Succession Season 4 Episode 8 Recap: This scathing and darkly humorous portrayal of family, media, and influence reaches new heights of cynicism and shock in the latest episode of Succession Season 4. As conglomerate Waystar Royco navigates its first presidential election night without the guidance of its deceased patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox), viewers are in for a wild ride. Matthew Macfadyen delivers a brilliant performance as the overwhelmed news network head Tom, whose presence is strongly felt throughout the episode. As alarming news breaks and panic sets in, Tom tries to keep his estranged wife Shiv (played by Sarah Snook) and her co-CEO siblings out of the control room. This week’s episode was nothing short of a spectacle, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats. Here is the conclusion of Succession Season 4 Episode 8, in case you were curious (tvacute.com).
Succession Season 4 Episode 8 Recap
Tom is under intense pressure to bring in large numbers for ATN on election night. Greg admits that he and Matsson and Oskar went out drinking long at night, and he then asks Tom whether or not the two of them had any knowledge of Shiv and Matsson’s purported “business alliance.” Tom was in the dark about it. Darwin, ATN’s resident elections analyst, informs the team that Jeryd Mencken is doing better than expected in exit polls, but that Daniel Jimenez is likely to win. Shiv is worried about the country, but Roman assures her that she should chill out. If you want to get in front of the narrative, you should disclose your wacky India numbers the next day, as Shiv phones Matsson and tells him Daniel is the probable winner. Matsson, however, claims to have discussed the matter with Oskar and Greg and that they agreed that “maybe we keep my terrible secret a secret.”
If Daniel Jimenez is elected, Roman worries that he will just approve the GoJo transaction. Kendall then phones Nate in an attempt to smooth things over, assuring Daniel that ATN will treat him fairly. In addition, Rava calls him up, expressing concern that an SUV has been following them. However, following the unfortunate street encounter, Kendall feels the need to shield Sophie. Roman attends Jeryd Mencken’s watch party, while the candidate informs him he wants ATN’s aid in shaping the story that he overperformed and will run again. In the meantime, Tom has run out of steam, so Greg gives him some powdered energy to keep going. Before getting a call from Connor, who is upset that ATN isn’t discussing him, Tom coerces Greg into joining him for a bump. In fact, we understand as ATN immediately calls Kentucky for Jeryd after the polls close, dashing Connor’s remaining hopes.
An inebriated Tom has a nervous breakdown when an ATN anchor has a technical problem with her touchscreen during airtime and rushes to the control room to yell at the director. Shiv is more worried by the possibility that absentee voting machines in a pivotal battleground state were burned in a fire attack at a Milwaukee vote center. Even though Roman dismisses it as a false flag, Shiv nevertheless walks down to the ATN office, where he is met by Roman and Kendall and a frightened Greg who attempts to hustle them away. Shiv tries to make amends with Tom for their altercation last night by taking him aside, but Tom responds angrily. She brings up the fact that her father passed away recently, but he brings up the fact that she detested Logan. Shiv, clearly taken aback, then casually announces her pregnancy. Tom is curious. With sorrow in her eyes, Shiv turns away from Tom, who is left speechless. She informs her siblings that Tom is no longer someone they can trust. Hmmm.
Roman tells a chastened Connor that the offer of ambassadorship from Jeryd Mencken has already been rejected. Despite this, Jeryd is in good shape: he has sufficient votes to take Wisconsin, barring the hundred million ballots that were lost in the fire. Even though Shiv is certain that every vote be counted, Roman is interested in declaring the state for Jeryd. When Roman says that he’ll allow the GoJo deal to go through if Daniel Jimenez wins, Shiv and Kendall’s support for Jeryd becomes clear. They bring in Darwin, who agrees that without the burned ballots, Jeryd’s position in Wisconsin is overwhelming. Shiv suggests a second vote, but Darwin says it rarely happens. When Mark Ravenhead, who blames Jimenez’s followers for the fire, appears on ATN, she calls the station and urges Roman to run a rebuttal. Kendall has come clean.
Shiv calls Greg into an empty room and begins questioning him about his evening with Matsson. Shiv gives him a stern warning. Roman tells Kendall that if Jeryd is elected, he will veto the GoJo agreement. So Roman uses his authority as Waystar’s co-CEO to order Darwin to call Wisconsin and ask for Jeryd. Roman thinks that, since the pollster is on the fence, they should announce that a decision is pending and bring Darwin in to explain the nuances. However, their plans are derailed when Greg’s bodega sushi causes Darwin to get wasabi in his eyes and go blind. Greg does his best to help. In addition, Connor visits the ATN studio to offer a concession to Jeryd, so Roman has him go on television to announce that it appears Mencken is the victor just before he launches a diatribe that will be emphasized by him.
With Daniel winning Michigan and Jeryd Mencken gaining Wisconsin, both candidates have 262 electoral votes each. We’re down to just Arizona and Alaska at this point, and according to Darwin, Arizona is trending red. Roman feels that’s enough to hand the president over to Jeryd, and he’s prepared to make the call, but a shell-shocked Kendall rejects the idea and questions whether they should go back to Wisconsin. Roman chuckles. Kendall is worried that if we call it, Jeryd will be awarded the victory. However, Roman lacks empathy. Kendall looks at Shiv and admits he needs advice. He is intimidated by Roman’s close relationship with Jeryd and reveals he wants out of the GoJo arrangement so he may operate Waystar himself. Also, he admits to Shiv that he doesn’t think he’s a very good dad. When he asks Shiv to find out whether Jimenez’s camp will likewise commit to stopping the GoJo deal, she says she will but actually just makes a fake call to a disconnected number, as if she were talking to Nate.
She shares this news with Kendall and Roman, saying Daniel may be open to canceling the agreement, despite Roman’s insistence that Jeryd is a lock. Roman bursts out laughing at Shiv’s insistence that their late father, Logan, would let the election process unfold. Shiv tries to dissuade Kendall from calling Nate, but Kendall ends up making the call instead. His expression drops as he looks at Shiv, perplexed. The two have a confrontation in which he accuses Shiv of lying and informs Roman that Shiv is also in league with Matsson. She denies it, but Roman and Kendall are nonetheless persuaded to hand Mencken the election. Shiv begs them to reconsider. However, Roman retorts. Despite Shiv’s warnings, Roman gives Tom orders to call the election in favor of Mencken. The news is broadcast live on ATN, and an elated Mencken delivers a victory speech in which he promises to bring purity to this dirty land. While competing news networks are blaming Tom for ending the race too soon, he phones Roman to express his gratitude to him for helping him cross the finish line. Matsson contacts Shiv, confused by Mencken’s victory, and she assures him that everything will be well. When Kendall requests to see the kiddies on the way to their home, Rava informs him they’re already in bed. But tomorrow, at Logan’s burial, he’ll see her again. Some folks just can’t cut a deal, he mutters to his driver when he hangs up.
