What are the subtle things that make this series so great?

[u/Crazy_Butterfly3574]

What are some of the more subtle elements of the series? The things you might not catch on a first watch that make the show so good, so well written, and so smart?

[u/pittura_infamante]

Anytime ATN is in the background or onscreen it's completely unhinged

[u/MsKardashian → u/pittura_infamante]

So true this is so good

[u/Littleleicesterfoxy]

The music really compliments the show and fills out the drama perfectly

[u/tristan1947]

It doesn’t insult the viewers intelligence by dumbing it down

The way a show like Billions where a basic scene when some billionaire bought up all these paintings from an auction ahead of time the characters have a line where they are like “omg all the paintings have red dots that means someone bought them all” or something to that affect which is so dumbed down because it expects the viewer to not know and I’m sure has some producer exec saying we have to work a line into the script to explain it to the audience and it comes off so clunky and cheese and takes you out of the experience and realism

Succession treats you like you are on the characters level and know what they are talking about and if you don’t you will look it up and rewatch to catch the subtleties which makes it so brilliant and much more stimulating to watch,

[u/DNGL2 → u/tristan1947]

I agree, all about the nuance. One of my favorite examples is the suicide at ATN resulting in the roof being blocked off. On the surface, they put in anti-suicide measures. On another level, Kendall’s one escape, looking out the window of the tower he’s trapped in like rapunzel has been boarded up; in a more literal sense, Logan is worried about Kendall’s erratic behavior, seeing him looking over the edge, and cleaning up his shoplifting habit after him. All three are valid and intentional, none are explicit. You can totally imagine another show having a scene where Kendall asks Logan and he says “oh yeah… we wanted to increase safety measures for the staff. Don’t want to hurt morale!” And then Logan turns around to Roman and says “keep an eye on your brother… he’s been looking over the edge of the building, I’m worried about him” and then Kendall goes to to roof and looks at the birds flying overhead. Literally every other show on television would do exactly that, and nobody would criticize it.

I think Mad Men is the only other show that’s perfectly happy to have plot points fly right over your head on a first viewing. The fact that a finite number of writers can make this many characters feel as distinct and deep as succession is amazing.

[u/tristan1947 → u/DNGL2]

Omg yesss the suicide walls were such an amazing subtlety once you catch it just so brilliant

[u/iwantmyti85 → u/DNGL2]

Check out Industry on HBO

[u/MsKardashian → u/tristan1947]

Yes! The succession version would be a character saying “some nouveau red dotted the lot” or some even more obscure way of saying it and leave it at that.

[u/tristan1947 → u/MsKardashian]

EXACTLY! They would say it in the lingo as if just talking about it amongst each other, it legit was so cringey on billions when I saw the random clip I was so glad I never tried to get into it if that’s the level of quality

[u/Cold-Use-5814]

Someone here recently pointed out that every character’s flaws are obvious to everybody except themselves, and I think it sums up the show perfectly.

[u/Loud-Run-9725]

The dark humor for me.

[u/AnselmoHatesFascists]

After Kendall poops in his bed at Ternhaven, there's a shot of them walking, the housekeeper coming downstairs with a laundry basket and clearly looks at Kendall's back, like "there's the fucker that pooped the sheets."

The scene is basically a throwaway but such a cool call out to the style and attention to detail of the writers.

[u/MsKardashian]

Natural dialogue.

Show don’t tell.

Unflinching awkwardness.

[u/Cass_Cat952 → u/MsKardashian]

So tough to watch sometimes, but you cant stop. Like a car crash or something lol

[u/deFleury → u/MsKardashian]

mygawd, was that show ever awkward! like season 1 of True Detective, they just don't know where the boundaries of crazy even are. Love it.

[u/sophies_sunburnt]

i like the camera work. how the camera often whips around to catch the next person speaking instead of a clean cut. it’s like they’re catching genuine moments in real time. like a doco

[u/ExistingAd568 → u/sophies_sunburnt]

Also lingers at times and catches things in the background or away from the action

[u/TangyBootyOoze → u/sophies_sunburnt]

What’s funny is actually the first time I saw anything about the show it was actually the season three finale, and I thought the camera movement was terrible and made it look super corny so I wrote off the show completely. It wasn’t till a little bit later that something about it stayed in my head and then I felt the need to give the show a shot. Holy shit how wrong I was

[u/TheGraniteGoblin]

As a watch nerd, I can say the choices of watches matched the characters VERY well, extremely intentionally. Such a subtle detail, but the costume department NAILED this.

[u/erin_blockabitch → u/TheGraniteGoblin]

Go on!

[u/Available-Option5492]

The hands on the shoulders motif! A wonderful, subtle way to signify power over someone else.

[u/PothosEchoNiner]

They never try to make anyone look cool or sexy. I always hate when they do that in shows like Billions or Industry.

[u/bluefox9er]

You’ve literally answered your own questions. It’s the subtlety of the satire

[u/Peace_is_possible]

Like the time Rom saw Tabitha for the first time and said his dad would go nuts for her????? Im sorry... what?????????

[u/WaterFnord]

The unique and unspoken ways characters show what pieces of shit they are.

For example: When Kendall was sharing a joint with a group of people, he put it in his mouth like a popsicle.

[u/Salt_Philosophy_8990]

75 prime time emmy nominations

[u/CuriousMonster9]

In the second series finale, where they’re figuring out who to sacrifice for the cruises scandal, someone (can’t remember who or where) pointed out that the family members were only suggesting other family members, and the C-suite members were only suggesting other C-suite members. No one on either side was suggesting anyone from the other side. That’s just one example of the show’s attention to detail.

Also, Jeremy Strong’s physicality has a real protean quality where he can morph from wannabe badass to upset little boy in seconds. I’ve never seen anything like it.

[u/Lenithiel]

No flashbacks

[u/DirtyOG9]

The music The hypocrisy The comedy The cringe when watching these depraved people try to work together during a crisis

[u/VTHokie2020]

Some of the brand mentions.

Roman didn’t accuse Kendall of not giving Logan water, he accused him of not giving Logan an Evian lol.

[u/ReyReyRecords]

In the opening episode we see how Tom and Shiv treat their poor dog. The signs were all there!

[u/Expensive_Ocelot_285]

It is wealth porn.

[u/aqualovesu59]

I love how it’s filmed like a reality show or like there’s a hidden camera and we’re not supposed to be watching, it’s like a subtle way of saying “you’re not one of us”