The 1990s had “Twin Peaks.” The 2000s had “The Sopranos.” The 2010s had “Breaking Bad.” With each decade having its own landmark television show, it only makes sense for the 2020s to follow this pattern. Thankfully, HBO’s drama series “Succession,” first released in 2018, is on its way to becoming the definitive show of the 2020s with season three being released on Oct 17.  

The show tells the story of the Roy family, a wealthy and conservative media tycoon. In the first season, Logan Roy, CEO of the family’s company, has a stroke. This leads to Logan’s children Kendall, Roman, Shiv and Connor fighting like rats to take over the company if Logan passes away. In a surprising turn of events, Logan makes a swift recovery and reclaims his spot at the top which leads to two entire seasons of rich people acting absolutely insane. 

If you think this sounds boring, I don’t blame you. When I first heard of “Succession,” I was not on board at all. It had Adam McKay attached as a producer and occasional director (a director I do not like), and I thought the story sounded dull. It was only after the second season ended that I saw all the positive praise this show received, so I started watching. Goodness, I am so glad I did. 

I will admit, the first few episodes of the show take some time to find their flow. A lot of the dialogue is forced, the actors don’t always deliver their lines with full confidence and the editing feels strangely overbearing. However, once you get past a somewhat rocky start, you will find “Succession” to be a show you cannot stop watching for a plethora of reasons. 

For starters, this is an incredibly character-driven show, meaning a lot of this show’s magic comes from the performances. The two leads of the show, Logan and Kendall Roy, are played by Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong to perfection. These two actors have such brutal chemistry to the point where you believe these two are actually father and son. The two characters hate each other, and it really shows with the actors’ brilliant line delivery and punishing presence. 

The supporting cast also brings their A-game. Four specific highlights in the cast are Kieran Culkin who plays Roman Roy, the sarcastic and sexy youngest brother in the family. Then there is Matthew Macfadyen who plays Tom Wambsgans, the narcissistic and insecure husband of Logan’s daughter Shiv Roy (played brilliantly by Sarah Snook). Of course, I cannot talk about “Succession” without talking about Nicholas Braun’s performance as the wonderful Greg Hirsch, the dim-witted and shy, but loveable distant nephew of Logan. 

Additionally, Braun and Macfadyen’s characters are the best television duo since Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. The scenes of Tom abusing and manipulating Greg, along with Greg always somehow maintaining the upper hand, is one of the biggest reasons this show is worth watching. Their relationship balances comedy and drama to such a prestigious degree. 

The show is also a biting satire on wealthy individuals who seemingly run the world. “Succession” has even been cited to be a satire based on the infamous media tycoon Murdoch family. If you are a fan of satire and media that parallels real life, “Succession” is perfect for you. (Also, there is an eerie parallel with the Roy family and the Trump family. The show being relevant during Donald Trump’s downfall as the President of the United States makes perfect sense). 

All of these elements lead up to the start of season three. Season three picks up where season two left off (right after one of television’s most beautifully agonizing cliffhangers) and the show feels like it hasn’t missed a beat. It still maintains its intense and punishing nature; the characters are as witty, the drama is as intense and the writing is as sharp as ever. 

If there was a time to go back and binge the first two seasons of this magnificent show, now is the chance. Through nearly 20 available episodes, you will experience some of the most genius material television has to offer. If season three as a whole is as good as its first episode, this show will reach legend status. When you have nothing going on, I strongly suggest taking a weekend and riding the emotional rollercoaster the Roy family has to offer. Trust me, it’s worth it. 

Edited by Elise Mulligan | emulligan@themaneater.com