Why everyone says Succession is Shakespearean
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- čas přidán 3. 08. 2024
- Contains Spoilers as far as S04E03
A deep dive into what makes HBO's Succession so similar Shakespeare's King Lear and Titus Andronicus. Hint: it all comes back to piss. And also love languages.
You can support my work via Patreon so I can buy better recording equipment and make my videos more slay / overthinkingit382
Contents
0:00 Intro
2:17 Act 1 Pentameter, Piss and Capitalism
15:14 Act 2 Jargon, Rhetoric and Language Games
26:35 Act 3 Love and Lies under Logan Roy
33:16 Act 4 Why Succession Slags Off Shakespeare - Zábava
I think this is the best Succession video essay I've ever seen, really hope it goes well
thankyou for watching!!!
Yes
Truly
Agree!
by far!
Brilliant quote (from 11:30): "It may feel odd to assert that you can humanize someone whilst also not going easy on them. To humanize is to refuse to demonize, and in many ways, why shouldn't we demonize these super-rich silver-spoon assholes, right? But Jesse Armstrong is far cleverer than I, Succession understands that to dehumanize the rich, because of all the evil things that they do, would be just recycling the same dehumanization that the rich engage in --in order to become capable of doing all of those awful things. To humanize the Roys is therefore revolutionary because to humanize is also to refuse to glorify, and therefore to refuse to go along with the Roy's ideology of themselves as superhuman. It refuses to present them in the way that they would want to be presented. If the characters in Succession were able to watch Succession, they would think it's very bad optics".
That is so good, that I wish I had written it.
This is the sentiments that struck me to! I listened to that five times over because I think it's such a brilliant insight
To refuse to humanize is to refuse to glorify? I'm sorry but no.
Here's one simple example, we humanized Trump by talking about him all the time and he is still glorified.
@@odoacro11 I wouldn’t say talking about someone all the time is humanising them? Under a dictator, that dictator is talked about a lot, but in a way that glorifies them (by those under oppression and those trying to enforce this narative). So it’s more about the way in which you discuss someone, rather than how often.
I think in this context, humanising is giving the person less power over their evilness. If someone is pure evil, then it’s like “it was meant for them to do evil”. Whereas when one is human, more so viewed as such, we can understand that within a given context, they chose to do evil, and therefore we can have the expectation that they make better choices.
@@odoacro11 No. trump is both deified and demonized, depending on your perspective. In neither case is he humanized. And just like with god & the devil himself, speaking regularly does not humanize but rather reinforces the lack of humanity by repeatedly highlighting whichever aspects we buy into, stripping away the nuance that makes a human rather than a caricature
@@WoodlandT in the end we're all just people with our own patchwork of trauma and damage that makes us who we are, for better or worse. This video did such a brilliant job of breaking that down
One of the things I love about Succession is its theatricality. I wasn't surprised to find out that many of the show's writers are playwrights - among them Lucy Prebble, Alice Birch, Susan Soon He Stanton and Lucy Kirkwood (billed as an executive consultant for the first season).
This comes through not only through the words, by turns ferocious, original, elegant, witty (I'd say Succession is the TV show most in love with language since Deadwood, which also raised profanity to Shakespearean proportions) but also in the way many episodes are structured like plays: with an ensemble of people who have reason to hate each other gathered in a single location to mark a single event - a hospital room, a wedding, a birthday party, a boardroom coup, a merger discussion, a wake.
I've never seen Deadwood, thanks for the recc!
… a wedding and so on😜
I think anyone who loves Succession would love Deadwood for very similar reasons. I can’t think of many shows or movies that get *better* each time I re-watch them. Deadwood and Succession absolutely belong in this category. There are so many little things I pick up on every time I watch both of these shows.
it's not quite exact; The Wire and Generation Kill were the last shows that truly were in love in language. The Wire ended in 2008 and Generation Kill also aired in 2008. But since The Wire was born in 2002 and Deadwood in 2004, you're also technically right.
Before that it was Buffy, which used language in a very different way. But, guess what, another show that took Shakespear and elevated it and another show that could be very theatrical.
