'Succession' season 2 episode 7 sees Logan Roy back out of the commitment he made to Shiv
'Succession' season 2 episode 7 began with Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Tom talking about a press statement that she put out to clarify her comments at the panel, which were misconstrued as an attack by her on Logan Roy, (Brian Cox) her father. From then on, she has been kept away from all business conversations. While there is nothing new about this, as she was always the outsider when it came to her father's business, in the latest episode things have escalated enough for Logan to actually avoid Shiv.
When Logan learns that the shareholders are unhappy with the way things have gone so far with Logan failing in acquisitions and resolving the issue of succession, Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron) suggests that Logan have Ken (Jeremy Strong) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) speak to their mother Caroline (Harriet Walter), who holds 3% of the shares to help them in the upcoming shareholders meeting. Logan agrees and when he directs Ken and Roman to fly to London, which is where their mother is based, he explicitly says 'No Shiv'.Logan also goes to the extent of asking Rhea Jarrell her opinion on who should succeed after him. She tells him that Shiv thinks she is smarter than she really is.
This further has Logan doubt his decision regarding jumping the gun with Shiv and offering her the post. Just as he is considering what can be done and if he should proceed with his original plan, another controversy hits. The accident that resulted in one of their drivers drowning in the river, which is the main reason why Ken is still under his father's thumb has resurfaced with a tabloid claiming that Logan punched the driver into death. Just when Logan is distracted with this, Rhea, as Ken expected, seems to be playing Logan quite easily.
While she doubted Shiv's intelligence in Logan's presence, she offers Shiv herself a spectacular opportunity to get back at her father for keeping her hanging. She tells her Pierce is looking for a dynamic CEO and after her panel, Nan Pierce is impressed with Shiv even when her family felt attacked. So Rhea, who was recently fired by Nan, says that she can speak to Pierce and 'float' an offer. She claims to Shiv that she is doing this only because she understands what it means to fight to come up in this industry and because she likes Shiv. She wants Shiv to take the offer to her father to give him an ultimatum regarding his decision and Shiv falls for her trap quite easily proving Rhea's judgment right about her. So when she does finally sit down to speak about what she means to the company now, Logan has something to use against his daughter and even get out of the commitment that he made her regarding taking over the company. He tells Shiv that by negotiation with Pierce, she has betrayed family and that is not something he expects of someone who is to take over Waystar.
So Shiv is canceled by her father so to speak and now also realizes that the Roys need to be careful of Rhea. The next episode of 'Succession' will air on Sunday at 9 pm ET on HBO.