Succession Season 3 - Why Tom Made The Right Choice

[@davec8153]

Best summarized by the line: "And Logan? I've never seen him get fucked ONCE."

[@77jly]

Epic!

[@portigoza]

best line of season 3

[@daddydoza5164]

Now it’s Toms time to get fucked by Logan…. when will they all learn

[@malayjoshi1098]

Logan is the smartest character of succession horrible human being....he is a killer 🔥

[@monkeydog8681]

@@portigoza I loved the line "I wonder if the sad I’d be without you would be less than the sad I get from being with you". Fucking immortal line right there. Now that's the best I think.

[@yellowbubblequeen]

Nero was also the adopted son. He succeeds his father to power.

[@rodsalvador3608]

Underrated comment

[@umitbulutt]

This.

[@laminatedhedgehog]

holy shit

[@Francescojg]

Beautifully placed anecdote by the writers for Tom’s character

[@cal-10229]

Oh wow

[@yeeee859]

You didn't mention my favourite part. When they announce in ep7 that nobody will be going to jail and Logan walks past Tom, squeezes his forearm and quietly says "I'll remember" referring to his offer to self sacrifice early in the season. I loved that

[@rogerglaveegeo2023]

fuck i did not even notice. great catch

[@adriancastro3232]

That scene is VERY important, I noticed it as well, and it made question a lot of things

[@anyal1987]

Also the joyous table flip. I laughed so hard.

[@kelly9876]

and Shiv does not even seem happy about the news

[@pjaoobanderasimali]

@@adriancastro3232 YEAH, I DO THINK HE WAS THE ONE WHO TIP OFF IN THE END SHIV, KENDALL AND ROMAN

[@TheGoonSquadd]

IMO when Shiv told Logan, "Don't make tom go to jail" Logan realized she chose family over the business and that was it for her ever being CEO. at the end of season 3 Logan witnessed Tom betray his family for the business. Tom is the killer that Logan wanted one of his children to be.

[@adverseinperpetuity]

Underrated comment

[@timowieslander2831]

Which makes his consistent talk about ”everything I do I do for my kids” talk even more bullshit. He doesn’t care about family as much as he cares about having people he can mold.

[@williamhenning4700]

@@timowieslander2831 His main thing is that he wants a worthy successor. Thus the name of the series.

[@kennethhwang3425]

@@timowieslander2831 Logan sees everyone in his life as either an extension of himself or an adversary. Thus he only ever cares about his children when they BECOME like him. The handful of moments they showed independence, he immediately snapped.

[@Sanjanin]

I wouldn't go that far saying that Tom is the killer, because he isn't. Maybe he will play a smart hand now and then, like this.

[@adityareds]

"Tom did nothing wrong because Shiv did nothing right." - Need a T-Shirt of this line.

[@manumaster1990]

100000%

[@terryjp3050]

not really its a stupid thought

[@toinetev]

@@terryjp3050 Are you dumb?

[@meshuggah2]

Oh yeah!!

[@Xavitu86]

Totally

[@biglovekisskiss4666]

This Achilles heel of self obsessed narcissists is that they lack self awareness and empathy. Shiv thought she was 'dominating' and 'winning' by consistently undermining Tom. But what it actually achieved was the erosion of loyalty from Tom. Which led to her downfall.

[@DaisyboBaisy1]

She should have let him be the boss in bed while she's the boss at work. Some balance Shiv he is a man after all!

[@iamthewizardwhoknocks2845]

@@DaisyboBaisy1 lol

[@croatkate]

Erosion of loyalty... So good! Too true.

[@ynnojax8860]

you see something similar in game of thrones with the lannisters, which is why the Starks end up winning, although it isn't executed well in the show. But I really love how Ned is a major factor behind massive decisions in every season even though he dies in s1

[@castronator29]

As Logan's ex gf said, Shiv thinks she is way smarter than she actually is, that's why no one respects her and that will ruin her.

[@LuCet21]

The only one who was surprised by Tom's betrayal was Shiv. The moment I saw Shiv Call Tom and tell him about their plan I started yelling at her "What are you doing stupid?!" I knew she fucked it. She told him she didn't love him, she won't give him kids and even at the moment, she won't reassure him of his position in the company. She couldn't even lie to him, that's how much she underestimated him.

[@shocktonic]

The minute she told him, I knew he wasn’t gonna keep it a secret. Tom is no longer her punching bag

[@bain.mp4]

To be fair, I don’t think the others realized. Kendall and especially Roman were ti hurt by their father’s betrayal

[@johndahlia2071]

who cares about the spoil brats, make your own money, they just feeding off their fathers success and wealth , they don't have nothing without daddy's money or influence

[@Jellyfishpinkk]

@@johndahlia2071 relax mate. We’re watching a show about these children literally navigating their way through a word of power and wealth using their intellect and limited wit. It’s not like they’re nepotism babies buying fast cars and eating champagne all day. They’re actually doing shit. All of them, except maybe Connor. Your argument is tired

[@bootsncatsndawgs]

Shiv def treats tom like a trophy husband and expects him to stick around but i think her not wanting to get pregnant is sort of justified considering it would jeopardise her chances at CEO especially during such a critical time in her career

[@ginomo80]

This analysis aged like fine wine 👌🏾

[@ccmraven27]

I saved this and forgot to watch, and I’m glad I accidentally waited. This guy nailed it.

[@lm_b5080]

Tom was the ultimate winner of Succession

[@looney1023]

What's tragic to me about Shiv is that I think she DOES love Tom. She loves Tom the way her father loves her, and her mother loves her, and her siblings love her, and her father loved all of his ex wives. Shiv doesn't know what true 'love' feels like and continues the cycle of abuse. Tom knows better.

[@MaRyaYTOfficial]

i don’t think she loves him (because i mean, no) but that the fact that he stays seems like love. he stays in his place and is loyal.

[@fabianocaruana8622]

He is just a guy who works for me - Shiv She does not love him.

