So I know how to get grimy. Where I just don't believe in you yet that I think that's what the whole thing is like, yeah, it might be something where I want to undercut you. But I don't believe in you yet. And apparently the the business sector doesn't either.
And just to round out the siblings of this eclectic royal family. We now have Alan rock playing Conroy and he was Cameron on Ferris Bueller. Now it sees the oldest son or what is the deal with that?
Okay, he's the oldest son from another marriage. Oh, so he's the half brother. That was a great question. So that's the situation with that. And I can't remember I suddenly like his mom was taken away or something like that. But yeah, he is from another marriage.
Okay, because the way it kind of came off because he presents the sourdough starter to his dad is like, what is this? He's talking about conserving water to this little kid and kind of scarcer about the future and the apocalyptic Doom that's being brought on by the environment. So you can kind of tell he's in a different headspace than the other siblings. But that does make sense now that he was like, No, he was never, you know, denouncing the throne, as it were, he was just sort of on the outside looking in, but you can definitely tell his ideas and attention is focused on other things. So that is a pretty funny scene and that and then it gets very, very uncomfortable. Because Kendall thinks this is his day that he's gonna get knighted, and that his dad's gonna step down and all this. And the dad's like, hey, no, we're not doing that sign this paper, we're going to sign the trust over to Marsha. She's going to have two votes, which is more than No. And that's how it is. And basically, Kendall loses his mind. He loses his mind.
Kindle is wild, the character is wild. Again, yeah. And this, it was very blatant about some of the stuff. Yeah, he lost his mind. He threw a tantrum. I'm sorry, he didn't lose his mind. He threw a temper tantrum, like a child. You know, one of those situations where you already have something mapped out in your head of how it's going to go and then negative and go that way. And you just can't undo it. I can't just reason with all right. Oh, wait 10 years. I'm a young man. I can't wait 10 years, I can wait three years. But I can't because I already had these plans of the Kingdom.
In his mind. His dad told him that he was being groomed for this that he was going to be given this and he wasn't given that it's his dad's birthday. So after he goes into a bathroom and just destroys it, I mean, he destroys vases breaking stuff on the ground, like intentionally damaging all the cabinets. And then he basically just has this moment where he just slumps against the wall, picks himself up, cleans up everything, comically puts it into a very tiny trash can, and then goes and has lunch. And then during that, you know, again, this it just it's awkward because you have the other two siblings, they were also handed this paper they didn't melt down, but no one was happy about it. Right? And then the dad's like, it's my birthday. I want to play the game. And I'm like, Oh man, is this about? Am I about to find out? This is like a family of cannibals. Like is this going like wild HBO True Blood style now? No, they just find these super fancy helicopters to this remote baseball field. Now that was weird. What did you think about them taking all these like crazy expensive helicopters across New York which cost who knows how much and then playing this baseball game?
Okay, that was the flex of the show. That whole helicopter scene that's the Flex is your show. They'll show in this where they'll be in these beautiful remote locations. They're not even looking left to right they're already over it. They'll have a you know, like, oh, you gave me a $14,000 watch whatever. That's Paris in the background. done it before. Who cares? So this shows very that with the flexing. Now going back to when kendo and the father that father again with the whole you're not ready thing. This is how not ready you are. You came to my A birthday instead of closing the deal, you're not cutthroat enough. Would you be in sentimento it this show is so wild what the psychological hair games within families. It's It's so crazy.
Speaking of head games and so crazy. So Roman played by Kieran Colgan. He goes down. He offers this son of one of the groundskeepers, I believe, a million dollars if he hits a homerun in this family baseball game, so not only is he letting him play, but he's going to embarrass this little kid. I don't know if he's like 1012, whatever. In front of the parents any has like a document on hand, it says witness witness witness. So it looks like he's actually going to give him a million dollars. If he hits a home run. Of course, the kid has like a grounder to first they don't get to it. And it looks like he may have a chance to hit inside the park home run. But I think they tagged them on third and just go all bad luck, kid. It's just so you militating And so embarrassing. And Logan Roy looks like he's watching the situation very closely and that he's sorry for what happened. But he's not openly, you know, emotional about it to where it's like, I'm very sorry, that happened. He basically has one of his guys take care of the situation. And then nearing the end of the episode, you see that family living in a humble residence, but they have a brand new TV, the kids got a brand new electronic device. And most importantly, there's a $10,000 watch from Tom sitting on the table. Because guess what, Logan Roy didn't care about the gift that you gave them that you're worried about. What did you think of Roman slimeball behavior at that baseball game?