@@ov3rthinkingit oh you definitely should, it's probably right up your alley
I’ve felt that Tom and Greg are the Rosencratz and Guildenstern of the piece. Somewhat clueless guys who think that they are players, but are really just pawns. Queen Gertrude brings R & G to Elsinore to find out what’s going on in Hamlet’s head; Logan cultivates Tom as a mole who can pass on info about what Shiv and her brothers are thinking
On point
Uh oh, those two died...
@@Junksaint yup
I so thought that about them that when OI said they were Romeo & Juliet I laughed even harder from the surprise
omg theyre definitely are! i havent come across this one, great job!!
I could be way off-base, but I think in a way Logan’s death does kind of follow Lear’s trajectory, if we consider Waystar to be one of his “children” (the only thing he’s created that he can openly and unreservedly love). He must have understood Matsson’s intentions for Waystar to at least some degree (that he doesn’t plan to keep it intact), so he died on his way to “kill” his favourite child.
Absolutely loved this video, can’t wait for the next one!
He 100% knew that Madison was going to kill the company and he loved it. he realized that Mattson was a killer like him and the only thing that would have made Logan want to give up his baby was if one of the kids rose up to be a killer or had the killer instinct like him. You could see that he got a joy out of Kendall starting to get a level of that killer instinct at some point, but Kendall didn’t officially kill off Logan the way he needed to be and so he didn’t think him worthy of taking it over.
concise, amazingly edited, thoughtful, fucking funny and that sweater.... this was brilliant!!
Thanks so much for watching !
Great analysis! My two cents is that Succession is definitely geared towards being "high art", and as such occupies an interesting role as it speaks in different levels to us commons and the "elites". As you said, this show does humanize them but it does so in an interesting way, by showing that money controls the Roys' lives more then they actually control and profit by it. The inability to grieve after Logan's death because of their commitment to the company and the market makes a strong point about the privilege of the non ultra-rich who are allowed to simply grieve, be human in one of the most human points of anyone's life. This is not unlike the claim that fighting toxic masculinity isn't just about liberating women but also men who are made to fit this toxic mold at their own expense.
Thanks for watching! Love your points- the show is so great at highlighting the cons of their lifestyle and how damaged they all are because of it - showing it up as something not always worth striving for. Links to the idea of equality vs liberation in feminism...
I wasn’t allowed to grieve the death of, someone close, because I had to work and couldn’t afford to take off time while I was still taking care of other people.
Eat the rich. Their problems are made up and self imposed. At anytime. They all could have walked away and lived a good life. They chose misery.
Maybe I don’t know what “high art” is, but I don’t see Succession as that. I think the corporate financial warfare makes it impenetrable to the average person, but the core themes are accessible. We watch to see if the Roys can escape the cycle of abuse brought upon them by their father.
Secondly, I agree with the comment that these fuckers could have cashed in their chips at any time and left all of this behind them, but CHOSE to stay and be bastards. Shiv chose to silence the cruises whistleblower. Roman chose to help a fascist troll get elected to the presidency. Ken, who has come the closest to redemption, has chosen to stay in the shit since the end of s04e04. The show is so good at getting us to empathize that we forget that none of this is necessary.
Damn, I was waiting to binge all of season 4 at once so I didn’t know Logan died. Wow, wonder how that affects the rest of the show.
@@tomlawal7991 damn bro that sucks u got spoiled :(
Toward the end of your video I was thinking about the legacy of jazz, which is my craft. I feel that a different social class of people used to enjoy jazz and now it’s sort of become music for rich people almost exclusively, and it’s quite bizarre to witness that. Also, I thought one of the only times that Logan acted like a snob was when he yelled at the waiter at Shiv’s wedding, the one that ended up dying in the lake.
Oh that's such an interesting link to make, thanks for watching and commenting! I made a video about sample culture in music, comparing the art of sampling to modernist poets like TS Eliot and artists like Picasso. You can check that out here czcams.com/video/luSepECM1-o/video.html&ab_channel=OverthinkingIt
Jazz is mad. Big respect
@@zerere_ TY 😇🎻
Yet, in this case it’s not just class but race as well. Jazz used to be mostly enjoyed by a different social class, but also by Black people as they developed it. Now it’s mostly for rich white people.
