As the episode begins, we see Logan Roy (Brian Cox) stumbling around in the dark. He urinates in the hallway. Marcia (Hiam Abbass) helps him back to bed. Meanwhile, a younger Roy heads to a business meeting. He tries to get himself pumped up listening to music. When he arrives at the meeting, he learns that there is a problem. He tries to negotiate to keep Lawrence (Rob Yang) on the team. Lawrence isn’t interested. Lawrence explains that he isn’t going to let the Neanderthals in to rape his company. Once Lawrence is gone, Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) contemplates what to do. He decides to push the bid higher to buy the company. He gets a call from his father. He tells him that he has decided to increase the bid.

He tells his father happy birthday and the call ends. A young guy, Greg, gets high and works as a mascot for the company. The kids end up attacking him. He vomits out of his suit. Greg Hirsh (Nicholas Braun) calls his mother. He tells her about his screw up. He blames everything on someone else. He admits he didn’t tell them who he was when he got fired. He learns that he is going to go his uncle Logan’s birthday party. Kendall gets a gift from his brother, Roman (Kieran Culkin). Roman enters just in time for the sage burning. Roman learns about the bid.

It has been increased to 125. Roman insists he is glad to be out of the company and only on the board. Logan strolls around his house. Everyone else prepares for his party. He gives out some instructions before leaving home. Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) chat about a candidate’s poll numbers. Then, Tom asks Shiv what he should get Logan for his birthday. He wants to make a good impression. She agrees to help him pick out a gift. Logan visits Kendall at the office. Logan explains he is putting Marcy on the trust and that shouldn’t impact Kendall stepping up. Kendall signs the paperwork.

Tom and Shiv join everyone at the birthday party. Roman speaks to them about their work. Logan is harassed by photographers outside. Greg confronts him and is taken down by security. Greg tells them that he is kin to Logan. Everything is sorted out. Greg tells Logan about the incident at the theme park. Logan is surprised at the party. Greg is introduced to everyone. Tom delivers his gift right before Kendall arrives. A call pulls Kendall from the party. Roman tells Logan that it has become shat show at the office. Kendall gets bad news. He quickly works to sort it out.

Logan is harassed by pretty much everyone at the party. Kendall’s ex-wife and kids arrive. It becomes clear that he has been neglecting his family for work. He learns that his ex has been seeing someone else. Greg explains his situation to Logan. Logan promises to do everything he can. However, he wants his brother to ask. Logan tells the kids that Marcia will get his seat upon her death. That will give her double voting power. He explains that this is the present he really wants. He reveals that he plans to stay at the company for a few more years. Kendall is shocked by the news. Marcia interrupts. Kendall confronts his father in private.

Logan insists that he just changed his mind. He reminds Kendall that he was still in rehab three years ago. Logan says that Kendall was too weak. He is also not happy that Kendall came to his party instead of working on the deal. He reveals that he intends to work for five to ten more years. Kendall ridicules the way his father has been running the business. Logan challenges his son to hit him. They continue arguing. Logan storms out and starts lunch. Kendall loses it. He begins breaking stuff in the bathroom. He tries to clean up the mess afterwards. The following day, Greg joins Logan in the vehicle. He tries to win Logan over.

Greg insists Logan’s brother could give up his seat to him. Logan seems to like the idea. Logan speaks with Roman about the truth. Roman wants to know what is in it for him. He wants to be chief operating officer instead of Frank. Everyone arrives to play ball. Tom finally manages to give his gift to Logan. Kendall encourages the others to say no to the trust. He wants to take over with the two others under him. They say no. Tom offers Greg advice if he needs it. Tom plays several jokes on him. During play, Kendall gets a phone call. He is forced to run. Kendall plants a story that Logan has lost it and some of the board members want him out.

Roman offers a young boy a million dollars if he can hit a home run. The boy doesn’t do it. Roman tears up the check. Kendall returns back to work. He meets with Lawrence and learns that the other offer fell through. He lays out the new deal. Lawrence is told how it is going to be. He has no choice, but to accept it. The young boy’s family is asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Frank also gets bad news from Logan. The young boy’s family is seen with Tom’s gift. The kids learn that Frank is gone, Tom is stepping up and Shiv is taking on a new role. They refuse the offer.

Logan begins freaking out. It appears that he has a heart attack or faints. Lawrence agrees to Kendall’s deal. Kendall learns that his father had a brain hemorrhage. Lawrence leaves after threatening to bring Kendall down. Everyone waits while Logan remains in the hospital. The young boy is shown at home. Tom’s watch sits nearby. A news report talks about the volatility of Waystar Royco’s stock, due to Logan’s health condition.

 

Succession Review

The opener for Succession was hit and miss. It wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t encourage me to binge watch the entire season either. The acting wasn’t too bad and the story was okay. The camera work was pretty annoying honestly. I watched it for Matthew Macfadyen and he was barely in it. Still, the story was fairly interesting. It could get good from here on out. We shall see. The episode scores a 6.5 out of 10.