# Succession on HBO **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, hbomax-wb-dc\ **Created:** [June 4, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428 "2018-06-04T19:34:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/301 "2023-04-18T12:11:00Z")
I didn’t grasp what Hugo actually **expected** from Kendall when he confided about his daughter’s insider trading. Or maybe that scene was nothing more than exposition, a way to reveal Hugo’s vulnerability? ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/302 "2023-04-18T12:41:15Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > The more I think about it though, I think Marcia wins the game of thrones here. Marcia is the one person in this entire bunch who doesn’t give a flying fuck about anybody else or about what anybody else thinks of her. Even moreso than Logan, I think. Everyone else takes the money for granted and is seeking power, approval, or the perception of being a winner. Marcia is all about the cash. That makes her powerful. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/303 "2023-04-18T13:22:41Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > I didn’t grasp what Hugo actually **expected** from Kendall when he confided about his daughter’s insider trading. Or maybe that scene was nothing more than exposition, a way to reveal Hugo’s vulnerability? It’s gotta come out eventually, right? Or maybe Kendall uses it as leverage when Hugo balks at some skullduggery that Kendall wants Hugo to do. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/304 "2023-04-18T14:14:29Z")
That’s exactly what happened in the last scene. Kendal made reference to the incident when he told Hugomto start trashing his father in the press without telling Roman and Shiv. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/305 "2023-04-18T14:24:54Z")
But why did Hugo give that leverage to Kendall? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/306 "2023-04-18T14:25:33Z")
He was hoping Kendall would protect him. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/307 "2023-04-18T20:59:33Z")
We still have the will to deal with. I have to think that Logan owned a significant number of shares and those have to be either sold or distributed. If Kendall was bragging last season that liquidating his shares would net him about two billion, then Logan’s net worth has to be several multiples of that. The ex-wives come into play here, too. Marcia probably has claim to any joint assets like the NY apartment but you can bet she doesn’t get everything. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/308 "2023-04-18T21:45:27Z")
If it comes out, he’ll need to establish an alibi that he did not know about Logan’s death when his daughter sold the stocks. Kendall could lie and say that they didn’t tell him until later. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/309 "2023-04-24T02:33:32Z")
Hilariously, the brothers likely got a better deal than Logan would have simply because they didn’t want it to happen. Though Kendall is 100% correct that Mattson doesn’t get ATN and is going to kill that golden goose. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/310 "2023-04-24T14:27:54Z")
Man, Mattson played them like a fiddle. Got exactly what he wanted, and even got a pic of Kendall and Roman looking utterly defeated. It’s looking like Logan did indeed choose his successor, and his name is Mattson. Although we’re only halfway through the season, so who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/311 "2023-04-24T18:28:03Z")
Matsson telling the boys that the tv network was dead was hilarious. And very realistic in that ATN’s real life model has a median viewer age of around 68. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/312 "2023-04-24T18:42:44Z")
Great episode. Was all that money Matsson spent worth it just to basically get a picture of the sad Roy brothers? I suppose the deal is not done, yet, but I don’t see anyone beating Matsson if it’s what he wants to get. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/313 "2023-04-24T19:05:49Z")
This really felt like Shiv’s episode to shine. She got more money out of Mattson with her secret sit-down, prevented her brothers from tanking the deal, and kept Gerri and Katrina off the kill list (and Tom somehow). Roman and Ken just let their emotions get out of control, their pride, their sentimentality, their daddy issues, etc. And Mattson calling Frank on the plane, while not wanting to talk to the CEBros was the ultimate power move to get his deal done. Best Greg the Egg line: “Shouldn’t bet against Old Lady Baguette!” ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/314 "2023-04-24T19:27:31Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > Matsson telling the boys that the tv network was dead was hilarious. And very realistic in that ATN’s real life model has a median viewer age of around 68. But making it more like Bloomberg would destroy it. ATN/Fox News may be just for old people, but it does extremely well doing that. > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Roman and Ken just let their emotions get out of control, their pride, their sentimentality, their daddy issues, etc. Tbf, that was mostly Roman. Kendall did not want Roman to go over there and tell Mattson everything. Amusingly without that outburst by Roman, Mattson probably doesn’t go $5 above his original asking. He probably just assumes the Roy bothers are incompetent in giving him a number and go to the old guard instead. But he wanted to fuck them over after Roman’s speech - and ironically Kendall and Roman look like heros to the old guard, even though it’s the opposite of what they wanted. > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > This really felt like Shiv’s episode to shine. She got more money out of Mattson with her secret sit-down, prevented her brothers from tanking the deal, and kept Gerri and Katrina off the kill list (and Tom somehow). Yep. Shiv got everything she wanted. Quite a turnaround from last week when everyone assumed she’d be screwed over. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/315 "2023-04-24T19:36:49Z")
Shiv did tell Mattson exactly how to close the deal. While he played it off as obvious, offering a significant bump to the price/per share, as Shiv suggested, is exactly what he did (and nothing else) and will almost certainly work. I can’t tell if Shiv “shined” or if she gave Matsson needed info and then Mattson made her feel good/loyal to him and less towards her brothers (he becoming vulnerable so Shiv can feel “useful/smart” and then saying, i like you, you’re like you Dad, etc.). Does Shiv want that split with her brothers or did Matsson create it. I can’t tell. I guess we’ll find out. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/316 "2023-04-24T19:37:06Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Tbf, that was mostly Roman. Kendall did not want Roman to go over there and tell Mattson everything. I don’t mean just on the mountain. Kendall got all fiery at the cocktail hour when he felt Mattson was dissing his fam (“You wanna do this here, bro?”). When he was talking to Roman about tanking the deal, he said they should do it because he likes being in charge and he’s good at it. Welp, he’s officially been in charge for less than 24 hours at this point. There is nothing _but_ emotions driving him to believe this. Both of those guys were driven by emotions in this episode, either from riding the high of being in charge (Ken) or the emotional stress of losing Logan (Roman). Their emotions fucked them both. Which I suspect Mattson knew would happen, and he struck while the iron was as hot as it ever would be. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/317 "2023-04-24T21:28:45Z")
Mattson’s manipulative last-minute phone calls prove what Ebba already knows – the man is cold-blooded. Could he still somehow blow up the deal just to wrong-foot the brothers? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/318 "2023-04-24T21:41:26Z")
In ‘Succession world’, anything is possible. In our world, that would open him up to shareholder lawsuits. It appears… again, in _our_ world… that this deal has to go through @ $192/share. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/319 "2023-04-24T21:49:57Z")
I don’t think Shiv had anything to do with it. Her advice was extremely obvious, like John Madden saying the team that scores more points will win the game. And the real thing was making the number “public” over the brothers’ heads after he correctly ascertained that they were trying to tank the deal. She didn’t hurt it, got what she wanted, and got an ace up here sleeve with the blood gossip, but I don’t see how she maneuvered that deal into going through. _eta_ Her talking about Karina and Geri did save them. So if that was her intention vs just giving good advice, then that’s definitely something she proactively did. ---
**Author:** ![nicky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@nicky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicky)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428/320 "2023-04-24T22:49:39Z")
I think Mattson has outsmarted them, we just dont know how yet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/succession-on-hbo/815428.md?page=17)