Reaction Review: Succession Season 4 Episode 9: Church and State
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
EPISODE SUMMARY
Warning: major spoilers for Succession season 4 episode 9, “Church and State”, are throughout the entire review. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
So the choice to call the election in favour of Jeryd Mencken seems to not be working out as well as Roman and Kendall would have liked, with chatter about the improper choice lingering on television networks the next morning. Other networks aren’t exactly calling the result official just yet. Roman Roy doesn’t seem to care right now, because he is busy preparing for something else: the funeral of the late Logan Roy. Then again, he seems to filibuster some self-inflating nonsense as well, like he has some sort of complex (naturally). Kendall gives him a call to check in. He is concerned about Mencken being a little too loud about this scandal and his win on the day of the funeral. Kendall’s ex-wife Rava calls him shortly afterward and expresses how unsafe she and her family feel and has threatened to evacuate to somewhere safe: Kendall is bothered because this is the funeral day. He rushes over to her.
On the topic of uneasiness, Lukas Matsson calls Siobhan (Shiv) Roy to discuss how displeased he is with Mencken’s win. Shiv, on the other hand, asks Matsson to hide the fabricated Indian subscriber numbers that GoJo has so their deal can go through smoothly. Meanwhile, Kendall arrives at Rava’s and catches them on their way out. He demands that his children show up at their grandfather’s funeral. Rava won’t have it and tries to continue. Kendall keeps thwarting the car until he gives up. Then there’s Tom Wamsgans and Greg “the Egg” reading the newspaper the next day to see how Tom and ATN have been portrayed post election: unfavourably. Nonetheless, Tom instructs Greg to let Mencken know that he was the reason why the election call was made, so he knows who to thank.
Kendall, Roman, and Shiv are all in the same limousine on the way to the funeral. Roman and Shiv bust each others’ chops about the likeliness of Matsson and Mencken showing up: two outliers to the Roy family that the Roy kids have used to betray the other sibling. Kendall is too upset to participate: he brings up Rava’s leaving with their children. Despite what transpired the night before, the Roy kids seem to be getting along decently. Shiv uses the opportunity to bring up her pregnancy. Roman and Shiv continue to act like quarreling siblings, and Kendall asks them to pipe down for today at the very least. Kendall gets a call from Jess Jordan that there is a protest going on due to the election result, and the Roys can see this situation instantly as rioters slap their limousine.
While they continue on foot, Kendall tells Jess that he wants her to get in touch with family lawyers so he can claim custody of his and Rava’s kids. He notices another scheduled event: Jess wanted to meet with Kendall to discuss her place in the company. She doesn’t want to talk about this today, but Kendall’s curiosity is peaked. Kendall wonders if Jess wants to move up and/or out of Waystar RoyCo because of Mencken’s win. At the funeral, Connor Roy approaches Shiv with a eulogy when it was already decided that Roman was going to deliver this part of the ceremony (we even saw him practicing it at the start of the episode). Roman tries to soften the damage he’s dealt with Frank Rich, only to discuss how GoJo is likely going to try and block the pending deal. Greg shows up and sends his condolences to Roman before asking if he can be introduced to Mencken, who has just showed up to the funeral with his posse. Caroline Collingwood, mother to three of the Roy children, shows up and instantly knows that Shiv is pregnant just by looking at her. She seems bitter about having not been told about this big news earlier.
Lukas has arrived and Shiv goes to discuss business right away. Shiv uses the opportunity to try and elect herself as the next CEO of Waystar once GoJo finishes the deal. He also knows that Shiv is pregnant, but it seems like word is spreading around (he doesn’t have Caroline’s maternal instincts) and worries about how this would affect her ability to lead. Kerry Castellabate, Logan’s assistant that most feel was also most likely his romantic partner, has shown up and is surprised that Caroline accepts her; she migrates to the front row next to both of Logan’s ex wives. Marcia is there too and seems to be more gentle on this somber day towards Kerry. Greg tells Lukas and Shiv that Tom cannot come today because of the damage control he’s had to take on post election. Greg replaces him as one of the pallbearers just in time: Logan’s casket is about to roll in and the funeral is ready to commence.
Ewan Roy, Logan’s brother, wants to be the first to give a eulogy and the Roys know this is not going to go well: even son Greg is trying to get him to stop. As per the concerns of all included, Ewan cuts right to the throat with his “eulogy”. During this eulogy, we learn that they had a sister that died of polio at a very young age: Logan apparently blamed himself and was worried that he brought the illness with him when studying at a private school abroad. Ewan continues to discuss how Logan is the source of many evil things, and it makes the service to feel uneasy. Once Ewan concludes, Roman is clearly distraught by this. It is now his time to speak.