When he did that, when the show did that, that's when I went okay. They just they told us everything we needed to know. They told us everything we needed to know with that scene where someone could be watching and go, Oh, man, this kid's gonna really do it. And then they take that away from you told them microcosm of the many chambers of what the show is. And I'm pretty sure like young people, they're very smart today. I'm pretty sure a lot of them could write a 12 page essay about what that scene is about alone. What's interesting about Roman Roy is his mania, it gets toned down, but it's still mania. So it gets a little more toned down like what this is like is reminiscent of oh, man, post Heath Ledger. This is gonna be the Joker. Like how it's coming off in this. And that's still there. But yeah, brutal, brutal, insane, but it was reality. It was such a harsh reality.
And then it ends with Logan Roy ushering the three kids into a helicopter, not because he wants to spend time with his children's birthday, but because, hey, it's past four o'clock, and I told you there was a deadline to sign those papers. So are you gonna give Marsh to the company or not, basically, and they're all kind of looking around. And um, and then this is very scary. But Brian Cox's amazing acting, and just the editing and handheld shakiness of the camera. It's very effective as Logan Roy has a brain hemorrhage. And that's how the episode ends. And it was scary.
This show is so powerful, because now like once you go through the show, Drew like, well, well, we'll talk about it. But yeah, great. First episode.
Yeah. And we also get sort of this glimpse of Kendall, as he gets the news on the phone. And he's like, Wait, is this real? Because the tech guy, he closed the deal with him from buy massively overpaying for this company. And the guy goes, Oh, yeah, sorry about the news. And he thinks he's talking about the deal. He's like, No, let's go. We worked it out. And he's like, No, I mean, your dad. So now you have nowhere to run. I'm going to take this company from you. I'm like, Whoa, that was the people they interact with. Like, it is scary.
Yeah. And it says a lot about the dad character as far as, okay, I have all these experiences. So the tech world that you in, I don't know that much about it. I just know how to crush you. I know, to pick up the phone and call this person in Tennessee. And they can do this and with Silicon Valley, and boom, we crush you that kind of stuff where kendo he doesn't have all the hit point experience. Yeah, he doesn't have all the life experience yet. So I don't know that. So that's why we got to be real careful when we're throwing out these OGS
and AJ, that wraps up the pilot. So we're going to take a break here on skip the middle and we'll be back to talk about the finale of succession.
Are you tired of having quiet peaceful evenings inside with your family? Well then get ready for all the backstabbing and familial strife you could handle With succession the board game, rolled the dice and try to stay in good graces of the family patriarch while trying to navigate the cutthroat world of running a media conglomerates.
You were disowned by your own dad lose a turn. Um, man.
Yeah, hostile takeover.
Huge trick cousin Greg into doing your dirty work draw another card.
And remember, if tents competition ruins your family just buy another one.
Succession the board game from Royko, a proud sponsor of skip the middle.
Welcome back to skip the middle. I'm Mark. I'm here with AJ. We just talked about the pilot. And I'll just say this real quick. I think it was really well done. It was intriguing. So I jumped into finale thinking, Hmm, I wonder how much stuff is going to have happened over these last 38 episodes. That's how long it lasted 39 episodes total. It was four seasons production wise and went from like 2018 to 2023. I'll tell you this, AJ, I started the finale. And I feel like I didn't miss a beat to be honest, because it pops up. Kendall ROI is trying to get a deal done. This time. It's for some type of vote. Using my imagination. I was like, Okay, this has to be about selling the company, or something to that effect. I didn't see any glimpses of Logan Roy. And eventually they talked about, you know, losing their father, but it opens up and candles being just like he was in that first episode where people aren't really treating him with respect. He's talking to some blonde guy that I wasn't familiar with, who turned out to be, you know, like another board member or whatever. And they're talking about the votes they have and don't have. And then in another boardroom, Shiv was talking about how they have Stewie with their votes. I didn't really know who that was till later in the episode. He was not in the pilot. And then she mentioned names like Simon Frank, Suzy Diane, obviously, some bigwigs at the company. And she's talking to Alexander Skarsgard. So I'm like, Who's this? And it's a character named Lucas Madison. And I guess he's the one that's coming in with his own company and trying to buy out Royko. So did I have that pretty much correct at the beginning of that finale?