[@MegaShinobi2011]

I don't think she loves him either but I don't think she realizes that she doesn't love him. She was raised with a utility=affection parent/child relationship and never got to see a healthy romantic relationship. I think she thinks she loves Tom. I think she may want to actually love him. But I don't think she's even capable of actually loving a human being. Tom just helps her have a sense of power and normalcy. He's a constant for her which is why she'd rather strong-arm him into an open relationship and have a sense eif unwarranted joy st the thought of having freedom once he's sent to prison rather than just leave him. Plus the idea of a healthy relationship is a sense of pride for her so she can compare herself to her siblings and blatantly differentiate herself from Logan. She thinks she's better than them but she doesn't realize that she isn't.

[@MyaB1986]

I don't think she does. In fact I don't think any of the Roy's children can experience love and it all stems from getting none from either parent. Just think about it. Kendall, he craves. He wants, he doesn't love. He tells Rava he loves her but he contacts her when he's most vulnerable and weak. Same with Naomi. Shiv feels inferior so she uses her men to feel superior to them. She openly says to Tom and her ex that she's better than them. And Roman is an open and shut case. I think he suffers from Oedipus complex with some masochism sprinkled in.

[@Sasha0406]

I’ve never ONCE felt that Shiv loved Tom. As a matter of fact, I’m puzzled by why she actually married him in the first place. She likes having him around when she wants him, but that isn’t love…

[@davidburros8619]

the scene where Tom and Greg cement their alliance at the wedding by Tom telling Greg almost nothing, just offering him a chance to be at the bottom of the top, instead of the endless middle, is one of my favorite scenes of this season. They may be the only two people who have genuine trust, love and affection for each other in this show.

[@yamaniyoussef]

not really greg will betray him in the first ocassion to rise above him and it will happened this season imo! greg has no soul and he is the most ambitious, he went from maskot to number 3 in no time

[@davidburros8619]

@@yamaniyoussef hmmm.....you may be right. while i highly disagree that he's the most ambitious, maybe he will betray Tom the first chance he gets

[@lucaspsm125]

I think that's kind of a stretch because their relationship is very VERY toxic, Tom has genuine affection for Greg but 90% of the time he's bullying him to compensate his frustration regarding work and marriage

[@ollieenger1424]

Genuine? I think not...self preservation and alliance that can be axed in an instant.

[@daediaz186]

This comment didn't age well

[@MegaShinobi2011]

I'm still amazed at just how much stuff they were able to comfortably cram into this season. The series respecting it's viewers' intelligence and not explicitly explaining what can be understood with subtext alone definitely helped, but they essentially had 3-4 entire character arcs this season that were worthy and deep enough to have recieved their own seasons, and yet all 4 fit well within a relatively shorter season.

[@fabianocaruana8622]

Perfectly put.

[@LuisSierra42]

This is Genius level writing

[@horyalpr]

@callmecatalyst what does she mean by that? Especially the mother speaking...

[@gamecokben]

Anyone whining about this season isn't smart enough to watch this show. They're getting Greek tragedy and Shakespearean drama while begging for the plot contrivance of Game of Thrones. Appreciate the gift of this show, and if you can't, just go binge the Fast and Furious movies.

[@LuisSierra42]

@@gamecokben who's whining in this thread tho?

[@colinmchugh5319]

What really makes the Tom/Greg dynamic for me is that Tom has this aura of anxiety and insecurity when hes interacting with almost every other character, including Shiv. Greg is the only person he seems truly comfortable and open around.

[@ingridbeatriz3922]

She is doing the same thing that Logan did: "He never saw anything he loved that he didn't want to kick it, just to see if it would still come back."

[@SARGEHALO666v2]

Season 3 was incredible. The whole show is a masterclass in writing and storytelling. I cannot wait for season 4. Great video as well. Very well done.

[@shawniehoward]

So true, I thought it started off kind of slow but my goodness it picked up and ended in a bang.

[@rockbandgamer]

@@shawniehoward I think it started off so slow because we didn't know the characters yet. I have a feeling that If I rewatched the series then the beginning episodes would make a lot more sense and be more interesting than they were during the first watch.

[@azeezahgoodwin918]

I didn’t like it as much because it wasn’t as funny. It felt pretty serious compared to previous seasons.

[@keithrichardscorpse1230]

My only complaint js that I think they went overboard with the Kendall cringe factor in the first half of the season. It truly became painful to watch at points.

[@Wingedmagician]

And acting

[@mariarohmer2374]

Watching Tom being crushed more each episode by Shiv was palpably painful to watch. MM is such a talented actor that every wince from Tom seemed heavier & heavier until you could just about see his tank was empty. He’s such a d-bag in so many ways but I love him. I have no idea where this is going but I can’t wait for Tom on the main stage in S4. Also do you think Tom was behind the donuts sent to Shiv, Kendall, Roman & Con in I think ep 2? Remember they were all afraid of Logan’s donuts & how he found out they were there? Had to be Tom!

[@lestonthompson8495]

I think Tom is a sleeper, for GOJO he's wierd and talks about the same subjects as Matteson. I think he's been on the inside the whole time, putting up with crap looking for the chance to make his move. Hopefully they'll do an episode on Tom's history.

[@DiegoRamirez-zc7fs]

I read elsewhere that Tom most likely told Logan about the get together at Kendall’s - thus his doughnut message.

[@lestonthompson8495]

@@DiegoRamirez-zc7fs I think you maybe on to something. I would also like to know why Shiv ever agreed to marry Tom, knowing the way she feels about him?

[@mariarohmer2374]

@@lestonthompson8495 That's super interesting. Tom as dark horse, I love it.👍🏽

[@mariarohmer2374]

@@lestonthompson8495 Someone wrote she married someone safe in order to be assured he would never betray her. She was seeking, whether consciously or unconsciously, to minimize pain in her life.

[@tclass99]

Tom’s shown the most loyalty to Logan… he has the executive training and experience… and he doesn’t have a substance abuse problem… He has the total package that each of the siblings lack in some way. Makes sense that he’d become a major player.

