We're at the movies again as Gabi and Brendan discuss each of the nominees for Best Picture at the upcoming Academy Awards, whether any of these films are any good, and what they say about the particular present anxieties of the American movie

Succession, Ranked

Jan 19th, 2024 2h 40m

Brendan, Gabi, and producer Dan reunite for a retrospective look at the complete run of Succession by attempting to rank every episode of the series. Discussion also covers the cast and crew's final tour of the awards circuit, the publication o

Succession 4.10, "With Open Eyes" (Series Finale) with Adam Nayman

Jun 2nd, 2023 2h 8m

In the Succession series finale, "With Open Eyes", the closed-loop system begins another revolution as the Roys lose Waystar for good. Critic and author Adam Nayman returns to the RoyCast to discuss the anxieties and potential pitfalls of this

Succession 4.9, "Church and State" with Vikram Murthi

May 26th, 2023 2h 5m

At Logan’s funeral mass, Kendall and Shiv eulogize their father while rallying their forces, and Roman goes to pieces. Number one boy Vikram Murthi returns to the RoyCast to talk about “Church and State” as a classic penultimate episode, the sh

Succession 4.8, "America Decides"

May 19th, 2023 1h 48m

It's election night in "America Decides", where the Roy family tragedy spills over into a national catastrophe of their own making. Brendan and Gabi sit down for a solo discussion that dives deep into the road to this inevitable outcome, the ep

Succession 4.7, "Tailgate Party" with Madeleine Wall

May 12th, 2023 1h 54m

At the Roys' pre-election party, the simmering tension between Shiv and Tom finally boils over. Critic and programmer Madeleine Wall returns to discuss the staging and writing of that climactic blowup, the paths leading both Shiv and Tom to fin

Succession 4.6, "Living+" with Danny Bowes

May 5th, 2023 1h 46m

Kendall's ambitions take flight as the Waystar team preps for a Hollywood investor presentation in "Living+". Returning guest Danny Bowes joins the RoyCast to discuss the episode's grim central conceit, its larger social and political implicati

Succession 4.5, "Kill List" with Charles Bramesco

Apr 28th, 2023 1h 38m

The Roys are off to bleed the Swede in "Kill List", where newly minted CE-bros Kendall and Roman face new developments in rival Lukas Matsson's bid to acquire Waystar. Critic and author Charles Bramesco joins the RoyCast to help work through th

Succession 4.4, "Honeymoon States" with Megan Abbott

Apr 21st, 2023 1h 55m

The Roy family gathers with Waystar colleagues and assorted hangers-on for a wake at Logan's home, where an ambiguous pencil stroke complicates their search for an interim CEO. Novelist, TV writer and showrunner Megan Abbott joins the RoyCast t

Succession 4.3, "Connor's Wedding" with Maddie Whittle

Apr 13th, 2023 1h 45m

In “Connor’s Wedding”, Logan disrupts yet another blessed family event by unexpectedly passing away on his flight to Stockholm. Critic and programmer Maddie Whittle joins the RoyCast to break down the shocking yet mundane execution of this endg

Succession 4.2, "Rehearsal" with John Semley

Apr 7th, 2023 1h 46m

In “Rehearsal”, Succession’s final season begins to take shape as old habits die hard. John Semley joins the RoyCast to discuss the episode’s theme of regression, insularity versus circularity, the cable news landscape, new wrinkles in the Gojo

Succession 4.1, "The Munsters" with Marie Bertonneau

Mar 31st, 2023 1h 56m

In Succession's final season premiere, a merger-of-the-week plays out in sunny California with dark clouds on the horizon. Marie Bertonneau returns to the RoyCast to discuss Logan's troubling state of mind, Catholic perspectives on sin and rede

Bonus — Armageddon Time (2022), with Alex Sherman

Mar 3rd, 2023 1h 52m

Filmmaker and film production professor Alex Sherman joins Brendan for a discussion of the 2022 film Armageddon Time, starring Jeremy Strong, Anne Hathaway, Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Chastain, John Diehl, Banks Repeta, and Jaylin Webb. Before ge

