#Kendall and Roman consulting with each other

[loveandthings11]

Optimistic and sober Kendall, focused and confident Roman, connected and open Shiv, I love them together so much 🥹

[lungthief]

not even bothering to ask on anon bc this is my calling card but I am DESPERATE to know your shivlisa headcanons

HI im so sorry it took me so long to respond to this ask, i promise i wasn’t ignoring it, i just have a long ass backstory framework i wrote for them lmao, here it is:

- shiv & lisa meet while shiv is in undergrad at yale and lisa is completing her law degree (and TAing one of shiv’s classes probably)

- start to hang out outside of class

- definitely friends, probably mutually attracted to each other at this point (i cant decide whether or not itd make more sense for them to start hooking up while still in college or if they wait until after when theyve reconnected) (shivs definitely at least Aware of the fact that she likes girls if she’s not already fucking them) (i feel like her brothers’ own dabbling in gay shit made her avoid confronting her feelings as much as possible bc she saw the consequences firsthand w/ what happened to roman and probably kendall also) (she’s so determined to not be the fuckup) (but the problem is that she is Very Much attracted to women) (maybe it’s a lady Gaga poker face moment where she goes out and fucks guys and thinks of girls while doing it)

- lisa graduates, goes to DC—shiv is still studying polisci but doesn’t really know what she wants to do

- all she knows is it makes her feel better to at least pretend to care about people and it makes staying out of the business look like her own choice instead of her dad and her brothers actively freezing her out

- shiv graduates, leans toward the left

- this sparks a big argument with her dad re: ATN or politics or something (probably ends up getting belittled by him & her brothers), which makes her decide to fully pursue being a political consultant for dems

- reconnects with lisa while trying to surround herself w/ libs in DC

- she & lisa start hooking up (despite the fact that lisa has a boyfriend) (i imagine this is also around the time kendall introduces shiv to nate so thats happening also)

- neither lisa nor shiv really acknowledge the whole Feelings part of their thing but it is definitely there (more so for shiv than for lisa, which shiv hates bc she hates caring about other people more than they care about her) (she’s Shiv Fucking Roy everyone should be worshipping her)

- meanwhile logan is still pissed at shiv for everything

- things are also not going well with nate, he either suspects or knows she’s cheating on him but she breaks up with him first to get out in front of it (he worships her but he’s also on her level which makes him dangerous anyway she’d rather just have a boyfriend who doesn’t challenge her like that) (she’s also just devoting so much of her time and energy to trying to figure out where she stands with lisa)

- lisa starts talking about getting engaged to the guy she’s seeing, tells shiv they have to break off their thing

- shiv is Heartbroken and jealous but won’t admit it

- she also has no one to fall back on bc she already broke things off with Nate

- so then lets it slip to someone that lisa fucks women (i don’t think she’d talk about their recent relationship, i think shiv would off-handedly allude to them having a relationship in college even if they didn’t “how do you know” “we went to college together. i know from experience” etc etc even if shes completely lying her ass off. this angle looks especially bad for lisa bc the whole TA/student thing)

- lisa’s boyfriend? fiance? catches wind of this, breaks up with lisa over the rumors

- lisa goes to shiv for comfort but shiv is super blasé abt the whole thing bc part of her wanted this to happen

- lisa gets suspicious of how this info even got out and shiv tries to just play it off as DC gossip but then (because shes in love with lisa still a little and wants to believe lisa loves her) is like “well. it’s already out there why not continue this we dont have to say that we’re dating or anything we can just. yknow. stay together” basically proposing they have an actual formal relationship even if it’s not public

- lisa is fucking pissed bc a) shiv just fucked up what was supposed to be Her Marriage and b) is like “is this some fucking ploy to get at your dad???” bc obviously shiv roy daughter of conservative media empire even just rumored to be dating a prominent Black female dem lawyer would be a Big fuck you to logan (i doubt shiv even really considered this angle bc she’s so involved in her own jealousy and feelings for Lisa) and it is a move that would also endear her to the dems and get her more important jobs (which is the whole reason she sought out lisa in dc in the first place even if not the Entire reason)

- shiv has no idea how to even respond to this she did not realize the consequences

- Lisa (rightfully!) tells her off about how she’s self involved and hypocritical for trying to appear empathetic when she doesn’t even think to consider the extent to which shiv’s pettiness would affect lisa as a woman and as a POC in the professional world and how even just associating with shiv makes her look and feel bad because shiv is heir to The Misogynistic Racism Factory

- Shiv Knows She Fucked Up Real Bad and attempts to explain that she did it all bc she loves lisa and she was jealous and lisa is like you are fucking delusional!!!! the two of us together would never work out even if we wanted it to (bc i do think there is part of lisa under all of the pragmatism that would want it to work out) and shiv is a mess at this point bc she hates feeling naive and lisa is basically confirming that she never was as In It as shiv was

- Shiv (miserable) is probably like “im sorry im sorry I’ll take care of it I’ll get PR to deal with it i just don’t want to lose you please let’s be friends let’s just put this all behind us okay” and lisa is like no actually I want nothing to fucking do with you you made a big fucking mess and now i have to clean it up

- And this whole fight and cutting lisa off is what Shiv becoming the mess that she and Tom reference later on and what eventually leads her to dating him

[lewyn-martell]

I read your tags on Shiv & Ken’s relationship and I was like FINALLY someone who gets it.

