Succession almost had a very different ending than the one we got
In the clandestine corridors of the writers' room that birthed HBO's critically acclaimed series Succession, it seems Jesse Armstrong had originally contemplated a very different conclusion from the one we got that would defy convention.
What
The mastermind behind the Roys' saga, Armstrong revealed in a recent interview with The New York Times that he toyed with the audacious notion of leaving viewers in suspense about the successor to the patriarchal throne.
"What would it be like if we didn’t give a successor? Could that be interesting?" he pondered, teasing an avant-garde narrative twist. Yet, the allure of ambiguity was ultimately thwarted in favour of narrative closure, with Armstrong confessing, "No, that would be annoying. Let’s not do it."
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Conclusion to the Roy saga
Succession's ending, laden with the weight of familial intrigue, wasn't a neatly gift-wrapped resolution. Armstrong, ever the puppeteer, admitted, "I didn’t know where we would end!" - a nod to the unpredictable trajectory that the Roys navigated through four riveting seasons.
The denizens of Waystar Royco, the Roy progeny, were never destined for emotional triumphs. Armstrong, even in the nascent stages of the show, envisioned an ending bereft of celebration, avoiding the clichéd trappings of a “Star Wars-style” coronation.
Psychological interplay
Empathy, a scarce commodity in the Succession universe, was never on Armstrong's agenda. The creator acknowledged that tugging at the audience's heartstrings for the morally ambivalent Roys would feel disingenuous.
The psychological tapestry woven by Armstrong invites viewers to peer into the minds of characters who, despite their Machiavellian machinations, elicit sympathy when viewed through a psychological lens.
It's an invitation to dissect the psyche of the Roys, transcending the socio-economic commentary that typically accompanies tales of extreme wealth.
As Succession garnered accolades and incited cultural conversations, Armstrong admitted to maintaining a safe distance from the cacophony of audience reactions.
Superficial splendour
Now, with the series concluded, Armstrong invites a retrospective gaze, illuminating the inherent tragedy in the lives of characters veering between opulence and toxicity.
The opulent spaces inhabited by the Roys, with their five-star hotels and private plane interiors, may contradict the superficial glamour.
Armstrong, drawing from meticulous research, unveils a truth: "It’s not actually a beautiful world." It's a stark portrayal of a world where pleasure is eclipsed by the relentless pursuit of favourable press releases.
The Roys, despite their affluence, are marionettes dancing in a gilded cage, unaware of the percentage of poison coursing through their metaphorical IV drip.
In the end, Succession's narrative compass pointed to a truth beyond the veneer of wealth - a world circumscribed by familial dynamics, avarice, and the intoxicating allure of power. The show's finale may have left viewers with a bittersweet taste, but in Armstrong's hands, it was an intentional departure from the sentimental resolutions that often punctuate televised sagas.