Yes. Very good. And then Alexander Skarsgard. Hopefully, he'll be Lex Luthor in the Superman movie. Oh, wouldn't
that be great. And he does come off that way. I wanted to mention this because I had thought about this after talking about the scene by scene breakdown of the pilot. So I said earlier how Logan Roy saw the magazine with Kindle on the cover that said, the air will flare, and it kinda like hit a switch and him and made him not want to give up the company. So we have the exact same scene with almost the exact same framing, as this character. Lucas is looking at this cover for a newspaper article, where shiv is a puppet master. And he's the puppet. And she goes, Oh, wait, does that bother? You have no changes? He's like, No, it's funny. But at the end of the episode, you can tell he had a moment right there in that room where it's like, I'm gonna betray this lady and I don't want her in charge. And so isn't it crazy that two of the most powerful people featured in that show? Their ego was so hit by a picture with words on it, that they wanted to run other people's lives. Oh, yeah. So we had all that happening. And it was apparent that this was Kendall versus shiv. And once the episode started on the HBO Max app, I let the previously on Play. So I did see that apparently, Roman had been in some sort of altercation. So that was kind of the one blank, one of the few blanks I was going to ask you about is like so what was Roman doing up into that point? Because clearly, he's like the never do Oh, the family now. He's, he's not on the outside looking in, because he's still one of the sons. So his vote still counts. He has his vote. But what was his trajectory, like during this whole thing?
Oh, he was he was rising the dad like using him, the dad like having him around. Because at the end of the day, he always knew that Roman would come to him, whereas Kendall would do stuff off on the side. Kendall, wouldn't mind backstabbing his dad or undercutting him. Whereas Roman at the end of the day, Roman would always come back to death. So that's why I always like keeping Roman close. But Roman gang, like they all got involved in things where it it was like a weakness of why maybe it wouldn't be them. And then Roma started really getting off on like power and telling people off firing folks, whereas like, man, you shouldn't fire that guy. But I mean, it's so funny. How'd with this show like someone to do something really wild? And then it's kind of like, whatever, like, let's keep going. Now, I'm just gonna mention this. We're skipping the metal but with the dad dying to Sabra The show is he it kind of was if you're watching this show week to week season four. I didn't get any messages about this, but the dad died in this right? So that happens like episode three or four. So it's like, okay, there's a lot of episodes left, what do we do now? The specter of that dad still like affecting those kids and like them being afraid of them? And is he still playing mind games with them from the dead? I think that's what really elevate the show again, with the brilliance because he's dead, but his presence is still there.
Right? You see it everywhere. And they have that legacy. And as you mentioned about the years they're gonna wind up with your name on a building or your constellation prize might be you being a billionaire three times over. So it's a little bit hard to feel bad for anything that's going on other than their family dynamic to me, is very icky, throughout this episode, and one event that shows that in the finale is that they all go to the mother's house because they find out that Roman is there. Both Shiv and Kendall desperately need his vote to have their side win. So Roman is so he has like these battle scars. So like what was what kind of altercation was Roman in right before this?
I had number of things. Okay. One was he sent some private part pics to one of like his dad's advisors. And so that as I do, but he accidentally sent it to his dad, it's so much stuff. Like what's cool about this show is this shows very good with the drama. This show is very high class. And they're not above the Looney Tunes. I will give the credit, the show credit for that. So it's some Looney Tunes stuff going on in this. But this is something this is like we talked about that baseball scene, how that's a good microcosm of the show. This is another one in the middle, talking about some stuff that's in the metal. Roman was going to be the owner of like a football team. When I say football, I mean that in the global sense. Soccer. All right. And he went like overseas. And it was a situation where some terrorists was about to kill him. It was a hot situation, all this right. He gets back. He tries to tell his siblings This is they're living the highlife on this boat, like he tried to kick it with them. And they were mocking them. So he didn't bring it up. Like he dropped the subject. So what why I'm bringing this up is when he went to the mom's house, you meet the mom. And you've seen her before. But you their mom is this cold, distant British lady. So you got the dad that he's one of the most powerful people in the world, and a master manipulator. And our mom is a distant British lady. We have no choice but to be lizard people. We have no choice but to behave like this. It's just, it just interests me out what the show is.
