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'Succession' S3 Is Finally Out, So Here's A Recap On What You Need To Know

Photo credit: Theo Wargo - Getty Images
Photo credit: Theo Wargo - Getty Images

Succession season three is finally here and, from the sounds of it, fans are in for a right treat.

Much like the show's habit of upending its plot with every season finale, following the 2020 coronavirus outbreak, production on the TV show suffered from disruptions to its filming schedule. However the show has now returned for season three, led by British author, screenwriter and Peep Show creator Jesse Armstrong.

The show, which toes the line between dark drama and hilariously black satire, follows the misadventures of the Roy family after the family patriarch and billionaire media mogul, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), experiences a decline in health.

Throughout the two series so far, his four children – Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Siobhan (Sarah Snook) – spend their days engaging in various backstabbing measures in a bid to become the head of the family's global media empire - and that's just the headline plot.

Photo credit: Sky - HBO
Photo credit: Sky - HBO

For any fans still reeling from the fallout from the show's explosive end to season two, fear not as the third season is almost out, with new actors too. Prior to the show's release the Guardian gave it a five-star rating, describing it as 'glorious and furious as ever'.

Here's everything you need to know about Succession season three:

Succession season 3 release date: When will it air?

Season one aired in June 2018, with season two following in August 2019, airing on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.

However as season three was hit by production delays due to the pandemic, which has wreaked havoc across both the TV and movie sector, the first teaser of the shows return came via a HBO Max trailer, which includes Succession among the shows set to air before 2022.

On October 5 HBO Max shared a teaser from the upcoming season on Twitter. The clip shows Kendall Roy leaving his bombshell of a press conference and getting into the car with cousin Greg to start the 'revolution'.

HBO also confirmed in the show would be coming to our screens on October 17. And yes, that means episode one is finally out!

How did the pandemic affect filming of Succession season 3?

According to HBO's chief content officer, Casey Bloys, although filming was completed, there were concerns how it would pan out.

'It's also worth considering how much of the show might need to be shot abroad and the restrictions that would then come into place with quarantining as vaccines are rolled out,' they said.

Bloys explained to Deadline: 'Season two took us to Dundee, Scotland and Korčula, Croatia for dramatic backdrops to the mounting drama', but with Succession season three it was believed production would stay closer to home.

Photo credit: Sky - HBO
Photo credit: Sky - HBO

In his comments to the outlet, Bloys revealed that the original plan was to shoot the show in Los Angeles.

'At one point, we thought we should shoot Succession in Los Angeles because Los Angeles looked like, at the time, a safer place to shoot than New York, then Los Angles looked really bad and New York looked better in comparison,' he said.

What will the Succession's season 3 plot be?

Season three of Succession's plot is set to follow on from the plot twist at the end of season two.

Note: Spoilers below for season two

Strong told The Times in October last year: 'Last season everything was in such a minor key, and held inside in a silent anguish that had to be sustained for six months. There was a sense of powerlessness that [my] character had.

'The Houdini magic trick at the very end allowed me to make that reversal, and suddenly I found my power. The pilot light that had been nearly extinguished came roaring back.'

He added: 'I feel like the energy of it will be more expansive and empowered.'

Photo credit: Dimitrios Kambouris - Getty Images
Photo credit: Dimitrios Kambouris - Getty Images

Succession is notoriously known for it innovative plot journeys that even the most attentive fans struggle to pin down, so it's hard to predict what form season three will take. However, it goes without saying that Kendall's actions in the season two finale - exposing Logan and the company for what they are during a televised press conference - will play a central role in season three.

Fans will recall that at the end of season two Kendall was supposed to take the fall for the toxic culture bubbling away at Roy HQ, but he threw his dad under the bus instead. Did he have a helping hand from cousin Greg, who kept hold of those damning papers he and Tom had set out to destroy? Who knows?

Photo credit: Sky - HBO
Photo credit: Sky - HBO

Creator Armstrong, spoke about this cliff hanger in an interview for Vulture in October 2019, noting: 'I'm happy to leave it for people to decide,' Armstrong told the outlet 'Me and Nic [Braun] and Jeremy [Strong] discuss this kind of stuff and they're happy with the advantage we have.

'I think it's fun for people to make their own decisions about precisely where those agreements and decisions are made. There's enough in the episode that would lead you to make some assumptions.'

Who makes up the Succession season 3 cast?

Photo credit: Kevin Winter - Getty Images
Photo credit: Kevin Winter - Getty Images

So, as to be expected, the shows leads - Brian Cox (Logan), Jeremy Strong (Kendall), Sarah Snook (Shiv), Kieran Culkin (Roman), Alan Ruck (Connor), Matthew Macfadyen (Tom) and Nicholas Braun (Cousin Greg) - are returning for the third season.

Speaking ahead of the third season's release Cox told E! News about his character: 'In the heat of it, you're pissed off. The sense of betrayal is powerful but the other part of you is, "Oh he did a thing, let's see what happens",' Cox explained.

Of his on-set children he noted: 'They want responsibility but they're not capable of it. They haven't got the skills, they haven't got the power.'

Meanwhile Snook said of Shiv: 'I don't think she's really been a person who's comfortable with vulnerability in her life and now she's found Tom and, for the first time, she is comfortable being vulnerable. But it's exhausting—she's not used to it.'

Speaking about her character's siblings in the show she noted: 'I think this season we'll see them think or presume they're working together but obviously growing farther apart. It's a real well of conflict and interesting emotional relationships between Tom and Shiv.'

Three new faces are set to join the Succession fold:

  • Sanaa Lathan will play Lisa Arthur, a high-profile lawyer from New York from big connections.

  • Linda Emond will play Michelle-Anne Vanderhoven, a senior White House aide.

  • Jihae will play Berry Schneider, a top public relations consultant.

On May 4, 2021 HBO also announced that actor Alexander Skarsgård would feature in the third season. Skarsgård will play Lukas Matsson, who is described as a successful, confrontational tech founder and CEO.

Days later and another big-name actor was announced in the form of Oscar winner Adrian Brody. According to Deadline, the actor - who demonstrating his passion for British-led drama scripts, also had a guest role in Peaky Blinders - will portray Josh Aaronson, 'a billionaire activist investor who becomes pivotal in the battle for the ownership of Waystar'.

Will there be a season four of Succession?

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but it's highly likely there will be a fourth season given the series' success.

The show won Outstanding Drama series at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards in 2020, which marked the third year in a row that a HBO series scooped the prize (following two wins for Game of Thrones).

Is there a trailer for Succession season 3?

Yes, view it above.

Succession season three is available to stream with a NOW Entertainment Membership from October 18.

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