S03.E07: Too Much Birthday

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 hour ago, caitmcg said:

Yeah, Roman was particularly nasty this episode, especially to Shiv, but though Roman had actually put in sincere work crafting the Waystar proposal to buy the Skarsgard character’s company she had spent the whole run up to the moment he spoke to Lukas suggesting that he wasn’t competent to spearhead it, mostly so she could take credit for herself if they were able to make the deal work. And he’s so undermined in that family that when he’s up he overcompensates in the most extreme way. They’re all competing for daddy’s approval, and they never expect to have the rug pulled out from under them despite it happening again again. They’re all Charlie Brown to Logan's Lucy holding the football.

Amazing insight!

[chick binewski]

 

19 hours ago, Ellaria Sand said:

Tom is, of course, relieved about not going to prison but realizes that everything else in his life is lacking. He knows that no one cares about him. I hope that he still surprises us.

I've liked how they covered the prison obsession storyline and I appreciate how they played out Geri announcing sentencing for anyone wasn't likely - Tom immediately knew no one in that room cared that Tom would not be going to jail - it only took him a little while to unravel after he shared the news with the only person who would act like they gave a crap.

19 hours ago, Diapason Untuned said:

Jeremy Strong deserves an Emmy for this episode. This could very well be the best Kendall episode ever. From the cringy birthday party filled with the cringiest stuff ever, his convo with his ex-wife, his siblings crashing his party and his dad just mindfucking him again and him losing it when he realized he couldn't find his kids present. 😥 

I read the recent article about Strong's method acting and Cox not seeing the value in putting oneself through that process. As someone with zero acting ability I cannot speak to technique but damn whatever Strong does to effortlessly swan through euphoria to hubris to self-loathing and make it all immensely watchable AND cringe-y really works. 

18 hours ago, HC87 said:

While I love the characters (and characterizations) of this show, the narrative is really lacking....2 episodes left to this season and really, barely anything has happened to advance the story-line this season. 

I think season 2 was probably one of my favorite seasons of television ever so maybe I'm looking for excuses, but I want to blame some of this on covid. I have to believe this was extremely challenging to shoot and I'm guessing it's one of the reasons we're seeing isolated one-off guest stars and anemic party crowds. It's still one of my favorite shows but it does not have the same look or feel of last season.

18 hours ago, RedDelicious said:

Roman was awful but I think he’s the only one who has talent and acumen, albeit in a very f*cked up head. I can’t stand the way Shiv always tries to steamroll his efforts in an attempt to put her fingerprints on the work. I want Roman to come out on top even though we know all of the Roy kids will fail spectacularly when their number is called. He didn’t say anything worse than what they say to him. And two on one isn’t exactly fair (not counting Con because he doesn’t seem to treat Roman as poorly).

I got sucked in watching Roman a bit this season bc he seemed to be the only Roy who was willing to learn and who could think on his feet. Sadly that sadistic little twit side we saw in the premiere episode seems to be winning.

5 hours ago, cardigirl said:

My concern with Naomi is that she is pulling a "long con" on the Roy family and Kendall and that she'll betray him at his most vulnerable, which could have been this party.  When they met, Naomi told Ken all about how much she hated the way their tabloids had treated her after her mother's death. 

I think they are both lost souls, highly functioning addicts, and she is probably bad for Ken in that she isn't in control of her addictions and can't be a strong support for him. I don't hate her, as I don't see her preventing anything. 

It was interesting to me that Logan mentioned going after Pierce again in this episode.  I LOVED that arc and was rooting for the snotty Pierce family to lose their empire (sorry, but they were just SO proud of themselves). I'm wondering if that will again become part of the story, fighting with Nan and the Pierce family to add to the Roy empire. I could see Naomi deciding to betray Ken through that. 

I floved the Pierce-centric episode so much so I am rooting for another face-off and I kind of like the idea that Naomi is playing Kendall, if only for the fact that this season's character is not who we saw in season 2. 