And you mentioned the mother played by Harriet Walter. And she does come off like that. She's She looks like she's happy to see your children. But she knows there's going to be a fight. And whenever there's mentioned on the board meeting, she's like, I've never seen this before. So obviously she went through that and her marriage and upbringing, her kids, and probably all these events being missed by board meetings. She wants her kids to not fight. But she also pulls this tactic where once they sit down to dinner, her friend comes out with like this pitch for the company. And they're like, for real this is serious. So then they get like, offended after she'd been offended the whole time about you know, them talking about business or coming there for business. And then she pulls that stone on them. So that kind of showed her coldness and her ruthlessness and her having like a blind eye to family in favor of business. And maybe the guy that she was with coerced her into that, or maybe she just decided to do that on her own. And that was the only time she'd be around her children. But that was very odd. But when Kendall came to the house, he goes immediately after Roman. And again, do you remember who damaged Romans had like he had?
Yes, I'm so sorry, Mark because you you're asked this question. Now. It's like Wayman. Okay, what happened again, okay. So remember, they're running a number of things and they run a news program. So one of the ongoing things going on in season four. Presidential election and Roman kinda like in the show season three, they just start saying this on the nose like we're kingmakers. Right? We'll pick the next president. Come on, dude. Right? Tell the President put the president on hold, sir, the President's online three, put them on hold, right. Put her on hold. So that's what we're dealing with here. So they start getting hot and heavy, there are a situation where a polling place was set on fire. So it was about, hey, when we do the analytics, usually this pole, this district will go a certain way. So we can kind of project this as who would have won that. And people are getting upset. And then it was about, hey, we can call the election, our new station called the election, just let's just call it but we don't have any proof of that. It doesn't matter, let's just call it and then it can cause chaos, and they can sell it. So that's some wild stuff going on this show. And they start getting hot and heavy people start protesting in the streets. And Roman was mad about it, because they are protesting against, you know, their company, their new station. And he was very upset about that, like you guys don't know what you're doing, you're just talking about. So he got started going out there in the protests and a lot of other things going on, too. And he was just not all there in the head. And he just walks in and protest gets punched, knocked out and all this stuff. And then that's when he went across the seas to his mom.
That's when I kept calling him in my head. This is a bit goes down. Because he just looked like he had been through like a the wringer and through an independent movie where nothing was going right. And he was having to reinvent and refigure himself out. And then now his older siblings are like harassing him for a vote. I just remember they were fighting that this huge fight. Shiv basically tells Kendall, he's not getting it, and she's gonna be in charge. And he just turns and goes, what a lovely evening on the terrace. And I just thought that was so hysterical. So then we cut from that to Tom and Lucas at a restaurant. And this was a very weird, weird scene. And this was tremendous acting by both people, but especially Alexander Skarsgard, as Lucas, because he is basically having Tom sit there and pitch to him, why not to fire him? And then it turns into something else. So can you tell me anything about the dynamic between Lucas and Tom?
Well, okay, so with Lucas with that whole character, it's all about them in bad faith, trying to maneuver each other, not just just everything in the company, all this. And another thing going on in this throughout season four, only a small amount of time has gone by. So they're still dealing with they, their dad, just that and like, we just buried this guy. So you're dealing with all that. But yeah, it's just basically with that character wanting to put someone in charge that they can control. So it's something like where, okay, where it's an American company, and a wall like PR wise, this quote unquote, foreign guy running it, it was like on paper, it won't look good, or whatever, the optics of it. So I need like an American Joe kind of guy being the face of it, as I'm running it behind the scenes.
