Dramatic and powerful: Why 'Succession' Season 4 is shaping up to be impactful

The Roys aren’t playing around

KARACHI:

The final season of Succession is here, and it is every bit as glorious as one would have hoped. By now, fans have come to become one with the dysfunctional Roy family dynamics.

Most people look forward to the chaotic mess their interactions become. Being a billionaire can't be easy, right? Especially for Logan Roy (Brian Cox), who has more than led on (to no avail) his children who hope to become successors of the vast empire.

SPOILER ALERT!

With a definitive wedge drawn between the family after an explosive Season 3 finale, here's how Season 4 has amped things up even more:

Siobhan Roy and Tom Wambsgans are falling apart

Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) are at a crossroads in their marriage. The blow from last season has left the sole daughter of the Roy family sore. Having never learnt to deal with emotions, she battles with pent-up anger, resentment, and bitterness towards Tom, who is trying to "look around" during their period of separation. An immensely heartbreaking first episode sheds light on just how sour the relationship has turned, with powerful performances by Snook and Macfadyen.

Shiv is finally stepping up

Having been left out of the family business for a vast majority of the show, watching Shiv become a vital part of a new dynamic with her brothers is intriguing. She's adamant, persistent, and even opts for manipulation, when necessary. More than anything, it seems like she, much like everyone else around her, is finally choosing to safeguard herself first, especially after Tom's betrayal. Such is the intensity of her inner turmoil that she's lashing out in ways the audience has never seen before, thus adding even more dimension to the character

The new trio is intriguing

The audience has never seen Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong), Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin) and Shiv work together cohesively. In between all the politics of power, there have only been rare instances of genuine sibling love that viewers have been able to witness. In this season, that is fleshed out even more. An infuriating sense of competition prevails between the siblings, where each wants what's best for themselves - except they disguise it as what's best for all three of them. All of them have secrets, and half-truths are the norm. The entire dynamic is extremely interesting to watch play out, especially with Conner (Alan Ruck) thrown into the mix.

Tom and Greg are facing the heat

Whilst Tom struggles to voice how hurt he's been by Shiv in their marriage, his unwillingly steadfast constant, Greg (Nicholas Braun) stays true by his side. Now that they've "made a deal with the devil" and moved to "the bottom of the top" of the hierarchy, it's interesting to see them leverage that power (or lack thereof). Termed the 'Disgusting Brothers' by pretty much everyone, the duo is as comedic and lovable as before. However, it's time for them to learn that being at the top means working with Logan Roy - and he's pretty much a dragon breathing down their necks at this point.

Logan is a subdued terror

If there is one person audiences know not to trust, it's Logan Roy. That very quality, owing to his business acumen and grit, also makes him an extremely likeable character. As is the case with all the Roys, Logan, too, treads a fine line between being a villain and a hero. However, a mix of wanting to be roasted, telling his bodyguard that he's his best friend, and an impassioned speech to ATN employees hints at a larger storm that is brewing. It makes his contained silence that much more terrifying, thus building anticipation in an insurmountable way.

All in all, viewers are just two episodes in and Succession has already got everyone hooked. The writing and direction have amped up gears. With numerous possibilities, it will be as mind-boggling to see how things play out as it will be heartbreaking to bid this family adieu.

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