HBO Max’s original series Succession ,season four episode three entitled “Connor’s Wedding,” starts with Kieran Culkin’s Roman Roy as he tries to do a dirty job for Brian Cox’s Logan Roy. While attending Alan Ruck’s Connor Roy’s wedding the viewer gets a sense that something bad will happen. This is due to him accepting his offer to work for him at his company as an equal as well as agreeing to be there for his older brother. At this point the viewer sees that Roman is stuck between two loyalties. His loyalty to his siblings and older brother and his loyalty to his father. From the look on his face, it can be assumed that it is tearing him apart as he cannot tell the rest of his siblings about his job. Deep down Roman knows that something is bound to happen as there are too many lies and secrets. From what the viewer sees Logan was just using Roman so he can keep close to the rest of his kids. This is demonstrated by how he tells Roman to fire an employee, however, he must make it his idea. By the look on Roman’s face, the viewer can tell that he is not happy with his father in regards with his request. In his mind, he feels that he has been played yet again by his father. He believed that his job offer was his father’s way of trying to fix things between them. Now he knows it was just another manipulation. Deep down all he wants is his father’s love as he feels he was denied that growing up.
Additionally, the series takes a shocking turn as Logan unexpectedly dies of a heart attack out of nowhere. This is where things get extremely messy and brilliant as well with the acting done by the Roy siblings. Each one of them upon hearing the news shows multiple emotions all at once. The interesting part about this is how the two constant emotions shown are anger and sadness. They each want to talk to their father and tell him off for everything he did to them. However, at the same time they want to forgive him and just be with him during his final moments. In their minds, they hate him for making them feel as if they were never important to him. This is due to him always putting work first before taking care of them. Unfortunately, the sudden death they never expected makes them think that while they hate him, they still love him. The viewer can even argue that they would rather have him be alive and treat them horribly. At least that way he is still with them, which can be seen as a dysfunctional relationship.
At the end of the episode, the Roy siblings try to figure out what to do with their father’s company as it now is theirs to run. Not to mention that they know others will try to take over since the “king” is dead leaving an empire up for grabs. They already got a taste of this as some of the board of directors were already making a statement without them. Luckily, for now they agree to remain united to protect what their father left for them.
Rating: 9.5/10