Language and dialogue are other distinct features of the show. One thing everyone notices, and for some might even prove to be bothersome, is the over-the-top swearing. However, that, and the witty insults, add up to hilarious scenes. Some of my favorites are; Great title for your memoir: a Benign Fungus, Love is the last fridge magnet left, and Waystar Royco: We do hate speech and roller coasters. The Roy family uses language to persuade, but they know that “words don’t mean anything”. The protagonist describes words as “complicated airflow”, pointing at the fact that people in their positions will say anything to get what they want. When in congress at a hearing for corporate misconduct, one of the general councils encouraged Tom to “eat, eat, eat the dangerous minutes”, acknowledging the fact that language for them can be a tool to divert attention. They want to prevent the floor from being handed over to one of the senators for cross-examination, as they could have the opportunity to veer the narrative a certain way.
As interesting as it is to analyze the camera work and language of the show, it is important to understand what the show is truly depicting. Succession presents the poison that lies at the hands of the uber-wealthy and powerful and how it bleeds into our culture. It is a show about greed and hostile grips on dominance and influence. In an interview with Jeremy Strong, Stephen Colbert said that what makes a show so great is its ability to “match the moment”. Jeremy Strong, after a moment of reflection, stated that Succession is an inditement of familial trauma and damage that is pumped into the groundwaters that we are all drinking from. As season four comes out in the springtime of this year, it is very exciting to see how Jesse Armstrong will further delve into these storylines, blowing up and exposing the malevolence that lies at the core of the media industrial complex.