The whole Argestes episode: Ken and Shiv offering Logan opposite strategies and Logan choosing Ken’s (which was wrong, didn’t delay the article’s publication and killed the Pierce deal), Ken and Shiv refuting each other ON STAGE, Shiv’s offhand joke at Ken’s expense that made Nan Pierce smile, Ken egging Logan on about Shiv’s “dinosaur cull”.

How Logan, Ken, and Connor knew the scale of the cruise scandal and the “I’ve killed bigger” by Ken and the “Not in the last five years” by Shiv, how Ken and Roman made fun of Shiv with Rhea and then later sided with Shiv to fuck Rhea over TWICE: first with the Rose toast and then with the party thing (everyone knew Logan hated parties). This effectively gave Logan the push to consult Shiv’s opinion on Rhea.

Then in season 3, Ken calling Shiv to get her on his side after going head to head with her in season 2…it really is believing your biggest competitor for the CEO position was taken out by your move. The entire hour of episode 2 that was Ken talking nonsense, revealing his and Connor’s extensive knowledge of the sex crimes committed by the executives, and Shiv discreetly proposing to Connor and Roman what Ken was asking them to do, getting them to agree that this wouldn’t get out of the room.

Then when everyone walked, Ken only cared about why Shiv rejected his offer, despite not caring when Rava and Stewy implied he wouldn’t be able to do it (I.e. kill his father). Ken knows he only needs Shiv at this point, and the urgency of the matter triumphed over what his own lawyer wanted to speak to him about.

Their relationship makes me INSANE. Them agreeing that Roman’s reaction to Shiv’s banter was unwarranted, their partner (Rava / Tom) distancing from them because she / he couldn’t understand why they want the power they were promised and why they were willing to do anything to get it, their partner suffering from a habit they couldn’t quit (cocaine / sleeping around)…how Shiv couldn’t look Ken in the eye in the last episode of season 2 and how Ken pretended the entire betrayal / “I would just ask that you take care of me” thing never happened and that they started on a clean slate in S3 E1.

The writers get the show SO RIGHT and I owe my life to them for the writing so far

YOU ARE LITERALLY MY MOST FAVORITE PERSON RN, you cannot believe how much I feel for them and how, the more I think about it, the more I figure more stuff out about them together (that allows me to figure out about them apart, too) and how much more they work as characters when contrasted with one another (I hadn't even thought about the similarities in regards to their marriages before; that's how much they keep on giving, and thank you so much for pointing that out!!).

It's something that really started boiling on season 2, but when you look back to season 1, there is also a nice anti-parallel going on in which Ken is the most involved with the company and the promised successor and Shiv is the one who's on the outside the most (except for Connor, which is not even counted, poor man, but unlike Connor, Shiv wants to be involved). But then Kendall grows more and more into the position of wanting to screw their dad and Shiv was feeling more and more bothered by being left out and started slowly but surely on the path of being integrated in her dad's circle again. I think it's palpable how they are both number one kids, and how high they're willing to play because of that position.

And god, season 2 was absolutely amazing on the KenShiv front. It was when I started seeing how similar they are in their daddy issues and how their different personalities make them react to the highs and lows of being Logan's kids (like, Kendall gets jerked around, Shiv refuses to cave. Kendall mimicks Logan for Logan's sake, Shiv lets herself act like him to go against him and establish her own power. Kendall's got the experience, Shiv's got the guts and the rebel kid streak. Kendall is being unmade, Shiv is being made. Do they want to stay where they are or do they also want what the other has?? What is better, to have dad's ear or to have dad's blessing??)

Now that one is decidely low on the list, but seemingly emotionally close with dad (as far as Shiv and Roman can see, they got a little secret and is strangely in his favor even after what he did) and the other is the so-called promised Successor, their positions get somewhat reversed and you can see them clash in all their glory of confused, upside-down roles in really murky waters and literally EVERY interaction is a treasure. ALL of the ones you mentioned and also Safe Room, their whole deal of 'who's exactly closer now?' and the Rhea talk (not to mention that ending) is something I'll never be able to forget because it also makes me go NUTS.

And I mean, even the little moments between them. In season 1, when Shiv ran to Kendall because Marcia wasn't letting her see dad and he was neck deep in that debt problem, but she only had to make puppy eyes at him for his big brother instinct to rise. Their hug in Safe Room, when, in the minute she realized Rhea screwed her over, she called to tell him to be careful, their moment in 3.02 after Roman left the room and Connor went after him, the document prank, even their insults are amazing "Have you been spooked by fucking donuts? That's pathetic, Shiv" "Fuck you, plastic Jesus", and the way he was like "you owe me an explanation!!" when she sided with dad because he was so sure he could get her and that she wanted it.

