You might think Succession, a streaming series depicting the battles amongst four progeny of a media magnate, to be for specialized tastes. Not so. Certainly my own delight in the show derives partly from journeying with characters spookily like business acquaintances I vividly recall, and from catching a glimpse of shareholder machinations familiar to me. I found Season 1 to be brilliant and I was transfixed by Season 2. But the appeal of Succession is much more than its milieu, rather it springs from a sophisticated, deep plotline enacted by superb actors. You will have heard of Brian Cox playing the patriarch and Sarah Snook as the daughter, but Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin’s performances as two of the sons are pitch perfect. Throw in Matthew Macfadyen, so subtle and real as a son-in-law, and, increasingly in Season 3, Nicholas Braun as the hapless cousin, and the viewing experience comprises one riveting scene after another. Season 3 opens with Kendall Roy, having betrayed his father at the end of Season 2, on the attack, and Logan Roy flailing, but (no spoilers here) the storyline twists and complexifies with each episode. The last of the nine episodes may well be the best Succession hour yet. One of a kind, must be watched.
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