The Prestige TV Podcast - 'Succession' S3, E8 Precap

Episode Date: December 3, 2021

Chris and Wos react to Kendall’s birthday and much more from Season 3, Episode 7 of ‘Succession.’ Then, the guys look ahead to Episode 8. Hosts: Chris Ryan and Wosny Lambre Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Hello, and welcome to the Ringer Prestige TV show. It's the Succession Pre-CAP. MCs act like they don't know. It's Chris Ryan with Woz. We're back after a Thanksgiving break. We're here to get you ready for the

penultimate episode of succession this season and to talk a little bit about what we saw at Kendall's birthday. And I also, I didn't get Waz's take on picking a president or also a competitive diner food eating, was what's going on? Hey, man, I'm just trying to pod the demons out. That's it. That's what I'm doing out here, man. Are you, uh, are you anti-fragile at this point? Are you, uh, full nut nut nut? I'm, um, all of it. It's just, you know, we program bangers here strictly at the ringers. So we just trying to keep the bangers consistent. That's what I wanted to talk to you about first, actually.

I don't want to like it all put a ceiling on where you can go professionally because honestly you're a rocket ship. I'm just trying to grab onto the back. But I do feel like if maybe you wanted to dial it down and be a little bit less forward facing, like Kendall's rap curator is an interesting gig for you. And frankly, for me, like either one of us, I feel like could. could bring a lot to the table there. It's so easy.

That would be such an easy-ass job because Kendall, like Kendall's vague or general interest in black culture, for lack of a better way to phrase it, is so hilarious. And it's my favorite detail about the character. It's like he's all of these things. And he's the type of guy who at a party is like, yeah, I love rap, but only from the 90s, though.

Yeah. He's one of those white dudes. Right? Like, yeah, like, I only like the golden era stuff. Like, so it would be so easy to program a bunch of, you know, boot camp, click. And then obviously tribe. This guy's listening to a ton of tribe. He just grabs the biggest DJ premiere playlist he can find and lets it ride.

What do you think is the most contemporary rap can gets into? Do you think he had a Gucci main phase? Like, kind of like for a second there, people are like... Nah. No, I think his most contemporary. is Eminem because you can't call yourself a good white person who likes rap and not be into Eminem. You're bad at being a white rap fan if you're not at least into the earlier M. Right.

Like obviously postmodern M. Late period M. You know, I'm not afraid. I don't think we need to do that. I don't think Kendall does that. No, Kendall is definitely like if it came out of D&D Studios, it's for Kendall. It's for Kendall. I was kind of thinking like I could see Kendall being into Cole.

You know what I mean? Like at this stage? Sure. Yeah. Cole and Kendrick, yeah, the projection of golden era wraps for sure. That's very spot on actually on your part. And I was trying to think like, does Cole get an invite to the 40th? I definitely think that I definitely think the email got sent.

I don't know if he attends, but it just feels like something where it would be like, yeah, man. Like Cole's coming. Kendrick. T.E.E. He's coming. Cole got the invite. However, Q-Tip's actually DJing the event. Yeah.

You know what I mean? Like, that's the, that's what's really happening over there. I could see Q-Tip. I could see Questlove on the decks. Yes, 100%. Do you think you would have gone? Had you, had you been in New York and somebody was like, we're going to go through Kendall's.

We're going to go to the tree house. Would I have gone? I would have been the first person there. Last one. Are you kidding me? Yeah. The open bar, the hors d'oeuvres, the people watching. I mean, are you shitting me?

I would have been there ASAPLE. The birth canal tunnel. Yeah, right. Of course. You know, that tunnel actually looks like the artwork for Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop Show. You don't remember that? Like, it was like vagina wall artwork. I don't think.

I ever saw that. Google that. You'll be happy that you did. I'll say it for after the pod. Let's talk a little bit, just generally speaking, how have you felt about the last two episodes and where the season is headed? I love it.

Again, I hate to sound like such a fan boy. I just really feel like they're clicking on all cylinders. And this episode sold in particular, I think this is the most gut-wrenching, messed up, saddest episode. Like, even more so than, you know, Season one where Kendall, like, clearly lost because he helped kill a guy and his dad gets him out of it, right? But, you know, at least, like, in that, as messed up as it is, like, your dad is keeping you out of prison.