I'll never stop being insane about it and this message was a gift for me, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me, god knows I was going crazy thinking about them mostly alone bsvshsvhs

[tomwambsmilk]

gobble gobble for the wip post!

Gobble Gobble!!! I'm SO glad you asked about Gobble Gobble, liam, because that is my TomGerri thanksgiving fic and I am VERY attached to it <3

I don't want to give too much away with this one, but the basic premise is - Logan has died, Gerri is chair of the board, Tom is CEO, and Tom and Gerri are in what is more or less a relationship of convenience. Its the first Thanksgiving after Logan's death, and all the Roy siblings end up crashing their apartment, in part because they don't know where else to go, and in part because they've subconsciously transferred their mommy and daddy issues onto Tom and Gerri now that they're running things. Greg, Roman, and Shiv, are all trying to break them up - Greg is jealous of Gerri, Roman is jealous of Tom, and Shiv just strongly dislikes the idea of her ex-husband getting together with her godmother. Greg and Shiv both show up with dates that they think will make Tom jealous - Shiv shows up with a hot young physical trainer that she hopes will make Tom feel inadequate, and Greg shows up with Tim, a management consultant with an MBA from Cornell who looks like a young Colin Firth. (Tom and Tim hit it off immediately). Kendall shows up intending to start shit with Tom, but is so deeply amused by Operation End TomGerri that he forgets about his beef with Tom altogether. Connor is utterly oblivious to what's going on and has an overall lovely time.

Three snippets for this one - two from the beginning and one from towards the end - because I love it so much and I've been working on it forever:

“They’re good pies,” Gerri responded absentmindedly, crossing to the coffee maker on the other side of the kitchen to pour herself a mug. 

“Well, thank you. But it is just the two of us.”

“Uh-huh.” Gerri didn’t look up from the mug she was adding sugar to. Tom moved back towards the oven, crouching down to glance through the door.

“That’s… a big turkey.”

“Uh-huh,” Gerri said again, turning back towards Tom and leaning against the counter. 

Tom straightened up to look at her, arching an eyebrow. “...It is just the two of us, right?”

Gerri took a long drink before saying, “Well, I didn’t invite anyone else. Did you invite anyone else?”

“No. Of course not. Because, as I recall, we’ve spent a decent amount of time talking about how nice it’ll be to have a quiet, adult Thanksgiving, with just the two of us.” Tom crossed his arms and gave Gerri a querying look. 

“Right. Okay. So - no, we’re not expecting anyone else.” She took another drink. “...I do think, though, that it pays to be prepared.”

“Uh-huh.” Gerri was a far better liar than he was, but they’d been sleeping together long enough that Tom knew when something was off. “Prepared for… what, the entirety of the Waystar board to drop by? Because I think we could probably feed them with all this.”

“Well, just… prepared for anything, you know?” Gerri crossed behind him into the living room, patting his arm as she went by. “This is why you should’ve joined the Boy Scouts, Tom.”    

***************

When Tom came back into the living room, wine and beer in hand, Shiv seemed to be deep in the story of how she and Jackson met.

“... So yeah, we’d see each other pretty regularly that way. He helped me tone my calves.”

Tom frowned before he could catch himself, and Shiv quickly added, “Jackson’s a personal trainer.”

“Oh.” That explained the ungodly musculature. He handed them their drinks, and then perched on Gerri’s armrest and draped an arm around her shoulders.  

Shiv blinked when he did that - just a little blink, the kind of thing that would look normal to someone you hadn’t been married to. Then, suddenly, like it was something that had been on her to-do list but she had forgotten to check off, she slid six inches towards Jackson to close the gap between them and wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning into him. He looked surprised, but just wrapped an arm around her in response (and Tom also saw Shiv’s tell-tale twitch when he did it, the discomfort with PDA that had never really abated).  

“So yeah, we’ve been having a lot of fun together. It’s really been great, what with - you know, Jackson’s just got that… youthful stamina, I guess,” she said, with a little smirk, and Tom would’ve had to be excessively stupid not to catch the little dig at his own age and stamina. 

*******************

“Of course.” Tom placed a hand on Greg’s shoulder, and this time, Greg didn't stiffen. They stayed like that for a beat. Tom glanced at Greg, his head still bowed, his face still miserable. He felt something twist in him a bit. What an awful night for Greg. A thought popped into his head, against his better judgment. Should he? No, that would be fucking insane. Still. He knew exactly what Greg had been trying to do, and in for a penny, in for a pound, so:

“You want me to jerk you off, Greg?”

The way Greg jumped and spluttered was itself reward enough for that decision. It was endearing, really, the shocked ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ routine.

“What the fuck, Tom?”

Tom shrugged. “I’m serious. And you’ve had kind of a shitty night, so.”

Greg’s eyes were darting everywhere but at Tom. “What- Tom- I- That’s-”  Tom could've put him out of his misery, but it was infinitely more entertaining to watch him lose his mind. “Fucking what, man?” 

