WiC Watches: Succession season 2
Succession 203 official. Peter Kramer/HBO
Episode 203: “Hunting”
Logan takes the top brass of Waystar Royco on a company retreat to Hungary, but before the plane leaves New York, he catches wind of a mole, or moles, in the group that might not like his plans to acquire a rival news organization. Also, Greg has been approached by an author looking to write Logan’s biography, but chickens out knowing Logan doesn’t want it to happen…still, Logan learns someone has spoken to her, so he tries his best to find the culprit on the retreat.
Meanwhile, Connor Roy moves forward with his plan to run for President of the United States by making a video where he refuses to pay federal taxes…yeah, that’s Connor for you. Also, while Tom is in Hungary, Shiv decides to hook up with a random stranger she meets in a bar; she’s been married to Tom for a few months now, but they’ve talked about an open marriage. As you might imagine, Tom isn’t fully on board with that plan.
Let’s run through the winners and losers of “Hunting.”
Succession 203 official. Peter Kramer/HBO
Winners:
- Greg has to be a winner this week, because despite having talked to the author looking to write Logan’s biography, it came out at the retreat that he wasn’t the only one who was approached, and in fact, his meeting with her remained secret. Sure, his father bullies him into a sausage-eating contest, but had his secret come out, he would have been fired from his cushy job and likely disinherited from the Roy family (he is just a cousin, after all).
- Kendall is a winner because he continues to sit at his father’s right hand, doing his bidding like some well-trained dog. You could argue that this is reason enough to make him a loser, but anything is better than being on the outs with Logan, so he’ll take the win…plus, he caught Roman in a huge mistake.
- Connor Roy takes his presidential bid viral with a shitty Instagram video. Hey, he may end up in prison for tax evasion, but at least he got to say he tried for the highest office in the land.
Succession 203 official. Peter Kramer/HBO
Losers:
- Tom…oh, dear Tom Wambsgans (yes, that’s his last name). Tom has had two very bad episodes. This week, he not only had to endure Logan’s bullying during the retreat, but his new wife stepped out on their marriage after the loosest of agreements. It’s very clear Tom has no real desire to be with anyone else but Shiv, yet she slept with someone while they were engaged and now with a random stranger after they got been married. I think the look on his face when Shiv told him about it said it all. Tom is not okay, folks.
- Roman is a loser because he tried yet another end-run on Kendall’s position as Logan’s favorite son, only to have it all come crumbling down when it was revealed that the heiress of the news conglomerate Logan wants to buy told her family and the deal feel through, all thanks to Roman’s phone call with her.
- The boar that were killed during the retreat. The episode is called “hunting,” but standing in towers and shooting at boars as they’re corralled past isn’t much a hunt. RIP, boars.
Succession 203 official. Peter Kramer/HBO
“Hunting” wasn’t as fun as last week’s episode, but it’s hard to top something I dubbed the “best episode yet.” “Hunting” lacked Roman Roy’s biting sarcasm, which can keep slower episodes afloat. Kendall is still his father’s lapdog and Logan is taking every advantage. What’s interesting is that there are flashes of the old Kendall in there who wants to rebel against his father. Who knows? Maybe he will.