Warning: There are a whole lot of spoilers for Season 4, Episode 3 of Succession ahead.
In what fans are calling "one of the best episodes in television history," Succession unexpectedly killed off its cruel patriarch, Logan Roy, just three episodes into the final season.
"…I think we all…just witnessed…one of the greatest episodes of television ever, " tweeted critic Matt Neglia. "Phenomenal acting from everyone across the board."
this episode of SUCCESSION is going to go down in history as one of the best episodes in modern TV history, the kind that defines what the series has always been about while capturing the raw humanity of the deeply flawed, broken people that are the Roy Family. I’m still reeling.
It's pretty much impossible to avoid spoilers at this point. The LA Times and New York Magazine have both released comprehensive obituaries for the fictional character. There was an emotional fog over Twitter the morning after the episode aired.
watching my tl watch succession
Kendall saying he didn't forgive him, Roman asking did he check his voicemail, Shiv not getting to say goodbye because she was covering for Logan not showing up to his son's wedding, Connor not being looped in on his own father's death....
But first, the actors behind the narcissistic nepo babies of the Roy family showed the wide range of responses children have to the death of an abusive parent.
Succession has thus far followed their desperate attempts to earn their father's approval, and with him gone, they will be reckoning with a new reality.
The tragedy of SUCCESSION, one of its many, is that Logan Roy raised his children — and led his employees — not to be empowered, nor to succeed him in business, but to take a bullet for him and to be fully incapable of contemplating a world without him.
Logan died on a plane ride to Sweden during his eldest son Connor Roy's wedding, skipping the event to secure a business deal. When Connor was informed of his father's passing, he simply said, "He never even liked me."
“He never liked me” “I never got to make him proud of me” #succession
a day for the memoirs
Though Connor set his sights on a long shot presidential run instead of succeeding his father, his three younger siblings were actively trying to wrest power from Logan.
Logan's death released an undercurrent of grief that drove Roman, Kendall, and Shiv to cry, tell their dad they love him, and struggle with disbelief. Eventually, they all sprung into action.
roman in tonight’s episode
Logan's girlfriend-assistant Kerry Castellabate had perhaps the most bizarre reaction of all, giggling and sobbing, looking like she "caught a foul ball at Yankee Stadium."
Kerry on the plane
Though Succession is technically a drama, each episode offers bursts of humor to propel viewers through the struggle among family members. Following Logan's death, even moments of silliness could not detract from the grief on display. But of course, fans found a way to cut the tension with memes and jokes.
Twitter user @waystarroyhoe mistakenly called for Logan's death after the character was particularly cruel at the start of the episode.
R to the I P
logan on the other end of the line:
Logan's death was inevitable in this final season of Succession, but no one saw it coming this early. Still, he was consistently cruel to fan-favorite characters, so some people rejoiced in his demise.
succession spoilers // . . logan roy fancam
notice how logan tried to fire gerri and karma immediately came for him
they really killed Logan Roy on Easter that man truly was the antichrist #SuccesionHBO
all of us watching the episode right now. #Succession #SuccessionHBO
But we've still got seven episodes left in the series, in which the titular conflict of the show will be addressed: Who will succeed Logan?
BRB, blocking out time to tune in every Sunday night as if I've got a business meeting.