That's true. Sure, you don't get to be the CEO of the company, but he's keeping you out of the pokey, bro. Right. There's some paternal love there in some. Yeah, like, that's not really that messed up. Like, this is just, like, what happens at the end of this episode? I was just like, wow, this is. tough to watch.

Holy smokes. Yeah, and it seems like it comes for all of them, right? Like, Ken obviously is shattered by the end of this past episode. Every character gets a moment where you're just like, oh, I feel like so awkward for you, like, Shiv's dancing, I think Romans pretty successful attempt at, like, public ridicule and bullying of his brother still does. You're still like, Jesus Christ, is that really who you are? Although I guess in the previous episode

when he's just like trying to usher in a state of fascism to the United States. We're like, yeah, that is who he is. But yeah, nobody really comes off well. Nobody really enjoys themselves at this party. Yeah, it's interesting. The way they set it up is like, all right, is this going to be one of those fun,

kooky type of things the way Tom's Bachelor Party was, right? We're like, obviously our favorite episode from season one with the Coke and the Molly and the sex club of it all, which I don't know, might say something about. me and Chris that we care not to admit on this part. We like to socialize. That's it.

That's it. Regular, regular stuff. The way this episode unfolded, they kind of, you know, it was a slight of hand where we thought, oh, we're going to do like a little fun house type of situation the way we did in season one. And then it just slowly but surely starts unraveling, right? Where Tom is like, yo, why is everybody down? And Shib's like, shut up. Like, stop letting people harsh and mellow.

Like, you should be happy that you're staying out of the pokey, right? Like, it's just the way they slowly unraveled this thing. And I think a lot of the, a big theme of the episode, too, is just like envy and jealousy, right? You see the siblings being jealous of one another, but mainly freaking Roman in that spot, which I thought was so, like, as callous and as cold as it seemed, I feel what Roman. is saying because they, the two of them have done everything they can to be, to put themselves into a position that Roman has. And so like this idea that he shouldn't be celebrating or gloating when they tried their hardest to screw him out of that spot, undermine him at every single

turn so that they could be the ones in that position. Like the idea that he wouldn't wave this in front of their faces like I kind of feel not that I would personally do that to my brother or sister. But I kind of feel him, you know? Yeah. And then Romans, like, I guess his rhetoric, adoption of like the rhetorical style of the like shit lord right where it's just like everything is a joke

and everybody's feelings are ridiculous and everything is kind of just like for laughs. It's pretty effective when you're doing like sibling rivalry stuff because you can just constantly be like, this isn't real. This is just, this is all funny. I kind of did wonder whether or not he wanted Kendall to take a shot at him.

You know, because like that would, whether that would be because he has some sort of sadomasochistic streak or whether it would just be so bad for Kendall to punch his brother in a public setting like that. I thought that that, like, hit me like that, that bit where he was like trying to egg Kendall on it to taking a swing at him was really fascinating. Well, it's interesting that you use the like right wing sort of trollish behavior online. And that's what that is, right? Like, that's where the original term from troll comes from. It's like a bunch of people who are doing something solely for a reaction. Like, all he wants is a reaction. Like, getting punched by Kendall would have made him bust a nut, 100%, right?

Because, like, all he wants is to see people get pissed, get sad, get angry. He wants to elicit emotions from people. So, yeah, he 100% wanted him to punch him. That would have made him feel incredible because, again, he's riding. this euphoric high of like, I'm doing it. I'm doing the thing. I'm the number two. I'm the next in line.

Everybody loves me. He calls himself the world's greatest businessman. Like, sort of tongue in cheek, but not really. You know, like, he's riding an emotional high. And he's like, fuck you guys because I know for a fact, if you guys were in my position, you'd be doing the same thing. Because just think about the self-satisfaction of shit. Like, thanks.

You should be. They could be for saving the company, Dad. Yeah. Or, you know, Kendall being like, That's a good Shib imitation. Or when Kendall's like, yeah, you got stole my idea. You know, like, that's all they do. They take credit.

