Succession recap: Season four, episode two ‘Rehearsal’

It’s a show praised for its witty writing, but blink and you’d probably miss the flurry of hidden jokes on offer throughout Succession.

One of the highlights of Succession – the chyrons.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Succession season four, episode two ‘Rehearsal’

For a show praised for its writing, with zingers like cousin Greg’s “It’s like Jaws, if everyone in Jaws worked for Jaws” landing on the viewer like a falling coconut, duck and you’d probably miss the flurry of hidden jokes on offer throughout the Emmy-dominating series.

Succession viewers spend an unusual amount of time in the low ranks newsroom at Logan Roy’s news network ATN in episode two, with TV screens littered across the building playing the company’s right-wing bulletins.

Throughout Succession, the news reports are often an uncredited supporting act to the main play. But look a little closer and you’ll find the headlines are a complete masterclass in political satire.

“China hack could see 40m Americans entombed in their electric cars,” reads one from this season. “Deep state blunder: classified docs displayed on NBA jumbotron,” reads another.

not one but TWO new chyron drops, we truly have been blessed 🥹 #successionpic.twitter.com/oSx0iCYOnA

— karyn 👻 (@karynmoyn) March 27, 2023

Clever chyrons are certainly nothing new in Succession. The HBO series has provided chuckles aplenty via its sneaky, mock take on modern media since its debut back in 2018, even featuring them in their (banger) opening credits.

This particular one from season two went viral in 2019:

I know I’m late to the party but whoever wrote this Fox-style chyron for the Succession season 2 intro should get a Pulitzer or a Nobel or whatever (is there a National Chyron Award?) pic.twitter.com/O46au9elrm

— Trish Anderton (@trishanderton) February 12, 2022

Hidden sarcasm aside, when it comes to the central plot, we end up in some unpredictable places on the latest episode, which is now streaming on Binge.

Much of Succession’s run over its first three seasons has been set in high-level spaces – multimillion-dollar ranches, boardrooms with sweeping views of New York, yachts in Italy, et al.

But episode two spends an unusual amount of time with the modest, with Logan making the rare step of visiting the underground, warehouse-style office of ATN where he vows to become an ongoing presence going forward.

Only hours away from settling on his deal with tech company GoJo, Logan promises his employees he’s going to “build something better” at his beloved ATN.

But this isn’t just about “killing the competition” and making a tonne of money.

Logan’s rousing speech represents a deeper motive – that is, destroying Kendall, Roman and Shiv’s plans to build their own news network after they won a bidding war against their father to acquire Pierce Global Media in episode one.

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Logan Roy ditches the boardroom for the ATN newsroom.

Elsewhere, Shiv is faced with problems on the personal front.

She gets wind her ex Tom Wambsgans has had meetings with the best divorce lawyers in the city, and realises she’s going to need more capital out of the existing GoJo deal in the event a financial fight with Tom doesn’t go in her favour.

An ever-crafty Shiv teams up with board members Sandi and Stewy to form the numbers necessary to prevent the deal from happening, in a bid to attract a higher price from GoJo founder Matsson.

Roman and Kendall initially scoff at the idea, before Shiv twists their arms just enough to make them consider it.

But what ultimately gets Kendall on-board is a phone call from Matsson, who tells him to “back off or I’m gonna walk” if the trio of siblings decide to push back on the sale.

The threat doesn’t go in Matsson’s favour, and Kendall and Roman are now firmly on Shiv’s side. Rich, powerful people don’t respond to threats. Rookie mistake.

Shiv manages to convince her brothers to thwart the sale, in a bid to lure more cash from Matsson.

Cut to, possibly one of the most engaging scenes in Succession history.

Things aren’t going well for anyone tonight. While Shiv, Kendall and Roman deal with business drama, Connor’s impending nuptials appear to have imploded.

His wedding rehearsal dinner with Willa did not go well. Willa abruptly left to go partying and Connor is tracking her whereabouts via Find my iPhone while unconvincingly talking about how he doesn’t need love.

He just wants to sing one song. So his siblings, despite having bigger fish to fry, grant his wish and carry him to a karaoke bar.

In an uncharactestically desperate act from Logan, he shows up to the bar to finally talk to his kids in a ploy to keep them from blocking the sale.

It’s the first time the four have reunited this season following the bombshell season three finale, and Logan comes to it with … Actual remorse. Whether it’s genuine or not, his kids are divided.

Shiv tells him she doesn’t believe him, Kendall pitches that the deal could be worth “$100 mil to us”, and Roman actually seems like he might be touched by the apology.

A defeated Logan, realising there’s little he can say to get all three back on-board, delivers: “I love you, but you are not serious people.”

‘You are not serious people.’

And, after two episodes of an authentic alliance between the oft-warring siblings, it appears that could be heading for an inevitable crumble.

Roman goes running back to his dad after their karaoke meet-up, with Logan stroking his son’s hidden need for approval and hooking him back to the dark side, (Although you could argue every side is a dark side in the world of Succession).

“We know what they’re like,” Logan tells Roman of his siblings. “I need a fire-breather, a ruthless f**k who’ll do whatever it takes. You’re not Pierce.

“Smart people know what they are.”

“You really want me at ATN?” Roman asks.

Logan knows exactly what he’s doing. “More, Romulus. More. I need you.”

Succession streams new episodes Mondays on Binge

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