[@ThurgoodJenkins1]

this is a good point. Each sibling, even Connor, felt entitled to the throne. Tom is actually qualified.

[@first9299]

He also uses people as furniture.

[@balshb4064]

I disagree. Tom is not smart enough like Logan. He’s a follower not an alpha.

[@Omeruy]

@@balshb4064 let Tom be the ceo and had Logan as his shadow it is just a simple formula

[@DefenestrateYourself]

Tom’s weak and not a killer like Logan. He bombed at the hearing and routinely gets humiliated by keener minds. He’s no leader

[@a004]

I can watch succession analysis videos all day everyday, I just can't get enough of this show

[@Septemberizmine]

Same here

[@Septemberizmine]

The Facebook groups are good too

[@aaron-damonkassner4715]

Yep yep^^

[@garettcley]

dudeee sameee

[@m.7484]

the thing about Logan asking tom to take him to the bathroom makes so much sense looking back. when I was watching that, I was laughing because I thought it was supposed to be a joke at toms expense that he's the bathroom boy while everyone else is dealing with way bigger stuff for the company. that's definitely how all the other characters saw it too, meanwhile it was actually an indicator that tom was getting Logans respect.

[@amartyachatterjee7118]

Seeing Tom making the right decision after episodes of mental abuse, made me feel so good. And as expected, he took the most neglected and humiliated person under his wing, Cousin Greg. Agree or not, Kendall is not Greg's best friend in the family, it is Mr.Tom Wamsgans.

[@castronator29]

Well, that's been clear since the beggining. Tom treats Greg as his Little brother. I act exactly like Tom with my little brothers (yeah, a bit of a douche bag, but its so much fun).

[@malayjoshi1098]

Tom was my character the Roys can fuck off!!!

[@arashnayeb6106]

*wambsgans

[@annkey4091]

Actually, Grandpa Ewan Roy is Greg's best friend. Greg should have listened to Gramps and got out of there.

[@rodsalvador3608]

Beautiful writing. I really enjoyed the misdirection with Kendall's character arc attracting all the attention; while the real developments are occuring almost in Tom's throwaway moments throughout the season.

[@thephilosopher7173]

You hit it on the nail with that one. This show uses comic relief as a tool rather than just a thing in the background. Using it to hide Tom's intent in plain sight was absolute brilliance.

[@imbadigo]

@@thephilosopher7173 in that retrospect.... Connor for the presidency?

[@daze.d5462]

True to that. The show is getting better and better with every season. I was so focused on Kendall's story that I did not realize Tom is playing.

[@aroyaliota]

Shiv sowed the seeds of her own downfall. For me, I welcomed this turning of the tables. Their relationship is about to become very complicated if speculation Shiv is pregnant bears out.

[@Gotten1888]

Remember the talk she had with her mother? about what her father did, never meet something he didn't kick to see if it would come back to him? that's what Shiv does, she is her father's child

[@CiaoRooster]

If that pans out. Major leverage! The whiff of abortion should bring Tom to heal. And of course there are always staged miscarriages…

[@JoJoJoker]

Shiv isn’t a weirdo sex creep or drug addict absent father or childish mooch like her siblings. We look at her differently because she’s a woman. Shiv ain’t pregnant but...Logan is making another baby.

[@meghanelaraby277]

@@JoJoJoker That would be a BOMB ! can't wait to see in season 4 Logan welcoming another baby !! The Roy siblings will completely freak out ! And maybe think of kidnapping him/her !! 🤪

[@MyaB1986]

@@meghanelaraby277 this is not a soap opera.

[@rociovillarreal724]

I remember in the first season, Greg goes to Logan in order to be transfered to another department because Tom was abusing their employees (him specifically) and I recall that Logan's face was kind of joyful about that matter like "he IS one of my people".

[@kimberlyklaus7296]

And Tom went ballistic on Greg in the second season because Greg used the phrase "business open relationship" when proposing a transfer to another department, because it brought his anger with Shiv to the surface and he took it out on Greg.

[@JG-kk1mr]

He finally pushed his wife down the stairs. I'm not feeling optimistic it will work out for Tom - Logan never keeps his promises and always fucks people over - but it makes total sense why he made his decision. Sarah Snook's expression in the final shot of the season gives me major chills. I need Season 4 now!

[@KadayiPolokov]

Shiv has always viewed herself as the smartest person in the room. I suspect in large part because she did make her own way for a while separately from her father and was clearly quite successful at it, however she isn't a business person and she doesn't have the wisdom to know when to keep her mouth shut as evinced by the dinner scene in Turnhaven in Season 2 when she blurted out that she was going to be the new CEO much to Logans annoyance and disappointment .

[@chiefinasmith]

Logan looks out for people who are loyal to him. Frank has been around for 30 years. I think Tom will be fine.

[@vivthefree]

@@chiefinasmith He's fired Frank at least twice.

[@chiefinasmith]

@@vivthefree the first time he fired him was fucked up, sure. But the second time he fired him it was because he voted in favor of the no confidence Edit: and even the first time he fired him, it seemed like he still was looking out for him. They made it seem like he got a fat severance.

[@duncanhubbard6913]

Never underestimate his alliance with Greg. I suspect Greg will save him in the future.

[@nickporter4279]

Interesting to note that even though Tom immediately dreads his decision when he volunteers to be Logan's jail fodder, we never see him struggling to back out of that choice. His turmoil is instead over figuring out how bad prison will be. That's how confident he is that Logan can't be beaten, and that his favour is the #1 asset he can gain. He'll go against what's otherwise his own best interests and endure terror and depression to get it. So really - we should always have seen his action at the end of season 3 coming. It's been foreshadowed for a long time.

[@PoloDavey]

damn nick. when you right you right

[@ToxicTurtleIsMad]

No, he is not confident at all. He is a coward. You are reading whats not there.

[@brandall101]

@@ToxicTurtleIsMad He said confident Logan can't be beaten - that doing whatever it takes to get in Logan's good graces is his best move.

