Succession There are 39 episodes, and while it’s hard to pick the best when there are so many great moments in the series, a few stand out. One of the best HBO shows of all time, Succession premiered on June 3, 2018, and ran for four seasons until May 28, 2023. Often blurring the line between comedy and drama, Succession turned three billionaire brothers fighting for their father’s empire into relatable characters without ever ignoring how absurd their lives and everything around them were.
Succession would dominate awards season during its time on airhaving won 19 Primetime Emmys. While Succession Season 4 is widely considered the best of the series, given the number of perfect episodes it has delivered consecutively, the series has been one of the best things on television since the first season. The best Succession Episodes are those that show a different side of its main characters and take the series in unexpected directions.
10
Season 2, Episode 3, “Hunting”
Directed by Andrij Parekh
The “boar on the ground” sequence alone would have been enough to make “Hunting” an all-time hit. Succession classic, but the episode was more than just Logan Roy at his scariest. “Hunting” offers a great look at how Logan commands power over his subordinates and how they are willing to go through the most bizarre situations if it means pleasing the head of Waystar Royco. “Hunting” goes from hilarious to scary to hilarious again apparently and is a great example of how Succession it never fit in as just a comedy or drama.
“Hunting” also offers a better look at the relationship between Logan and Roman, with the latter trying to please his father but mostly failing to do so. Roman’s need for approval is what leads him to make the mistake that almost causes Logan to lose the battle against Sandy. At the same time, Ken shows no agency in “Hunting” and acts as an extension of his father’s power, which would be the case throughout most of the season except for the finale.
9
Season 4, Episode 8, “America Decides”
Directed by Andrij Parekh
Most Succession Season 4 had a practically impossible mission – to deliver something that was as impactful or at least as good as “Connor’s Wedding”. Surprisingly, SuccessionThe final season of didn’t drop the ball, despite setting the bar extremely high with episode 3. Logan’s death meant that every decision made by the Roy brothers would impact the future of not only the company, but also the country. and the world. Kendall and Roman’s interest in the election came down to which candidate would help them block the GoJo deal, while Shiv was against Mencken and wanted the deal to move forward.
Watching the Roy brothers play with the fates of millions of people about what would be best for them and their aspirations was scary and intense. “America Decides,” like most Season 4 episodes, doesn’t stop to breathe and puts you in the middle of a high-risk situation. The camera feels like its own character, which helps viewers understand the gravity of the situation.
8
Season 4, Episode 7, “Tailgate Party”
Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini
While SuccessionThe 2011 election episode was incredible, but the preparation for it was undoubtedly even better. “Tailgate Party” is where each character’s loyalties start to become more obvious, especially after Lukas Matsson and his friends crash the ATN pre-election party. “Tailgate Party” makes it clear that Matsson will be the “villain” for the rest of the season – the obstacle that Kendall will have to overcome if she wants to keep her father company.
Although Kendall and Mattson’s conflict was very important, the real scene-stealers in “Tailgate Party” were Shiv and Tom. Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfadyen deliver Emmy-worthy performances like Shiv and Tom “clear the air”, and the result is one of the best scenes in the entire show. “Tailgate Party” is a point of no return for Succession and it makes up for Shiv and Tom’s dysfunctional relationship in the most intense way.
7
Season 2, Episode 10, “This Is Not for Tears”
Directed by Mark Mylod
Logan Roy Telling Kendall He’s Not a Killer Would Have Major Repercussionsand that was just one of the many memorable moments of “This Is Not For Fears”. The idea of Logan, his family and his inner circle going out on a boat while deciding who will be the “blood sacrifice” resulted in some hilarious interactions, including but not limited to Roman suggesting Frank all the time or Tom eating Logan’s chicken. Looking at just the comedic side of the series, there aren’t many Succession funnier episodes than “This Is Not For Tears.”
In addition to Logan’s laughter and jokes, “This Is Not For Fears” featured one of the most cathartic scenes in Succession. Kendall slowly realizing that she will never be good enough for her father, not even after acting as his henchman for an entire season, is heartbreaking and happens without any lines thanks to Jeremy Strong’s subtle performance. By the time Kendall flips the script and confronts her father on live TV, the reasons for her betrayal couldn’t be more obvious. Logan’s smirk when he sees Kendall become a killer makes the episode even better.
6
Season 1, Episode 6, “Whose Side Are You On?”
Directed by Andrij Parekh
If someone is still not sure if they want to continue watching Succession and what the show is really about, these questions will be answered in “Whose Side Are You On?” This was the first time that Kendall took significant action against his father, and as a result, the first of many times that the self-proclaimed “eldest son” failed. Seeing Kendall fail over and over again would become commonplace in Successionbut his failed coup in the first season remained his most embarrassing.