And it just comes off as very creepy and weird. And I think Tom uses the phrase, like, Oh, you want me to sing for my supper. And so they're talking and it just sort of gets to this point about talking about shiv. And you can tell that Lucas does not want to be under her domain. And he's also attracted to her and he says, like a very creepy statement, something like, but why should I go for the lady with a baby and her when I could go for the guy that put the baby in the lady. And that was I was like, what? And then Tom has this realization like, oh, the family thinks I'm some schmuck on the outside looking in this dude's about to hand me the keys to the kingdom. Because I will basically do whatever he says. And Shiv told him as much because Luca said, What about Tom and it seemed like a casual conversation at the time, but I didn't realize like, oh, no, wait, that says big chess piece that he's going to move is like this, dude. We'll do whatever I want. I don't have to deal with that awful family anymore. So I'm gonna play them all against each other. And in the meantime, Tom is still having this super awkward relationship because and Greg, who's apparently now an assistant that is getting paid 200,000 And he kind of uses that against him saying, don't you know Lucas is going to cut you first because no assistant should be making 200,000. So he tells Greg to basically like keep his ears and eyes is open, much to his own doing because Greg then takes a Google translator app and goes to the bar and spies on Lucas and his business partner talking and translates it, and he basically deciphers that, okay, they're about to cut out shave, right? So then cousin Greg calls the oldest brother, Kendall, and tells him that information, but he's like, I'm gonna give you something great. But you gotta give me something amazing. So we'll give me something amazing. I'll give you something great, like. So this whole thing. I'm assuming the first time we saw cousin Greg is puking in like a Chucky Cheese type outfit and amusement park. And then now we're seeing him tried to con his way into a high ranking job and this media conglomerate. And so he does that. And then it turns out that Kendall was very honest with Shiv who doesn't think he's telling the truth. He said, hey, they're selling you out. So now us three half to use votes, if we want to control the outcome of this, and I have to be the guy because they don't like you. And she was like, well, they don't like you either Kendall. And you see, like Roman kind of struggling with this. He's like what was supposed to be me and Dad told me that and then you find out that the dad told them all that. And they said, Well, who do you think dad really would have picked to take over this empire? And Schiff says none of us he just didn't ever want to let it go. And I'm almost wondering, was there any part of Logan Roy that wanted his kids out of the business so they could have normal lives or was a control freak?
Yeah, straight up control freak there was situation where because they talked about this in the first episode where Kingaroy mess with the drugs remember the his ex wife said the kids they won't find lines of cocaine on I pass this on? Wow. Yeah, yeah. So he messed around with the drugs. He got involved in a thing where like, I think it was Season Two. They were overseas they were at a party they're gonna leave the one of the waiters went with Kendall Kendall was under the influence. And they were driving they crash into a lake and Ken to try to save him the the get the kid drowned. He got out of there. The dad like told him like okay, okay, this is how we can take care of it. But you can also see the dad's like, I got something on you now. Like I got something on you so I'm going to help you and all this stuff by now I guess up to know you. So the whole thing with like, embracing cousin Greg is one of those things like Okay, your family come on. We all like you like the pomp of the family. But it's also with Logan. It's he has like this strange relationship with his brother. They're very antagonistic. Like the brother is the antithesis of what Logan is. So Oh, but I got your grandson over here. powerplay. So that's all this stuff is about just all these mind games a power play and like, I got this on you. I have this on you. Is a bunch of that going on? Oh, but with cousin Greg the whole thing with this just my opinion. But yeah, he he goof tripped his way all the way up to the top. I want to add more to that though. I think it's also when I can respect you. That's when I will be okay with that. So one of the famous lines in season four is when he tells all of his kids, you're not serious people. And there was a scene like towards the end of season two, where they were like, Hey, someone needs to go to jail for this take the rap and it was gonna be Kendall. And then at the very end, when Kendall meets with the press, he flips it he goes like because it was all about like this thing with the Senate. They had a Senate here and, and it was Greg and Tom and it was much Goof Troop stuff. They're just up there. It was a senator he kind of came off like Bernie Sanders. He is really trying to drill them. And what was cool about that was one that lawyers are like, look, this is just something that's going to go on for three days a new cycle, just flood through it, just get through it. That's all it's about this, this senator, he just wants to drill you guys for some political points. And they Goof Troop their way through there and survived. But the whole thing was like someone needs to go down for this. And the dads like can you go down for it? And when Kendall met with the press, he flipped it. He is like, because there's the whole thing was it was like shady things going on at those theme parks. Me too. All this stuff, the cooking the books, whatever. And it was all about them saying hey, the dad, he's so high up. He doesn't know that's going on there. And Kendall when he met with the press, he was like, Hey, man, if you think my dad doesn't know everything that's going on in this company that he's not signing things and his stomach prints not on it. You're into fantastical type language. And the dad was looking at that at home and the season is with you can't tell Is he mad? Or did he smart because I'm proud to you now, you Yeah, instead of you just go on and you you fought back, you took me back on, okay, you might be able to write like, so that's what kind of show we're dealing with.
