Succession Review: This Is Not For Tears (Season 2 Episode 10)
You have to be a killer to be in this business, and Kendall finds his killer instinct on Succession Season 2 Episode 10, “This Is Not For Tears.”
Confining everyone to a massive yacht and proceeding to treat a funeral march as a vacation is one of the more darkly comedic things Succession has gone for. But it manages to bring out some fantastic performances from its infinite pool of talent, chief among them Jeremy Strong, who manages to rise above and become one of the strongest performances on television.
Logan kicking off the festivities by offering himself as the sacrificial lamb is done in such a one-note way, where clearly he’s doing so simply to write himself off. It’s worth noting that no one mentions Kendall during the scene, as though he’s off limits. Only in private is Shiv willing to entertain the idea of it being him, which is ironic, since it’s with Shiv where Logan watches the press conference at the end.
The roundtable backstabs are a glimpse into the cutthroat manner everyone operates at, while also showing how little each person thinks of the other. That Shiv is willing to turn Tom over, while Roman protects Gerri, is at once the crumbling of one partnership and a signal of the budding of another.
Roman’s trip to Turkey appears to have wizened him, or at least calmed him down somewhat. There’s this sense that he matured during the events of Succession Season 2 Episode 9, “DC,” as he is no longer his jovial self, and shows genuine care toward Gerri and Kendall when their names are at the top of the list for the chopping block. It’s growth that is surprising for his character, and Kieran Culkin nails it.
Tom and Shiv, though, are regressing. The open relationship and the pressure of Logan’s search for a skull proves too much. Tom has remained mostly silent as slight after slight wounds him, but the way he eats Logan’s chicken, and the anger behind it, is one of the more surprisingly poignant yet hilarious moments of the episode. Matthew Macfadyen staring Logan down as he clears the bone is brilliant.
Kendall is reminded twice of how little his father thinks of him, with the casting aside of Naomi when he is seen to be happy, and to be the scapegoat when anyone else would do. It’s one of many signs that Logan will treat his son as relevant only when it serves his purpose, and nothing more.
It is also confirmation from Succession Season 2 Episode 9, “DC,” where Logan mentions Kendall as overseeing that part of the company, marking the assumption that Kendall is always meant to be the scapegoat.
It’s what makes Kendall’s turn during the press conference that much sweeter. It’s ridding himself of the shadow suffocating him, reclaiming his soul, and proving to Logan that he is, indeed, a killer. The moment comes as a triumph of being broken all season, and the ultimate backstab that is, for all intents and purposes, the most justifiable.
No matter what Kendall does, it will never be good enough. For him to turn it back on Logan is a major reclamation of what he’s lost since the end of the first season, and leaves everything going forward in complete flux, including the shareholder meeting and the proxy battle.
It becomes a question of whether or not Logan will take the fall, or will go to war with Kendall, and who will take which side. Greg looks to take Kendall’s side by providing the documents he saved from Tom’s fire on Succession Season 2 Episode 7, “Return,” while the remainder remains to be seen. But it leaves the state of the series in chaos, which is the best place for it to be.
Kendall’s turn makes the conversation with Logan take on extra meaning. It’s a question of if he already intended to turn on his father, or if that conversation is the tipping point. His questioning if the top role ever has his name on it is the tell, as Logan’s wishy-washy answer is just about an exclamation point of how he views Kendall.
Succession, and this episode in particular, will be heralded as Game of Thrones with its betrayals and backstabbing. I would posit that Succession is a little sharper when putting the blade in, as it’s rare for someone to actually mean what they say, or say what they mean. They have been lying and dealing under the table for so long, that when Kendall does the most honest thing, there’s shock.
Except for Logan, who looks to be fighting back a smile. On Succession Season 2 Episode 10, “This Is Not For Tears,” Logan Roy notices Kendall more than ever before. He calls his son a “killer” to hurt him on Succession Season 2 Episode 1, “The Summer Palace.” Now, he sees his son as a killer, and can easily turn it around on him with the events of the last season finale. It all comes down to who will blink first.
It’s a perfect cap to what has been a brilliant season, without a single misstep along the way. Revenge is sweet for Kendall right now, but this is only the beginning of what will likely be the downfall of the company as a whole. No one will win this one, and it’s going to be a beautiful meltdown.
What did you think of this episode of Succession? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Succession airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.