That Jazz analysis is interesting - In the 1930s it used to be the Pop music of the time particular swing music. There are still artist that create Jazz today but is played on the radio is it apart of popular discussion not really. I think with Shakespeare it’s apart of the cannon in school most high schools have some introduction of his plays- however Jazz not as much being apart of the cannon is everything. I love your comment FYI.
Glad CZcams recommended this video to me, this was super interesting! I keep trying to get my English major friend to watch Succession by being like "no you don't get it it's like Greek tragedies or something" but now I can make an even more compelling case to her lmaO
Yes! It’s so hard to convince ppl to watch bc the premise sounds really boring while trying to avoid spoilers. And it took me rewatching s1 to fully “get it” bc the language and jargon was so off putting at first. It wasn’t until I understand the language of the show that I saw the brilliance. It’s wild how much we learn about these characters from subtext. They say uh huh and it means so much
how do you not have 200k subscribers? this is amazing you made so many deep connections
Thankyou so much! If I do get bigger you can say you knew about me before I was some mainstream hack ;) have a great day
@@ov3rthinkingit I'm defintey going to be one of the asshats who gatekeep this channel and claim they've been following it 2 years before it began to blow up lol
Actually one of the most well written video essays I’ve ever had the pleasure to watch!
This was a fantastic essay, well done! You really understand Succession and what the show is saying through the lens of its use of Shakespeare. I hope you continue to make more videos!
Literally an absolutely incredible video, one of my favorite succession analysis videos out there. And the editing is simply amazing. Thank you so much for making this.
This is an amazing video essay on Succession! I can really tell that not only have you put a lot of time into editing and producing this video, but that you also posses exceptional literary analytical skills. I will be sharing this everywhere!
This is one of the best Succession analysis videos I've ever watched. Great work and I hope we get another video just as well thought out and well researched once the show ends. This was an absolute delight!
this video was fascinating! insanely high quality stuff. especially love all the little clips. the editing is excellent.
This is an Incredible video essay, probably the best most enjoyable succession analysis I've seen. Thank you for your amazing work!
How has this video not gone viral yet?? Great content, fabulous editing 👏👏
This was the most thorough and well-researched analysis of Succession I've seen on CZcams. As someone with a bachelor's degree in English, I also like all your references to Shakespeare as well, even though I'm not the kind of person that has three novels and a memoir going at once. I really enjoyed it, thank you!
I’m so happy @kendallroylookingsad posted about your video essay. This is brilliant. As a Literature major and Lit teacher, I’m always noticing parallels, but I never thought it all out with such clarity and such perfect examples from Succession and from Shakespeare! I subscribed. Looking forward to hearing more of your thoughts!
thanks for watching and great to hear you found the vid through that fantastic account
I loved your essay thanks. I teach English in Italy and Shakespeare is my favorite “thing “to teach because although I am not a great expert I think I am able to transmit a bit of my passion to them …and I love succession because for me it is a modern take on Shakespeare
Ah Thankyou for watching! Sorry for making all those jabs at english teachers lol
@@ov3rthinkingit I think you are right . Many of them probably make the kids hate him. I start always with Simba. When I tell them they already know Shakespeare as they are all familiar with Simba they gasp and then I continue citing all the movies they might have watched that are simply modern takes on the great bard. I think that helps them relate. And then I continue from there…
When you’re teaching Shakespeare in Italy, do you or your students ever talk about how many of the Bard’s plays were set in Italy or how they are portrayed?
@@alexroselle Shakespeare many stories are set in Italy because it was probably trendy. But he is more talking about universal themes and I don’t think he is portraying the characters in a specific Italian stereotype to be honest. Yes maybe exploiting a little the Italian passionate attitude to life but nothing more than that.
Italy was the renaissance center of the world and had a lot of cultural influence on artists all over Europe I think. Shakespeare never visited but he probably met many people who had. And anyhow it helped him to talk about the vices of maybe the rulers of his country, setting up the plays elsewhere. So he would find a way around censorship.