Roman fumbles through his cue cards before starting and he is already quite rocky with emotion. He gives up on the speech he prepared before addressing his siblings. He tells them he can’t do the eulogy. Kendall agrees to takeover for Roman. Shiv is there to take care of Roman on the pew. Kendall begins to echo the harsh sentiments Ewan stated but he tries to paint Logan in a more favourable light. Shiv goes up next. She’s similarly tender yet real about the situation, but she doesn’t get the thunderous applause Kendall did; it seems to get to her a little bit. Logan’s casket is escorted out.
While everyone begins to leave, Hugo tells Kendall quietly about Shiv’s GoJo dealings to try and thwart Mencken. Perfect timing. At the lot, they see that Logan secured his very own mausoleum. There seem to be multiple spots for the other Roys once they pass. The funeral service continues outside of the tomb. Post service, Shiv confides in Karl and Frank because she worries about how good her late father really was; they assure her that he was rough but a “good egg”. Kendall checks in with Hugo before pulling him aside and asking him to help put their own GoJo plan into place. Back in the heart of the city for the post-service meal, an explosion goes off: likely a firework, but still indicative of the heat of the protesting going on.
At the reception, Kendall begins recruiting Colin, Logan’s former bodyguard. Kendall then bee lines to Mencken, and Shiv and Lukas watch from afar (neither obsession is a secret anymore). Mencken begins to show uncertainty about his original claims that he can help Kendall bury GoJo’s deal. That’s when the other guys, Connor, Greg, and Roman all start swarming in like parasites to try and get a word in with Mencken. Somehow, Shiv is able to whisk him away to talk with Lukas directly. Kendall sics Hugo on the conversation to overhear any juicy details. Lukas proceeds to try and get Mencken in cahoots with him and advertises Shiv as the next potential CEO of a GoJo-owned Waystar.
Tom shows up to the reception and finds Shiv. Shiv begins drinking despite being pregnant. Tom was sad about not being able to be at the funeral but reminds Shiv that he was the last one to see him alive and was at least able to say goodbye one last time. Once Tom leaves, Shiv gets a call from Lukas, who is already on his way out. He surreptitiously says “it’s a yes”, indicating that he got through to Mencken. Kendall consoles Roman and then begins discussing strategy; he’s already on to the trio of Mencken, Lukas, and Shiv (thanks to Hugo, most likely). Roman isn’t too interested in discussing business at the moment. Kendall begins to berate him for messing up the Mencken connection. He concludes that they have to fully compete with Shiv more than ever before. Roman, dejected, leaves. Karl finds a viral video of Roman crying at the funeral online to make matters worse. Roman isn't there to see it, as he walks outside amongst the protestors. Roman begins yelling at the protestors as they run, insisting that they have no idea what they are doing. He proceeds to walk against the grain until he is punched in the face by a protestor and then almost trampled. He attacks someone that tries to help him up.
FIRST REACTION
Yet another winning episode. This could have been just a sentimental episode, particularly because it is the penultimate one for an entire series, but instead Succession continues to scheme even during its most vulnerable moments. Ewan’s bitter eulogy was necessary: we needed a reality check of who the deceased really was (besides, it’s always nice to see James Cromwell pop up again). Kendall proceeds with one of the best written monologues of the series, but we know that it’s a little bit bullshit, so having Ewan go first actually sweetens the following eulogy. It’s also crazy that the Roy kids only continue to talk business even at their own father’s fucking funeral (then again, Logan would have done the same thing).
This was already shaping up to be a great episode, but it is the final sequence of Roman facing the riots alone that seals the deal for me: “Church and State” is yet another example of the finest hours that Succession can boast (season 4 already has three of them now, between this, “America Decides”, and “Connor’s Wedding”, especially the latter). It’s a powerful image of a grieving child finally coming to grips with his loss in the faces of the angry. Succession is bold with its timing, having Logan die and be eulogized right after an election that may divide an entire nation (orchestrated all in the name of greed). Do we feel sorry for Roman? In general, yes, but this mob is partially his own doing. He doesn’t truly understand what he, Kendall, and Tom (and apparently Greg) have done with this election in the same way that these protestors really don’t know what it is like to be a Roy.
”Church and State” could have been a great episode and not a perfect one, but the little final season flourishes really make it. Worrying about Shiv and her baby is a part of that sensation (also Kendall thanking Logan for bearing him and his siblings without bringing up their mothers right in front of them was rough). Greg continues to try and weasel his way into the good books of others (there’s one episode left: this has to be leading towards something, and I think Greg being a pallbearer at the last second is a part of this prophecy; also his father showing up is important as well). I have no idea whose Hail Mary scheme will work out: the brothers Roy, or Shiv the Shiv. Their desperation at the final hour — while America crumbles, no less — has been riveting television to watch. Much more than just Logan Roy has died during this series, and “Church and State” reflects this: the decimation of traditional values via self implosion, all in the name of capitalism.
Final Grade: 5/5
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.