They gloat whenever they have the smallest wins. So this tracks what Roman is doing. Yeah, Roman is essentially like the manifestation of I'm not mad. I'm actually laughing. You know, like, and it's interesting that the last two episodes, in each case, I think both Shiv and other members of the family have wanted to kind of horn in and be like, okay, well, let me now, I'll, I'll finish things. I'll seal the deal. And Shiv even says to

Roman when he's doing the Gojo stuff, he's like, she's like, well, we might need to finesse it. And he's just like, you're not finessing a guy who wants to take a piss on a, on a mobile phone. Like, the whole point is that these people who are now in charge of these huge companies or in charge of these political movements are actually more like me than they're like you. They're not refined. They're not business school. They're not law school. they're freaks and I'm a freak and we communicate with each other. Yep. Yeah.

It's, you know, we didn't get people to hit me on the internet. Like, y'all, we're going to talk about episode six because, you know, I guess people understand that like I care about the politics of it all, real or imagined. Yeah, Roman, again, his emotional intelligence and self-awareness is beyond everybody else is on the show. Like, my favorite line from episode six was like, fashion was, you know, as cool as fascism is, it's not. Right?

Like, that's such a cruel, but it's not. But it's not. Like, in the sense, like, like, honestly, Chris, like, go on your history channel. Go on Netflix, World War II in color, inglorious bastards. But, like, all we do is fetishize this shit. So it is cool. We do want to consume it, but we want to be repulsed by it too, right? So that's why that line is so genius to me because it's like people are interested in this stuff,

but it is pretty disgusting, right? And again, like it's just Roman's understanding of people, especially these kinds of people that is just, you know, incredible because it's like, look, this presidential candidate dude is just an unrestrained Roman, right? Like, it's just, you know, if Roman had no scruples, if Roman didn't have an actual family and an empire where they did have to, like, some pretense of image upkeep and image making, right?

Like, if they, he didn't have to abide by any of that, that's who he would be, right? If he'd be an unvarnished, crazy person, for sure. So he understands these guys. And I think that's what he's trying to explain to Shiv, like, Shiv, like, you're not going to get in a room with Elon Musk and speak his language. Kanye does that, okay? That's who hangs out with each other in freaking Wyoming.

It's not Elon Musk and freaking Chelsea Clinton. No, those people, those two things don't go together. And again, like, the show is just genius at depicting these angles. What did you think in that episode six, the moment where they're sort of at the end debating who to pick and Roman just like kind of bulldozes everybody as Shiv is just like we can't actually be talking about this? And Roman just makes the like brass tax case that this dude is just blockbuster, he's just a box office smash. And that that essentially he's moving the Overton window and that whatever he winds up becoming like this is ultimately really good for TV and really good for their channel. it's that and I think that Shiv doesn't fully understand

it is zero sum there's a winner and there's a loser and we're trying to pick a winner because that's all that matters right because like there's no way to get half a win to partially win to be like oh we back the nicest most respectable guy in the race

however we're out of the seat of power that's not a win right she tries to flip them to the Democrats She's just like if none of these Republicans are working for us, we can go blue. Which, by the way, is actually how it works. Right. Like, you know, like Goldman donated to Romney and Obama. Right.

Okay. Like, that's actually how our politics work. But yeah, no, like, Rome is just like, look, not only is this attracting a different audience for us, right? Like the non-Dick pill audience, right? it's attracting that but like this dude can win with our help like we're

we're helping our product on one hand and we're helping that product on the other right like which then gives us a seat at the table it's like it's kind of a no brainer for them they're not in the respectability game they're not in the

they're not trying like like p-bodies yeah they're actually yeah and like and not even just that like you know there was this idea I talk about all the time, right? Where like the was up in the upper east and on park Ave, like, the reason why they made the public parks and all of these things downtown for the Jews and the Irish and Lower Manhattan because they understood there was like, it was a public trust and there was a sort of social

contract. It's like, yeah, the Jews in the mix, they're slovenly and lazy, but like, let's at least make a park for them, right? Like, they intrinsically, they understood that. Are new overlords and overseers? No, no, no, no. They don't believe in any of that stuff. To them, everything is zero sunk.

No, it's consumer. They're only interested in the consumer end angle of it. They're not trying to give us any kind of public space. So the two sort of acquisitions that Roman makes over the course of these two episodes, one's Mank and the amazingly played by Justin Kirk, who has this like real, like, YouTuber meets Peter Thur, meets like a little bit of, I mean, I almost like, Jordan Peterson. Yeah, like kind of, kind of that, like thought leadership, but then also like, you know,

has like a degree of, you know, a little bit of like edgy Richard Spencery energy to him. And then the other episode in the, in the birthday episode, we meet Alexander Scarsgaard's character who plays this guy named Lucas, who's got this company Gojo, which we, I mean, I'm trying to wrap my, I'm like assuming it's something like, which it's some sort of like streaming community kind of thing. It seems to be that like they want to buy the tech that is Gojo and then put their content library on it. So there's a sort of tech versus content marriage.

