Succession’s final season debut lauded by viewers: ‘Pure art’

It’s been a long time coming but Succession is finally back. And, judging by the overwhelming viewer reaction, it has not disappointed.

Sarah Snook returns as Shiv Roy in Succession.

It’s been a long wait, but Succession is finally back - for a good time, not a long time.

No really, we’re fine. (We’re not fine).

The smash-hit, Emmy-dominating HBO series debuted the first episode of its fourth and final season on Binge* on Monday, and it was everything we’ve come to expect and then some.

The one-hour long episode was bursting with all the elements that have made Succession such a force, from inconceivably witty one-liners, high-stakes family politics, wealth porn and internal scheming aplenty.

Amid all that edge, it also presented a heart-wrenching scene that could very well win Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfadyen respective Emmys.

Viewers flooded Twitter to dub the debut ep “pure art”.

the way SUCCESSION took the most disgustingly wealthy, self-involved and pitch-black evil family of buffoons and turned them into television's most tragic and deeply felt characters is a magic trick that's going to be studied for the next decade

— Brendan Hodges (@metaplexmovies) March 27, 2023

I MISSED THE ROY SIBLINGS SO MUCH #Successionpic.twitter.com/z4bH5qiZe1

— succession lockdown (@JOELSMILLRR) March 27, 2023

#Succession It's only episode 1 and I already will never recover from this pic.twitter.com/40D4c0qs9q

— Nyrotike (@nyrotike) March 27, 2023

We’re only one episode in, but my lord, Sarah Snook was soo good in this scene. Let the Emmy campaigning begin. #Successionpic.twitter.com/tAj7XEPkfF

— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) March 27, 2023

This is pure art!#Successionpic.twitter.com/CnfBST7OiC

— Junaid Badar (@Junaidbadar20) March 27, 2023

What a great first episode of #Succession.

Love the direction of the storyline already off the top. Writing remains insane in both the drama and comedy. Acting is top notch. Cinematography amazing. Music elite.

All-time show. So happy it’s back. pic.twitter.com/m4wcNNCBrf

— Jeff D. Lowe (@JeffDLowe) March 27, 2023

S04E01 That last scene between Tom and Shiv? Amazing!!! #Successionpic.twitter.com/9xNn2ayfJe

— Biko (@Bikomfident) March 27, 2023

Succession’s return to screens is certainly bittersweet.

It wasn’t until a few short weeks ago that fans were informed the impending new season would be the last.

Creator Jesse Armstrong confirmed the show would be ending last month, which was unusually late to drop such news.

Season four picked up where it left off after the bombshell third season finale, with Roy siblings Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Snook) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) going up against their media mogul father Logan (Brian Cox) to sabotage a planned company takeover.

New episodes of Succession drop Mondays on Binge.

*News Corp, publisher of this website, is majority owner of Binge