'Succession' season 2 episode 5 sees Logan come out on top again as Shiv snaps and Ken unintentionally helps seal the acquisition
'Succession' Season 2 Episode 5 shows why Logan Roy is an enigma, a man whose moves cannot be guessed and a man whose promises cannot be taken at face value. The episode also shows how much of an importance Kendall Roy holds in his father Logan's eyes despite everything Ken has screwed up in recent times including the failed acquisition of Waystar by Logan's nemesis which Ken orchestrated.
In episode 5, Logan is finally able to arrange a meeting with the Pierce family and so he tries to coach his boisterous, incorrigible family to act like adults in the Pierces' presence so as to present a united front. Of course, when have things worked out as planned in the presence of the Roy children?
Their sense of humor is not something everyone finds palatable, their banter is not something everyone is used to and their politics is just not something the Pierces agree on. The pressure to close the deal is on the family, especially Shiv, who feels the only way to get her father to acknowledge her is if she helps him finalize the deal.
The Roys' family dynamics unravels over dinner in the presence of the Pierce family. In comparison to the liberal, ethically driven media organization whose news is not influenced, the Roy family comes across as a bunch of people who are all about the money and less about ethical news reporting.
At least, news that matters. Things spiral downward as Logan is asked by the Pierces about who he would name as heir and at the spur of the moment, Shiv reveals she would be taking over from him. This comes as a shock to everyone, especially Logan who was until then trying to put off any conversation about his heir apparent.
Shiv, who has been bottling her fears until then is unable to hold it in any longer. This is a moment born purely out of Shiv's insecurities with regards to whether her father will keep his promise. Recently, she has been noticing the attention her father has been showering on Ken and all of this builds up to the moment of meltdown.
Then we have Ken, who is strung up over the meeting as well, but at the moment, his only directive is to support everything his father wants. He uses drugs to numb down the hopelessness that has set in within him since the accident that occurred in the finale of season 1.
At the get together with the Pierce family in Tern Haven, he finds someone who can empathize with him - Naomi Pierce - and the two end up downing a few drinks and sniffing lines of cocaine while they speak about life's philosophies. This equation between Ken and Naomi builds over a few hours and is one of the main reasons the Pierces' family head Nana, even agrees to go forward with the acquisition.
Once the offer is on the table, however, the Pierces try to push Logan into making a commitment he doesn't want to make leading to him throwing the deal and his bluff works out perfectly. The Pierces finally agree to the acquisition and Logan reclaims his position of power yet again.
