HBO
(Warning: Spoilers ahead for Succession.)
The most poignant shot in last night’s Succession was not the partially obscured image of Logan Roy (Brian Cox) dying on the floor of his private jet. Nor was it that viral screengrab of the Roy siblings holding each other in the wake of their father’s passing. It was actually the episode’s least-talked-about moment: newlyweds Connor Roy (Alan Ruck) and Willa Ferreyra (Justine Lupe) embracing at the altar before a handful of guests and a sea of empty chairs. Behind them is a foreboding view of New York City against a steel-gray sky that feels appropriate for these characters’ “happiest day.”
Last night’s episode was not the usual comedy of manners viewers would expect from a typically chaotic Succession wedding. Instead, we were subjected to a series of long, gut-wrenching takes of the Roy siblings discovering their father’s death over the phone and pointlessly attempting to aid him. Given Connor’s position as the oft-forgotten son, it made sense that his wedding would be upstaged by such a dramatic event. (Not to mention, that Logan was not even on his way to his wedding when he passed).