[@itsstans75]

Tom offered to go prison because Shiv told him to and he did it to prove that he loved Shiv. But gradually Tom realized Shiv dosent give a fuck about him at all and even told Tom off when he was ranting about prison life, showing absolutely no sympathy or support for him. It's not the only reason but it was another nail in the coffin for Tom to turn against Shiv.

[@mizuslayer]

this is the 2nd most underrated comment in this forum. the first being that nero was the adopted son (who succeeds his father to power lol)

[@MrTCHOSS]

I forgot that Tom accepted taking responsibility to save Greg. That likely was the motivator for Greg to be Tom's Sporus -- he finally had someone in this family/biz looking out for him

[@KingfromKush]

The last scene retroactively made Tom the central character of the season. Masterful direction and writing.

[@Uberkris77]

Shiv could have tried to make him feel anything loving. She really choose violence from day one with him. I was almost a proud of tom at the end of season 3 as I was of kendall end of season 2.

[@ladyd900]

Shiv can’t give what she never got. Think about who her parents are? Think about the conversation she had with her mother. Shiv and her siblings were raised by narcissistic parents and does significant emotional damage. I do agree however that Tom made the right decision for himself. He was in an emotionally abusive relationship

[@muhammadkabeer3719]

Well, she wasn't part of the company in the beginning but she was determined to be at the top forcing her to learn how to fit in and we see her getting better at it, honestly, she showed no commitment in the relationship cos she doesn't care about Tom, she just likes the idea of marriage and stability. No sane man will accept that, if not for Tom's end game he would've walked away.

[@Frosting1000]

I agree. I feel like Tom gave her a lot of chances and searched hard for any reciprocation and she would show she didn’t care every time, and finally telling him to his face that she didn’t love him

[@alyssag.5758]

she was raised by Logan Roy. she's incapable of traditional love.

[@2000mipo]

Rewatching this after the season 4 finale, this essay keeps getter better.

[@naimaismail4356]

This made me respect Tom’s moves more. He’s not as pathetic as he comes across. Very excited to see what moves he and Greg make. For them to outsmart the siblings is such a great plot twist.

[@hemashreewesavkar2798]

The siblings want to take what their father build. I mean if Ken can throw money for the birthday party and all other bullshit, why can't he go and build his empire from ground zero. He thinks he is eligible to be CEO but can't build his own business. I mean he have the finances, contacts and knowledge of the corporate

[@naimaismail4356]

@@hemashreewesavkar2798 Great point! Shows either incompetence or laziness.

[@Jellyfishpinkk]

@@naimaismail4356 laziness? Are we watching the same show. Those kids never stop fighting and okay, they want their fathers company but it’s not like they’re just bitching over it, it’s a bloody massacre to even get a nibble. There’s nothing incompetent about them, most ppl in their fictional world would never survive a second of what they try to do. They’re fighting a battle against their father whos had decades to perfect his puppet show, they’re not incompetent…that’s not the word, they’re just below their dept. Even then, they’re still making waves, even Roman but mostly Kendal. Kendal is the only one who has shown any gull worthy of being a CEO. And they have every right to go after their fathers company, they were born into it and he fuc**d their brains up with delusions of being able to attain it.

[@malayjoshi1098]

The moment when Tom protected Greg by not telling Logan about the autobiography stuff in s02 it was clear he has a good heart I feel bad he doesn't fit with the Roys

[@HiCaballo]

With the show having ended… I think Logan would have been fine with Tom as CEO. The trust from Toms sacrifice, his amazement that Tom “had it in him” to bully Gregg, calling him son, and I believe he mulls over Tom before deciding to go with Gerri for interim CEO.

[@AnnClaire]

Tom may be the best actor of the bunch. and that's saying a LOT because they're all amazing.

[@huhhuh364]

He’s an incredible actor, but his accent throws me off a little, same with Shiv. Logan just straight up sounds American

[@redsquirrel1086]

@@huhhuh364 Occasionally you can hear the Scot in Brian Cox.

[@martinkinn]

@@redsquirrel1086 Logan is actually scottish too

[@AnnClaire]

@@huhhuh364 i only found out this week they aren't american. their accents are great. maybe now that i know i'll notice but if you don't know you don't notice.

[@lukeiamurdad9055]

@@martinkinn Brian Cox is the actor playing Logan Roy.

[@jeannekambara1246]

I think Shiv "loves" Tom in the same way a kid loves a puppy. They might think they really, really love their puppy, but once they realize how much work it takes to care for a puppy--they get annoyed they can't just have the fun parts without the responsibility. However, she stubbornly doesn't want to admit she doesn't care cuz then she'd be a "bad" person. The two ppl who "loved" Shiv (her parents) also low-key scare her because she knows they will be cruel and disappointed in her. Tom was a safe way for her to get love without feeling threatened. She loved him because he was the perfect person to give her things like affection, support, admiration, and the occasional laugh but she isn't IN love with him; she's just attached. Or she was attached, now I think she is just incapable of being honest cuz then she would have to face the fact she treated Tom bad. What she really needs or needed was to find someone who was comfortable being open from the start and someone she could be like, "Hey, I might not love you but I appreciate you and I want support in my life". At the same time, I do think it's important to note that Tom did propose to Shiv when she was handling a crisis. So I am sympathetic of the fact that sometimes you do the wrong thing when you're not in the right head space and can't just Ctrl Z so you just go along with things and hope they turn out okay. Bbbbuuuuuutttttt...yeah, all this toxic stuff is not okay. Unfortunately for her, she is seeing how a puppy will grow up to bite you if you treat it wrong 🤷

[@Josep_Hernandez_Lujan]

She loves him like Logan loves his children and wife

[@matheusg1473]

The scene where Tom says he would castrate and marry Gregg never fails to make me laugh. It so weird but at the same time emotional, genuine and heartfelt. Also, you pointed something great about Tom character, because in a world filled with betrayal, loyalty is an valuable currency.

