Content Consumed: Succession and the Weekend Culture Catch-Up

Hey, hey! Happy Monday! It’s gonna be a great week, I can feel it. In today’s edition of Content Consumed, we’re discussing the fifth episode of Succession and everything I watched/listened to/read this weekend.

Succession: Episode 5

If a deal collapses in the woods and no one hears, is it an SEC violation?

This is one of many questions we must contend with in this episode of Succession—obviously, another fantastic episode.

The Roys are still holding it together (barely). Shiv, Roman, and Kendall are already backstabbing each other just days after Logan’s death. It only gets worse once they arrive in Norway to hang out with Lukas Matsson and his Scandinavian bois and convince them to go through with the deal.

Easier said than done, of course.

I believe, in terms of dialogue and one-liners and witty banter, this might have been the best episode of the season so far. Amongst my favorites:

• “Your earlobes are thick and chewy, like barnacle meat.” — Tom, flicking Shiv’s ear after she bullied him about his shiny shoes
• “Which way to Chairman Mattson’s re-education camp?” — Shiv, upon arrival in Norway
• “You’re a tribute band.”—Mattson, to the Roy kids, just 3 days after their dad croaked.
• “It’s a fuckin’ tightrope walk on a straight razor. Five-hundred-foot reputational drop.”—Kendall, so excited about the possibility of risk
• “Deniability is difficult, given she has…so much of your blood.”—Shiv, sussing out the situation with Mattson and his head of comms

One part of this episode that stood out — one of those “ah geez, yeah, give them the Emmy” moments — is Roman’s mini-monologue at the top of the mountain with Kendall and Mattson. He’s in such pain and the denial is finally wearing off.

And Mattson? He’s a freak and a half, a sexual deviant, a predator in many ways, and a very rich man. He’s repeatedly harassed his head of comms, who he had a relationship with at some point(?), with frozen blocks of his own blood. And he clearly doesn’t care too much about Logan’s death, other than how it affects him. After all, he found his own dad’s dead body (“No sorries for Lukas?”).

Damn, he can rock an anorak though.

Shiv has leverage as a wild card to Mattson, and she uses it to help him (and deal with his insane blood bag story). She can play the outsider in the Roy sibling group (the Quad Squad, including Greg, if Greg’s so lucky) because she is the outsider. Did Kendall and Roman go to her about tanking the deal? Nope. And she got ’em for it.

Shiv won this episode. She got the deal she wanted. She screwed over Roman and Kendall (with picture proof of their sour faces on the jet, which she sent to Mattson).

Shiv’s kill list, in the end, includes most of the old guard. She saves Tom, Karolina, and Gerri, because two of them are good at their jobs and one of them is her husband.

The question is… when will Shiv give herself away? And when will she reveal the pregnancy?

Weekend Culture Catch-Up

So, of course, I watched Succession this weekend. But also…

🏀 GETTING VERY INTO:
The NBA post-season. It is heating UP and it’s so fun to watch. The Sacramento-Golden State series has been especially spicy.

📣 WRAPPED UP A REWATCH OF:
Parks and Recreation. An all-time great show and I think they actually handled the final season really well (a rarity amongst cable sitcoms).

🎧 LISTENING TO:
If Books Could Kill, a podcast by two journalists. The premise: “The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds.” The first episode of theirs I listened to was Rich Dad, Poor Dad and I’m so hooked. I recommend that episode first, or maybe Hillbilly Elegy. They dispel all the myths these books distribute.

📚 FINISHED READING:
Confidence by Rafael Frumkin. I’m still digesting it—full Goodreads review coming soon—but it was interesting. The plot and pacing were so quick that we didn’t have much time for character development, and I thought there was one plot twist that made the whole thing a little too comical. The premise: “Best friends (and occasional lovers) Ezra and Orson are teetering on top of the world after founding a company that promises instant enlightenment in this thrilling caper about scams, schemes, and the absurdity of the American Dream.” Other topics explored: South American coups in made-up countries, doomed one-sided queer romance, and physical blindness. I think I’d give it 3 stars… which could be generous.

👑 ALMOST DONE WATCHING:
The Great (Season 2) on Hulu. My second watch, my husband’s first. Catherine’s mom just came… and left. An all-time great, evil character. So excited for Season 3 in May.

And that’s all from me today! Thanks for reading! Be sure to follow this column so you don’t miss a single edition of Content Consumed.

Cheers,
Casey

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