Episode Grade: (9.3/10)
Chaos spreads in the fallout of ATN’s controversial call for Mencken, but the attention quickly shifts to Logan’s funeral. Shiv makes her move.
Plot (46/50)
With the exception of Tom, no one has time to deal with the fallout from the ATN call the previous night. Instead, family, friends, and various important figures flock to Logan’s funeral to pay their respects, or something like that. In reality, the funeral is basically a who’s who of influential figures. Even the Roy children take advantage of the funeral to project their influence and advance their personal agendas. Battle lines are drawn up, sides are being formed, and the fight is headed to the boardroom.
The Funeral
In the aftermath of ATN calling the election for Mencken, protestors flooded the streets. There were serious security concerns, at least enough to make Rava take the kids out of town instead of attending their grandfather’s funeral. For everyone else, the protests were nothing more than an inconvenience, nothing a detour couldn’t solve. The real focus was on Logan’s funeral. The turnout was, expectedly, high. His kids, ex-wives, mistresses, executives, board members, Mencken, Matsson, Ewan, and a bunch of other notable figures, no doubt, were all in attendance. Everyone except for Tom was there, as he was busy with the onslaught of news.
As soon as things settled down, the wrinkles began to form. Ewan stepped up to give a eulogy for his brother, much to the chagrin of basically everyone. It started out surprisingly well, but Ewan couldn’t help but mention Logan’s negative impact on the world. Nonetheless, Ewan’s heartfelt stories about his and Logan’s early life struggles cut deep. No one was as effected as Roman, who was up next. Roman had kept it together rather well thus far, something he attributes to the now-debunked theory that he “pre-grieved.” Whether it was Ewan’s stories or reality setting in as he stood over his father’s casket, Roman finally broke down.
The Funeral Continued…
Roman’s untimely breakdown left a void that needed to be filled with stories of Logan’s “good” side to contrast the picture Ewan painted of his deceased brother. So Kendall stepped up, as he has done on a number of occasions this season. His performance was commendable. He managed to strike a balance between acknowledging Logan’s negatives but focusing on the positive impact he’s had on the world. By the end of his eulogy, he had even managed to highlight Logan’s legitimately good qualities. His words were met with a round of applause, and rightly so. He had stabilized the funeral just when it seemed like the wheels were coming off.
Shiv followed Kendall’s lead, but not before patronizing both of her brothers for not saying “everything.” She too struck a balanced tone, but where Kendall took a somewhat formal approach, she opted for a more personal one. She spoke of Logan’s complicated relationship with her and her siblings, but especially with her as a woman. But she also drew attention to the fact that he raised several kids who are all doing “OK.” It was a markedly shorter eulogy, but it accomplished what needed to be accomplished. That is, it offered a view of Logan’s “good” side.
Waystar
In the background of the funeral, the battle for Waystar continued. Matsson took advantage of the news storm by issuing a press release disclosing GoJo’s inflated numbers in South Asia. And as Shiv expected, it fell under the radar. It didn’t fall under Hugo’s radar though. He promptly informed Kendall of the move. Prior to the funeral, Jess basically quit her job as Kendall’s assistant. It got even worse for him at the funeral reception where it became clear that Mencken is not as committed to blocking the deal as Roman suggested.
Meanwhile, Shiv and Matsson continue to forge ahead. They pitched a US CEO to Mencken as a sort of halfway point, and he didn’t turn it down. In fact, towards the end of the episode, Matsson seemed confident that Mencken would not block the deal. And he was not the only one, Kendall too came to this realization. Now that Mencken got what he needed from ATN, the Roy brothers no longer have the leverage needed to get him to block the deal. They have to make their last stand before it’s too late. It’s time to challenge Shiv in the open. It’s time to head back to the boardroom.
Character Development (15/15)
There were so many characters fit into this episode, and anytime that happens, fresh dynamics lead to significant character development. More importantly, the Roy children came face-to-face with the death of their father for the first time since his actual death. As that reality set in, so too did a sense of urgency with regards to Waystar’s future. With Roman buckling under pressure, the sides are forming around Kendall and Shiv. A battle is coming, and the stakes couldn’t be any higher for those involved.
Shiv
After watching Kendall and Roman make their plays in the last few episodes, Shiv finally made her own play. Kendall forced her hand by confronting her about her alliance with Matsson, but you wouldn’t have known it by the way she went about her business. She was calmly in control of every conversation she was in. Furthermore, she was decisive and intentional in her actions. Her value to Matsson was enhanced by the success of her strategy to deal with the inflated subscriber numbers. The confidence she projected in the negotiations with Mencken was that of a serious player. She doesn’t have to pretend anymore, so her energy is focused entirely on winning.
Like Roman, Shiv was emotionally rattled as the reality of Logan’s death set in. However, unlike Roman, she did not let it get to her. Even at the funeral, she never stopped advancing her agenda. She had a brief conversation with Frank and Karl that kind of seemed like an interview. Specifically, it seemed like an interview where the candidate doesn’t get hired. There were also the pregnancy-related interactions with Kendall, Roman, Caroline, and Tom. There was no love lost between her and her mother, and the situation with her brothers is complicated, but she’s getting somewhere with Tom. At this point, it’s only a matter of time before they’re back together.
Roman
So much for pre-grieving… We all knew this was coming, but it couldn’t have come at a worse moment. Roman’s breakdown was televised and recorded for the world to see, and just like that, all that momentum he had built up was decimated. I think it was Ewan’s eulogy that pushed his emotional stability off a cliff, but it could’ve just as well been the sight of Logan’s casket. In any case, he came off as a little kid who was upset about his dad’s death. Normally, there’s nothing wrong with that, but this isn’t a normal setting. With Waystar’s future is in the balance, sharks are circling, and Roman just bled out.