So my final answer is no we don’t procrastinate a lot about him setting many plays in my country and we study it in English literature and we might feel somehow slightly proud of the fact that he chose “us” 13 times😂😂😂
Brilliant analysis, you put all of my thoughts about the similarities between Shakespeare and Succession into words and then some. Definitely saving this to send to my friend once I get them to start watching Succession. The use of language in this show is just so fascinating
I obeyed by liking and subscribing. This is completely phenomenal. I’ve never gotten close to sitting thru an entire commentary like this, until now… no fault of the bright people who make them. But this was so watchable, so compelling. Sometimes I get hung up on the dramatic criticisms of the show, like it’s a sitcom disguised as prestige tv, etc., but you point out the elements that have made me addicted to this show. So great.
fantastic work. the editing + ability to find the perfect relevant clip/scene is unmatched
Fantastic video! That Brian Cox “Lear Diaries” book moment was particularly satisfying (mic drop worthy)👏
best succession video essay i’ve seen !! you’re hilarious and i loved the editing - you’ve clearly done so much research and i can’t wait for more succession deep dives :))
Absolutely the best analysis I have watched of anything. Loved this. The editing is supreme as well. Very VERY good job
Wow! I’m only half way through, but this video has been great so far. Extra kudos for including subtitles despite being a small channel - that earned my sub, especially given how accurate they are
this is a really well-made video! you're incredibly underrated, i've watched this like 3 times now
THE best Succession essay I've seen on CZcams and I've seen them all.
Keep them coming! It doesn't have to be perfect or better than this one, but you gotta get 'em made. You're in an enviable position!
Wonderful work on this video; i love the editing, the stylised structure of how you present the Shakespearian comparisons. Genuinely hope you continue making this high quality content
I think I've found one of my new favorite channels thanks to this video. Can't wait till everyone else in the movie analysis community realizes how underrated you are. Love your stuff.
this video essay was insane. you did such a good job
This video is a nuanced gem for so many reasons, well done whoever you are, I hope you do more quality content
As a long time Succession-CZcams video watcher, this is by far the best one I’ve seen! Your wit, humor, intelligence and eclecticism comes through very genuinely. Congrats on an excellent video
that's so kind!!
Easiest like and subscribe I've done on CZcams. Dunno how i stumbled upon this video essay but it was astonishingly brilliant, punchy, funny, witty and every other superlative stated in the other comments. So impressed by your content and look forward to much more.
Brilliant analysis, very cool delivery. Must have taken numerous watchings of each episode but just what fans of Succession need. Can't get enough. Can't stop thinking about it. Congratulations on an insightful gem.
I am so happy the algorithm blessed you. Great video
Incredible video essay! Thank you. Genuinely informative and comprehensive analysis that puts into words so many of Succession's intricate complexities regarding its relationship with Shakespeare and language, and its link to power. Armstrong is a genius and you've cracked part of the reason why. I particularly loved your humanising/demonising point. Can't wait to see more of your videos on this phenomenal show once it ends.
thanks for watching Mc'Lovin
Just wanted to jump in and say thanks so much for all the lovely comments. I'm trying to reply to as many as possible! It's so encouraging to have this lovely feedback. I have big plans for this channel so do stick around and in the meantime please keep sharing this video with any of your fellow succession fangirlies xx
The video is excellent, really well done!
sticking around and subscribed already because if any future videos are even 1/5th of this video in terms of quality I'm going to be incredibly grateful xD
I watched your video essay when you had 171 subs. I was so impressed, I've shared it with friends, watched it with my son and rewatched it about 4 times. Love it. Go big, you deserve all the amazing feedback you're getting. I wish you all the best and looking forward to your future videos. Much love
i cannot put into words how awesome this video is
@@lapiccolapaula sorry I missed this lovely comment so I'm only replying now - but it's lovely to hear you watched this with your son!! Congratulations for raising a family with excellent taste in tv shows!!
