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Succession -- HBO


Patrick Bateman

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3 hours ago, henrygandorf said:

no chance unless the series was over after s3. which it’s not. his arc is all fucked. 

Agree. I have no idea why they've totally immasculated him into a stuttering weakling. It was bold when he turned on the evil of the company, but his war is with his dad and family. I think the creative team fumbled by having Kendall see himself as a shining knight and then imploding when that doesn't play out.

The show would be improved if Kendall were more cunning. The attack on evil should be just one of the fronts he's fighting on. There should have been a real fight for GoJo instead of Kendall just blowing it at his birthday party.

He should be doing something else as well. It'd be cool if Dad's new assistant is a spy for Kendall. Nothing like that can happen now because he's been reduced to a pathetic slug.

I do think the opening for the show does suggest very dark things in their childhoods. I don't know if they're abandoning exploring that or just thought it was a cool opening. They allude to weird sexual history; I hope they don't just leave it hanging.

A last thing about the sexual history thing to me is Shiv's conversation with her mother. She resents being abandoned, but her mother says that she camped out in New York to contact her. "You preferred him."

"Mom, I was ten years old."

"You were thirteen."

If she were ten, that would be prior to becoming sexual. That she was 13 seems to suggest that her age is part of the equation of her preferring her father. The volatility of the kids towards their mother is something one often finds in abused kids who think their mother should have protected them from their abusive father.

Oh! One other thing. When Roman wants to ride with Logan, Logan asks, "Are you going to suck my dick?" Just another barbed jab or something else?

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6 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

Agree. I have no idea why they've totally immasculated him into a stuttering weakling. It was bold when he turned on the evil of the company, but his war is with his dad and family. I think the creative team fumbled by having Kendall see himself as a shining knight and then imploding when that doesn't play out.

The show would be improved if Kendall were more cunning. The attack on evil should be just one of the fronts he's fighting on. There should have been a real fight for GoJo instead of Kendall just blowing it at his birthday party.

He should be doing something else as well. It'd be cool if Dad's new assistant is a spy for Kendall. Nothing like that can happen now because he's been reduced to a pathetic slug.

I do think the opening for the show does suggest very dark things in their childhoods. I don't know if they're abandoning exploring that or just thought it was a cool opening. They allude to weird sexual history; I hope they don't just leave it hanging.

A last thing about the sexual history thing to me is Shiv's conversation with her mother. She resents being abandoned, but her mother says that she camped out in New York to contact her. "You preferred him."

"Mom, I was ten years old."

"You were thirteen."

If she were ten, that would be prior to becoming sexual. That she was 13 seems to suggest that her age is part of the equation of her preferring her father. The volatility of the kids towards their mother is something one often finds in abused kids who think their mother should have protected them from their abusive father.

Oh! One other thing. When Roman wants to ride with Logan, Logan asks, "Are you going to suck my dick?" Just another barbed jab or something else?

Show creators are not as smart as you are trying to give it credit.  too many plot holes to be this smart. 
 

this show is really, really good at banter/jibes but really, really poor at an actual narrative. 
 

i think i am out after this season. 

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3 minutes ago, remoh said:

Show creators are not as smart as you are trying to give it credit.  too many plot holes to be this smart. 

No offense, but that's a pretty sorry paragraph for criticizing someone else's lack of smarts.

I also don't see how my post is painting anyone on the creative team as smart. They have done some good plotting, but this season they seem clumsy. 

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14 hours ago, bolverk said:

Doubtful, but someone mentioned on reddit that they noticed an orange on the table by the pool, which is a Hollywood trope going back to the Godfather that signals someone is about to die.

Friend sent me a tweet from actor that plays Stewie suggesting to watch the ep live or avoid spoilers on social.  I usually watch this show on Tuesday (too many shows), but I bumped it up to watch Sunday night.  Kendall was what he must have been referring to...doubt that cut him out like that.

LOL at Roman though...