Emergency — The End of "Succession" Is Near

Feb 26th, 2023 40m 14s

The RoyCast reacts to Jesse Armstrong's unexpected announcement that Succession will end with its upcoming fourth season. Topics include: the five stages of grief, the dashed hopes for a fifth season, creative decisions, what we'll miss most, s

Bonus - 2022 Year In Review

Jan 13th, 2023 1h 49m

Brendan and Gabi reunite to discuss Succession at the 2022 Emmys, speculation about the upcoming season, a recent trend in commentary about the show and other media that depict the super-wealthy, as well as our favorite films and television of

Bonus — The Righteous Gemstones, with Marie Bertonneau (Part 2)

Aug 5th, 2022 1h 19m

In the second half of an epic recording, Brendan, Gabi, and guest Marie Bertonneau take a long view of the doctrinal, social, and political contexts surrounding The Righteous Gemstones, whether it represents a softening of its creators' earlier

Bonus — Danny McBride's America, with Marie Bertonneau (The Righteous Gemstones, Part 1)

Jul 29th, 2022 1h 22m

For the first installment of a two-part episode covering HBO's The Righteous Gemstones, Brendan, Gabi, and guest Marie Bertonneau take a deep dive into the history of collaboration between multihyphenate creators Danny McBride, Jody Hill, and D

Bonus — The Game (1997), with Adam Nayman

Mar 25th, 2022 1h 45m

For the first installment in a series exploring works that make up the creative DNA of Succession, critic and author Adam Nayman joins Brendan to discuss The Game, the 1997 conspiracy thriller directed by David Fincher starring Michael Douglas,

Postseason

Mar 24th, 2022 1h 18m

From a chat recorded on March 7th, Brendan and Gabi reunite for a loose, hangout style episode to share some news about the podcast, discuss season 3 with the benefit of a few months’ hindsight, and share wildly outdated thoughts about the awar

Succession 3.9, "All the Bells Say" with Isaac Butler

1 Dec 17th, 2021 2h 8m

Dominoes fall in the Succession season finale, and "All the Bells Say": too late. Isaac Butler returns to the RoyCast for a spirited debate about the third season's flaws and virtues, as well as to weigh in with some expert commentary on the re

Succession 3.8, "Chiantishire" with Anna Golez

1 Dec 10th, 2021 1h 50m

In another of Succession's trademark bad vacations, "Chiantishire" moves the season's plot, and maybe Kendall, towards an endgame. Anna Golez joins the Fly Guys to discuss the direction of Mark Mylod, new Nicholas Britell cues, the season's the

Succession 3.7, "Too Much Birthday" with Madeleine Wall

1 Dec 3rd, 2021 1h 46m

At Ken's maximalist 40th birthday party, the Waystar team celebrates a sudden release from consequences while Ken looks for a resolution of his own. Film programmer and critic Madeleine Wall joins the RoyCast to discuss some of the episode's ex

Succession 3.6, "What It Takes" with Jeremy Mongeau

1 Nov 26th, 2021 1h 40m

With returning guest Jeremy Mongeau, the Fly Guys wade into the swamp and try to dispel some of the very bad vibes emanating from “What It Takes”. Topics include: the show’s approach to the U.S. political system, the limits of triangulation, Ju

Succession 3.5, "Retired Janitors of Idaho" with Emily VanDerWerff

1 Nov 19th, 2021 1h 29m

At the much-anticipated Waystar shareholder meeting, "Retired Janitors of Idaho" finds the cast of Succession in a madcap scramble as they try to salvage a last-minute settlement with Sandy and Stewy while dealing with an incapacitated Logan. E

Succession 3.4, "Lion in the Meadow" with Vikram Murthi

1 Nov 12th, 2021 1h 49m

A deceptively quiet episode that sets the stage for the looming shareholder meet, "Lion in the Meadow" reunites Kendall and Logan for a critical encounter at the island estate of major shareholder Josh Aaronson (Adrien Brody). Film and televisi