I've been fascinated watching like over the years, the seasons. The kids try to mold the company into their own image, whether it's Kendall trying to be like this should be a social justice warrior kind of place that. atones for its sins versus Roman who's just like fuck that like we're going to the moon in the same direction that we've been going this whole time yeah as far as like I don't think the show is really concerned about what gojo actually is is just you need to know that this nouveau reach company is something they want to get into because it will help them right Like, that's all we kind of want to know.

And again, like these newly rich people, these people who don't come from the school of Logan, who, by the way, like, Logan's always kind of right. You know, like, it's beneath him to go grovel to this tech, bro. It really is. Like, bro, like, bro, I got my money way before you. No matter how this pans out, I'll be filthy rich and filthy. like richer than you and like I've done more than you in more different fields like bruh

I could send my little spow peen okay like he'll go over there and grovel towards you this is beneath me so like I just think I just think Roman just understands the sort of the internet of it all right like he he speaks that muscular language of the internet And Logan is like, that's not my shit. These disrespectful dudes can't even come to my office and just have a normal meeting. Right. Like, it's really not his thing. Yeah, like, Roman, like, is like, just assume everyone kind of has low-grade Asperger's.

And, like, you know, it's not like, that's not meant to be an offense that he didn't show up. He's just not showing up because he's been looking at his phone for 17 hours. Yeah. I want to ask you, before we go into, like, a kind of not predictive mode, but just at least talking a little bit about the last two episodes. episodes, the upcoming two episodes. I wanted to ask you quickly about Naomi. Naomi doesn't get a ton of screen time this season, but she does pop back up at the 40th birthday. And I thought that they had like a crucial little scene. It would be interesting to see if it winds up playing out over the next couple of episodes where in a rather hostile gesture, Roman and Logan make a buyout

offer to Kendall for his shares of Waystar, which apparently amounts to about $2 billion. And Naomi seems to be encouraging Kendall to take it. Now, do you think, did you read that scene as she wants this guy to get free of this family and just kind of like come, just take the two bill, set up a foundation,

buy the Atlantic, do whatever he's going to do, and live life with her? Or do you think that she has some sort of ulterior motive involved here in some capacity? How did you feel about her? And I also wanted to ask you about the watch scene. So it's obvious to me that she's independently wealthy.

Yeah, but she's a Pierce. Yeah. Yeah. So, like, it's not like she needs Kendall's money or wealth. I think it's just, she's supposed to be our avatar in that scene and just saying the obvious. Just like, wait, so, like, they just offered you $2 billion to never have to deal with any of this toxicity ever again. And you're thinking about not doing it. I mean, I don't know about you, Chris.

And I've had very few toxic situations in my life. I've been blessed that way. But in the few that I have, if somebody was like, here's $2 billion to get away from me. To fuck off. It seems obvious that that's something to do. And, you know,

I think that scene serves as a dual purpose of being like, there are no real stakes for these people. Like, Ken completely losing egg on his face. falling flat, being a complete failure in his endeavors, ends in him getting a $2 billion check. Yeah, but you can tell that for all of these people, the only thing that matters is their relevance in relationship to the son that is Logan

and the son that is being in charge of his company. Because he's not happy at this party where he's essentially created the Magic Kingdom for all 40-year-old recovering backpackers. And he... he's looking at a $2 billion check. And the only thing he can come up with is like this fantasy land stuff

about like buying the LA Times and putting like his dad on the cover every day. It's like he isn't anything if he's not Kendall Roy heir to the throne. Just like Shiv isn't anything. If she's like, I'm fourth in command. Like what is that?

Like if I'm not on the board, if I work for Roman while he's like ushering in fascism, it's yeah, you're right. There is no consequences, but there's really no, price tag on what they want. 100%. And I think, like I said, that scene does the dual purpose of being like,

yo, this is what the consequence is. And also, like, this girl is encouraging him to do what's best for him. You know, that's why I don't think she's some like Trojan horse sneak attack. It's like she's encouraging him to do the best. What so obviously would be the best for his mental health and his psyche, you know. But obviously Kendall can't will never want to quit these people. He can't. Well, I mean, yeah, for the sake of the show, he can't really either.