As bad as this all was for Roman, the worst was yet to come. Mencken’s commitment to blocking the deal was horribly overstated, and as a result, Roman failed to secure anything tangible in exchange for the ATN call. Of course, he’s not entirely to blame, but he shoulders most of the responsibility in this case. And just as he was getting it together again, Kendall kicks him while he’s down, and he continues his downward spiral. He needs to find some emotional stability if they’re to take on Shiv, and he needs to find it fast.
Kendall
Speaking of which, Kendall’s treatment of Roman was harsh, but it was absolutely necessary after the chat with Mencken. In truth, Kendall should’ve probably been more assertive with Mencken. I’m not saying that would’ve changed Mencken’s position entirely, but maybe it would’ve made him think twice before reneging on their deal and completely switching sides. In any case, Kendall was quick to recognize that they could not rely on Mencken, so he readjusted. He was quick to blame Roman as well, but at this point, we all know that Roman needs to pushed around. Is Kendall now recognizing this too, or does it run deeper than that?
I think it runs deeper than that. If you think about it, him and Shiv are actually in similar positions. Shiv was shackled by the self-imposed constraint to play both sides. The thing about self-imposed constraints is that you can generally choose to relieve yourself of them at any moment. That’s precisely what Shiv has done, and that’s precisely what Kendall realizes he must do. He has burdened himself with the constraint of keeping the family “together.” I think it’s his way of honoring his father. Given the ambitions of him and his siblings, this was a fanciful idea with a near-zero chance of materializing. The margin for error has shrunken, so Kendall needs to go for it.
More Kendall
Kendall’s lack of killer instinct has often been his downfall. It seems like that is the one characteristic he’s been missing time and time again. We have seen flashes of a killer instinct this season, but it’s been too inconsistent. This inconsistency was encapsulated in this particular episode. He asks his siblings for a time-out, basically, for the sake of the funeral, even though he knows Shiv won’t listen. As a result, he falls behind. His dealings with Mencken both in this episode and in the previous one leave a lot to be desired as well. He has also afforded Roman too much respect, that is until the closing moment of this episode.
The thing about having a killer instinct is that you either have it all the time or you don’t have it at all. Kendall needs to treat everyone with the same cold-blooded nastiness that he treats Hugo, for example. Greg is another good example. He needs to continue dealing with Roman in the same authoritative way he did at the end of the episode. The same goes for Shiv. He can’t keep up this brotherly bond with them. They are his competitors, and he needs to neutralize them professionally. If he can keep it strictly business, he has a good chance of winning it all. If not, he can kiss Waystar goodbye.
Finally, he needs to do something about manic Kendall. The sort of toxicity he brings to his relationships with Rava and Jess is concerning. I understand the frustration with Rava’s decision to skip the funeral with the kids, but adding more anxiety to the situation does nothing to alleviate her legitimate concerns. Getting full custody of the kids isn’t going to help either. And with Jess, you could almost see the gears falling off in his head. It’s like he thinks that he handled the situation well, so he works himself up, then he turns vindictive. In the process, he fails to realize that this sort of behavior is exactly why people don’t want to be by his side.
Others
With the fight for Waystar headed to boardroom, Ewan is someone to watch out for. He’s in town for the funeral, so he’s almost certainly showing up. His vote could prove decisive. Ewan’s bitterness was on full display through his eulogy, but so too was his rationality. He tries to be just, and I think that bodes well for Kendall given the way he handled his own eulogy to his father. He too was fair in his assessment of his father, but it was the way he defended his father from Ewan’s attack that might’ve gained him Ewan’s respect. I guess we’ll see soon enough.
Someone who definitely does not have Ewan’s respect is his grandson, Greg. Over the course of the show, Greg has turned into the corporate leech Ewan despises so much. He’s developed a shamelessness that is seriously annoying from the outside looking in, but you can’t deny how effective it’s been for him. Greg’s skill is especially obvious when you compare him to someone like Connor, who still doesn’t know how to strike the right tone. Finally, there was a nice bit of humanity on display from Marcia towards both Kerry and Shiv. The writers deserve a lot of credit for the depth in which her character has been presented despite her minimal screen time.
Theme/Messages (4/5)
- It is important to show both sides, even in cases where it seems like there is only one side.
- Leverage is tricky; if you use too much or too little of it, you lose it.
Acting (15/15)
Kieran Culkin (Roman) showcased just how big of a step he’s taken this season with a poignant performance here. Jeremy Strong (Kendall) continues to put in believable performances no matter who he’s paired with. Sarah Snook (Shiv), Matthew Macfadyen (Tom), Alexander Skarsgård (Matsson), and Nicholas Braun (Greg) delivered at the level of consistency that we’ve come to expect from the show.
I was particularly impressed with the way the bit-part actors contributed to the episode. When the likes of James Cromwell (Ewan), Zoe Winters (Kerry), Harriet Walter (Caroline), Hiam Abbass (Marcia), Justin Kirk (Jeryd Mencken), and Juliana Canfield (Jess) play their characters at such a high level, the quality of the episode exponentially improves. Juliana Canfield (Jess) was particularly great. This was the final appearance of the series for some of these characters, so I imagine the actors were keen on leaving a lasting impression, and they did.
Cinematography (13/15)
- Shot of the siblings awkwardly silent in the car on their way to their father’s funeral (11:34)
- Shot of white ministers and Logan’s white casket against the backdrop of those in attendance wearing black whilst a violin plays in the background. We see multiple people’s reactions as the casket is brought forth (29:54 onwards)
- Shot of Logan’s black casket being taken out followed by a brief montage of various people who knew him (49:00)
- Shots of Roman covering his head with the protestors scurrying around him to close the episode