“Gerri and I aren’t exclusive.” Tom threw it out there casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“I’m sorry, what?” Greg went from looking everywhere but at him to staring Tom directly in the eye, slack-jawed. “You- you’re- you’re engaged, dude.”

“Uh-huh. For financial reasons, mostly. Better tax rates and all that. Plus, in the event that some of Waystar’s more… unsavoury history comes out, a husband and wife can’t be compelled to testify against each other, so it seemed like a good strategic move.” 

“Holy shit… what? So you guys are just… you’re not like…” Greg opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish while trying to finish his sentence. “You’re not like… together-together?”

“Don’t be so binary, Greg. You can marry someone for tax reasons and still have great sex with them.” 

“Eugh,” Greg groaned and looks back out at the city skyline. “I don’t - I don’t want to hear about that.” 

Tom shrugs. “Suit yourself. The offer still stands, though. If you want to get off.”

Greg’s jaw clenched at that. “Yeah, I’m not really interested in being some third wheel to whatever fucked-up arrangement you and Gerri have.” 

“Okay. Okay. Let me start again.” Tom takes a deep breath. “I know what you were trying to do tonight Greg.” 

It shouldn’t have been possible, but Greg clenched his jaw even harder. Tom plowed forward anyways. 

“Seriously. First off - Tim, Greg? With an MBA from Cornell? You couldn’t have been more obvious if you painted it on your forehead.” Tom chuckled to himself. “You and your dad really do have similar taste, I guess.” 

“Tom-”

“Sorry, I know, I said I wouldn’t. Sorry. The point is -” Tom had to pause there. What did he want, exactly? 

Against all odds, he was actually happy with his arrangement with Gerri. She was a comfortable housemate, the strategy was good, and the sex was great. He figured he could probably live like that until one of them died and be perfectly satisfied. 

But.

He wouldn't go so far as to say he was in love with Greg. “In love” was one of those phrases you didn't throw around lightly. “In love” had all sorts of connotations that Tom wasn't sure he could apply to his relationship with Greg. But he did love Greg. In some way, on some level, this stupid kid meant the world to him, even though he’d been terrible at showing it. 

[ibelieveinharrystyles]

Chapter Four: Little One

Forever? Masterlist

I hope you are enjoying the series so far! this part is a little bit shorter than the others :)

“I’ve done something really stupid.”

“That’s not like you Styles.” Ashley replied, chucking another tube of pringles into her trolley, part of the many essentials she had been sent out to get for the office, “You haven’t gone back to Kendall again have you?” 

“No, it’s not that,” Harry sighed.

“”Well then what is it?” she asked, grabbing several bags of chocolate off of the top shelf.

“I don’t think I can tell you over the phone.”

“It can’t be that bad H, I’m the queen of doing stupid things, I got pregnant on a one night stand remember.” She reminded him.

“I’ll have to show you, can I meet you at work before the scan instead? that way we can drive and you don’t have to get the tube.” Ashley had asked Harry to come with her because if for some reason she was going to face receiving bad news, she couldn’t bear the thought of facing it alone.

“Fine! this better be good Harold.”

Carrying heavy bags of shopping up three flights of stairs was never exactly easy but being twenty two weeks pregnant, Ashley found it even more difficult, so luckily for her Roman was also returning at the same time as her, “I saw Harry the other day.” He told her as the two of them made their way to the little kitchen in the corner of the office.

“Oh yeah? How was he?” She asked, munching on a handful of chocolate buttons.

“He seemed happy, he couldn’t stop talking about you and the baby, he said he’s looking forward to being an uncle.” Roman told her, helping himself to some of Ashley’s chocolate buttons as they placed the carrier bags down on the counter.

“Trust me, I know, he keeps asking if I need anything, he’s coming to the scan later too.”

“He’s not the dad is he?” Roman asked.

“Fuck, no, that would be weird, we’ve known eachother for years, we’ve always looked out for each other, speaking of which, I better make a move, he’ll be here soon.” 

“Well I hope it goes well.” Roman smiled as she left the office.

“What’s with the hat?” Ashley asked as she climbed into Harry’s car, “that's what you couldn’t tell me over the phone isnt it?”

“Please don’t laugh.”

“I’m sure its fine Haz.” She pulled that hat off of Harry’s head, revealing his new, shorter haircut.

“It’s bad isn’t it?” Harry sighed.

“No, I like iit, besides you can’t play a world war two soldier looking like the Rapunzel of the music industry.” She replied.

“Anyway, how are you?” He asked, driving the car out of the car park and onto the main roads of London.

“I’m alright, work’s going well at the moment, I sent Matt a message about the baby, Niall gave  me his number, but he says he doesn’t want anything to do with me or the baby.” Ashley told him.

“Oh Ash, I’m so sorry, are you alright?” Harry asked, glancing towards Ashley as they stopped at the traffic lights.

“If anything I’m relieved, I didn’t want to have to fight him for custody.”

