Succession season 3, episode 1 recap: The full Baskin-Robbins

Succession season 3 opens with helicopters, as a result of that is Succession. Logan Roy soars among the many gods, distant and elemental. Kendall hides in a shower. 

However regardless of this preliminary look, the roles could also be reversed. Logan is, for as soon as, adrift, whereas Kendall appears to be in control of the scenario, even throwing Waystar’s PR guru Karolina out of the automobile. His bombshell means nobody is aware of which strategy to go — actually — however it’s Kendall who establishes a base extra rapidly. Positive, it is his ex-wife’s dwelling and he is oblivious to her dismay as his new squeeze reveals up and cracks into the great wine. However it’s higher than Logan winding up marooned in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina (a city that is aware of a factor or two about civil conflict).

Season 3, episode 1, titled Secession, airs on HBO on Sunday, Oct. 17, in addition to streaming on HBO Max. Let’s delve into the main points and delights of the season premiere, with spoilers and dangerous language — you have been warned…

Season 2 ended with media magnate Logan Roy dispatching his nervy son Kendall to be a blood sacrifice by taking the blame for a scandal engulfing their firm. However Kendall turns the tables, publicly blaming Logan — successfully declaring conflict on his personal father.

As season Three picks up in close to actual time, Logan appears uncharacteristically quiet, nearly diminished. He is misplaced his spouse, his son simply turned on him, he cannot discover his daughter, and his life’s work is threatened like by no means earlier than. The heavyweight may very well be on the ropes. 

The video games start 

The scandal means Logan is tainted and a brand new broom is required, even when it is solely an interim broom. However the CEO position may be very a lot again in play, and all people instantly begins circling, probing, and naturally sharpening the knives.

Karl and Frank instantly shoot their shot, and are instantly shot down. Roman asks Shiv what she’s considering — and the maneuvering begins. Shiv indignantly insists she backs their dad, however it’s clearly open season on Logan and the highest job.

It is ironic that everyone is so determined to climb over each other’s corpses to say a task that Logan himself derides as a “nameplate.” It is nonetheless his hand jerking round whichever puppet strings itself up.

Lawyer up

The primary skirmish arrives quick. Each side have to lawyer up, and each land on the identical identify: high-profile lawyer Lisa Arthur, performed by Sanaa Lathan. Kendall attracts first blood by recruiting Arthur to his facet, even over Shiv’s friendship with Arthur. The narrative is on Kendall’s facet, not less than for now, as he blows the whistle on historic wrongdoing and echoes the real-life revelations rocking many industries and societies within the #MeToo period.

However which will go to his head. Kendall is wise sufficient to name Arthur, however too self-involved to take heed to her. His head’s within the clouds with discuss of adjusting the local weather, whereas she tries to deliver him again to earth with phrases like “subpoenas” and “warrants.” Even when Kendall’s sudden righteousness is real, the legislation has been damaged and the sword of Damocles that’s the Division of Justice hangs over each factions.

Gerri desires to cooperate, as a result of all people cooperates ultimately. However Roman is fast to reject any suggestion of speaking to the authorities, in all probability anticipating his father’s predictably bullish perspective.

In fact, it helps to have a direct line to the president, aka “the Raisin.” Besides the Raisin is not taking Logan’s calls, which implies Logan’s energy and affect remains to be within the stability. Casting information revealed that in season 3, Linda Edmond performs White Home staffer Michelle-Anne Vanderhoven (who Shiv dubs “the pantsuit barnacle”), so likely there’s extra political shenanigans to come back. 

The court docket of public opinion

As Staff Kendall’s first (solely) participant, Greg’s first (solely) process is to “slide a sociopolitical thermometer up the nation’s ass” — i.e., verify Twitter. And Kendall might’ve crushed Tater Tots to be a prime trending subject, however good meme-age alone is not going to win the day. This is not only a confrontation in penthouses and boardrooms: Even when the winner is set behind closed doorways, they’re going to be anointed by stockholder confidence and public opinion. Picture and popularity matter. Optics. Narrative.

For Kendal, meaning another company manifesto, perhaps a speedy response TedX discuss, positively some cool tweets. For Logan, it means household. However his spouse is furiously estranged and his youngsters are lining as much as drive a knife additional into his coronary heart. 

Is Kendall for actual?

Logan thinks Kendall’s revelation was a transfer. A snake transfer, however nonetheless an influence play. The previous schemer’s first response is to supply a deal. Kendal refuses. However is he nonetheless making strikes? Or is he real in his need to enhance the corporate, and by extension the world?  

Then comes the true battle. Logan calls Kendall, however the wayward son geese the dialog. Right here we see somewhat extra of the previous Logan, and the previous Kendall: Logan angrily threatens to grind his son’s bones into bread and Kendall can solely mutter one thing a few bean stalk. Even when he is within the higher place, the youthful man merely cannot match his father’s drive, energy and can.

Possibly Roman is correct when he predicts Kendall will self-destruct. Positive, the youngest Roy sibling is unpleasantly fast to place the boot into his elder brother, however he might have a degree. What Kendall wants is allies.

Because the episode ends, nothing is set. The chess gamers are nonetheless preventing over the identical items. And Logan’s rage, for as soon as, could also be impotent. “We’ll go full fucking beast!” he yells, however he is nonetheless an previous man in an odd metropolis, misplaced at the hours of darkness….

Season 3, episode 2, Mass in Time of Battle, airs subsequent Sunday, Oct. 24. 

Successive ideas

• When Kendall faces himself within the mirror, is it simply me keen him to start out rapping? 
• Frank lists the worst issues the corporate and household have confronted: Tabloid suicides. Argentina. The Tiananmen lodging. The black cloud after Sally Ann (a earlier Logan affair, additionally talked about in season 2). However in accordance with Karl, this scandal is “the total Baskin-Robbins: 31 flavors of fuck.”
• Greg cannot cease yelling “No remark!” Like most of the characters, he simply cannot hold his mouth shut. Sort of an issue with that large secret weighing on him (that he provided the smoking-gun papers to Kendall).
• “The Raisin” is such a fantastic nickname for a fictional president. It is evocative sufficient to be humorous however imprecise sufficient that it might confer with any politician ever. 
• When Shiv casually lobs a declaration of affection at her amoebalike husband Tom, he calmly replies, “Thanks.” Is Tom really rising a backbone?
• Has Kendall forgotten that he killed a man — and Logan is aware of?