'Succession' Season 2 is driven by Logan’s manipulative ways and a family separated by selfish motives coming together during tough times
From the beginning till almost the end, 'Succession' Season 2 has been a race to the end, with one burning question. Who will succeed in taking Waystar Royco over from Logan Roy (Brian Cox)?
Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) have all wanted the throne, Ken and Roman more so than the others. Shiv was certain her father wouldn't hand the keys to the kingdom over to her, so she was dead set on making a career in politics but Logan has his ways to get his children to do things as he has planned for them.
For instance, he tempted Shiv enough to get her to give up on a promising political career. He promised her the world and tried to impress her at every turn to get her to give up on her political ambitions.
However, once Shiv quit being an advisor on Senator Gil Eavis' (Eric Bogosian) presidency campaign, he pushed her away. From big decisions that needed to be made for the future of Waystar, to publicly naming her as his successor, he was clearly not happy about promising to make her CEO.
At one point in the season, things got so bad Shiv blurted out at a dinner meeting with Nan Pierce's family, she would be the one to take over from her father. Shiv always stayed by Logan's side.
The Roys may be a dysfunctional family of the highest order but are incredibly supportive during tough times. This was evidenced when Shiv spoke to the sexual abuse victim who was set to give testimony against Waystar in episode 9.
She did everything in her power to keep her father from losing everything they owned. They are a mix of misplaced loyalty and filial responsibility. Of course, with Rhea Jarrell (Holly Hunter) out of the way, Shiv might be expecting her father to keep his word about placing his bets on his daughter.
Then we have Roman, who is probably the least respected of the siblings in competition to take the throne. He is eccentric and every bit the spoilt rich brat and his relationship with his father is complicated.
If this week he gets humiliated for not knowing the price of a gallon of milk, the next week he is expected to shoulder projects that would decide the fate of Waystar. For instance, Logan entrusted Roman with the responsibility of rounding up an investor from Central Asia to help Waystar go private.
Logan is aware of the position he and Kendall would be put in during the inquiry by the congress, and he needs Shiv by his side. This leaves only Roman, and desperate times call for desperate measures.
Logan's decision to assign Roman this huge task surprises even his son whose anxiety kicks in instantly. It is ironic because all of Roman's issues are rooted in his inferiority complex. He is not as smart as Shiv or as composed as Ken, and most of the projects handed to him have ended up a failure.
So when Logan asks something as big as rounding up huge investment for the company, Roman is not sure he can do it. He even says so to his father. Logan, who has so far not really had great things to tell about Roman, sits there and convinces him he can.
The role reversal is solely for Waystar's future and Logan is grasping at straws here. Logan's relationship with Shiv and Roman has always oscillated between love and hate but with Ken, it is different.
He was Logan's golden boy who ended up betraying Logan. Right now, Ken is nothing more than a weapon Logan uses to keep an acquisition by his nemesis at bay. He uses Ken's expertise in navigating some tough situations over the season, and toward the end, it is Ken who comes to rescue of Waystar at the inquiry when he takes on Senator Gil Eavis' aggressive questioning in his father's stead.
Logan is deeply hurt by Ken's betrayal, and at the same time, he has to do what is best for his company so he keeps Ken very close to him. Logan's first priority has always been Waystar and from how he has dealt with his relationships so far, Waystar will continue to be his first priority.
Logan's obsession with his company drives his life including his relationships. From choosing Rhea as the next CEO, despite promising the position to Shiv, to the differences between him and his third wife Marsha because of this decision, nothing really seems to bother Logan.
As long as things are on track with Waystar, nothing deeply affects Logan. His relationship with his eldest son Connor (Alan Ruck) also takes the form of indifference because Connor has no interest in Waystar and doesn't contribute to the company in any way either.
Anyone who is not closely connected to Waystar doesn't deserve Logan's attention and this rule applies to Connor as well. It isn't until Connor announces he is going to take part in the presidential election that his siblings pay him any attention.
A family ridden with differences and separated by selfish motives comes together for the sole purpose of the survival of their company. How they put up with each other, brainstorm to bring people down and betray people close to them with no second thought is fascinating to watch.
There are no permanent allies or enemies, and with every new episode, the Roys deal with the downfall of their media conglomerate in the most innovative and yet unethical means. Their unspeakable means are impressive but also disturbing. This duality drives the second season.
The finale of 'Succession' Season 2 will air Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.