'Succession': Season 3 Finale Inspired by Shiv Roy's Acting, Director Says

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains spoilers for the season three finale of ‘Succession.’ If you read ahead and get your panties in a twist about the series being spoiled despite this warning, you, to paraphrase Gerri, are a disgusting little pig. You're pathetic. You're a revolting little worm. 

It may have taken three seasons, a terrible rap with the line “squiggle on the decks, Kenny on the rhymes/And Logan big ballin' on Hampton's time,” as well as one really convincing fan-made rom-com trailer re-editing the series to be a steamy love story between Tom Wambsgans and Cousin Greg, but it seems Succession finally had its ‘Red Wedding’ moment. Yep, on Sunday night, the HBO drama capped off its third season with a corporate bloodbath, a tense installment centering around a ragtag team comprised of patriarch Logan Roy (a.k.a the dude everyone is looking to secede on Succession), his ex-wife, and Tom working together to sell Waystar Royco to tech company GoJo, a move that would all but ensure that none of the Roy kids woukd ever take their father's place as head of the media giant. 

Yet amid the episode's many twists and turns, including Connor Roy losing his shit over being the oldest sibling, Kendall Roy losing his shit over crashing a waiter's car and killing him at Shiv's wedding several seasons back, and finally, Roman Roy losing his shit over realizing that even after all they'd been through together -- namely getting into some bathroom-door debauchery and having some insult-filled phone sex – Waystar Royco's acting CEO Gerri Kellman is still out for her own interests above all else, one performance truly stood out. No, not Shiv Roy's form-fitting white dress,  – although in all fairness, it deserves an Emmy nod – if not a win – for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series  – but rather, her menacing glare upon realizing Tom, her (probably soon-to-be-former) husband/ corporate simp, royally f--ked her over in pursuit of a higher ranking on the Waystar Royco food chain. 

Yet Shiv's already-iconic moment of quiet, seething rage upon learning her husband had essentially just rolled up to the ring, folding chair in hand, ready to absolute whoop her and her brothers' asses, as Twitter user @fishshouldvote aptly described it, wasn't originally designed to cap off Succession's third season. Instead, it was seemingly inspired by the performance of actress Sarah Snook, who plays the media heiress. 

“For a long time I couldn’t find the ending, and then we did a take where we gave Sarah’s character time to process that moment,'" recalled producer Mark Mylod, who also directed the season's ultimate installment. “And when Tom walked over and said ‘you okay?’, despite that absolutely extraordinary betrayal, she put a game face on and said 'yep,'" he continued, citing the character's signature composure. "And because it was such a perfect kind of Succession moment that she would still somehow find the strength to put that Teflon coat on and be in denial of that pain was so powerful to me that I knew we had the end of the season.”

So, folks, here's to Succession – I guess I'll see you all in two years for season four!

Top Image: HBO

For more internet nonsense, follow Carly on Instagram @HuntressThompson_ on TikTok as @HuntressThompson_, and on Twitter @TennesAnyone.