"Are you a sicko?" - Logan

"Not it's just like Hey Here's My Dick"

"You mean like a Fuck You?" - Logan lol

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Logan being baffled by the existentialism of A Dick Pic was actually awesome and very plausible from a character that otherwise is so on top of things. 

forgot to say the dinner scene was both incredible and absolutely heart-wrenching. both actors were so good...the loooong pause and look before Logan says "i wonder how long that kid lived under water..." i mean gotDAMN i felt that 😳

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The show has really jumped the shark in a bad way but I'm hoping they end it on a high note. My first shot at the finale plot is that the Corp is stretching out all their accounts payable to save cash. All of a sudden they need a plumber for an emergency gas line repair. Since he hasn't gotten paid the plumber slow walks the call and in the meantime the building blows up killing the entire family/all the cast members.

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31 minutes ago, Chopper said:

The show has really jumped the shark in a bad way but I'm hoping they end it on a high note. My first shot at the finale plot is that the Corp is stretching out all their accounts payable to save cash. All of a sudden they need a plumber for an emergency gas line repair. Since he hasn't gotten paid the plumber slow walks the call and in the meantime the building blows up killing the entire family/all the cast members.

Except cousin Greg, who then inherits the family trust as he is the closest relative alive. And only because Marsha did not get 2 votes. Otherwise she would have owned control.
 

He becomes new ceo and buys out gojo for pennies on the dollar because he took possession of a dick pic gojo ceo had sent to roman before roman died in the above incident. 

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Just now, remoh said:

Except cousin Greg, who then inherits the family trust as he is the closest relative alive. And only because Marsha did not get 2 votes. Otherwise she would have owned control.
 

He becomes new ceo and buys out gojo for pennies on the dollar because he took possession of a dick pic gojo ceo had sent to roman before roman died in the above incident. 

Cousin Greg was out on a coffee run. 

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18 hours ago, Chuckie Finster said:


Didn’t want to think too hard about this, but also why would Logan’s brother’s grandson be invited?

Logan probably doesn't get a plus one invitation. He arrives with his people. The dude is always surrounded by others. I think Greg has been accepted into the Tribe by Logan similar to Tom's inclusion so they along with business employees are always present.

 

10 hours ago, henrygandorf said:

i thought the same about gerri.

Same with Kendall's assistant and PR person. I just figured they always travel with an entourage. Always need the staff nearby kind of thing.

 

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15 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Making Ken's kid try the food was amazing.  Did Logan really think Ken would try to poison him, or was he just being his usual asshole self?

I don't think Logan really thought Ken would do it, but he knew Ken was trying to insinuate that he might.  Just an unreal power move by Logan.

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2 minutes ago, oSuJeff97 said:

You guys complaining about "the plot" are missing the whole point of the show.

The machinations of the attempted takeover, the attempted acquisitions, etc., are completely incidental and 100% not what the show is about.

The show is about the Roy family and their interactions. All of various corporate shit are just things that happen so we can see how the family reacts/interacts/responds.

Can't remember if I've ever liked a show this much where all of the main characters are just awful people.  Tom and Greg are funny, but Greg is probably the only one who isn't just 100% terrible.  But he's moving in that direction quickly.

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Just binged this season over the past few nights and I feel like I have done myself a real disservice by not being able to participate in the ongoing discussion in a timely manner. 

That said, I really got a kick out of how "piss mad" got coined on the spot and then it suddenly became a term that everyone used as though it was a long-standing common expression. Whoever likened that to a Seinfeld plot device a few pages back was spot-on.

No way that they off Kendall like that. This isn't GoT or The Sopranos where characters die off all the time. I'll be kind of surprised if Kendall makes it to the end of the show (whenever that is) but it's going to be a flamboyant suicide meant as one last "fuck you" to his family, not drowning in his own pool because he's kind of drunk.

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7 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Can't remember if I've ever liked a show this much where all of the main characters are just awful people.  Tom and Greg are funny, but Greg is probably the only one who isn't just 100% terrible.  But he's moving in that direction quickly.