Never knew how much I wanted this video until now. Amazing work.
commenting for the almighty algorithm. navigating good succession content online is a minefield lol, thank you for this incredible, concise, well-thought out video on the topic. very excited to see your channel grow!
what more could I want as feedback than this comment ! Ta very much so encouraged to keep at it!
I can't believe i watched a 37 minute video essay on a show. My love and appreciation for this show and more importantly your fucking engaging style made it feel like water. With all those clips in between and the amazing analitsis of the show it was all amazzinggggg. I would like to reemphasise that the amount of care taken to place the perfect clips in the perfect places is just phenomenal. Amazing.
Brilliant video essay!! Thank you for articulating all the visceral feelings and enmeshed dynamics intertwined in the writing of this modern masterpiece. Super well done. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
You are one bright bird! You clever bunny I loved it and was inspired by it and I am so glad that you have taken the time to make these videos. I think in times to come you will actually be used in university essays because what you are doing here is totally inspirational stuff
Thank you so much! Means a lot :)
Amazing video, really shows how thoughtful the writers have been at crafting this story. Can’t wait for that future Succession video after it ends.
This was fantastic, so glad I found your channel!
This video is a masterpiece! The editing, the jokes, the analysis, everything is perfect! The pentameter in "but Frank you got the grease to slip them out" got me imediately subscribed haha
thanks for taking the time to watch!
This is amazing! I consider myself a bit of a connoisseur of CZcams video essays, and within the first seven minutes I was whispering "why haven't I seen anything from this lady before?", was subscribed and checking out your other videos. You have won a fan, and, as soon as my financial situation allows it again, a Patron. I bow in respect.
This was brilliant!! This is now the ONLY Succession video essay. Can’t wait for your thoughts on the rest of the season.
I've been waiting years for something to concretely make this analysis. Thank you. Liked and subscribed
This is the best succession video essay I've seen. I find it hard sometimes to dissect the show & Shakespeare so this was pretty perfect.
This is an amazing analysis and I hope you continue to make amazing videos like this!!
Great video. Insane production value for such a small channel. Keep it up.
Fantastic analysis and editing, please do more ❤
I recently caught up to the latest Succession ep and found your video. The perfect amount of deep analysis + genz talk/references lmao, loved it!
You’re long form video essays are brilliant kiddo! Happy to stumble upon your channel. Subbed.
obsessed with this. can't wait to hear your thoughts on the final episodes
I don't usually post comments, but the algorithm is s#$t and your content deserves to be seen by much more people. Keep up the good work! Cheers
THANKYOU!!!!!
Wow! I'm glad I clicked on this video, such a great analysis! Looking foward to hear your thoughts on the rest of this final season! Success on your CZcams journey ❤
Thanks for clicking through and checking it out!
I totally agree with Carla!
Oh my god thank you for this video essay! The jokes are only the cherry on top of this masterful analysis. To be honest I thought you were a much bigger channel at first - I hope you make more of these longer video essays in the future. Keep it up!!
thanks so much will do!
Brilliant! I hope you'll publish more. We'll be watching.
The amount of new sucession content i've been getting recommended has really been making my day.
haha init, my mission to watch it all
thought i was going crazy about all the references shakespeare & succession have because there was no video essays about it...thank you for fuelling my insanity, you articulate yourself so well & this was so so fun to watch
Thank you! This is the analysis I have been waiting for. Really well done!
I've bookmarked this to watch later but I've subscribed already bc it's clear you've put a lot of thought and work into this video and you deserve to reach 1k and beyond!
Very impressed by the depth and level of insight in this video! Probably the most satisfying succession video I've seen
Great video, I praise the algorithm for recommending this! I hope more people find your channel.
This is great! Well done! Succession is fun but watching breakdown essays about Succession is where some of the most fun lies.
Best video on succession out there, and I've watched tons of 'em. Really impressively good take on it. Keep it up!!
thanks!
Excellent video essay. I wanted to one on this myself, but yours is so good. Don’t think I can top it. I especially love how you highlighted the iambic pentameter - now I’m gonna clap at every syllable in the show and count them 😂 Excellent work, Sub’d.
