We survived Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) funeral, however at what value?

Succesion Season 4, episode 9, “Church and State” — or as I prefer to name it, “4 Eulogies and a Funeral” — took us by way of the Roys’ final goodbyes to their father. However as is customary with any Roy household gathering at this level, Logan’s funeral wasn’t only a funeral. It was a chance for energy performs, vicious insults, and a few actually awkward networking. By the tip of the episode, the way forward for the Roy siblings and the Waystar deal continues to be up within the air, however one factor is for positive: the Roys have abominable funeral etiquette.

From poorly timed enterprise maneuvers to wildly off-color jokes, listed here are 10 moments when the Roys’ funeral conduct compelled me to cover behind my fingers, pause the episode, or simply yell, “Learn the room!”

1. All of the pre-funeral shenanigans

Juliana Canfield and Jeremy Robust in “Succession.”
Credit score: Macall Polay/HBO

Logan’s funeral will be the dramatic major course of “Church and State,” however that does not imply we won’t have some cringe-worthy appetizers.

A lot of those pre-funeral horrors come courtesy of Kendall (Jeremy Robust), who is of course in a foul place given the circumstances. Nevertheless, he is so caught up in his father’s large day that he’s unaware of how his different actions (like shepherding in a fascist president) influence the others in his orbit. He tries to cease his ex-wife Rava (Natalie Gold) from leaving New York Metropolis with their children within the wake of Mencken’s (Justin Kirk) supposed victory, threatening to dam her automotive like a petulant youngster. Then he bullies his assistant Jess (Juliana Canfield) into revealing she needs to search for different job alternatives and has the gall guilty her for the dangerous timing.

Bonus heinousness factors go to Roman (Kieran Culkin) for following Shiv’s (Sarah Snook) being pregnant announcement with an all-too on-brand joke about breastfeeding and masturbation. These interactions already depart you with a foul style in your mouth, which may solely imply one factor: It is funeral time!

2. Connor’s makes an attempt to squeeze in a last-minute eulogy

We all know that eldest son Connor (Alan Ruck) has been accountable for planning Logan’s funeral. Theoretically, he may have abused his powers and snuck his personal eulogy onto this system, however, no, he comes as much as Shiv because the visitors are arriving in a last-ditch try to talk. We by no means really hear what he deliberate to say, however Willa’s (Justine Lupe) description of it as “formally ingenious” and Shiv’s worries that it may “depart us open to authorized motion” are sufficient to ring the alarm bells.

Given Connor’s monitor report of giving Succession eulogies(opens in a brand new tab) — who may neglect, “When a a person dies, it’s unhappy” — not letting him speak is the precise transfer.

3. A funeral is not a enterprise assembly, Roman!

Harriet Walter, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, and Jeremy Robust in “Succession.”
Credit score: Macall Polay/HBO

As visitors pour into the funeral, Roman accosts Kendall with a query: “Who have you ever hit?” To which I reply, “Who knew that 4 easy phrases may give me full-body nausea?”

You’d suppose {that a} funeral, of all issues, could be the occasion that will get the Roys to cease desirous about enterprise. However the presence of Mencken and Mattson (Alexander Skarsgård) outweighs decorum, so Roman units off on a journey to shore up assist ought to Mencken block the Waystar-GoJo deal. This earns him a disapproving “hmmm” from Frank (Peter Friedman), which I feel sums it up greatest. Certain, Logan could have been impressed by his son’s funerary machinations — in any case, he was keen to overlook Connor’s wedding ceremony to go to Mattson. However look how that turned out!

4. A funeral is not a networking occasion, Greg!

Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) continues to attempt to weasel his approach to the highest this episode, asking Roman “for an intro” with Mencken after which sliding into an absent Tom’s (Matthew Macfadyen) spot as wheelman. “Can I inquire about entrance proper?” he asks Tom, after giving him a sob story about “wanting closure” simply minutes prior. And identical to that, my nausea is again.