42 minutes ago, caitmcg said:

How ironic that when Kendall was railing at Greg about asking Comfrey out, he told him to stop feeding on the family and expecting that they’d hand him everything, as if he’s not guilty of the same thing The Roy siblings are so entitled, and they've grown up with so much they don’t even realize they’re entitled. They’re all coming in at the top and expecting to be handed the keys to Logan's office. That’s also why Shiv was so offended when Logan suggested she work in company management for a couple of years before he’d give her the top position — it’s never once occurred to her that she doesn’t immediately deserve it despite having zero experience in a corporate leadership position. 

To me it seems the Roys regard Greg as an entity with nothing that they haven't bestowed to him. Greg can't approach Kendall's employee because that involves Greg making a positive choice for himself and to have someone or something outside the family. 

Greg still bugs me a bit bc much like all the Roy siblings he could just peace out with some bank (even if it's 'sad rich' or whatever Tom called it). Greg is dim but clearly aware the Roys are dreadful yet he is staying put.

At various times Kendall, Roman and even Connor have seemed to regard the position of Logan Jr. (bc none of them will ever really be in charge) as something to be earned in some way, whereas Shiv has always acted entitled to this position and that Logan continues to set her up to use her then pull the rug out from under her never fails to amuse me. Rhea called it - Shiv is not as smart as she thinks she is.

[Lassus]

6 hours ago, larapu2000 said:

She enables his childish need for attention and confidence that he has rap or singing skillz enough to perform in front of a massive crowd of mostly strangers.

I mean.  She's not taking him to a studio and harassing producers to do better better job recording him.  She certainly didn't give him the idea to rap to his dad in Scotland.  It's singing at your own (admittedly ostentatious) birthday party.  I went and re-watched.  She didn't gush over and push him.  She said it was good (and, it was; even as a carefully curated under-performance, because almost no one - even Jeremy Strong - is good enough to pretend that they CAN'T sing when they actually can.). She doesn't encourage the insanity of the airlifted crucifixion, she rather (lightly but certainly) introduces DOUBT that it even should be done when it first comes up.

4 hours ago, larapu2000 said:

Then the watch thing happened to make it glaringly obvious that she does not give a single fuck about him.  

I re-watched this one as well.  It seems glaringly awkward but not particularly evil or thoughtless.  She was trying to calm him down from his agitation and she didn't roll her eyes or act frustrated with the action of giving the gift.  If anything, she is lost and sad the way Kendall was because she doesn't have much of an idea of how to connect or give, but she honestly does try.  She's engaged and shyly giving it to him.  Even if it's pathetic, she wants him to like it, and her.   Him being his normal self-centered shitty person with his "oh it's not engraved" is not giving a fuck at all about Naomi.  Your quote describes him in my opinion, not her.


I admit, I simply think all of these things (certainly not just from you) about how awful Naomi is are just specifically harsh and weird in reaction to this episode, when literally all she actually does is try and help.  Maybe I'm naive, but I'm really not seeing what you and others are.  (It would be curious to see commentary from the writers or director of the episode to see how far off - or on - I actually am.)  But does anyone actually think she could have done anything to stop this madness of a party?  Instead she stayed with him until the end and after.  I will agree to disagree that she's any kind of villain so far, and if she is, she isn't even in the top ten of this episode.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Lassus

[Lady S.]

34 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

Connor and Willow have been a bright spot in this season and especially in this ep. Did the actor hurt his arm and they had to write it in?

I liked when she was disappointed to learn Kendall's birthday had performance art aspects yet she wasn't consulted. That just shows why she and Connor get along, apart from her attraction to all his money. Those two really do support/humor each other's career delusions. The old kook and his sugarbaby look more functional than Shiv/Tom or any of Kendall's relationships. So long as Connor isn't spouting supervillain-esque political plans or going off on caterers about butter coldness, I find him easily the most likable sibling.

As a semi-related aside, I continue to wonder why people take the clips in the opening sequence literally when the 4 kids shown together first all look pretty close in age, meaning only a couple years between Con and Ken, as if he was only a baby when Logan's first marriage fell apar. The references to Connor taking a fatherly role with his half-sibs imply more of a gap between them, though I assume the actor is still playing younger than his real age. (Irl Alan Ruck is 65, over 20 years older than Jeremy Strong and over 30 years older than Sarah Snook.)

