The third series of Succession premiered on Sunday. Succession is one of the best TV programme of the ten years. We'll be covering all of this season's machinations in the best way we know possible: with player ratings. After each episode of Season 3, football scribe John Brewin will provide player ratings on the cast's performance as the Roy family and their nefarious underlings grapple to lead Waystar Royco.
Note: this articles contains spoilers!
Has much changed among Succession's amoral collection of moguls, spoiled brats, shysters, ladder-polishers and cling-ons who feature? Not immediately so, since the third season starts just where the second left us, with Kendall Roy making his latest attempt to knife his beloved dad in the back. But things get moving at a breakneck pace.
There is no mention of a pandemic. It doesn’t yet exist. The episode title (Secession) suggests a split way beyond Kendall taking only Cousin Greg along for the ride. Shiv joining the schism is left open as a possibility, with Tom Wambsgans - as usual - left in the dark by his wife’s latest whims and manoeuvres.
On either side of the divide in the Waystar Royco empire lie father and prodigal, second son. Brian Cox’s Logan Roy seems to relish the pressure of his son taking him on, and at one point reinvents Gordon Gekko’s “lunch is for wimps” mantra for the 21st century.
Jeremy Strong’s Kendall, meanwhile, oscillates between the tech-bro charm he adopts in business dealings with outsiders, and the damaged individual whose appetites and weaknesses have so often cost him his ambitions and dignity.
The rest jockey for position, with Roman leading the chorus line of banter. Gerri, his partner in schoolmistress sexual fantasies, receives the role of caretaker manager as Logan steps into the background to have only “informal input” on the business. Will Gerri become the Ole Gunnar Solskjær of Succession, a keeper of the flame eventually given the full keys to the door? Or an Alan Shearer, and take the ship down with all hands?
Here are our player ratings after a frenetic season opener to the third season of Succession.
Succession Player Ratings
Logan Roy: 9/10
“I’m going to grind his fucking bones to make my bread.” Just like Scottish compatriot Sir Alex Ferguson, when the chips were down the veteran comes out fighting against the latest betrayal. He has not lost any of his aggression through his advancing years, judging by a repeated use of his trusty “fuck off” catchphrase, and his declaration that “we will go full fucking beast”. Accusations of his being a fading force are not taken lying down, and neither are attempts to ruin his reputation. Never write him off.
succession clip logan roy “we’ll go full fucking beast!” pic.twitter.com/iymhAwjy7J
— succession clips and reaction videos (@successionreact) September 17, 2021
Kendall Roy: 9/10
“This is the righteous vehicle.” The leader of the rebellion is so flushed amidst his moment of truth that he happily compares himself to OJ Simpson. He also aims to call in the “Bojack guys” to make sure his “Twitter is off the hook”. But there are also moments of self-doubt. “I must be doing something right,” he declares, seeking reassurance from Cousin Greg and while surrounding himself with both his estranged wife and current fellow-addict squeeze. What could possibly go wrong? In Kendall’s case, quite a lot.
don't we all?#Succession pic.twitter.com/tDPwoMfie3
— Incurato (@TheIncurato) October 18, 2021
Shiv Roy: 7/10
“I need to game things out.” From the start, her commitment to any cause but her own is in doubt. And her “change of plan” at the close of the episode suggests she may soon transfer to Team Kendall, though needs to agree personal terms and a hefty signing-on fee to do so.
Roman Roy: 6/10
“Kendall’s mentally ill, he’s insane.” The tricks, flicks and quips we have become so familiar with are in evidence from the youngest pretender to the throne but he makes a botch of his attempt to put together his dream team with Gerri. That results in him being no longer being considered for selection. More to come, surely.
Gerri Kellman: 7/10
“It’s me.” The safest pair of hands within Waystar now has the job the rest want but pretended they weren’t interested in. Will it be a poisoned chalice? Almost certainly. And what becomes of her alliance with Roman?
Gerri went through every emotion at once here pic.twitter.com/ioWB5uX8wO
— han⚢ (@gerrikillallmen) October 18, 2021
Tom Wambsgans: 7/10
“It’s a little bit rich for my blood.” A resigned “thank you” following Shiv reassuring her husband that she still loves him confirms continuing frustrations. The son-in-law’s role is that of a defensive shield to protect both Logan and Shiv. Refusing to throw his hat into the ring for the vacant CEO job suggests an uncharacteristic lack of ambition to couple a lack of his usual comedy.
Cousin Greg: 7/10
“No comment, no comment.” Thrust into an unfamiliar position as a media monitor, the tall youngster is a flop, but does reveal a continuing ruthlessness that will probably take him far in cutting off his mother’s gold card account.
i would watch a greg spin off show pic.twitter.com/zrItepbaIR
— Tim Hogan (@timjhogan) October 18, 2021
Frank Vernon: 7/10
“I’m looking forward to seeing more of the Balkans”. The veteran campaigner labelled the “soul of the company” during Kendall’s recruitment call and who has seen it all before is keeping his cards close to his chest. He is a contender for both Logan’s axe and a high-profile transfer to Kendall’s team.
Karl Muller: 6/10
“Do we want to order some food?” For such an experienced campaigner, the CFO misjudges his master’s mood in the opening council of war, and later fails in his bid to be temporary CEO. “I like me” was never going win over Logan.
Hugo Baker: 8/10
“We’re fuelled and tooled.” The logistical organiser of a world tour of countries without an extradition treaty to the USA shows no less bite in the tackle than the other sharks around him, particularly when jibing Tom about “struggling to find a vein” in the private plane’s toilet.
Lisa Arthur: 7/10
“That’s kind but that’s not the kind of role I take on.” Expected to join up with the Kendall faction, the new signing of Succession, the lawyer they all wanted to work with brings legal weight and political nous to the table. She has Shiv’s number. Definitely one for the future after her strong debut.
Connor Roy: 5/10
“The whole hate-watch angle.” Never known for his work rate, the shiftless one is focused on turning around the fortunes of his girlfriend’s disastrous stage play instead of internecine warfare within his own family.
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