--- title: "Succession: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/succession/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/succession" critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 15 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Succession (2018): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 15 reviews: 12 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like Succession, and several like it a great deal. The praise clusters on the writing, which is called sharp and tight, and on the cast: Brian Cox as the patriarch Logan Roy is picked out repeatedly, with Matthew Macfadyen’s Tom and Jeremy Strong also named. Critics agree the Roys are monstrous and that the show makes them compelling without asking us to forgive them. Those who followed it past the first series say it improves, with the second run raising the stakes and the finale landing hard. The reservations gather around tone. The Telegraph, Variety and Den of Geek all find the first series lurching between family drama and satire, and Variety thinks the pulpier comedy blunts its points about inherited wealth. The spread is wide, from the middling to the rapturous, but nobody dislikes it; the doubters are mostly writing about early episodes, and the warmest notices come later. ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 August 2018. The critic finds the series a brilliant dissection of a dysfunctional mega-rich family dynasty, with Machiavellian characters and sharp dialogue that humanises its monstrous figures without excusing them. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/aug/02/succession-review-brilliant-dissection-mega-rich-family-jesse-armstrong) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 August 2019. The critic calls the second season searing, hilarious, and emotionally resonant, noting it builds on the first season's strengths with higher stakes. They single out the blend of brutal comedy and drama as a tonal tour de force that makes the show compelling. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/succession-review-2-1229280/) ## The i Paper Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 29 May 2023. The critic hails the finale as a devastating and uncompromising conclusion to one of the best TV series ever made. They single out the visceral final confrontation among the Roy siblings as a standout moment of raw family trauma and betrayal. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/succession-finale-review-fated-despondent-end-best-tv-series-ever-made-2371990) ## The Times — Carol Midgley Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2018. The critic gushes that Succession is the best drama seen in years, praising its exceptional quality and character depth in the first series. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/tv-review-succession-the-placebo-experiment-sw8076mxg) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 3 June 2018. The show delivers a compelling, funny portrait of untrustworthy power players and family machinations through excellent ensemble performances and sharp writing. It excels as an addiction-inducing dramedy despite focusing on the upper class. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/06/succession-hbo-review.html) ## The AV Club — Randall Colburn Rating B. 1 June 2018. The series is gripping but uneven, with strong family drama and sharp observations on wealth and power that outweigh its satirical elements. It succeeds more as a high-stakes look at dysfunctional relationships than pure comedy. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-co-writer-of-in-the-loop-makes-wealth-look-ridiculo-1826475033) ## Empire — James White Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 15 August 2019. The show remains compelling despite its negative characters, thanks to sharp writing and cast performances; the season premiere offers darkly funny entertainment value amid family power plays. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/succession-season-2/) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 May 2018. The critic finds the HBO series a steadily developing black comedy that offers an incisive takedown of white-collar culture and wealthy family dynamics. Matthew Macfadyen's performance as the bizarre Tom stands out as a highlight. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/succession-review-hbo-adam-mckay-1201969980/) ## The Telegraph Rating 3/5. 2 August 2018. Brian Cox excels as the patriarch in this Lear-like family saga, but the episode is hard to love overall because it lurches uneasily between family drama and satire. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2018/08/02/succession-episode-review-brian-cox-excels-lear-like-epic-drama/) ## Variety — Daniel D'Addario Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2018. The critic finds the show's strengths and weaknesses closely intertwined, with its pulpy comedy sometimes undermining deeper points about generational wealth. They single out Brian Cox's commanding performance as Logan Roy for setting the tone of family ferocity. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/tv/reviews/succession-review-hbo-1202825301/) ## NME — Christopher Hooton Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2019. The critic calls Succession one of the most enjoyable shows on TV, noting its tight scripts, brilliant cast performances especially from Matthew Macfadyen and Jeremy Strong, and its potent mix of comedy and drama that improves in season 2. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/features/tv-features/succession-s02-hbo-review-peep-show-2546203) ## Collider — Allison Keene Rating ★★★★. 3 June 2018. The critic finds Succession a worthy HBO drama full of power moves and twisted family dynamics that plays like a smart, hilarious realpolitik satire. The quick-zooms and ensemble cast keep the one-percenter excess engaging rather than a drag. [Read the review](https://collider.com/succession-review/) ## Paste — Shane Ryan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2019. The critic views Succession as the pinnacle of British cynical comedy writing, commending its unflinching portrayal of greed, ambition, and humiliation with no redemption or uplift, crediting creator Jesse Armstrong's background for its sharp worldview. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/succession-review) ## The Ringer — Justin Charity Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 4 June 2018. The critic sees Succession as a dark, dramatic counterpart to Arrested Development, depicting the Roy family's ruthless power struggles and unlikable members. He praises its honest portrayal of wealth as repulsive yet compelling, and its insight into Trump-era elitism and family dynamics. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2018/06/03/tv/succession-arrested-development-hbo-netflix-review) ## Den of Geek — Andrew Husband Rating 3/5. 4 June 2018. The HBO satire is more dark than comical, effectively indicting the wealthy elite while channeling real-world figures like the Murdochs. The tonal shifts between humor and drama prevent it from fully landing as satire. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/succession-review-hbo-satire-of-wealthy-elite-more-dark-than-comical/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/succession.md