Succession Season 4 Episode 5 is directed by Andrij Parekh, written by Jon Brown and Ted Cohen, and is titled Kill List. Notably, the family drama series is created by Jesse Armstrong and features an ensemble cast of Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Braun, Matthew Macfadyen and others in prominent roles.
Succession Season 4 Episode 5 has a total runtime of 60+ minutes.
The synopsis of the series reads as
AS LOGAN NEARS A COMPLETE SELL-OUT, THE THREE ROY SIBLINGS UNITE TO GET BACK AT THE MEDIA MOGUL/SOCIOPATHIC FATHER, WHILE TRAVERSING THROUGH A SERIES OF BACKSTABBING SETBACKS.
-Succession Season 4 Episode 4 Recap Does Contain Spoilers-
The episode starts with the Roy CEOs taking charge of Way Star Royco as the Weekend Warriors before they bump into another round of negotiations with Lukas Matsson. This time, the entire staff (including the Roy Siblings) is unwillingly invited for an extravagant European retreat, as part of some lucrative yet dubious plan by the unpredictable tech genius.
The episode looms into the fear of a probable kill list, including staff names, who might be fired after the complete takeover. This makes everyone nervous, and on edge, regarding their future in the legacy media company. However, the grand show still awaits Kendall and Roman, as they interact with Matsson alone.
At first, both the brothers venture in with the plan to get the most lucrative deal possible (anything above 145), followed by some eerie and unfocused discussion with the Swede. Even though the Roy siblings were prepared for all the moves, Matsson surprises them with a new addition.
Lukas Matsson pushes for a new deal, with the inclusion of ATN in the frame. According to him, acquiring the media network alongside the traditional unit will only add to his advantage. Moreover, this new proposition doesn’t fit well with Roman and Kendall, who had their own plans with ATN/Pierce merger along with the vision (arguably flawed) to take things to the next level.
Also Read: Succession Season 4 Episode 4 Memes and Reactions: Fans Hail Kendall Roy’s Coronation
Meanwhile, Matsson opens up to Shiv about his eccentric methods of vowing a woman. And seeks personal advice from her, while also formulating a soft bond with at least one of the Roys. Furthermore, Shiv’s constant confrontation with Tom plays out in the episode, with the former hinting at all the signs of reconnection.
The twist in Succession Season 4 Episode 5 arrives when Kendall and Roman decide not to march to the beats of the Swede. They plan a selective ploy of tanking the deal and stepping up as the full-time leaders, instead of settling with the weekend warriors tag. This further makes them look for alternatives to spoil things in any way possible.
In the end, Matsson understands their ploy and counters the deal in such a way that the Roy siblings are left with nothing but a heavy dose of embarrassment. The Swede latches on to an offer of 192 and makes things complicated for the duo of Kendall and Roman, who were about to solidify their plans of taking over the Logan Roy legacy.
Succession Season 4 Episode 5 Review
The episode offers some fresh twists in the tale of Roman and Kendall’s aspirations. And also takes an unexpected turn with the ATN deal. There are enough moving pieces in the picture now, which can either make it or break it for the Roys.
Moreover, Kendall is literally playing a mind game now, with an uncanny yet ambitious plan about Waystar Royco. He is totally unpredictable, sometimes even more than Matsson, and may lead things to an eventual pitfall. The newly turned Roy CEO has emerged out to be one of the most emotionally unstable characters, which is still far from hitting the final note.
Apparently, Shiv’s role in the whole thing will be interesting to see, as she strikes her own bond with Matsson. Tom is yet to receive the grand news from her, and maybe that’s the reason why she is still cool with him (and also denied the chances of axing him from the firm). Whatever the case may be, things are taking some serious shape for the Roys, and turning the tides against their personal ambitions.
You can stream Succession Season 4 Episode 5 on HBO Max. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comment section below.
Also Read: Read all of our Succession Season 4 Recap and Reviews Here