REVIEW: ‘Succession,’ Season 4 Episode 9 — “Church and State”

Succession Season 4 Episode 9 is where the show finally lays to rest Logan Roy. Dying in episode 3, we see how ugly, awful, and incompetent the Roy siblings have been while attempting to fill their father’s shoes. This is the series’ penultimate episode, and as Logan’s casket closes, we’re inching closer to an unpredictable ending.

With such an emotionally charged episode, cameras are up close on Ken (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Shiv (Sarah Snook). The tone of Succession Season 4 Episode 9 starts with a deeply uncomfortable monologue from Roman about how he will give the most extraordinary eulogy for his late father. He’s pre-grieved, a phrase so casually thrown around that no one can take him seriously. Roman is the big man and does deliver, except only with humility and tears, at his father’s funeral. The power tripping, the disgusting neo-conservative comments, and the heinous sexual remarks to any woman who breathes consistently push Roman on the fringe of likeability. There is consistent character whiplash on how sympathetic viewers can get to the Roys, but seeing Kieran Culkin’s performance during this episode is the anchor.

Culkin’s moving and painful performance throughout Succession Season 4 Episode 9 is prefaced by Ewan Roy, the leftist union-supporting brother of Logan. He gives a speech that is drenched in melancholy for a troubled man. However, Ewan swings the mood of the funeral to eviscerate any semblance of sympathy one may garner for  Logan. It’s not understated how selfish and horrible of a man Logan was. He used his power to belittle others, crumble away at the pillars of democracy, and was an emotionally vacant man. Roman has to follow up on that.

Tears, anguish, and desperation emanate from Culkin’s body. The poise and talents of Kieran are sure to make him a contender for an Emmy. In a matter of seconds, body quivers, a broken voice, and facial control awaken the grief Roman thinks he could hide. It was horrible to witness Roman breakdown. The denial of Logan’s death pours over Culkin, and it’s hard to see the actor when the character is so convincing and real. Grief is complicated. In those moments, Culkin was able to convey the grief of not just a broken child wishing for a more loving child but for a broken man finally letting himself feel a real emotion. It sent shivers up my spine and moved me deeply.

However, Succession would not be Succession if it wasn’t stacking its characters against one another. Much like any event in the series, Logan’s funeral is not just about grieving the media titan; it’s about making moves. With the betrayal of Shiv coming to light in last week’s episode, Logan’s funeral is the perfect playground for Shiv to outmaneuver her brothers with Matsson. Shiv believes in democracy, but she wants power. In order to secure herself, she needs to figure out a way to play nice to Menken, the soon-to-be fascist president of the free world. Nothing says playing the field more than Shiv suggesting that she should be the US CEO of Waystar during the GoJo acquisition.

Smarmy and soul-sucking, she’s playing the game and is doing anything to win. Sarah Snook is captivating as Shiv and as Shiv’s pregnancy is revealed to key characters in this episode. A particularly riveting moment on TV was the reveal to Shiv’s mother, which was communicated strictly through facial glances and small dialogue quips. Fans of the show easily could have picked up the tense and horrifying discussion that was going on between the two. The only reason that scene worked was because of how well Shiv and her character relationships have been formed.

Opportunities are never squandered by Shiv, and Kendall does just the same. I know these characters like the back of my hand and when I say that Ken is so back… I know that there will be one final fight to crown a successor to his father’s empire. Ken knows that Shiv is making moves. He is left, alone, with no one by his side anymore, and is ready to play dirty just to keep a semblance of control in his life.

It’s heartbreaking, not just for Ken but for all of them. So many shots showcase how truly alone the Roy siblings are. They may reach and hold Rome as he cries that he can’t handle his dead father being in a casket so close to him, but Succession reminds us that human intimacy is not an innate reflex for the Roys; it’s a call to arms when they’re at their lowest. This funeral is riddled with sidebars of dialogue ranging from how protestors are blocking roads in front of ATN, as well as whether or not the words exchanged on Logan’s behalf is a poorly coordinated media stunt for sympathy post-election night.

 Succession is about many things all at once, and this episode proves how succinct the entire team is. Unwavering, Succession’s character drama is unafraid to make viewers uncomfortable with its mirroring political turmoil. Succession Season 4 Episode 9 paves the way for a series finale that cannot come soon enough. As one of Logan’s ex-wives states, “he broke my heart, but he broke your hearts too,” the sentiment is just as true for the beginning of Succession’s end.

Succession Season 4 Episode 9 is streaming now on HBOMax, with new episodes on HBO every Sunday.