[@nepenthe_gal759]

I've always wanted to know the backstory of how Tom 'rescued' Shiv. She's made a reference about some low point in her life & Tom helping her, which I assumed was how they then got together.

[@juanfernandez3633]

I was so happy for Tom. He kept getting shit on by Shiv, his own wife and eventually he owned her soul in the final scene in the car. He's the top dog now. Good for him. I agree that Tom and Greg were the best characters and they were so funny and loving to one another.

[@Glenuig]

Matthew Macfadyen crushed this character and deserved the Emmy. At first you think Tom is meant to just be a comedic character to brighten the mood, but he is so much more. He has so many layers and I am so happy the writers have fleshed out his supporting character with so much depth. One of the best character portrayals on screen in the last few years. The actor should be doing A list films, its great he has committed to this role.

[@rideofthevalkyries6671]

I really think this is the best show ever made. The writing is impeccable, the character arcs are so interesting.. I can’t get enough of it.

[@pintoacr3800]

come on , no way . only first season was good. 2nd and 3rd they dragged it.

[@kyliahkh]

I agree, I can’t think of one aspect they did wrong. Even shiv’s clothing, the shooting locations, the growth of the characters. It’s just juicy.

[@TalkShowIL]

Watch The Sopranos or even The Wire, and come back

[@jockodubproductions9799]

@@TalkShowIL the wire will always remain the best

[@jamestraceyfilms]

@@jockodubproductions9799 The Wire is not fit to lace The Sopranos boots. Succession is the best since The Sopranos.

[@shemjeffs2953]

You can't make a Tomlette without breaking some Greggs

[@HiddenWen]

I like how Tom was always the under-the-radar smart guy. You don't see it because of how the family treats him like dirt, especially his wife. He's often the butt of jokes. But if you look closely, he's been doing his job despite all this, and he's been consistently making smart moves through all of this.

[@originaozz]

I loved how this moved was foreshadowed all along, where every move from Shiv pushed Tom away from her, and that he'll always picked the winning side. The ending scene is amazing because it doesn't sweep the rug out of you, but because it always meant to happen.

[@romain3d1]

A good ending is both unpredictable and obvious after the reveal. This show demonstrate it with such talent. Every screenwriter should analyse carefully this show, never seen something so brilantly written since Sopranos, Six feet under and the best episodes of breaking bad. You analyze it prefetcly.

[@mdflorida1233]

Tom helping Logan in the bathroom was one of the few genuinely human and supportive moments between two characters in three seasons.

[@aranyasamaiyar9160]

ThIs video should have aged like a fine wine after what happened in finale.

[@MakelliStudio]

Your videos are always a treat to watch. Criminally underrated channel.

[@JarodJoseph]

There is no rating system. Just enjoy.

[@strangething7379]

You also have to remember that Logan built himself up from nothing, and seems to respect the members of his circle who aren't apart of the family (Gerri, Frank, Karl, etc.) more than his kids. Tom this season stopped playing the nepotism card and started scheming. He stopped being a member of the Roy family, but instead became a member of Logan's innermost circle.

[@andreaharz5264]

Imagine how good Game of Thrones could have been with these script writers. They’d have taken bones of GRRM’s brilliant story, and turned it into a far more intelligent show.

[@NT-or9wh]

Huh? GOT was amazing for the first 6 seasons. Huge betrayals and twist.

[@Priv007]

@@NT-or9wh nah. GOT was GENUIS for the first 4 seasons up until dumb and dumber ran out of the source material.

[@jonathancarranza6046]

@@Priv007 Indeed. I dont get how people think season 5-7 were good.

[@Reu8enofleon]

@@NT-or9wh That's the problem, they kept aiming for huge. The first few seasons are great because they're well-crafted in spite of spectacle.

[@dumdumbringgumgum2940]

@@NT-or9wh first 4 that's it

[@legzdiamond2356]

In the end, the show was the story of Logan’s ruined soul bringing about the final ruination of the kid’s souls and the end of the Roy dynasty. All the kids are destroyed, completely, by the last scene. They believe their failure to hijack their father’s shitty legacy from each other should be the final arbiter of their value as humans. They judge themselves, and pass sentence. Roman sentences himself to the bottle, Kendal to the sea, and Shiv to a life under the thumb of the guy she once pushed around. None of it needs to be this way. They each have money and resources and health. They’ve been taught that success in their father’s arena is the only success. Without it, there’s only oblivion.

[@Tiki3D]

Just watch the finale. Bravo

[@naimaismail4356]

Interesting how the most ‘normal’ and stable people in the show are Tom and Greg, they seem the most capable to win. The siblings are all train wrecks emotionally. Kendall’s fall off as been sad to watch.

[@nipunsharma5351]

The foreshadowing of future events by the gestures, statements, coming together and walking away in opposite directions (like Shiv and Tom walking in opposite direction at the airport) are all very laden with hidden meaning. Masterfully crafter series. You’ve done a great job putting in the clips of those exact moments while explaining. It helps us understand the foreshadowing better. Great job!

[@andrewbutler9533]

You can't make a Tomelet without breaking any Gregs!

[@farzyness]

This show has a chance to go down as the greatest ever made. The characters and writing are beyond good.

[@earthtrotterjones7835]

The writing is so good even I notice that lol so many well done character writing ✍🏼

[@demirhanserhan]

This was one of the best "observation" videos i've ever seen. The voice, the music, editing, it's simpleness and it's poetic and clear explanation.. perfect.

[@jazzborah4090]

Shiv is undoubtedly an awful wife but Tom isn't necessarily lovelorn as he seems to be. On the night of their wedding , when she asks for them to have an open relationship, he gets taken aback initially but then right after at the summer place he is all cheery and happy when Shiv reveals to him that he might get the top job in ATN. He seems to be genuinely happy with his wife at that moment. Their relationship is essentially just that. An arrangement of sorts where they just strategize together. And I think Tom truly began to resent her not because of her cheating and the psychological abuse that she subjected him through but because he felt that she would leave him out of the loop later as she was aligning herself with her brothers. Remember Tom was really concerned when Shiv told him that Logan assured her that she would get the top job because Tom felt threatened by his position Knowing that his wife is very selfish and could actually cost him his job if need be. That's all that is in this show. Desire and struggle for power and money. So I don't think so that Tom was a naive, love sick puppy who was hurt by Shiv. He is as scheming as the rest of them.

