‘Succession’ Season 4 Review: HBO Show Has New Thrills In Its Final Season

Succession is a hydra. 

HBO’s award-winning drama, and the undisputed reigning best show on television, is like the patriarchal figure at its center—anytime you think you’ve got it beat, it grows two more heads. In its fourth and final (although only recently revealed to be so) season, Succession is full of unexpected thrills, constantly sprouting new forms as it speeds toward its conclusion.

In the wake of Logan’s triumphant win over the kids at the end of last season, the shoe is on the other foot as we drop back in on the Roys on the precipice of the Lukas Matsso/GoJo deal as all involved attempt to ascertain what’s next. Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), and Roman (Kieran Culkin) continue their newfound union from last season’s finale, eager to launch a new media venture with the profits of the upcoming sale, finally able to cultivate something for themselves.

Meanwhile, Logan (Brian Cox) slunks around, feeling seller’s remorse over the deal and wondering if there’s one last card for him to play before sailing off into the horizon. Those two aspects come to a head when opportunities arise for the kids to hinder Logan’s plans at the expense of gaining their impending slice of the pie.

If this description sounds slightly vague, that’s by design. Unburdened by needing to maintain the seasonal status quo, creator Jesse Armstrong cuts Succession’s plot loose and careens it into unexpected places better discovered as they unfold. (Also, HBO and Armstrong asked critics to stay mum about what’s to come.) The first four episodes sent to critics are four of the series’ best and so action-packed that those who bemoaned the show’s perceived stagnation last season will be hard-pressed to make the same criticism.