The first reviews of Succession Season 4 are out. This time around, the critics are already hailing the final season of the acclaimed HBO dramedy as a “masterwork” and one of “the greatest achievements of TV.” The first four episodes of the series has received widespread acclaim among critics, debuting at a 100% fresh Rotten Tomatoes score with 35 reviews.
The final season of Succession picks up after the finale of Season 3, and sees Logan Roy (Brian Cox) in a full-blown struggle to maintain his power as three of his children, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), and Roman (Kieran Culkin) hopelessly indulge in plotting against him. The synopsis of the season reads, “The sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson moves ever closer. The prospect of this seismic sale provokes existential angst and familial division among the Roys as they anticipate what their lives will look like once the deal is completed. A power struggle ensues as the family weighs up a future where their cultural and political weight is severely curtailed.”
The first reviews of the Emmy winning show was published on Wednesday. Slant Magazine’s Ross McIndoe wrote, “The show’s fourth and final season finds it in full Shakespearean tragedy mode.” Ben Travers of Indiewire lauded the series and wrote, “Few programs can pivot from the peak of comedy to the pit of gravitas like Succession, let alone overwhelm the audience with the simultaneous precision and depth given to each element.” Equally glowing was Collider’s review by Samantha Colley, who wrote that Season 4 “is telling a more cohesive story than ever before, with all the threads weaving together quite nicely. The result is a season that is even more engaging than its predecessors, leaving you hanging on every word of snappy dialogue.” The review of Meghan O’Keefe for Decider noted, “What makes Succession Season 4 such a masterwork is the way the HBO show stays true to its core cynicism while honestly exploring the heartache and insecurities driving its ruthless power players.”
The ensemble of the show also received critical acclaim for their performances, with Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfayden being singled out for praise. Dylan Roth of Observer noted, “Though the whole cast has undoubtedly shown up to work, this episode belongs to Sarah Snook and recent Emmy winner Matthew Macfayden… There is such sensitivity in these performances that I’m forced to feel for these modern-day robber barons.”