[@speeballs9876]

Tom's decisions this season were not exactly about getting power. It was keeping control of his life, which will grant him power if he plays the cards right.

[@nataliaoc2877]

Exactly. He wanted to get her pregnant to achieve that. He couldnt so he betrayed her.

[@futuropasado]

You are wrong. He always wanted top job

[@na0pppa8881]

Not to argue with the main thesis but it's a little bit more complex. Shiv did work, behind the scenes, to stop Tom from going to jail. In season two when Logan asks her who should be sacrificed she tells him please not Tom. She was the one who made the difference and why Kendall was chosen by Logan. Also when having the affair, she really tried to resist, it's not like she was careless about it. Not to make it out good or something, just to say that there is a lot more complexity to the character and to their relationship.

[@xlucavi666x]

Insanely good breakdown. I expected to watch 2 mins and ended up sharing it with others instead lol. The whole Sporus angle really grew from something weird that Tom just blurts out to the backbone of the season, and it's some beautiful writing

[@iloveads123]

We are one day away from the final episode of Succession and I am getting more and more convinced that Tom or Greg will end up on the throne instead of Kendall or Shiv.

[@akd.29]

You called it

[@mangos2888]

Realizing that season 3 was all about Tom's evolution made me love it even more in rewatch.

[@JoJoJoker]

Tom is the *only* insider from the outside. Also...Matthew McFayden is an amazing actor. I’ve been a fan since first seeing him in A Death At A Funeral. With the Roys “role playing” meant telling the truth. Tom dumped Shiv for Logan & Gregg. This is an excellent analysis. #TeamTomlette PS - that photo Ken took of Tom will show up later.

[@earthtrotterjones7835]

True but surely he could spin that

[@castronator29]

It Will appear but sincerely, it doesnt really matter. They all scheme on the back, its normal, but Toms loyalty has always been unshakeable with Logan.

[@catheriam1945]

I was initially suprised that an actor of Matthew Macfadyen ("Death at a Funeral" and "Any Human Heart" are exceptional at showing his significant acting range) had agred to play such a seemingly bumptious fool, apparently destined to be coupled with Greg as comic relief. It is only now that thanks to this blog that the veil has dropped from my eyes --as it clearly has with his.

[@aizensousuke7170]

Your channel is really cool 😎, after finishing Season 4, it is a blast to go through all your Succession Videos, it is like a deep dive in the series, thank you for that

[@theperegrine3097]

this is one of my all time favorite videos on a character-- greg specifically. the decision was a beautiful pay-off in building up greg's choices and experiences, seemingly in the background

[@kh1386]

Very good points. I've thought through the whole series that Tom was under used as a character, he could be doing so much more. Now we know why, it was a set-up for Season 4 where he takes control, can't wait for next season.

[@hedgedrisk]

It’s funny, as many times as I’ve watched and rewatched this series…I don’t think I could’ve ever put into words this level of analysis and perfect conveyance of plot, theme, character development as this narrator. This was really something to savor. Thank you

[@sunburntbone]

A+ on this video man, this changed my whole perspective on this show

[@KatiKosta]

I love that fact that the wedding takes place in Italy with all the Nero references. The writing is brilliant.

[@elegantbird8240]

How did Logan know Shiv met with Gil in New Mexico? Tom told him How did Logan know to send donuts to Kendall during their secret meeting? Tom told him How did Logan know about the coup? Tom told him He loves Shiv, but he has always loved himself more.

[@LaManoDelCaos]

Man, this is the kind of analysis I was looking for! Congrats!

[@danika265]

This husk app sounds so useful

[@Zoetherat]

I think this is still the best video essay i've seen about Succession.

[@GlassesAndCoffeeMugs]

I hope Tom doesn't get burned next season. Logan could use him and toss him aside in a second. But it would be so cool if somehow Greg saved his position at the company, in return for helping him so many times (even though Tom is also a manipulative bastard to him lol)

[@solenya4983]

Greg is going to end up winning everything, calling it now.

[@FM0621]

Greg is not loyal to anyone except himself so I very much doubt he would save Tom. He requested to off load his own misdemeanours on Tom since, at the time, it appeared as though he was going down any way. Tom may be manipulative but he has shown loyalty to Greg on multiple occasions.

[@angelcitystudio]

@@solenya4983 And Connor will end up being POTUS..... This IS the USA after all.

[@AnnClaire]

f'ing GENIUS. I agree. She got what was coming to her, unfortunately. She could have been good to him but chose not to be. I think she really thought there would be no consequences for treating him the way she does.

[@jmurdock8303]

It was so satisfying she deserved it all

[@aaron-damonkassner4715]

Yeah that last scene got me a laugh when I saw Shiv’s face when Tom walked in

[@user-xb5bz4fu9o]

She thinks she can be Logan, kicking dogs and seeing if they come back,, because that's all she knows of relationships, but she misunderstands that Tom was never obedient to her out of fear or obligation, he bent to her will largely because he loved her, and if you slowly erode that love, you slowly lose his obedience.

[@earthtoanouk]

It’s the cycle of abuse that keeps repeating. Shiv was heavily emotionally abused by Logan and to a lesser extent her mother, there is nowhere for her to model healthy relationships after. And this betrayal is even worse for her, because this is the only person she ever dared to blindly trust, even if she was constantly abusive towards him.

[@blahblahboyee]

loved the underscore of beethoven’s seventh around the 9:00 mark, felt like the waterloo context was definitely intended given tom’s backdoor betrayal deal ended up being something of a military defeat for the roy siblings

[@Ginosaurus85]

The story about Sporus ties back to "It's no fun being the last eunuch in the forbidden city."