 Whatever his rl injury was, it reminds me of Tom's unexplained black eye in s1 which he tried to pass off as a sex injury (to Shiv's brothers because this family doesn't know the meaning of the word inappropriate). I assume that was also an irl actor thing.

[Brian Cronin]

Alan Ruck said he needed his rotator cuff fixed, but didn't elaborate how he injured it.

I think the next step in the season turns on whether Shiv DID get that last board seat that they added for the Roy family in the negotiations with Stew/Sandy (I assume they did. I joked to my wife that it was basically "Chekov's extra board seat"). If so, then all she needs to take control of the board of WayStar is Marcia's board vote and Marcia is specifically being set up this season as to being anti-Logan, since she is disgusted at how he embarrassed her with his last affair and after seemingly agreeing to her terms, KNOWING how proud she is, he is now very publicly fucking his assistant (and giving said assistant more power as a result, even when her "power" is simply echoing Logan's own opinions back to him, which is also a tight piece of subtle writing by the writers. You look at Kerry's commentary, it is all obviously parroted Logan stuff that his ego loves to have told back to him by his attractive young assistant). So if Shiv and Marcia make a move, they can take control of the company with Stew/Sandy's gleeful support (Hope Davis would obviously play a role there, of course). 

[nb360]

10 hours ago, TomGirl said:

Not only is Greg my favorite character, I think Nicholas Braun is gorgeous!

Doesn't he look like a younger (and probably nicer) Jim Comey?

[nb360]

3 hours ago, Kirsty said:

When Kendall started to cry, and he said "I wish I was..." did anyone else think he was going to say "dead"?

Yes.

[laprin]

6 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

Cousin Greg is a shit human, just like all Roys. When we met him, he was what? Working as a walking Disney-type character, getting high and vomiting in front of kids? Just because NB reeks of nerdcharm doesn’t make Greg likable or decent. Comfry of the stupid name and bad hair should run, run like hell. I mean, just last week, Greg was being feted by the far right for his plan to sue Greenpeace for money to which he has no right nor entitlement. Greg wants all the financial perks the Roy children have, but he doesn’t want to put in any work for it, just like they didn’t have to. 

You’re right. Greg is a shitty person. I needed the reminder because watching this family causes a kind of “character dysmorphia” in which you can’t truly see how awful one character is because of the number of even more awful characters in comparison. 

[TomGirl]

51 minutes ago, nb360 said:

Doesn't he look like a younger (and probably nicer) Jim Comey?

I can see it!

[sistermagpie]

5 hours ago, dmc said:

Shiv seems depressed about it but she just as terrible. Yes she is not in with the Nazis but she has openly asked a victim not to testify, she's cool covering up the cruise mishaps (sorry for calling rape a mishap, crime is the better word).  

Agreed--to me the thing with Shiv is that she genuinely did think she was a good person and her views on politics were real...she just thought they'd be easy. She's not prepared to actually suffer for any of them. She never expected she'd be put in the kinds of positions she's been in all her life without knowing it.

4 hours ago, Kirsty said:

Idk if that was shallow. It was one of a series of birthday disappointments coming back to back. Not that he got a watch, but that the one person who claims to care about him doesn't know him well enough to get him something he would like or find meaningful. There was nothing personal about the gift, that was the disappointing part. It could have been a corporate gift. For someone who's "shit at gifts" Naomi built it up as though it was special. And for Kendall it was one disappointment too many so he couldn't brush it off.

 

Shallow is the wrong word, you're right. It was more just the fact that he was rudely criticizing a gift somebody was giving him. Not because it was a bad watch or whatever, but because he was criticizing the thought behind it. And I know part of that is Kendall working through his own revelations about himself--that people just give him whatever without giving him something personal, even when it's the one person who ostensibly likes him. But from Naomi's pov he was telling her her gift was stupid--why would she give him a watch when she knew he already had one? What was she thinking?

Because we know that gift giving is a thing in this world. They often try to outdo each other with gifts (Kendall's rap, Roman's ball team). And they don't hold back about telling people the gifts they got sucked. I don't think it was Kendall's main priority to criticize Naomi there, but he wouldn't care about that anyway.