Ashley didn’t enjoy trips to the hospital, she had distinct memories of visiting them as a little girl when her dad was dying. The smell of hand sanitizer and the sound of various machines beeping reminded her of the weeks of her life she’d rather forget forever. “You okay?” Harry asked as they sat on the cold green plastic chairs of the waiting room, he knew exactly why Ashley was nervous, she had seen a lot of loss in hospitals and there was always a worry at the back of her mind that something could be wrong with the baby. Ashley felt bad for bringing Harry with her, he didn’t mind going, even with his dodgy beanie on she could tell people were looking at them both, recognising Harry and assuming that he was the father. 

“Ashley Hanson,” the midwife called, inviting her and Harry into the consultation room.

“How are you today lovely?” Deena, her midwife asked as Ashley hopped up on the bed. 

“Not bad, this one’s been moving about quite a bit,” she glanced over at Harry who stood awkwardly by the door, “You can sit down Harry, I’m sure Deena would rather you did to be honest.” He awkwardly shuffled over to the plastic stool beside the bed, “He’s the baby’s uncle, he’s new to all this.” Ashley explained.

“Well then shall we see how your little one’s getting one?” Deena asked, gesturing for Ashley to pull up her top to remove her perfectly round bump, after squeezing the cold gel onto it. Deena remained quiet for several seconds, the sort of quiet that increased Ashley’s anxiety. “I’m going to go and get Doctor Fitzgerald, I won’t be long.” Deena said before swiftly leaving the room.

“Why do they always do that? They know something’s wrong, but they don’t tell you what, it was the same with dad.” She began to tear up, thinking about the possibility of losing her baby.

“Hey, you can’t think like that,” Harry whispered, taking hold of her hand, and stroking her hair with his free one.

“Hi Ashley, I’m Doctor Fitzgerald, Deena has asked me to just check your scan, alright?” He explained as he made his way to the screen, “You were right Deena, Okay Ashley I don’t want you to be alarmed, your baby is a little bit smaller than we’d like it to be, what this means is that we will need to do scans more frequently, just to be sure everything’s developing as we’d like it to.” 

“So apart from that everything’s okay?” Ashley replied, her voice wavering due to nerves.

“As far as we can see, this shouldn’t lead to any further health complications, we just need to make sure baby gets as close to full term as possible. Now on a lighter note would you like to know what you’re having?” He asked.

“Yes please.” Ashley smiled.

“You’re having a little girl.” Dr Fitzgerald told her.

“A girl? Harry it’s a little girl.” she turned to her best friend who sat beside her, his eyes fixated on the screen, clutching Ashley’s hand in his.

“I’ll leave you to get cleaned up and then Deena will book you an appointment for two weeks time.” Dr Fitzgerald told her.

“What do you want to do now love?” Harry asked as the pair climbed back into his car.

“I’m scared H, I’m really scared.” She whispered, ignoring his question.

“Hey, love come here,” he turned to hold her hands in his, “You heard Dr Fitzgerald, she’s just a little bit smaller than usual, that doesn’t mean she won’t be healthy, you’ve got to stay strong for your sake and the baby’s alright?” he held her hands close to his lips kissing them softly, “I hate seeing you like this petal, is there anything I can do to make it better?” 

“I’m meeting your mum and Gem to go shopping in around two hours, so we can go for ice cream before that.” Ashley told him, cradling her bump.

“Do I get to come shopping?” He asked, fluttering his eyelashes to try and cheer her up.

“I’m not sure you’ll be of any use when it comes to breast pumps and maternity bras H.” She replied.

“Oh Ash you have no idea.”

Ashley and Harry found themselves at her favourite ice cream parlour, down a little street in Notting Hill. Ashley went for raspberry ripple, whilst Harry chose a pistachio ice cream, they found a table in the corner of the pastel decorated parlour, tucked away in a booth. “So when do you leave for filming?” 

“Next month, we’ll be in France for several months.” Harry explained.

“So you’ll have to meet the little lady when you get back.” 

“Or she might be so naturally tuned into the absence of her number one uncle that she waits for me to get back before she pops out.” Harry replied before Ashley took the spoon from her ice cream and wiped it across Harry’s face, shortly before he did the same. Any chance of their visit being kept under the radar was gone as the two of them laughed hysterically.

“Excuse me I’m really sorry to disturb you but could I get a picture please?” A teenage girl asked from beside their table, looking at the floor, clearly incredibly anxious.

“Of course!” Harry replied, wiping the ice cream from his face.

“I think I’ll head off H, I need to get to westfield.” Ashley told him.

“If you give me a couple of minutes I can drop you.” He insisted.

“Don’t be daft I’ll get the tube, it’ll be quicker that way anyway.” she assured him.

“Only if you’re sure.” he replied.

“Harry I’m twenty two weeks pregnant, I’m not about to keel over.” 

“Let me know you get there okay.” he wrapped an arm around her, kissing the top of her head before she disappeared into the busyness of central London.

“Hello love how are you?” Anne greeted Ashley as she arrived in mother care.

“I’m good, how are you both?” 

“We’re both well too, the train down from Holmes Chapel was a bit of a trek, your mum said to say hello.” Anne told her, “Anyway let’s get down to business, have you got a list?” 

