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Ah, the last week of the year before I get to take a week of vacation between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s always the week/day/hours before vacation that are the most jam-packed, the most stressful, the most tiring.
And yet, we all must soldier on. And what better way to do that, for me, anyway, then to spend some time reflecting on one of the best TV shows that I watched this year (and of the past several years, really). Succession was, hands down, the best TV show that I watched this year. I wrote about the season finale and my rewatch of the show in a previous post, so I’ll spend this post outlining the specific points that really made the show for me:
The writing. Whether it’s the bitingly acerbic quotes ("I love you. But you are not serious people." - Logan; “What the fuck is this obsession with milk? You know who drinks milk? Kittens and perverts.” - Roman; "I just wonder if the sad I'd be without you is less than the sad I get from being with you.” - Tom) or the bittersweet relationships filled with oceans of depth, the writing over the course of the show’s four seasons was simply fabulous. Jesse Armstrong, the show’s creator, show runner, and head writer, gave the world a masterclass in writing compelling television.
The acting. I felt that all of the actors fit their characters perfectly. But, if you pin me down and want to hear about my favorite actors, it would have to be Matthew Macfaydan as Tom Wambsgans and Kieran Kulkin as Roman Roy. Matthew absolutely nailed that striving, parochial, yet master-gameplayer perfectly. He was also able to show his searing pain at being rejected by Shiv in their glorious fight scene outside of their own apartment on a dark New York City night. And Kieran was a wonderful blend of trauma masquerading as a monumental jerk. His line readings for some of the craziest quotes (see above bullet) was pitch-perfect, and his acting of the relationship he had with his brother, sister, and father bounced between a puppy shivering with its tail between its legs and a yapping and yipping chihuahua bearing it’s sharp (but teeny, tiny) teeth.
The blend of humor and drama. As I shared in the writing bullet, the quips and quotes came fast and furious in every single episode. But just when you found yourself laughing along with Tom’s dirty sense of humor or Greg’s cluelessness, you’d be hit in the gut with a bout of backstabbing or a heart wrenching death scene. For me, this move between both genres kept each episode feeling fresh and unpredictable.
The overall story arc and finale. So often, television shows sputter out as they go on for far too long. Characters no longer make logical choices and new characters (usually spunky younger siblings) and crazy narrative arcs get introduced. Or, some shows tragically get cancelled before they can find their footing. Succession hit the ground running from season one and then never let up. The show was only ever about one thing, succession, despite also being about corrupt and nepotism-filled corporate America, fabulously wealthy people acting badly, and dysfunctional families. Over the four seasons, you were never quite sure who would eventually win out. While I had my favorite, I was surprised by the ending but also nodding in agreement. The finale was a wholly satisfying ending to the family saga.
Ah, after writing all of this, I’m giving serious thought to rewatching this fabulous show. How about you? What was your favorite show of 2023? Share them in the comments below.
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