Succession

Tom, it's Waystar. He offered it to me.

To be next.

I thought that it was something that we wanted

for me, to have it.

Me is just a modification of the plan.

That's q-- quite a big modification.

You live in a kind of a bubble and your connections

to Tom, ATN, are a distraction.

Well you know what, I'm out.

I needed a place in the city because I'm still applying

for the job of president of the United States.

Never done nothing, never,

to most important job in the world?

What do you think about Pierce?

Buying? PGM?

Think that's chasing the white whale.

Is it wise to fire the board?

Take it like a fucking man.

You tried to kill me, but you failed.

We need a way forward on the Vaulter problem ahead

of investor meetings in two days' time.

Doesn't fit with our core, you know, values.

So now I'm thinking, we just shutter the fucker.

I mean, it makes us look weak.

No, it makes us look ruthless.

Your brother's right. Gut it.

I'm afraid I have to inform you, you're all fired.

We're already fully operation on seven.

Why?

Because my dad told me to.

You did good, son.

Make yourself at home.

Obviously, this is daunting, writing a biography.

A serious study of a man like Logan Roy, I...

Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me.

Sure. Uh, but just to be clear, uh, this isn't a meeting.

This is a precursor to see if I might be willing to meet.

Absolutely. You were very clear about your concerns.

Because actually meeting you would be a big step.

-Uh-huh. -I'm a time-pressed executive,

so before we even get to the ethical considerations,

can I eke out time in my calendar?

Of course.

Um...

On the other hand, I...

don't think it's too self-aggrandizing

to hope I might have some wisdom to impart.

There's no time like the present,

-right? -It would need to be discreet.

I don't wanna make my uncle mad, because he can be, uh...

Well, he can be scary, vindictive, paranoid...

-Oh, yeah. -...violent...

Scary, vindictive...

Wait, I'm sorry. Uh--

No, no, no. None of this-- I'm not actually saying that.

-Yet. -Oh.

Would you like this meeting to be on background?

But this isn't...

You can't say I said anything.

But you did.

Look, Greg, if you want this to be anonymous,

you have to say that from the outset.

You can't do that retroactively.

But no, because this isn't a meeting.

-This-- You can't-- -Look...

-That's not fair. That's unfair. -Greg,

I am writing this biography.

I am going to cover Logan Roy's life and work.

-Mm-hmm. -And I really have no doubt

that you have been to a bunch of meetings,

and you have done a bunch of things.

So, my question is:

Do you want to present your side,

or are you happy for everyone else to tell their version?

Okay, I need to think. I need-- I'm gonna go,

I-- I'm-- But this leaving-- How I look,

and how I'm getting up and everything,

is off the record, okay?

-Thank you, ma'am. -(CHAIR SCRAPES)

So you're still getting the stiffness?

Neck and shoulders. Chest pains, too, I heard.

Pain. One pain.

That's 'cause you've got me working out so fuckin' much.

I'm Johnny fuckin' Weissmuller here.

And the meds we've got you on, well, you let me know

if you suffer from any anxiety, paranoia,

-irritation... -Oh, fuck off.

They're trying to destroy my life's work.

Maria just called about Mo.

She was wondering if you'd like to go to the hospice.

Oh, I'll let them know, yes.

Should I schedule a visit?

She says he's probably only got a matter of a week or two.

Nah, remind me in a week or two.

And Shiv's on the line.

I'll do her after the proxy meet.

Uh, pencil it for midnight.

Can I suggest you look for some downtime?

Could you sit out the corporate retreat this year?

Let them do the meet without me?

While the cat's away, I don't fuckin' think so.

So...

how we looking?

I've burned villages and overthrown governments

on your behalf,

and I believe with the right offer,

correctly couched, uh, we could be at a "maybe".

Maybe?

So?

Just taking five to regroup.

I've got three banks, 50 lawyers,

two PR agencies,

DF Kings,

and an army of private dicks trying to fight this takeover,

but take five to eat my pastries, why don't ya?

Uh, we were actually at, uh, something of an impasse, um...

There were some doubts as to whether, you know,

an acquisition is really what we need right now.

Uh-huh.

It is.

The bigger the better.

And I have it.

We're going for PGM.

Pierce.

Okay. Again. G-- Great.

That's chunky. Nice and chunky.

We leverage up and eat Pierce,

we're too big for Sandy and Stewy to come for.

They'd fucking choke.

Could be a great move.

It's an, um, interesting challenge,

because last time we tried it, their surrogates

called us "cultural vandals,"

and "poison in the well of public discourse."

Well...

times have changed.

Um, I-- I don't wanna say too much.

Oh, some of the young cousins want yacht money?

Well, it's-- it's delicate, um,

like French kissing an armadillo.

We're gonna fucking eat them up.

-Good? -Yeah. Let's do it.

-I like it. Oh, fuck off, dude.

Don't be such a suck-up. It's pathetic.

What about you, Romulus?

Uh, I fucking love it, but that's my honest opinion.

Great. Forward. Fast.

We all like this?

Pierce...

Why does he keep coming back to this?

I just-- You know, I wanna understand.

Uh, because it's a force multiplier.

Once sector, many brands.

Plus PGM is basically plug and play for us.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's 'cause Uncle Ewan watches it.

It's his favorite news, so Dad wants to buy it

-to piss him off. What, for 20 billion?

Well, can't he just take the batteries out of his remote?

Well, Pierce also own the New York Mail,

and we fucking hate the Mail.

Logan loaned a number of ancient Greek military artefacts

to the Getty Villa, and held a drinks reception.

The Mail did a hit piece.

They said he served warm white wine,

and that he thought Plato was one of the Marx brothers.

And to avenge that four inches of newsprint,

we are rolling the dice on a 20-billion-dollar crapshoot.

So...

Okay, I mean, yeah. If there are doubts, let's--

-let's air them. -(KARL SCOFFS)

-No, I-- Because you're right,

if the debt from an acquisition like this

became unmanageable, we could death-spiral,

and then, uh, we'd all go down with the ship.

It would be a reputational and financial...

disaster for all of us. Right?

What are you saying, Ken?

No, I'm just gauging the room.

No, it's nonetheless extremely exciting.

Oh, yeah. No, no. I-- I-- I like it.

-Good. -Good.

Okay. Good. Great.

Let's, uh... Let's bag this elephant for Dad.

Yeah. Let's do it.

Yeah. Let's bone this turkey.

So, Pierce is the answer.

Those blue-blooded fucks.

The business answer. They take over defense.

It's the whole thing. So what's next?

Uh, the tough part is contact with the family.

We need a pair of safe hands.

Dainty hands, in exquisite mittens.

Who's our most pointy-headed fuck?

Well, it's a shame...

Uh, but you did have one heavyweight that they liked.

Old Bore Vidal.

Oh, yeah. They all love fucking Shakespeare Frank.

Backstabber.

What? Frank?

Yeah fuckin' right!