And then back of the mom's house, you have shiv. And she's heard this news from Kendall, that basically she's out that Lucas is once read of her. And so she should now be on his side and vote for him because he's the only guy that should be running the company and the dad promised them at seven and all this stuff trying to pull on heartstrings, but also like, you can definitely tell that Kendall is a guy who always thinks he's right, but he's not going to accept any other answer, then we're going to vote and you're going to be the new CEO, CEO, you are the guy. So they call this guy named tell us he confirms that. And he's like, Look, you three have votes, you are siblings, you need to put on a unified front and you need to have a good idea. And so then now at this point, this is a 90 Minute finale, there's about 30 minutes left, so I'm like, okay, at montage times they're going to be best friends and they're gonna go in there and they're gonna take their company and make their legacy and they're gonna get their names on the building and all that stuff. And it looks like that's going to happen because they're having fun. They're swimming around. Roman and Shiv are making this joke about we should just kill Kendall will be easier than voting for him. And they even tell Kendall that he thinks is funny. Then they anoint him King they anoint him king on the beach, and they go now we're gonna make you mail for a king. I don't know if that's something that they did his kids or what but they put all this crazy stuff in the blender shove spits in it and then they make him drink it he can't stomach anymore so then Roman pours the head, KING KING KING you are king the mom comes down all my kids are happy don't eat that cheese Roman licks the cheese King King You're the king. We're best friends succession kids rule succession kids rule then they find in to the most awkward, like estate sale claim thing I've ever seen where Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off the older brother Connor. He is telling people to go put stickers on everything they want. That obviously the dad has passed away. I don't whatever happened to Marsha, where was she in this picture? They separated? Okay, they separated so she's out of the picture. So they're basically sorting through all the stuff. There's tears of people meaning like the kids get the first pick minus the stuff that Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off on it. And so now they have this sticker sheet. They're going around the house within that, and I don't know why he was there because I'm still not sure of their relationship status at the time. But within that context, Tom and shiver talking and Tom tell shiv, you're going to find out I just want you to know, I'm the guy. He's going to appoint me the quote unquote American CEO. She storms out of there they go to this meeting, they arranged a boat. They're gonna get it they flipped all these other people. We see other board people that I haven't wasn't familiar with. But I kind of knew what was going on. They sit down at the table. It's going to be a done deal. We're the best best friends Brothers Sisters forever. Succession team wins Fade to black. No, that's not what happened. It was tied six to six. She have left the room. She's like, I don't like you. You're the worst candle and I'm never voting for you. She votes for selling the company. which blew my mind because she knows that Tom is going to be anointed the CEO she knows that the kids are gonna be out of it. She knows that their legacy is done. She knows they don't want to work with her anymore. So they sell to go Joe they have to go in there for this like song and dance, sign the documents and stuff and we see Kendall melt down, go down the elevator and he is the saddest man on earth looking out onto a beautiful waterfront in New York. AJ did the ending blow your mind? No, I believe him. I was Gotcha. Like, what did you think was going to happen versus how that played out. And that last, you know, 15 minutes or so.
I knew none of them. Were going to be the CEO. I knew that. Like I knew, like this show doesn't do the we're gonna give you what you want or give you what's expected. So I was just like, well, who is it gonna be like, is it gonna be the wildcard cousin Greg, what? But in the end, it was just one of those things where their life is going to be 100,000 times better than mine. So I was like the stakes. But the thing is, the show is so great. But the drama is still hichy it's still it's still great. So yeah, that was that's outstanding.
And I will say I think You briefly mentioned this but when they were at the Father's house, the Connor did show them this video of a virtual dinner with Dan And they were all in tears is very emotional is a great way to get Brian Cox on the last episode. It was awesome. And so then I thought, yeah, we're gonna do this, we're taking back the name, we got this company Royko forever. And then it was kind of like a stomach punch. But you also sort of saw it coming from everything I talked about in the, in the pilot, and then up towards that weird beach house scene where the kids just did not like each other. And that might be might be me, oversimplifying things, but all three of them thought they should get the company. And then on the side, you have cousin Greg still worried about where he stands and how he's played everyone on both sides to try to get something good. And so he's thinking Tom's gonna fire him or whatever. And Tom caused them a POS and all this crazy disparaging stuff like he was doing to him in the pilot. And then in most disturbing fashion, he takes one of the stickers that was reserved for the estate claim that they were at. And he puts one right in the center of cousin Greg's head, as if to say I own you now. But you're gonna be alright. What did you think of that?