“Yep.” Ashley replied, waving a piece of paper.

“So where do you want to start?” 

“In the girls section.” Ashley smiled.

“No way! congratulations!” Gemma huffed her, swaying her from side to side.

“I found out today, Harry came with me.” 

“That doesn’t surprise me.” Gemma replied as they browsed the shop, “He won’t stop going on about you and the baby, he’s taking being an uncle very seriously.” 

“I think he feels bad, Matt’s made it clear he doesn’t want anything to do with me or the baby, which doesn’t bother me, but Niall introduced me to him, so in some odd turn of events I think Harry blames himself.” 

“That’s Harry all over, he cares a lot about everyone.” Anne replied

“And that’s because he has such a wonderful mum like you to bring him up.”

[filmcave]

HBO’s Succession: TV or not TV

(Yes, there are spoilers in this)

This is a deviation vrom my stated purpose of this blog but without conventions there would only be a riot of non-conventional styles - which would in turn then be the convention.

I’ve already broken a maxim of my blog (no reviews) and now will be doubly at fault in reviewing a TV episode. Sacré bleu

Succession, season one episode seven - otherwise known as - Austerlitz was a virtuoso presentation. It was greek tragedy and Shakespearean drama all wrapped into one. It was a hologram of the history of a family, a Haiku and a stand alone “slice of life” movie at once. I haven’t seen this kind of high quality work on TV, behind and in front of the camera collaboration, since the early days of The Sopranos and the better days of Six Feet Under. SS1E7 might even surpass those.

Its not TV, its HBO in this instance is more than a catchy marketing line.

In SS1E7 we learn more about the characters, their relationships and dreams and fears than at any previous time. It was entirely captivating nearly start to finish. The characters really came to life because gone were the veils, deceptions, proxies and covers for the sublimated emotions that were hinted at in prior episodes.

We also have the pleasure to see the actors talents and the production skills, restrained and nuanced. At work is an incredible stylistic dynamic both the bold and raw set against a pastoral setting. A smoldering kindling on which a splash of psycho-therapy gasoline hogwash sets off a wild ride.

Logan, Marcia, Connor, Roman, Shiv and Kendall all have a new stage and unknown surroundings here in the middle of New Mexico - at Austerlitz, Connor���s newly renamed ranch. The familiar physical environment is no longer the polished steel city or lustrous posh of the Hamptons and we see how this new environs affects them. The environment is all highly symbolic but at the same time part of the natural aesthetic.

The dialogue is sparse but precise. The direction moves the story forward but doesn’t get in the way (There seemed to be far fewer annoying zoom jump cuts, for example). The dialogue was snappy, emotion filled, poetic and well balanced. The family joking and jostling ranging from mean and cutting to tender and toying.

What is most compelling and what elevates this simple TV episode to a higher level - nay a filmic level - is the extraordinary way it exists as a stand alone artistic entity while it fits in perfectly with the series narrative, arc and history. It advances the prior story lines yet could easily and satisfyingly be enjoyed as its own single entity,

What also helps this stand in stark relief are the fullness of the performances. We learn so much about each character and how they relate to each other. We see Logan railing, fuming, frustrated, patriarchal. Shiv - confused, frustrated, ambitious, Roman as lost, dismissed, sardonic, mean and desperate. Connor seeking solace and connection, peace and harmony, family unity and relationship building. Kendall as jilted, angry, posturing - and resentful. Deeply resentful.

This stew of these personalities are seasoned with the orbit of “satellite significant others” who play out their own personal turf battles. Tom Wamsgans, Marcia Roy and Willa

To this all we add in the “well known, highly respected, Harvard educated corporate therapist” Alon Parfit who does a fabulously good job of doing a fabulously terrible job. This performance by Griffin Dunne is understated, completely serious and comically perfect. He starts the session off with a ditty/limerick that is more stand up than kickstarter for insightful therapy.

While there are lots of rich and interesting moments in the “family unity event” but the one that really helps the wheels come off are when Logan, un-ironically states: Everything I have ever done, I’ve done in the best interest of my children.

It is one of the most stultifying and astonishing statements which no one but Logan believes is truthful. From here the kids start to figure out there is an alternative agenda. Pictures of everyone becomes pictures and interview (“its optional” says Logan) and as a fraudulent and deceptive connivance.

This whole vignette becomes a kind of “who’s afraid of Virginia Wolfe” for the whole family.

And then...things really start to unravel. Dr. Parfait (how symbolically perfect of a name) suggest they get into their “good bodies” and go for a swim and then everyone follows their genetic code. Shiv runs off to Santa Fe for a job interview as a political consultant,

Connor tries to corner Willa to kind of, sort of, maybe being together with him..in New Mexico, but no not maybe all the time - so she could be in New York, uh..and have an allowance,,,and uh, uh, uh...”we’d be together but in a different way”.

Roman hangs around for the photo op with Daddy (“sure, I give good cheek”) and Kendall (which just sounds so much to me like “Ken doll”) well, in addition to his aspiration of becoming a meth head decides he’s no wheres close to done with his failed palace coup in the boardroom.

