From the first episode of the final season, it was evident that Succession Season 4 was a different beast from its first three seasons. For instance, normally the words the Roy children say have no meaning, so as the audience we generally have to analyze and guess at what their true intentions are all season long. But this season, Kendall, Shiv, Roman, and Connor have all begun being somewhat open and (gasp) honest with one another, shedding the pretenses and deflections they frequently used for the past three seasons. Even Logan, as Kendall so eloquently puts it, “says a feeling” as he attempts to drag his children back onto his side. Most of these characters have nothing left to lose emotionally, so they often engage in authentic conversations, airing out the dirty laundry and room-filling elephants that would have once gone unsaid. Don’t get me wrong, there are still the backstabbings and cruel language that have been the show’s signature for the past three seasons. But there’s a clear finality about it all, which makes it all the more shocking that many were unaware this was the case until the final table read. The season’s storyline manages to take many definitive turns over the course of 11 days, which is in stark contrast to the masterful yet undeniably meandering previous seasons. Substantial events happen this season, and their consequences aren’t undone. Succession’s final season is a definitive and bold one that wraps up this masterclass of a show with finesse. 

As I said before, the final season of Succession takes place over 11 game-changing days. Four months after plans were made for Waystar Royco’s acquisition by GoJo, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Shiv (Sarah Snook) attempt to carve out their own legacy as their father (Brian Cox) begrudgingly misses their presence. Meanwhile, Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) works to secure his position at ATN amidst his rapidly deteriorating marriage to Shiv. In typical Succession fashion, the initial premise at the start of the season transforms into a deeper character journey. This season, we closely follow the trajectories of the 3 main siblings: Kendall, Roman, and Shiv (sorry, Connor). Their wavering trust, cruel affection, and shameless self-interest creates much of the drama this season, and it’s glorious to behold. Though each episode only covers the scope of a day or two, the screenplay manages to be even tighter and heftier than usual. Each episode manages to work both as a weighty, gripping standalone narrative and as a larger part of the season’s arc, in contrast to the first 3 seasons that had strong season-long plots but occasionally had skippable episodes. This engaging storyline still has the power struggles and rushed “tactics” present in the prior seasons, but as mentioned earlier, there’s a sense of finality to it all that makes everything that much more consequential. The final outcome itself may not be particularly mindblowing or shocking, but it’s extremely fitting despite not giving any character a clear-cut “ending.” All in all, Succession’s characteristically strong writing tops itself one last time in this mighty final season.

Succession’s characteristically strong ensemble also manages to rise to new heights in season 4. Despite having limited screen-time, Brian Cox and Alan Ruck have some of their best material in the entire series and steal every scene they’re in. Ruck especially impressed me with the depth he was able to bring out of this punching bag of a character. Alexander Skarsgård’s Lukas Mattson is a delightfully absurd addition to the main cast who provides a much-appreciated energy to the show. Matthew Macfadyen is once again electric as the dynamic Tom Wambsgans and balances the drama and comedy of his character easily. Jeremy Strong remains exceptional and makes a compelling case to award him another Emmy as he portrays the most nuanced character on the show one last time with grace. He nails every eccentricity and ensures his trajectory throughout both this season and the entire show feels authentic. But Succession’s final season — and arguably the entire year so far, since no other actors come close — belongs to two performers: Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook. Both have always been excellent in this show, but they nonetheless astonished me with the emotional heft they carry throughout these last 10 episodes. 

Culkin’s physicality has always impressed me, whether he’s sitting on chairs strangely or rubbing his hands with soap. This season, though, his line delivery is also unbelievable. Initially, Roman is shaky in where he stands after the events of the past season, As this season progresses, though, his character’s focus shifts onto his inability to healthily cope with his latent emotions. They inevitably come spewing out and, in the process, create some of the best scenes in the entire show. Culkin carries all of this with his masterful physical choices paired with heartbreaking intonation. 

Snook, on the other hand, shines because of her improvement of what she was already phenomenal at: her facial expressions. This season, Shiv grapples with her irrelevance to her brothers, her tumultuous marriage with her husband Tom, and her lingering affection for her father. This is by far the best content Snook has been able to work with, and she somehow soars above it to steal every scene she’s in with a single pained glance. I generally avoid discussing awards potential in reviews, but if this performance doesn’t win her an Emmy, there may not be any hope left for this world. She is that gut-wrenchingly good. 

While the aforementioned performers are the absolute standouts of this season, Succession thrives in its rich cast of devoted actors. No matter how small the role, every member of this fantastic ensemble gives their all. Each scathing remark is only as good as the actor tasked with delivering it, so it’s a blessing that Succession’s cast continues to be consistently top-notch throughout.

Ending a series as beloved and admired as Succession is no easy feat, as a final season has to both maintain or exceed the quality of the seasons before it and ensure the journey the show took the audience on over the past few years was worthwhile. Yet Succession does both with aplomb, reminding its viewers why they fell in love with the show in the first place. Though there are a plethora of intentionally loose ends, the strength of the narrative, the character writing, and the acting make the season feel truly satisfying. As someone who fell in love with television as a medium thanks to this show, I am in awe of how perfect a final season this was. Each episode was spectacular and a league above practically everything else on TV. Though I’m sad to see one of my favorite shows depart, I cannot overstate how enthused I am that it left on the resounding high note it did.

10/10