[@samdallyn6149]

ok interesting analysis. But my guess would be that Logan leaves Tom by the wayside at some point in season 4 (even if Logan rewards loyalty, he also turns on people fast), Tom's too much of a perennial nearly man to finally make it. In addition, Logan's most important child is Waystar Royco, and if Matsson is calling the shots, why keep Tom in a senior position? I could be wrong but to me its not so obvious he's made the right choice, with this option the risks are higher, even if the rewards initially might be higher too...

[@isaacentebi7383]

In season 3 final episode Tom is being interviewed for his great job on ATN, imo it highlights his competence, unlike the siblings he is actually a phenomenal executive.

[@ericperu1542]

@@isaacentebi7383 exactly. Remember the family (the siblings) think hes a doofus. But it obvious that he made his way into that circle through talent and being ruthless himself. Tom knows what it take to be there more than they do and he's got the talent to boot. Hes is a formidable character with logans backing. He's up there with Gerri, Karl, and Frank now. And as you saw with logan loyalty means a lot when combined with talent. He brought frank back in even after his plot to take him down

[@marcoscandela5900]

i disagree with Sam. Tom is becoming a killer. He can finally feel the grasp of power. He's nowhere near Kendall's level of devotion/hatred for Logan, so that makes him a stronger player in the field. Now that the tables have turned, and he's proven himself to be useful and diligent, he's not only on the winning side, he's in the winning play. Why keep tom in a senior position? Puppeteering. Nepotism at its finest. But as the phrase goes "friends make great enemies", so he should be kept in place in case he starts playing both sides. Logan never loses and having a backdoor into the company can be of use to him. I seriously doubt he's only selling because it's a good deal. He was smiling. Smiling is no good. Or The Lion has gone mad. Cousin Craig learned quickly how to backstab relatives and associates, going as far as entering a criminal corporate conspiracy. It's all very relative. I wouldn't say Tom wins the game, i have no idea who will. Next season may be the last, something has to happen and it will happen. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out. Have a good one!

[@drgonz0id]

​@@isaacentebi7383 Yes, and Mattson will need a figure like Tom to handle traditional media in order to maximize ATN's profitability. Plus, with an army of young men like Greg, Tom can help blend the aspects of legacy and "new"/digital media.

[@ericperu1542]

God I love this show. even the comments are interesting .

[@mellowslice4527]

Great video, thank you! The first time I've noticed that Tom is a big player, when Greg blackmailed him about documents and Tom acted like proud father, he offered him a better position and was happy about it.

[@antun88]

Shiv did stick up for Tom that one time when she asked Logan not to scapegoat him.

[@heytherebato]

and? That should be expected. Meanwhile 90% of the rest of the time is her not giving a fuck about him

[@batspleenfriend]

I agree Tom's betrayal was probably the right choice for him and made total sense but Shiv did choose him last season. She threw her brother under the bus for Tom, a decision I don't think he was totally aware of. Sure Shiv probably would've pushed for Ken to take the fall regardless but she did stick her neck out ever-so-slightly and asked her dad not to pick Tom (a decision that probably partially also proved to Logan she also wasn't a "killer" and wasn't fit for the top job either). However she has been consistently awful to Tom so the choice still makes sense.

[@meghanelaraby277]

Not out of love for sure. She didn't want her " property " to be lost! And look bad infront of anybody who knows her that her little pet went to prison. It would just hurt her pride. Tom belongs to her. She DOES NOT LOVE HIM. ! it was crystal clear in season 3 during some kind of sex talk she started, she said what she felt towards him completely ! And Tom was shocked, but played along. It was next morning he brought it up and expressed his worries about what she said, ( Not loving him, and him being with her knowing she DOESN'T love him, she was out of his league e.t.c. ) she got nervous & said he shouldn't take seriously what she said during sex !! So NO she doesn't love him !!!

[@mnomadvfx]

@@meghanelaraby277 "Not out of love for sure. She didn't want her " property " to be lost!" Odd interpretation. I always took it as her guilt for marrying him knowing she wasn't capable of being a faithful wife. He still stuck around after that though - IMHO he's always been a lot more mercenary than a lot of commentators think. Look at how obsessed he was with trying to curry favor with Logan in the very first episode only for Logan to give Tom's watch gift away immediately to cover Roman's foibles. If he wasn't mercenary he would have simply trusted Shiv's influence to get him what he wanted, even Shiv was basically telling him it doesn't matter what you get him.

[@presterjohn9088]

@@mnomadvfx i think its spot on. Shiv didn't stick up for Tom in season 2 out of love but because she didn't want to lose whatever odd sense of security and love Tom gives her. She did it for purely selfish reasons, not for any real love for Tom. Name one altruistic thing Shiv has ever done for Tom in any season. The entire reason she helped Tom get a top job at Waystar was to have someone who was slavishly devoted to her high up in the company. She started off saying that she didn't care about the top job and would help Tom land it but it soon flipped and she wanted it for herself. Tom, as usual, went along with her and they were married despite her affairs while they were engaged and her wedding night ambush. Season 2 had Shiv initially saying Tom would be a good sacrifice and only changed her mind when he finally stood up to her and talked about what life without her might be like. In Season 3 despite Shiv allegedly standing up for Tom he is still facing jail. In fact with Kendall refusing to be the sacrifice it's all but assured. He is now Terminal Tom. She doesn't show the slightest bit of concern for his plight and actually seems annoyed that he talks about prison so much. Then she finally drives the dagger home by mocking Tom in an intimate moment and telling him she doesn't love him even tho he loves her. The next day she doubles down on her statement and when he says her comments hurt him she gaslights him, saying you can't ask for dirty talk and then get upset when you get some (even tho he didn't actually ask, she did). She tells him "even tho I don't love you, I love you, you know that right?", whatever the hell that means. Tom gives her a final chance to show that she has any feelings for him at all when she calls him to tell him the kids are on their way to stop the sale and to get the news arm of Waystar ready. Tom asks her where he fits in and as usual she gives him some non-answer. He realizes that there is nothing left between them, if there ever was, and decides to look out for himself since it's now crystal clear that Shiv doesn't give a damn about him. Tom is a social climber and a sycophant but he loves Shiv. She kept abusing him a little more each season while destroying any reason dj he had to protect her. If she hadn't made such a point of telling him she didn't love him in season 3 I think he would still be sitting, miserable, in her shadow. I think it's far, far too early to know just how much this will help Tom tho. If the company has been sold he will have to fight for his job. Does he have an actual deal with Logan or does Logan just owe him? There's no way to know. Shiv is a dangerous enemy to have so who knows if this turns out well for Tom. I will say that staying with Shiv in such an abusive marriage would only have driven him crazy. At least this way he has a chance at getting ahead. Shiv is a dead end, as incapable of real love as her parents and siblings.

