Succession has a pilot problem. The first episode introduces the Roy family — obscenely wealthy, casually cruel, perpetually disappointing — in a way that makes it easy to dismiss. Why should you spend time with these people?

The short answer

Give it three episodes. By S1E3 ("Lifeboats"), Succession has found its voice — a darkly comic, Shakespearean portrait of a family destroying itself in slow motion over who inherits the throne. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

⏱ Bail-out point: Season 1, Episode 2 If after two episodes the combination of dark comedy and genuinely unpleasant characters hasn't clicked, Succession is probably not for you. The show never becomes warmer or more accessible — it just becomes more brilliant.

What makes Succession special

Succession is about power, not wealth. The Roy children — Kendall, Siobhan, Roman, and Connor — are all fighting for their father's approval as much as his company. Logan Roy is one of television's great monsters: terrifying, occasionally vulnerable, impossible to look away from.

🎣 Hook episode: S1E3 "Lifeboats" The episode where Kendall's crisis forces the family to negotiate with each other in real time. The dynamics crystallize. The dark comedy hits its stride. Most viewers who finish Season 1 point to this episode as where they got hooked.

Season guide

Season 1 — Establishing the Dysfunction (Score: 81/100)

Uneven but essential. The show is finding its tone in the early episodes — it doesn't quite know if it's a drama or a comedy yet. By the finale it knows exactly what it is, and the final scene of the season is quietly devastating.

Season 2 — The Peak Begins (Score: 94/100)

Succession Season 2 is the show fully realized. Every character deepens. The dialogue — already exceptional — reaches another level. "Boar on the Floor" is the scene that made Succession appointment television for everyone who watched it.

Season 3 — Sustained Excellence (Score: 93/100)

The post-pandemic season maintains the show's quality through enormous external production challenges. The finale twist reorders everything that came before it.

Season 4 — The Ending (Score: 96/100)

The final season delivers one of television's most discussed and debated finales. Whether you love it or hate it, the argument for it is airtight. Everything in four seasons builds to that final scene.

The verdict

Yes. Succession is worth watching. It is one of the finest examinations of power, family, and the corrupting effect of wealth ever made. The pilot is its weakest hour. Push through three episodes and you will understand the obsession.