Many might not like the fact, but the Roy family can’t go on bickering forever. Besides, as Logan Roy would likely say, “It’s better to go out strong than with a whimper.” The news didn’t leak out from Brian Cox, who of course plays the Roy patriarch, Logan or from anyone else from the cast for that matter. Show creator Jesse Armstrong (pictured) dropped the news in a The New Yorker interview. Here are highlights from that interview:
THE NEW YORKER: Before we talk about why this is the last season of “Succession,” why have you decided to talk about the fact that this is going to be the last season of “Succession”?
JESSE ARMSTRONG: There are a few different aspects. One, we could have said it as soon as I sort of decided, almost when we were writing it, which I think would be weird and perverse. We could have said it at the end of the season. I quite like that idea, creatively, because then the audience is just able to enjoy everything as it comes, without trying to figure things out, or perceiving things in a certain way once they know it’s the final season. But, also, the countervailing thought is that we don’t hide the ball very much on the show. I feel a responsibility to the viewership, and I personally wouldn’t like the feeling of, “Oh, that’s it, guys. That was the end.” I wouldn’t like that in a show. I think I would like to know it is coming to an end…. I hope that no one ever thinks that we are outstaying our welcome—that we’re going to do a dud season or be stretching it out. I hope those concerns never occur to people. I know they do when I’m watching other people’s shows, even ones I admire and like.
NY: What made you decide that it was time to end “Succession”?
JA: It’s been a bit tortured, and I felt unexpectedly nervous about talking to you, because it’s all theoretical until this point, and I have tried to keep it theoretical for a whole number of reasons. Who knows about the psychological reasons, but the creative ones were that it felt really useful to not make the final, final decision for ages. You know, there’s a promise in the title of “Succession.” I’ve never thought this could go on forever. The end has always been kind of present in my mind. From Season 2, I’ve been trying to think: Is it the next one, or the one after that, or is it the one after that?…I got together with a few of my fellow-writers before we started the writing of Season 4, in about November, December 2021, and I sort of said, “Look, I think this maybe should be it. But what do you think?” And we played out various scenarios: We could do a couple of short seasons, or two more seasons. Or we could go on for ages and turn the show into something rather different, and be a more rangy, 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.
NY: So, Jesse, how are you feeling about giving up this thing, and saying goodbye to it?
JA: I feel deeply conflicted. I quite enjoy 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 when my close collaborators and I 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, with my fellow-writers, with Nick Britell and Mark Mylod and the other directors—they’ve just been so good. And I feel like I’ve done the best work I can do, working with them. And HBO has been generous and would probably have done more seasons, and they have been nice about 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. So, I do feel conflicted about that…
[And there is plenty more conversation to be had there so please, take this link to The New Yorker, and read it in its entirety.]
And prepare for what will be the final season of SUCCESSION which debuts Sunday, March 26, 2023 and runs for ten episodes. We’ve already given you the Teaser more than once and there is no S4 Trailer yet so let’s honor the show and the family with a repeat of this clip –
HBOWatch will be watching so join us for the final 10 episodes of SUCCESSION coming soon.