Most of the season up to that point had Kendall making a move against Logan to take control of the company, and for a while, it looked like it would work. Despite the traffic and having to win over counselors on the way to the meeting, Kendall got the votes. The move only failed because Roman backed out at the last minute – a moment that told us everything we needed to know about the relationship between Logan and his children.
5
Season 4, Episode 9, “Church and State”
Directed by Mark Mylod
Kieran Culkin’s Lead Actor Emmy Win Was No Surprise Afterwards Succession Season 4, particularly “Church and State.” Culkin had been delivering fantastic performances as Roman for some time, but “Church and State” showed a side to the character that none of the previous episodes had. After “pre-mourning” for five consecutive episodes, Roman finally broke down while speaking at Logan’s funeral. That was one of many powerful moments in “Church and State.”
Ewan Roy’s speech, during which we learned what happened to Logan’s sister, completely recontextualized Logan Roy’s character. Succession it often left big reveals as if they were nothing, which added to the show’s realism and made it strangely relatable despite dealing with billionaires. Kendall’s compliment was somehow even more intensealbeit for very different reasons. “Church and State” features some of the best performances in all four seasons of Succession.
4
Season 4, Episode 10, “With Open Eyes”
Directed by Mark Mylod
Succession he was at the top of the game for four seasons and managed to maintain that level. After the divisive and possibly disappointing ending of Game of ThronesIt was hard not to imagine at least the worst-case scenario in which Succession would drop the ball and deliver a disheartening ending. However, “With Open Eyes” was not only a fantastic episode in its own right, but it was also the finale Succession deserved.
It’s a bittersweet, almost tragic episode that hits all the right notes and ends the show beautifully.
By this time, it was clear that Succession wouldn’t give Kendall and her siblings a happy ending, whatever it is. Still, “With Open Eyes” briefly makes us think that Ken, Shiv, and Roman will be okay and come together to crown Kendall Roy as his successor. Usurpantly, everything fell apart when Shiv realized Kendall couldn’t keep the job. It’s a bittersweet, almost tragic episode that hits all the right notes and ends the show beautifully.
3
Season 2, Episode 4, “Safe Room”
Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini
A lot of Succession Episodes are defined by how intense or tragic they are. However, the HBO show was also known for being hilarious. The way Succession would find humor in the strangest situations, without ever leaving aside the emotional weight that these situations should have, was a big selling point of the showand there is no better example of this than “Safe Room”. The episode includes some of the series’ funniest lines and interactions, including Tom interviewing Ravenhead and the “executives arriving” chunk.
Greg and Tom realize they are not in the safe room and then discuss the state of their relationship while Logan, Shiv and Ken try to strike a deal in the middle of what appears to be an active shooting. Succession How could I get there? Besides all the laughter, “Safe Room” also includes some of Kendall Roy’s most vulnerable moments.
2
Season 3, Episode 9, “All the Bells Say”
Directed by Mark Mylod
There’s a lot going on in “All the Bells Say,” Still, the Season 3 finale balances all of its stories into a cohesive episode full of twists and dramatic moments. Kendall breaks down and tells Shiv and Roman about the waiter; the brothers joining forces to prevent Logan from selling the company; Shiv and Tom reaching a breaking point in their relationship, and Tom cheating on Shiv for Logan at the end each could have been the focus of their own episode.
The choice to end the episode with Shiv when Tom touches his shoulder after his betrayal made everything even more impactful.
Almost every scene in “All the Bells Say” is a turning point for the series and much of what we get in Season 4 harkens back to decisions made at the end of Season 3. Jeremy Strong’s performance in the scene where Ken notices some waiters and starts thinking about the boy whose death he caused is harrowing and one of the highlights of the show. The choice to end the episode with Shiv when Tom touches his shoulder after his betrayal made everything even more impactful.
1
Season 4, Episode 3, “Connor’s Wedding”
Directed by Mark Mylod
From the writing to the acting to the way the episode was filmed, “Connor’s Wedding” is already a classic and can be considered one of the greatest television episodes of all time. Killing off Logan Roy in episode 3 of the final season was a twist that no one saw coming and set the stage for the best episode of the series. “Connor’s Wedding” never gives us a proper look at what’s going on inside the plains. and puts us in the perspective of children.
Little choices, like not telling Jeremy Strong where Sarah Snook was during the scene where Kendall has to tell Shiv what’s going on, helped make “Connor’s Wedding” incredibly engaging. From the moment Roman picks up the phone to the episode’s final scene, “Connor’s Wedding” stops feeling like a TV show and perfectly captures the erratic and random nature of life. Succession Season 4 would still have many good moments, but “Connor’s Wedding” is the best episode of the series.