Max’s original series Succession ,season four episode ten entitled “With Open Eyes” kicks off with Jeremy Strong’s Kendall Roy as he loses control of the decision to reject the deal with Alexander Skarsgard’s Lukas Matsson. This is due to Kieran Culkin’s Roman Roy not showing up to the conference. This ends up sending Kendall into a panicked frenzy as he is a control freak. The sad part about this is how Sarah Snook’s Shiv Roy only finds Roman who is hiding with their mother in her island home to use him for her plans. Not to mention that Kendall shows up to where Roman is as well for the exact same thing. From here, the viewer can see that no one really cares about Roman as they do not seem to be worried about the fact that he was missing for some time. This is demonstrated by how when they see him, they don’t press him for information on why he has cuts and bruises.
Additionally, the viewer finds out that Lukas was never going to make Shiv CEO and was just using her for information against her brothers. Luckily, her brothers let her know for her own good who she is putting her trust in. In her mind, she refuses to believe what her brothers are telling her due to her not wanting to be played once again. She constantly has gone through that part of her life multiple times with her father. Deep down she really believed she could handle things on her own terms. The viewer could assume that her getting the CEO job is her way of proving everyone who doubted her wrong. Not that the job is not going to happen, she wants payback. The interesting part about this is how her siblings immediately take her back to join them. However, it can be guessed that the reason for this is purely because they needed her due to her having a deciding vote. Surprisingly enough, this leads to them deciding that Kendall is the best option to run the company, much to Kendall’s joy.
Toward the end of the episode, the viewer is treated to a shocking turn of events with the Roy siblings. This is a result of Shiv backing out of the agreement they made to reject the deal to sell the company. Thanks to the magnificent acting by Sarah Snook, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin, the viewer is given an intense scene where Kendall tries to use physical violence against his siblings. This marks Kendall just as bad as his father due to him also using physical violence on all three of them. In his mind, he knows that he has lost control of everything, and violence is the only thing he knows might work. Deep down he hates himself for becoming just like his father and that is why he decides to leave without saying anything.
At the end of the episode, everyone goes their separate ways as Shiv ends up with Matthew Macfadyen’s Tom Wambsgans as they seem to be in a good place even though they have hurt each other not to mention that he was chosen to be the new CEO as well. Meanwhile, Roman is off drinking in a random bar with a slight smile on his face. However, the smile could imply that he might do something to himself as he feels as if he has nothing. Finally, Kendall simply takes a walk in the park with a shocked look on his face. Due to the mixed emotions the viewer could guess that he has gone back to feeling like he does not matter. This is demonstrated by how the mother of his child left with their daughter and will not come back. Not to mention that he lost the company he was promised, and he is back ti being a nobody.
Rating.9.5/10