But the pieces that really powers and accelerates this super charged race car of a family are the exceptional direction/cinematography/editing and Lucy Prebble’s script. Miguel Arteta‘s direction shows us what we need to see, how to see it and tells the visual story. Even simple moments like Kendall’s car rental and subsequent slide from sobriety at the bar tells us a lot about the character. There’s the aloof, voyeuristic distant camera shot and angle as he finishes up with the rental guy underscored with equally aloof and sarcastic throwaway lines:

Rental agent: “Its gassed up and ready to go. Big plans while you’re here?”

Kendall: “ Maybe. Patricide? Fratricide?”

In addition there is an incredible soundtrack that adds to the mood. Haunting, foreboding, lyrical, sad. The score too really adds to the flavor of this episode in a clear but subtle fashion.

The music and scoring is really complimentary to the entire aesthetic of Succession. Brilliantly done by Nicholas Britell (of Moonlight fame) it sets the mood for the soundtracks of the show episodes and the Roys family. As it should it adds to the storyline.

Its unfortunate that thus far the combo of Prebble and Arteta only collaborated in this one episode because their efforts truly reveal the inner lives of the story and characters versus the intriguing but more mundane soap opera like quality of most the other episodes. Prior to this episode the primary quality was a kind of prolonged exposition with the foreplay teaser of things to come. From SS1E1 through episode 6 each one ends with a kind of cliffhanger.

As I’ve already suggested even the non characters have meaning here. Austerlitz for example (Connor’s renamed house).

I had to look it up but was surprised and amused to learn it was the site of Napoleon’s greatest battle victory. According to Wikipedia:

also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of the most important and decisive engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. In what is widely regarded as the greatest victory achieved by Napoleon, the Grande Armée of France defeated a larger Russian and Austrian army led by Tsar Alexander I and Holy Roman Emperor Francis II

How perfect the symbol of a battle as foreshadowing for a family battle. That’s the historical part, even with echos of King Lear. The hysterical part is as Marcia and Willa explain:

Marcia: Austerlitz? Was this the name when you bought it?

Willa: Oh, it was racially insensitive, so he picked a new one.

Ha! How perfect, how prescient. They’re dropping hints before anyone’s even walked into the house (called a ranch but which is really an estate)

Its all brown, as Shiv puts it, but if you look a bit closer the accoutrements, nick-knacks and decorations are anything but vintage old world west. The furnishings, art work, ersatz homage to the history of the land, all “put together”. Very Pottery Barn meets Restoration hardware, meets Sam Shepard.

Connor, at this point the most self deluded of the bunch, even welcomes them by saying “Welcome to the real America”. How innocent and ignorant.

But Connor is an aspiring maven and bon vivant so he delights in his cursory knowledge of history.

So he doubles down as he proudly introduces everyone to his “humble” Abode and that the chapel next door dates to 1878. While he gives no context for the importance of 1878 (or his reason for mentioning it).

A bit of research seems to suggest this was an important period for New Mexico, commerce and local history. According to the National Park service and other online sources, this was the timeframe when the Santa Fe trail (the primary commercial route between Independence, MO and New Mexico) was being developed (possibly through hostile means) from “highway” to railroad way. The war with Mexico (over territory) had ended just thirty years earlier and the Republic of Texas had seceded from Mexico about a decade before (1836 Texas revolution). Again, signs of war, conflict, antagonism..could this be an over interpretation of a line of dialogue. Sure, but who goes to the length to not only name a house for Napoleon’s greatest victory but the entire episode and stop with the clues there?

Theres so much layering of elements in this episode, its hard to pick what to highlight.

However I am also drawn to another unique interplay of moments. There are two occasions when Shiv, beginning to sow her seeds, compares her father to the earthly elements of Fire and Water. At one point exclaiming in reference to the chapel: “do you think he can cross the threshold or will he spontaneously combust? And later explains why her father won’t take a dip in the pool, “he doesn’t even trust water..its too wishy washy”. But in the end we see the ramifications and scars from the encounters...

Shiv is brought to tears

Kendall climbs a mountain to gain perspective and snort some drugs

Connor realizes his illusion of family unity was never to be and

Logan, Logan goes into the pool (a very high end infinity pool) amidst the mountains, and cactus, tumbleweeds, dirt with steam rising to wash away the stress and as he emerges crawling out of the depths we see what appears to be lashes or scars in his upper back with Marcia there, his protector and defender to wrap him in a towel as an acoustic guitar melody plays under the scene.

Succession Austerlitz Haiku

Roys go West together

seeking salvation in sand

No one’s left unhurt

[brandbaskets]

New Post has been published on https://brandbaskets.in/hbo-succession-review-todays-news-our-take/

HBO Succession Review - Today's News: Our Take

Succession, HBO’s new drama series with a comedy pedigree, is a combination boardroom and family drama spiked with acidic humor that will make you grateful for your own dysfunctional family. You all may be broke and screwed up, but that’s better than being a Roy.

