‘Succession’: The Surprising Inspiration for the HBO Show’s Captivating Arcs
Emmy season is upon us and, once again, TV’s favorite treasonous family is leading the pack. HBO’s Succession has captivated critics and viewers alike since its debut in 2018. Its classic themes, like loyalty, greed, love, and loneliness, while expertly crafted and manipulated in the series, are hardly new.
Succession writer Jesse Armstrong points this out to the New Yorker in an extensive profile on the show’s inspiration.
‘Succession’ gives HBO another drama series to celebrate
Succession follows the Roy family, headed by a formidable patriarch, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), who’s built media conglomerate Waystar Royco. When Logan suffers a massive stroke in Season 1, his four children must work together to run the company. Instead, they wind up ripping each other apart.
Succession’s Kendall (Jeremy Strong) believes he is Waystar Royco’s next CEO. But he does not have the sole claim to the throne. Kendall’s siblings, Conner (Alan Ruck), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Shiv (Sarah Snook), all have agendas as well.
Meanwhile, subtle power plays are being calculated by anyone within reach of the prize. This includes the Roys’ cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) and Shiv’s husband Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfayden).
When Logan regains his health and resumes his seat at the head of the table, it seems like the power struggle is over. But the Roy family’s ambitions have only begun.
Inspiration for HBO’s ‘Succession’
Speaking to the New Yorker in August of 2021, Armstrong detailed the inspiration for the award-winning series. The Succession writer first says the show’s writing team all routinely study the Financial Times. They also read media biographies to realistically present the business details of the series.
But, when it comes to the treacherous familial dealings of the Roys, Armstrong points to classic literature and history. For Kendall, Armstrong says their main inspiration came from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment.
The strange and absurdly funny relationship between Tom and Greg in Succession comes from Armstrong and his team’s study of Roman history, specifically, “the relationship between Nero and his freedman Sporus — whom the Emperor commanded be castrated, before undergoing a sham marriage ceremony with him.”
Among the fascinating well-springs for the series, Armstrong also points to what is largely considered the oldest fictional story in history: The Epic of Gilgamesh. The ancient tale is the story of Gilgamesh, a half-god who is revered for his humanity despite having superhuman powers.
“Gilgamesh is celebrated for his human successes (loving a friend more than himself, protecting his city, learning to accept mortality), not his divinity,” says the Annenberg Learner. “[The story] promotes the values of a simple life of rest, and enjoyment of the pleasures of human companionship, love, food, and drink.”
Armstrong was met with a Roman-like response when another writer, Jon Brown said, “I am f***ed if I have any idea what the Epic of Gilgamesh is, but if it makes you feel like you deserve your Emmy a little more, knock yourself out.”
However, the reference is stunningly on point. It offers incredible insight into the god-like qualities many of the world’s most powerful people hold (or believe they hold) and the inevitable human struggles they yet suffer.
‘Succession’ and the 2022 Emmys
It is likely the series’ depiction of these struggles and the writers’ dedication to the aforementioned themes that make HBO’s Succession one of the best TV shows.
The series has amassed an impressive 25 nods. It’s also broken the record for most acting nominations in one year with 14. Indeed, HBO’s Succession seems poised to be the main event at the upcoming 2022 Emmy Awards with more nominations than any other show — a distinction that would make even the Roy family proud.
