Has anyone else noticed how a certain Succession star seems to have a lot more to say this time around? In the absence of Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) vicious soliloquies, it’s his youngest son, Roman (Kieran Culkin), who has delivered the best lines of the show’s fourth and final season. Lines like, “You inhuman f***ing dog-man,” which is aimed at Alexander Skarsgård’s toxic tech billionaire Lukas Matsson. Roman has always been foul-mouthed, but now, his words have consequences – Matsson ends up increasing his takeover bid for Waystar Royco after the outburst. Buoyed by this success, Roman goes on a sacking rampage in the most recent, sixth episode, firing the company’s film studio head and then his “mommy girlfriend” Gerri (J Smith-Cameron). It’s an Anakin Skywalker-esque character arc for a figure who appeared at one point to be the Roy clan’s most empathetic member. Roman’s progression from dick-joke guy to ruthless game player points to one thing – victory – and showrunner Jesse Armstrong might have just confirmed it.
Episode six, like the one that preceded it, was all about Roman. It started with his crucial meeting with Waystar Studios head Joy Palmer (Annabeth Gish) over their much-maligned superhero movie, Kalispitron. After realising Joy isn’t taking him seriously, Roman shows her just how powerful (and mad?) he is. “I could just fire you… Oh no, I said it and now I feel like I’ve got to commit,” he gabbles. Next in the crosshairs is Gerri, who calls him “a weak monarch in a dangerous interregnum”. She gets the axe too – he’s not her slime puppy any more.
