The addictive 'Succession' is prestige TV at its finest. Here's why it's a must watch

Family drama, corporate intrigue, and black comedy come together for a triumphant HBO production

The heir to greats like The Wire, Breaking Bad, and The Sopranos, HBO's Succession is prestige TV at its finest. It is one of the most exciting and addicting productions currently airing and has run roughshod through the TV drama awards at the Emmys, Golden Globes and SAGs for good reason.

The story follows the machinations of the multi-billion dollar Roy clan, currently presided over by Logan Roy – an amalgamation of media moguls like Fox's Rupert Murdoch and Paramount's Sumner Redstone. When Logan's grip on the family empire begins to falter, his children try to outwit each other to prove to their father that they are the truly worthy successor to the throne. The operative word here is 'try'.

Succession is a gripping dive into a toxic mixture of power and family dynamics as characters lie, steal, and backstab each other to try and get ahead of the game. After all, only one of them can be their father's favourite. 

Like its predecessors, Succession's most enduring strength is the excellent performances – some of the best I've seen on modern television. Jeremy Strong, who plays eldest son Kendall Roy, is usually considered the show's main event. Despite his occasional frat bro lapses, obscene wealth, and underserved highs, the audience starts rooting for him simply because of the horrendous lows he falls into and the compelling vulnerability of Strong's performance. Sarah Snook, who plays Shiv, the only daughter in the family, is a close second and perhaps the cast's most underrated member. Much of Shiv's storyline sees her struggling with her womanhood, which her father sees as a disadvantage and keeps her out of the 'boy's club' of the business elite. She resorts to unspeakable acts to curry his favour and then weaponises it when it is to her advantage.

Though those are my two highlights, the entire show is full of excellent turns, from Kieran Culkin's gross but magnetic Roman to Matthew Macfadyen’s pathetic but power-hungry Tom, and Haim Abbass's steely but unreadable Marcia. 

The show's production work does not fail the cast, instead heightening the impact of their performances by keeping the show sleek and well-paced. The Roys' opulent wealth – private planes, extravagant parties, and perfectly manicured lawns – could look luxurious, but the cinematography's use of crash zooms, tight close-ups, drab colours, and grain give it a washed out, exhausted, and unappealing look. It captures the emptiness of the greed and lust for power that runs through the family. Their ravenous desire to possess a world that seems unworthy of conquering makes their wealth seem all the more pointless and, frankly, disturbing. 

But don't let that trick you into thinking that Succession is a drag. It absolutely isn't. It's one of the most binge-able shows on television because it's sharp, nasty, and very, very funny. Watching conniving, charismatic people clash as they try to claw to the top makes for an easy watch. 

No overview of the show would be complete without a mention of Nicholas Birttell's theme song. The plinky piano, the deep TR-808 drum machine, and string chords emphasised by bells and flourishes, crash together into something that sounds powerful, even glorious, but is also fundamentally broken. It perfectly captures the show but is also so catchy it hasn't left my Spotify top 5 since I started watching.

But perhaps the clearest indication of fans' and critics' love for the show are the ready comparisons to Shakespeare that crop up during discussions. To be fair, Succession plays out a lot like Shakespeare's more dramatic pieces. Tragic heroes, power struggles, class tension, and misery, topped off with scenes of heavy dialogue, both crass and eloquent. 

The show's first three seasons are available to stream on HBO Max, with the fourth and final season premiering on Mar 27. No other show on television has me as exhilarated after finishing an episode or as excited to watch the next. If that's not high praise, I don't know what is. 

This article is part of Stripe, bdnews24.com's special publication focusing on culture and society from a youth perspective.