[@MultiPsol]

@@presterjohn9088 great point here

[@SweetJeopardy]

@@meghanelaraby277 Relax! It's not like Tom loved her either. Not that way anyway. He married her for her money, influence and power, let's not kid ourselves. When he saw that she decided to compete for that power as well by quitting politics and accepting to be Logan's successor, she no longer served *his* true interests so he betrayed her. If she had stuck to their original plan of her continuing to pursue poltics while she pushed him to advance in the company I doubt Tom would have a problem with continuing to take whatever indignities she threw at him.

[@spankytag]

I wouldn’t say Shiv did “nothing” right. She protected Tom at the end of season 2, begging Logan to spare Tom. But, I will absolutely agree that Shiv stabbed Tom so many more times than she’s helped him.

[@mubarakraza9666]

Protected him out of absolute guilt though, once he made her aware of how he felt he had no priority in her life. Too little, too late in my opinion

[@spankytag]

​@@mubarakraza9666 Agreed.

[@travis3430]

She only protected him for her own emotional support, someone in her corner. In the same way every boxer needs a cutman & someone to hold the spit bucket. If Tom did get thrown to the wolves end of season 2, she would have gotten over it pretty quick, we can all agree on that 😆

[@spankytag]

@@travis3430 your comment reminds me of Romans line to Shiv about her hoping Tom went to jail in season 3. Lol… I wonder how Shiv and Tom’s relationship will change in season 4. Any guesses?

[@travis3430]

@@spankytag probably more extremes of what we've already seen (iv no clue though obviously lol). She's much more likely to lash out at Tom. She's lost the chance to take over which will have crushed her. She doesn't respect Tom at all. She'll be lashing out like a feral cat towards him in season 4 I think 😆

[@taras5534]

I do think everyone’s forgetting that Shiv begged Logan to not sacrifice Tom. Logan ended up sacrificing Ken instead.

[@gideoncenteno]

Powerful. Have never watched a show like this. So much to unpack. Such a great video, thanks! Keep them coming

[@PyroManiac944]

These are really good, man. I enjoy them a lot.

[@benmccarthy9180]

Binge watched this show in a week, one of the best I’ve seen in a long while

[@percocetplz5754]

Same. Now I have nothing to watch

[@sofiagimenez8659]

Amazing video!! This is some great analysis on the show’s brilliant writing. I’ve been a big Tom fan since the beginning and seeing him slowly rise and get THAT finale is extremely satisfying. I can’t wait to see what he does on s4 and what direction the show will take.

[@HungHoang-ss5cb]

He’s just here to serve

[@devin_leary]

Sure is

[@rlgconsulting1195]

Bravo, well analyzed commentary that explains the genius of the writing.

[@dragon_girl12]

I am so excited to see what happens with Tom and Greg in the next season

[@mjt5576]

That's an excellent analysis! I can't wait for the next season.

[@Hamburglar247]

i have said this once in another video but i love Tom and Greg. their character development just, i mean this show is just a different pace for me from other shows i watch i love it.

[@stephaniebarneveld5337]

Excellent overview of the development of Tom leading to his actions in the final episode, brilliant, thanks

[@iamatrader666]

Great observation ...the questions you asked are similar ones asked in the writers room where a chart is created that breaks down each question and asks questions within questions within questions...if then if then statements...that ultimately lead to a story being created.

[@ryanharris835]

Great video...just wanted to add one point. Tom wasn't the only one that knew the plan..Connor did too. I still agree with everything you said, just wanted to add that nugget as I think Connor plays a role in all of this as well.

[@icebergdl757]

How did Connor know the plan?

[@ryanharris835]

@@icebergdl757 When the 3 siblings were driving to confront Logan, Roman called Connor to loop him in. Im not sure if you are aware..but Connor is the first born Roy child & he was also interested in politics at a very young age.

[@AdAstra78]

Unsubstantiated theory...but a decent one. Conner certainly needs his Dad's money...

[@LarryAlexander]

I've watched several other "explained" videos about the last episode of season 3, but yours is the _only_ one that fully explains the scene that had me scratching my head in confusion. I was wondering why Tom asked Greg if he would join him in the betrayal. I couldn't imagine why Tom would "need" Greg, but the irony here is that although he talks about selling one's soul, he's actually the only character displaying true loyalty because of their bond as outsiders. Thank you!

[@micahclawrence]

You know what's insane? That McFadden would be a generational, nuanced performance on any other show. Strong and he blow me away.

[@JazzyChain24646]

amazing analysis and amazing comments to top it, truly one of the biggest (un)expected plot twists

[@manumaster1990]

The whole show is a masterclass in writing and storytelling. I cannot wait for season 4. Great video as well. Very well done.

[@Bluviolet7392]

Love this series. Those little innuendos make it so interesting, great writing, directing, and acting.

[@soyol88]

what an amazing and thorough explanation. Makes you appreciate even more how great "Succession" is

[@chrispariseau7139]

Well done. Thanks for not only allowing me to relive that epic betrayal scene, but also all the betrayals that led up to it. “Who is Tom and what will he do?” is foremost in my mind going into Season 4. Can’t wait.