Always Sunny, maybe? 

Gerri isn't 100% terrible, and Connor is too stupid and oblivious to really rate, at least against the backdrop of his relatives. 

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58 minutes ago, oSuJeff97 said:

You guys complaining about "the plot" are missing the whole point of the show.

i'm not complaining about the plot, just merely pointing out that there isn't one.  i've said this is the best show on tv at least a handful of times on this thread.

i am complaining about the direction they've taken kendall's arc this season, as i see it as a missed opportunity, and the show is a drag whenever a ken-centric scene pops up.

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16 hours ago, oSuJeff97 said:

You guys complaining about "the plot" are missing the whole point of the show.

The machinations of the attempted takeover, the attempted acquisitions, etc., are completely incidental and 100% not what the show is about.

The show is about the Roy family and their interactions. All of various corporate shit are just things that happen so we can see how the family reacts/interacts/responds.

This.  Plus its a satirical drama - in many ways the characters are caricatures. 

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15 hours ago, henrygandorf said:

i am complaining about the direction they've taken kendall's arc this season, as i see it as a missed opportunity, and the show is a drag whenever a ken-centric scene pops up.

I think Kendall's arc has more to do with showing he is the only family member with an ounce of empathy.  Kendall tries to be ruthless and fails, but the others are sociopaths. 

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55 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

I think Kendall's arc has more to do with showing he is the only family member with an ounce of empathy.  Kendall tries to be ruthless and fails, but the others are sociopaths. 

I'm not sure I agree with that.

Logan probably has sociopathic tendencies. The kids are all fucked up in different ways specifically because of Logan.

 

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On 12/5/2021 at 10:10 PM, Ted Lange said:

So is Ken dead? 

 

On 12/6/2021 at 8:49 AM, billfromlaketravis said:

Seems to be the consensus online. 

Wow. Drowning while on a float in a pool? That's either a remarkable achievement of will or a pathetic case of buoyancy incompetence.

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19 hours ago, oSuJeff97 said:

You guys complaining about "the plot" are missing the whole point of the show.

The machinations of the attempted takeover, the attempted acquisitions, etc., are completely incidental and 100% not what the show is about.

The show is about the Roy family and their interactions. All of various corporate shit are just things that happen so we can see how the family reacts/interacts/responds.

I think everyone gets it...... I just think it's wearing thin.  It's still bitingly funny and absolutely cringeworthy in the most hilarious ways at times, but season 2 was a lot better imo.  As other have stated, Kendall not really learning anything from his ordeal of having to crawl back and play the beaten dog son in this iteration of trying to claim his own path is not only silly but pathetic.  They're all pathetic but putting them in more interesting settings or plot devices would be more fun.

2 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

I think Kendall's arc has more to do with showing he is the only family member with an ounce of empathy.  Kendall tries to be ruthless and fails, but the others are sociopaths. 

I don't agree with this.  All of the kids are fatally flawed, but they all have moments of empathy, especially Kendall and Shiv, who tries to play killer, but can't really pull it off.  Roman probably is the least empathetic and even he had his moments like when he wouldn't sign on to the letter outing Kendall's private proclivities & failings.  You could probably argue, that was more strategic than empathetic and he would be more worried about reciprocity, but I do think he felt it was too over the top.

 

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While not totally giving up on my diagnosis of the sociopathic version of antisocial personality disorder for most of the family, possibly including Kendall, all of them may be more properly diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder.  Lack of empathy is still a characteristic, but some of the other traits are more dominant.  Conner, who I often forget as a family member, is probably just a loon.  