I don't think it's the kind of show where it's like, here's Kendall. No, no, no. Obviously, that's not on the table. But it does go. It goes towards the larger conversation that's been happening about this show, which is kind of like, well, what was this season about? You know, like, what are where I see now you make that face. And that's interesting because, like, I think you probably are like,

why would you watch this show for that reason, right? I mean, what is this season about? Like, look, again, if you don't watch this show and think about the circumstances of our own reality here in this country, I don't know what to tell you, right? Like, the show, like, there was a scene where somebody asked Chavon, because, you know, rich people always make a big show about their philanthropy.

Yes. I'm a philanthropist. Yes. I don't need to be taxed. I don't need the government to pick what I do. do with my money because I'm so generous and philanthropy. Remember they asked Shiv like, do you even know like the event that she showed up to? She's like, do you even know what it's called or what it's for?

Right. Right. And this episode is like, this is what they do with their money. This is what they do. This is what the money goes towards. This is what like, you know, trickle down is. This is what it's trickling down to, y'all. Like, this is what the show is explaining to you guys.

like the ultra wealthy, it's not that they're these hyper-competent people. And not only are they not hyper-competent, they're fucking ghouls and monsters. That's the point of the season. I don't know. Maybe I'm watching the different show. You're absolutely right. No, you know what it is? It's the difference between like what you're taking from it thematically and intellectually

versus what you're taking from it dramatically. So dramatically speaking, I think we've been conditioned by succession over the last two seasons to expect some sort of narrative movement one way or the end. other. And usually in somewhat something of a twist, like the first season had the number one boy kind of come now you're mine. Like I own you because you killed a guy. The second season had Kendall going to the press conference. The third season, I think we've gotten to this point. And I'm like, I actually have like a clearer picture. It's given me more to think about, more to laugh about, more to like really ponder in terms of like this portrait of these fucked up people. But I don't know

what Gojo is and whether buying it is a good idea or a bad idea or how it can be like kind of weaponized for one Saturday other. So in terms of those things, I think I understand why people are like sort of questioning that. I don't know where it goes for the next two episodes. I think the next one is obviously about their, their mother's wedding. So we get another wedding, which is dope. But yeah, I'm not sure. Like to me, it's like I've, I feel like the sixth episode especially was so eye-opening and so so like amazing. Like that to me is like enough

of a gift that I don't need to find out that Tom's been wearing a wire. Bro, I don't know what to tell plot fiends. Like, I'm sorry. Like, does it, the we're post-plot.

We're post-plot on this podcast. They're showing you, like, they're showing you without telling you. The freaking, the feds getting off of their backs is just 30 seconds. and we're done with it. Right.

But that's how things work for these people. Yeah, think about what we were watching now. Think about what we're watching now. Over the last four years, yeah. That's how things go for them. Like, Mike Flynn commits all of these crimes or whatever before Trump's out of office? Your pardon, bro.

It never happened. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's how our system works for these specific people. people. Like the show is explaining to you that like the way things work these things that you think are

going to take them down never will. That shoe is not going to drop. Is this a spoiler alert? Like the actual drama is the family stuff. Is like because as repulsive as all these

people are like I felt found myself feeling bad for Kendall. Yeah. Right? Like, I felt bad what they did to him at the party. I felt bad when you asked Shiv. So, like, you didn't come to my party, like, to see me at all. Like, that was none of your motivation. You were just using it to get to this guy.

Yeah. Like, I felt bad about that. That's where they're delivering the stakes and the drama, like, the plot, like, the shareholder and Adrian Brody and voting them off. Like, the show is explaining to you that that shit is beside the point. I think they're telling you a story. about our overseers, man. And if you don't understand that, I don't, you know,

I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what to tell you should be the tagline for this podcast. I can't think of a better place to end. We'll be back next Friday, getting into the finale, unbelievably. We're coming up on the end of this season.

So Sunday is the penultimate episode. Woz and I'll be back to preview the finale next week. Thanks to John Carma for producing us this week. Was, thanks so much, man. Yeah, just looking forward to the three P's, man. Privacy, Pussy, The imposter.

That's it. I knew you were going to work it in. These days. The three peace. Peace out, everybody. Later.