Succession on its final run, creator confirmed
Succession – HBO is home to some of television’s best shows and miniseries, from Game of Thrones to Chernobyl.
One of HBO’s most popular series is Succession, a satirical black-comedy drama and family narrative that premiered in 2018.
The series has been praised as one of the best ever made, because of its exceptional screenplay, musical composition, production value, and performances.
Since its inception, Succession has received several nominations and awards.
The show’s creator and showrunner, Jesse Armstrong, has said that the next fourth season would also serve as the series finale.
The news
The finale of Succession was revealed when Jesse Armstrong spoke with the New Yorker about the fourth season.
“There’s a promise in the title of Succession,” he said. “I’ve never thought this could go on forever. The end has always been kind of present in my mind.”
“From season two, I’ve been trying to think: is it the next one, or the one after that, or is it the one after that?”xzzzzzzzzz
“I got it together with a few of my fellow writers before we started the writing of season four, in about November, December 2021, and I sort of said, ‘Look, I think this maybe should be it. But what do you think?'”
“We played out various scenarios: we could do a couple of short seasons, or two more seasons,” Armstrong continued.
“Or we could go on for ages and turn the show into something rather different, and be a more fangy, freewheeling kind of fun show, where there would be good weeks and bad weeks.”
“Or we could do something a bit more muscular and complete, and go out sort of strong. And that was definitely always my preference.”
Past speculations
Armstrong’s words put an end to rumors about Succession’s departure.
Many believed that it would cease after the fourth or fifth season.
Jesse Armstrong suggested the two possibilities when Succession became an awards season favorite.
“I feel deeply conflicted,” he said.
“I quite enjoyed this period when we’re editing – where the whole season is there – but we haven’t put it out yet. I like the interregnum.”
“And I also quite liked the period where me and my close collaborators knew that this was probably it, or this was it, but hadn’t had to face up to it in the world.”
“It’s been a difficult decision, because the collaborations – with the cast, my fellow writers, with Nick Britell and Mark Mydon and the other directors – they’ve just been so good.”
“I feel like I’ve done the best work I can do, working with them,” Armstrong continued.
“And HBO has been generous and would probably have done more seasons, and they have been saying, ‘It’s your decision.'”
“That’s nice, but it’s also a responsibility in the end – it feels quite perverse to stop doing it.”
The show
Succession created a reputation for itself in its first season, going on to win an Emmy for best drama series in the second and a third season.
The show’s cast comprised some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including:
- Brian Cox
- Jeremy Strong
- Nicholas Braun
- Kieran Culkin
- Matthew MacFayden
- Sarah Snook
Among the numerous victors was Jesse Armstrong, who won an Emmy for scripting the series.
With the conclusion of Game of Thrones, HBO CEO Casey Bloys approved Succession as one of the network’s core shows.
The future of the franchise
Bloys remarked that the decision to end Succession will be taken by Armstrong, in keeping with his practice of allowing creatives to steer the series.
He also noted that, unlike other titles in recent years, Succession would not have a spinoff.
Jesse Armstrong, on the other hand, has stated that the idea of revisiting the Roy family is still on the table.
“I do think that this succession story that we were telling is complete,” he said.
“This is the muscular season to exhaust all our reserves of interest, and I think there’s some pain in all these characters that’s really strong.”
“But that feeling that there could be something else in an allied world, or allied characters, or some of the same characters – that’s also strong in me.”
“I have caveated the end of the show, when I’ve talked to some of my collaborators, like: maybe there’s another part of this world we could come back to, if there’s an appetite?”
“Maybe there’s something else that could be done, that harnessed what’s been good about the way we worked on this. So that is another true feeling.”
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