I mean, that was what it was. But I want to talk about the scene where they're watching the data on that tape. I love that scene so much, because that's one of those things like, how do you know how this animal actually behaves? Because you're observing it, right. So this is one of those situations where when you see your parents like in a different light, like you're not around, they're like, around their friends. So they can tell their jokes and be how they really are like, they're not just your mom, your dad, their Tommy, their Shinae, or whatever. So that was awesome, because you're seeing them and like, you usually see Logan ripping these people to shreds. And then when they're alone, and there was like an older crowd, how they actually behave, that I just thought that was just a wonderful scene, and then the characters reacting to it. But again, directly answer your questions. What the time, Greg stuff. I just those three characters are just characters I don't care about. And like the stuff that they do is just, that's when I kind of check out a little bit. But what do I think about saying objectively is brilliant, because again, it starts off how it is like for your show? This is perfect, because he goes from the CES. He's a successor. And then the finale is and this is a successor is now with the Alan Ruck character. Can you believe that character is running for president? No, that's what that character was doing. That character was running for president.
Now. I didn't know that. I I don't know if they mentioned that. And I just didn't understand. I will say his wife did not seem like she wanted to spend any time with him at all. So they must have a weird relationship.
Yes, that was all they were like she was an actress. And I think he may have you like it was all this stuff. Like, does she really love him? Or she just wants it for the money? And even if she is who cares? It's just kind of keep going like, yeah, it was dealing with a lot of this stuff, buddy.
Wow, that was weird. And then just one really quick thing to wrap it up because I forgot to mention that probably the most heartfelt the second most heartfelt moment of the show second to that virtual dinner with dad was a conversation on the phone where Shiv called Tom and said, put everything aside, I need to have a serious conversation with you. I want to try real relationship do you want to try that? And he goes, I don't know. And then she obviously made the vote that propels this guy to CEO of the super powerful company. And he's like, I got a car waiting 20 minutes if you want to join me, and they have the most awkward hand holding as they write off in silence and I was just like, I don't understand that they're happy right there
is like this is just how it has to be. We have to be the power couple. But with Shiv and Tom I call it husbands and wives. Their part of the show is very husbands and wives. What do I mean by that? Just the whole thing like it's a bunch of really love. Am I being emasculated in this situation? It's a lot of that. That is good stuff. And is heartbreaking stuff. It was some good drama in this season with those who I just I call it husbands and wives. I'll call it that because I'm an immature adult. And that what they're doing is very adult and I just call it husbands and wives.
And this finale aired on May 28 2023. So it's still fresh as we're recording this episode. I don't know if it's going to have like that long standing of fact, like certainly sopranos was one of the most polarizing endings of all time. Mash was one of the most historical I don't think people were going to point to this finale and go Yeah, that was the greatest finale but I will say as you mentioned for this podcast, skip them It'll, I will have to give a big thumbs up to does this pilot and finale work back to back and tell me a full story because to be honest with you, AJ, I don't know if there's a character on here minus cousin Greg. And it might just be because I've heard so many people bubble about his existence on the show because he seems to be relatable. I don't know if I want to keep watching any more episodes of the show, because I don't know if I like the characters. And I feel like watching more of them is not going to help or get me any empathy or sympathy towards them. What would you recommend? If I'm kind of done with them? Would you recommend watching any more episodes? And if so which ones?
I have to give this? After give this show a tie is complemented by going it's it's an encyclopedia. So like, we have a encyclopedia set for us an old fashioned type of expression. You're not gonna go My favorite one is Jay. Jay is my favorite in the encyclopedia. Even though it isn't mine. It's a so if you can't just pick one like out like, I don't do that with Beatles records, like favorite Beatles record. I think they all it's a volume, like it's a full blown book. So with this show, I think like if you ask more enthusiastic succession watchers, they'll go like, yes, this shows stand out. But to me is, it all just connects together. And that's the strength of the show. And granted,
it's only four seasons, it's only 39 episodes, so I could watch 37 more hours of TV in my sleep, right? But I just don't know if it's for me if I was going to invest time, in a business related show that I've never seen, I think it will be madmen, because I think what I'm gonna do on this show is if someone likes the series, I'll recommend some episodes or have episodes recommended to me. And if not, I'll just recommend or have recommended to me a show of a different genre. So I would just say, I think I might be done with succession. But just for fun, and I understand how you want to keep in the show a whole and that's great. But of course, you know, there's been many lists made about the show. And you can find this link to this article in the show notes. But Rollingstone did an article and titled every episode of succession ranked, and I'll just give you the top three. Number three was season four episode three Connors wedding. That was obviously looking at this where the dad died unbelief. And then number two season one episode 10 Nobody's ever missing. And then number one was season two, Episode 10. This is not for tears. So I understand what you say. AJ is like it's probably best visited as a whole. But I think I got enough royal family to last me a lifetime. I do like it. I think it was it served great as a pilot and a finale. But I do think minus a whole lot of character development. 37 hours worth. I think I got the story. The story was, I grew this empire. I don't want to give it up. Mother Nature is making me give this up. I don't want to I'm not going to and they're going to find out that if they're tough enough to take it from me, then they can have it but they're not going to be because I'm the best there ever was. So what are your final thoughts on succession? AJ?