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2 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

I think everyone gets it...... I just think it's wearing thin.  It's still bitingly funny and absolutely cringeworthy in the most hilarious ways at times, but season 2 was a lot better imo.  As other have stated, Kendall not really learning anything from his ordeal of having to crawl back and play the beaten dog son in this iteration of trying to claim his own path is not only silly but pathetic.  They're all pathetic but putting them in more interesting settings or plot devices would be more fun.

yeah, i guess after the s2 finale i was hoping they would go head to head in s3 - rarely is a storyline so nicely laid out for us.  at that point, i don't care who wins as long as both sides fight dirty, use the press, stab everybody in the back, switch sides and switch sides again, turn on each other, and go scorched earth in order to win.  logan winning by kendall skulking back is just something i feel like i've seen before (most notably after the waiter drowned).

i love this show and i know it has an expiration date.  this is hbo, so we're gonna get 8-10 episode seasons and probably not more than 4-5 of those.  so yeah, i am a little protective over them and don't like to see opportunities squandered.  if this was on abc and 8 seasons of 22 episode tv were promised, then shit, you can have one whole episode of closeup angles of shiv's ass for 42.5 minutes for all i care. 

half of surly would probably pass out.

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It's an ass, it's supposed to be flabby.  If she had ass-abs, it'd be creepy as fuck.  With some fucking vein bulging out the side?  The hell is wrong with you? 

The actress is above-average attractive, but the character is very, very sexy.  I wouldn't give a damn about Sarah Snook butt photos being leaked on TMZ?  But, does the idea of spreading the butt cheeks of Siobhan Roy and getting to lick and fuck that billion-dollar starfish turn me on while we plot our next sinister moves?  Absolutely.  

Having said that, I think two more seasons of this literal "monster of the week" type plot advancement is about all I can take.  We get it, the Murdochs are a fucked up family.  But a little arc-trajectory can be handled by the audience...good, bad, or indifferent. 

 

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I think he'd let her do that if she asked him.  But that kinda shit doesn't really occur to her.  She's evil, but she's not fuck somebody right before your wedding, allude to it with you on your wedding night, and then demand that she peg you for the one year anniversary kind of evil.  I think Roman would be down for that kind of relationship down the road with somebody though.  

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34 minutes ago, Lobo said:

It's an ass, it's supposed to be flabby.  If she had ass-abs, it'd be creepy as fuck.  With some fucking vein bulging out the side?  The hell is wrong with you? 

The actress is above-average attractive, but the character is very, very sexy.  I wouldn't give a damn about Sarah Snook butt photos being leaked on TMZ?  But, does the idea of spreading the butt cheeks of Siobhan Roy and getting to lick and fuck that billion-dollar starfish turn me on while we plot our next sinister moves?  Absolutely.  

Having said that, I think two more seasons of this literal "monster of the week" type plot advancement is about all I can take.  We get it, the Murdochs are a fucked up family.  But a little arc-trajectory can be handled by the audience...good, bad, or indifferent. 

 

Too chunky for my taste. Bordering on Vic territory. 

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1 hour ago, Lobo said:

It's an ass, it's supposed to be flabby.  If she had ass-abs, it'd be creepy as fuck.  With some fucking vein bulging out the side?  The hell is wrong with you? 

The actress is above-average attractive, but the character is very, very sexy.  I wouldn't give a damn about Sarah Snook butt photos being leaked on TMZ?  But, does the idea of spreading the butt cheeks of Siobhan Roy and getting to lick and fuck that billion-dollar starfish turn me on while we plot our next sinister moves?  Absolutely.  

Having said that, I think two more seasons of this literal "monster of the week" type plot advancement is about all I can take.  We get it, the Murdochs are a fucked up family.  But a little arc-trajectory can be handled by the audience...good, bad, or indifferent. 

 

I assumed it was based on a mash up of Murdoch and Sumner Redstone.

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Yeah, it's obviously some creative liberties and an amalgam of a few media shitheads.  I see the Redstone angle now that you mention it.  I try to block that man from my memory because I had a biz school class where the professor was enamored with him and Redstone's later years; he  looked like the fucking masked dude from the "Saw" movies.  And that freaks the fuck outta me. 

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