“Rehearsal,” the second episode of Succession season 4 wasn’t loud or bombastic, but it was hard hitting in its own quiet way. Alan Ruck delivers one of the most poignant speeches of the entire series, one that sums up what it means to be a member of the Roy family.
Still in the middle of the dogfight over WaystarRoyco’s future, Logan (Brian Cox) seems more determined than ever to sell the company and make ATN his new focus, promising something bigger and better than anyone has ever seen. When he shows up on the newsfloor at ATN, both Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) and Greg (Nicholas Braun) are terrified of what he might do.
The Roy siblings are preparing for Connor’s wedding and their impending purchase of Pierce. When Logan cancels their access to the family helicopters it’s the first time they really see that a line in the sand has been drawn. As usual, they’re all balancing their own issues but with the rift in their relationship with their father, they’re feeling it even more.
Shiv (Sarah Snook) discovers that Tom has met with every major divorce attorney in New York, effectively shutting down her options. It’s a tactic that her father would have employed and she’s furious that Logan is advising Tom.
Kendall (Jeremy Strong) is riding high on making the Pierce deal work, but when Sandi (Hope Davis) and Stewie (Arian Moayed) suggest a better deal could be made between Logan and Matsson (Alexander Skarsgard), he’s suddenly considering all of his options. Sandi and Stewie are prepared to vote no on the sale, and if they combine with the Roy siblings then they would have the majority vote. It really could change everything.
Roman once again finds himself trying to be the voice of reason as his siblings start looking at the vote. When they discover that Roman sent Logan a text on his birthday, he finds himself defending his actions. He doesn’t like what’s happening even though he’s going along with his siblings. There’s a part of him that can’t get in line with totally destroying Logan even if he is a horrible father.
Amid all of the WaystarRoyco drama is Connor’s wedding. The Roy siblings arrive at the venue to see Willa (Justine Lupe) leaving the venue. Connor is nonplussed but he admits that Willa said she couldn’t do it and then left to the bathroom and never came back. When they go to a karaoke bar, he tells his siblings that he’s used to not being loved because when you come from a family that doesn’t have love, you learn to live without it. Whether or not Willa comes back doesn’t matter. He’ll be fine. It’s a sobering moment, one that’s particularly hard hitting ahead of their plans to take down their father.
Logan arrives at the karaoke bar with Kerry (Zoe Winters) to talk about the sale but first he says that he’d wanted them to be at his party. Kendall and Shiv mock it while Connor and Roman want to hear him out. Kerry clarifies that he’s trying to sort out the personal business before they talk actual business. He tells them Matsson won’t offer more money and they could start over with him at ATN and them at Pierce.
Logan tries to offer an apology in his own way, eventually using the word “sorry” to show them that he’s trying to start over. But the kids remind him that he’s done enough over the years that there’s a lot to apologize for. It’s a big moment for the Roy family and while they were all able to speak their minds and their truths, when they push Logan to ask for more money he tells them they’re not serious people.
At the end of the episode Connor returns home to find Willa in their bed. She reaches for him and pulls him close.
Roman goes to see Logan and finds Tom there. He feels unsettled over their meeting and after Logan dismisses Tom he tells Roman that he’s going to revamp ATN and he needs a “firebreather” to help him do it. Logan says that Roman doesn’t belong at Pierce. He needs Roman on his side to help him.
This week’s episode was an atomic bomb of emotion. With souls laid bare, now things will start heating up as Logan presses Matsson and division among the siblings could send them in opposing directions.
Succession airs Sundays on HBO.