The series tells the story of a multibillion-dollar family business, led by media mogul patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox), a bastard of the highest order. Logan is 80 years old and in declining health, and his son Kendall (Jeremy Strong) is his heir apparent. Kendall plans to modernize the company once he’s chairman and CEO by investing in digital media and moving away from the archaic old media properties that Logan is still fond of. Kendall genuinely cares about the company, but he also wants to step out of his father’s shadow and get the power and prestige of being the boss. But the old man isn’t ready to step down. On Logan’s birthday, the day Kendall is set to be announced as the new CEO, Logan decides that he’s going to stay on for at least another five years. Not only that, he wants to redraft the family’s trust to give more equity to his children’s stepmother Marcia (Hiam Abbass).

Kendall is furious, and tries to get his siblings Connor (Alan Ruck), Siobhan (Sarah Snook) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) to side with him against his father, but they all have their own agendas. Connor, the oldest, doesn’t want to be involved in the business; he just wants to stick with the winner. Siobhan — “Shiv” for short — also isn’t involved in the business, and is pursuing a career as a political consultant, but she still has her own ideas about how the business should be run, especially since her manipulable fiancé Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) is an executive in the theme parks division. And Roman wants to be COO, a job his father offers him before he suffers a stroke that complicates the plan of succession even further.

Kendall takes over as acting CEO and plots how to keep himself there; meanwhile, his father recovers and plans to take back what’s his. Alliances shift, names get called and business gets way, way, way too personal. It’s basically Arrested Development.

HBO’s Succession Looks Like It’s Funny, but Not a Joke

The story is inspired by the family business squabbles of media moguls like News Corp’s Rupert Murdoch and National Amusements’ Sumner Redstone, which gives it a sheen of timeliness. Showrunner Jesse Armstrong wrote an acclaimed screenplay about the succession fight at News Corp called Murdoch that never got produced and probably got expanded into Succession, though Armstrong is careful to note that Logan Roy is not Rupert Murdoch and there are elements of Shakespeare’s King Lear, the Scottish Clan Maxwell and even the British royal family woven in.

Armstrong is previously known for his work on sharp-edged British comedies like Peep Show and The Thick of It, as well as Veep, which Armstrong wrote for in Season 1. Veep and Succession also share an executive producer in power whisperer Frank Rich, and Veep and The Thick of It creator Armando Iannucci is a clear influence on the new drama. Succession doesn’t have as many jokes as Veep (what does?), but it shares a similar interest in exploring the personality defects of powerful people (greed and hubris, mostly), as well as an abiding love of a witty and profane turns of phrase.

Succession, like Veep, also has a quasi-documentary visual style expressed through shaky handheld cameras and herky-jerky zooms. On Succession, the aesthetic is grating, giving scenes a distracting seasick quality. It’s like watching a Bourne movie without any action sequences.

It’s kind of a tough hang in other ways, too. The characters are all so despicable that it’s hard to care about any of them. The Roys are a “nest of vipers,” as one semi-estranged member of the family puts it, and the unrelenting cruelty with which they treat each other is tiresome, especially when the wit of the dialogue sags, which happens occasionally in the early episodes. HBO sent seven episodes of the 10-episode first season for review, and the show gets better as it goes on, but early episodes can be tough to get through, especially when they’re spending time with bumbling nephew Greg (Nicholas Braun), who the show doesn’t figure out what to do with until Episode 4, and Kieran Culkin’s Roman, who’s such an awful, crude prick that he sucks the air out of every room he’s in. You’re not supposed to like him, but it’s unclear if you’re supposed to dislike him this much, too.

Veep Returning to HBO in 2019

The pilot is directed by Adam McKay, who started with comedies like Anchorman before moving into drama with the excellent financial crisis polemic The Big Short. McKay and Armstrong want to make a work that shows the hollowness of the lives of the loveless superrich, but the level of contempt and outrage that animated The Big Short is hard to sustain over the length of a TV series. You have to want to spend time with these people, and Succession‘s rich jerks aren’t as smart and fun and larger-than-life as the talking Wikipedia articles on Billions, premium cable’s other prominent show about the miserable lives of the wealthy. To McKay and Armstrong’s credit, though, they don’t make being a soulless rich psycho seem cool, which these types of shows and movies usually can’t avoid.

What saves Succession is the strength of the performances, especially from Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong, and how much the writing improves as the schemes start paying off and the show settles into a groove. Cox growls and hectors with disappointment etched into his craggy face, playing Logan as a former King Midas who doesn’t realize that his ability to turn things into gold has turned into turning things into dung. Strong, in his first lead role, rises to the occasion and makes Kendall into a man who’s doing his best with what his father gave him, which is boundless wealth and an unfillable emptiness at his core. He can do that Donald Trump Jr. thing where his face is blank but it still gives away exactly what he’s thinking.

Succession won’t be for everyone, but if you’re in the market for something that will make you grateful for what you have/want to do some class warfare, check it out.

Succession premieres Sunday, June 3 at 10/9c on HBO.

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