Great show maybe this might answer your standout Episode Question. But one of the standout like little storylines that I found interesting. It was either towards the end of season one or within Season Two. Roman is like okay, I want to get serious with the business said I sent him down to Florida. I think what the the amusement parks and like he's taking the business classes and all this. And there's this dude, this kind of guy. And that's in there with him. And he seems like he knows what he's doing. And they're working together. And they seem like two people who wouldn't normally talk to each other. And like all Yeah, that's good idea. Yeah. And like Roman even tells like, Hey, I know this guy, man. He's really good. You got these ideas? Like, like, he may come from like the other side of the tracks, but he has some good stuff. So you think oh, okay, so yeah, they go send this guy back to New York and all this nothing. They for some reason. Roman had to go back that was over. And I think that's what this show is where you think is going to go one way and it's not. And there's not going to be any huggin and the learning is not going to be the feel good song of the year. It's not going to do any of that stuff. And I think that's what that show was steady trying to hit you over the head with. Were like man, it's rough out here. It's tough. And another thing too is at the funeral the Father the brother went up there and spoke and you know saying not so positive things but one thing he did say is like, hey, you know when we were coming from Scotland, our sister, she she died on the boat of a disease and the patriarch The family. He was like, he said, hey, when he was a kid, he thought he was a reason why sister died. And our parents, they never made him think that and that's what we kind of grow with NASA. So like, you know, all the terror that this guy's caused and all this. This is how I grew up. This is what we're dealing with. So, man, I think the young people said, you know, get it out the mud, the show was handed out the mud man.
And in summary, there was no succession and that's the kind of end result of the entire thing all right, AJ, thanks for skipping the metal with me on succession. I had never seen it before. You've seen every episode we just discussed the pilot and the finale. One thing I like to do on skip the metal as we end I want to ask each and every guest what is one show that you've been meaning the watch but you just keep putting it off?
Okay for me that will be this will be a little bit of a cheat because actually saw the first story sapphire and steel with Joanna Lumley and David McCallum. The storytelling is whereas like serial form, so for four stories could tell. four episodes can tell one story, and I have it in my hands sapphires still the complete series. This was 9079 to 92 on British television network ITV sapphire sales, a cult classic series in the vein of Doctor Who and The X Files. And it's creepy. It's interesting. You can't take your eyes off of Joanna Lumley, they're aliens and they're coming in. They're solving like weird strange encounters. That's what I gather from assignment one they're called assignments, assignment one so I watched assignment one last summer I loved it, but didn't continue it because I got caught up in other projects. But that is my answer. That is something that I've put off and I want to finish sapphire and steel. I just want
to remind everyone that our podcast skip the middle will be hosted on the right on network, which Aj is the founder of so take a moment and pitch some other stuff that you've been working on or any any contact information you want to throw out there.
Yeah, I also do this podcast called The Manhattan Project. It's a podcast about where we revisit Seinfeld and the show Friends. April she does that with me. I also do a podcast called friends and foes with Mark who is the founder of the name right on network fellas. AFOs we talk about birds of prey, and you can follow that stuff at the Huntress podcast.com
All right, appreciate it as always AJ the skip the middle podcast is hosted by the right on network to see the other podcasts from the right on network including straight out of Gallifrey and feathers and foes please go to the hunters podcast.com and to support this and other podcast go to patreon.com/write on network that's WR IG HT on network. Thanks so much for listening to skip the middle east