Great analysis! I thoroughly enjoyed watching your analysis of the series "Succession" and couldn't agree more with your comparison to Shakespearean literature. Your insights were impressive and thought-provoking, making it the best analysis I have ever come across. I believe your subscribers are going to skyrocket very soon due to the exceptional quality of your content.
Despite the video being 37+ minutes long, I was engaged throughout and found it to be well worth the time invested. Your presentation style and depth of knowledge were truly impressive. I look forward to seeing more of your content in the future, and I have no doubt that your channel will continue to grow as more people discover your exceptional talent for analysis. Keep up the great work!
Your comment made me realize it was 37 mins!! It flew by
thankyou for this encouraging feedback!!! more vids soon :))
Holy shit, this is one of the best analysis video essays I’ve ever seen. Really well structured, super concise, and just plain eye-opening
thanks so much for watching im so happy people enjoyed it!
HUGE props for including a glimpse of Jonathan Meades!!!! (Along with all your BRILLIANT observations, analysis, wit, and video-making)
This was so good omg. I love this show and your analysis and discussion was perfect.
this was a really great video essay. you are so smart!
I was also thinking about Coriolanus, particularly when he’s exiled from the kingdom. He expresses no remorse and, like Logan, becomes the dragon until his hubris ultimately does him in.
That moment when you find your next favourite channel. Very well done. Subscribed.
Cheers !!! All these encouraging comments are making my day :))
Wow, was I glad I watched the half an hour video from a small channel! She did an excellent job and when I looked at the number of views and subs, I was blown away there weren't many many many more.
Earned a like, sub and thought I'd post to the comments to placate the Algorithm Gods.
Looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Wow, this is such a lovely comment couldn't have asked for better feedback than this, super encouraged by all these comments, thanks so much for watching
Best analysis of Succession I’ve seen. Feels so good to interact with something/someone that actually understands this show. Earned a subscriber.
thankyou!!
Wow, this was an enjoyable watch. Incredible analysis. The best I've seen on Succession, hands down.
yoo this is such a great analysis video. Great Job!!!
Thanks for watching!!
The montage of jargon was so delicious... amazing work! I never noticed Greg is parroting Tom in front of Cyd :)
This is excellent!! Truly a video essay. Love that I gained insight into Shakespeare while being entertained by the Succession analysis. :)
best channel I've found in a good while, keep it up!
I absolutely loved your video! So thoughtful and articulate! I can’t wait to see more succession content coming from you 🥰
I heard Jeremy Strong talk about how Kendall’s arc in season 4 is strongly inspired by King Richard III… so you might wanna look into that 👀
THIS ESSAY IS SO GOOD!! Absolutely brilliant, no more words necessary
This video will do big numbers
Never been so impressed with a impulse home page click on a channel I've never heard of! Great video and hope to see more of your work :)
Okay wow, this is the first video I've seen of yours and I've subscribed straight away. I'm so looking forward to watching more of your work!
Agree with many others, this was the most enlightening analysis of Succession I have seen anywhere. Subscribing now!
Holy hell this was absolutely genius! Thanks for putting all of our vibes into words
im obsessed, amazing video, thank you for making this!! i got king lear last year and haven't had the balls (or energy) to start it yet so this is a huuge help lol
Wow,great vídeo! The humor,the text, editing..Very weel made,I Just love It! 🇧🇷
Ah so glad you enjoyed. Cheers.
Bravo, this is one of the better essays I’ve binged in my succession hyperfixation
thanks!!
This was a joy to watch! You're hilarious!
Your editing has, as they say, bewitched me body and hole, and yes I will subscribe thank you very much
you are very welcome
Made me love my favorite show even more, thanks for this!
put this on just bc im a fan of the show and sounded interesting but girl this is a great breakdown of the series as well as an inside perspective from each character ! hard to explain but you did a great job !!!
Thanks so much for watching!!! Really glad to hear you enjoyed it :) Have a lovely day!
Started watching your vid, dropped down to see your subscriber count and I was shooketh. You are criminally under subscribed. Amazing video! Amazing editing! Amazing analysis! Jumping on board, you are going places.
!!!!! Thankyou so much for this lovely comment