5. A funeral is not an autograph line, Peter!

Pip Torrens and Harriet Walter in “Succession.”
Credit score: Macall Polay/HBO

Caroline Collingwood’s (Harriet Walter) husband Peter Munion (Pip Torrens) does not seem a lot in Succession, however when he does, you understand it will likely be awkward. “Daddy’s right here!” he tells his stepchildren, informing us that on the subject of studying rooms, he’s woefully illiterate. The ache does not cease there, although: Caroline jokes that Peter’s introduced his autograph ebook. From the seems to be of his pleasure about all of the influential Senators mulling round, Caroline’s joke could also be extra reality than fiction. Time to hitch Greg within the networking trenches, Peter.

6. Shiv pitches herself as CEO

Alexander Skarsgård and Sarah Snook in “Succession.”
Credit score: Macall Polay/HBO

Shiv takes a web page from Roman’s funeral playbook and makes some large enterprise strikes this episode, telling Mattson that he ought to select her as an American CEO to placate Mencken. Hey, you would have had this dialogue any time because you began teaming up, however no time like your dad’s funeral, proper? Shiv actually appears to suppose so: “I can do fucking something, my dad simply died.”

7. The Roys attempt to block Ewan from talking

I do know I used to be simply applauding Shiv for not letting Connor ship his “formally ingenious” speech, however the Roys conspiring to dam Logan’s personal brother Ewan (James Cromwell) from talking is gross in its personal proper. Plus, it creates a extremely uncomfortable tussle within the church aisle. Ewan makes a more-than-fair level when he asks, “What kind of folks would cease a brother talking on the sake of a share worth?”

The Roys’ fears about Ewan inflicting a scene do come to move when he goes on a tear concerning the horrible issues Logan has wrought, however he additionally delivers some considerate vignettes from their childhood — together with what occurred to their sister Rose. Actually, this complete battle may have been prevented had the household simply talked extra concerning the funeral program, as a substitute of simply letting Connor manage the entire thing by himself. “Reagan’s [funeral], with tweaks” is a tricky task to drag off alone!

8. Kendall tries to be his father — once more

Jeremy Robust and Sarah Snook in “Succession.”
Credit score: Macall Polay/HBO

Nate (Ashley Zukerman) could have advised Kendall that he is not Logan, however that is not going to cease Kendall from making an attempt. Upon studying of Shiv’s plot, Kendall goes into overdrive, telling Hugo (Fisher Stevens) that he plans to tank the deal, then recruiting Logan’s former bodyguard Colin (Scott Nicholson) to work for him.

However make no mistake: These will not be allies to Kendall. They’re instruments. “You will be my canine,” he tells Hugo. (Hugo’s into it, based mostly on his “woof.”) As for Colin, Kendall lets slip that he is aware of he is speaking to a therapist, and that no matter he says about Logan may get out and damage the corporate. What’s worse: Kendall bullying Colin into submission, or the flagrant breach of doctor-patient confidentiality?

9. Everybody needs to speak to Mencken

Jeremy Robust and Justin Kirk in “Succession.”
Credit score: Macall Polay/HBO

On the post-funeral reception, each Roy in existence needs a bit of Mencken. All of them flock to his desk like he is The Bachelor they usually simply wish to steal him for a sec. Is there something extra uncomfortable than watching the Roys casually attempt to additional their very own agendas? I do not know, however I do know that if Succession had Odor-O-Imaginative and prescient, this scene would tell us precisely what desperation smells like.

10. Whoever recorded Roman crying, depend your days

Kieran Culkin in “Succession.”
Credit score: Macall Polay/HBO

In a funeral stuffed with scheming, Kendall, Shiv, and Roman’s eulogies for his or her father have been the truest, most honest shows of their grief. Roman’s, particularly, is very heartbreaking. In spite of everything his speak of getting “pre-grieved,” he breaks down in tears and is unable to ship the eulogy he’d rehearsed with such bravado that very same morning.

Within the closing minutes of the episode, we be taught that somebody within the viewers recorded Roman’s sobs. Karl (David Rasche) informs Frank, Hugo, and Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron) that the the recording is circulating, describing Roman as sounding “like a sow that is about to get the stun gun and is aware of it.” Even with Roman’s horrendous conduct all through Succession, the recording is an unspeakably merciless act. Nevertheless, it makes for a exceptional bookend to an episode that begins with Roman on high of the world, and ends with him curled on the road, stampeded by a protest ensuing from his election night time actions.

The sequence finale of Succession airs Might 28 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.(opens in a brand new tab)