3 hours ago, Marley said:

 I don’t really feel one way or the other about Naomi but the hate for her makes no sense to me. She also was trying to help him find the gift from his kids but could sense he was freaking out. 

The Greg love to me is funny too. He’s a slimeball. He never cared about any victims he kept papers to advance himself. He’s always trying to work some angle. He’s a fun character to watch usually but he’s a shit person too.

Hate and love often don't make sense, though! 

With Naomi, I don't think she's got any hidden evil agenda. I don't think her gift was bad at all. It was perfectly appropriate, in fact, and that was the problem. 

But her managing Kendall better than others (perhaps because she's an addict herself) doesn't come close to making up for her obnoxiousness at Rava's place and--just as bad--Kendall's bringing her there and basically encouraging it. They're both very sad about their own problems but can't bring themselves to see other people as equals.

3 hours ago, Ellaria Sand said:

All of these characters are complex and Greg is no different. He isn't an innocent and he is far from perfect. However, he is an "outsider." He didn't grow up with the amount of money and privilege that the Roys have. He is attracted to their lifestyle and, at times, accepts the level of ruthlessness that goes along with it. I'm still hoping that Greg surprises us...that he will choose to step away from the craziness.

Yes, I think sometimes it's tempting to expect him to be sort of an Idiot character (as in Dostoyevsky's The Idiot) who's innocent, but the show isn't about that. Greg isn't our pov character he's just the Poor Relation. He's young and naive. Tom might have been more like Greg when he was younger.

 

2 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

What was the jacket thing even about?!  I thought nightclubs forced coat check on us normal people because they don't want us concealing anything and they want to make money and tips off of us at coatcheck.

But why would that matter at a party of millionaires?  Was it just a petty thing about attire and aesthetic?

I think that yes, it was just a petty attire thing. He had the thing about jackets and phones. His siblings ignored the phone role but he couldn't see those from a distance like he could with Connor's coat. So as he got angrier the coat became more and more insulting. Finally it was the one thing he could insist on...and he still failed.

ETA: Oh, one other thing I'd say about Greg is I never felt like his grandfather much had his back. He's had him running around a lot too. Even the lawyer he got him didn't seem like he was there to protect Greg so much as advance Ewan's agenda against Logan. Iirc, Greg even mentioned someting about the guy not answering his calls.

Edited November 30, 2021 by sistermagpie

[Lady S.]

Fwiw, a watch was Tom's birthday gift to Logan in the pilot. He ended up giving it to the family of the kid Roman messed with, along with the NDA they had to sign. 

Kendall had enough reasons to feel bad at his party but it must have stung hard to know not just that Roman only came as Logan's errand-boy, and that Roman was fully team Logan even more than Shiv, but to see Roman at his worst and beg Kendall to hit him then push him to the ground for refusing to take the bait. Roman seemed to be the sibling he was closest to before and we've seen him react to Logan hitting Roman, but now little brother's saying he'll always be loyal to the abuser and that everyone else should try being more of a bully.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Lady S.

[FemmyV]

9 hours ago, cardigirl said:

My concern with Naomi is that she is pulling a "long con" on the Roy family and Kendall and that she'll betray him at his most vulnerable, which could have been this party.  When they met, Naomi told Ken all about how much she hated the way their tabloids had treated her after her mother's death.

It was interesting to me that Logan mentioned going after Pierce again in this episode.

I'm with you on Naomi. Early on in the episode I got a strong vibe, she will betray him, and when Logan brought up the Pierces it felt like Chekhov's gun. She supports Kendall but does nothing to bring out his better side, so why is she there?

That said, I don't dislike her.

 

7 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

Oh and she drank Rava’s expensive wine without asking…who does this?

Solo children who didn't grow up dealing with the repercussions of using and misplacing or destroying their siblings toys/clothes/etc. And Kennedys, if a story I've heard is true.

 

 

[Clawdette]

In the opening minutes when Kendall was singing and lackeys were assembling the cross off stage, I knew we were in for a dystopian birthday party to end all birthday parties.   

Maybe that could be a new business for Kendall - designing and delivering the most outrageous and ridiculous parties for the 1%.  He would only have to book a couple before they would be the must-have thing.

[Diapason Untuned]

4 hours ago, chick binewski said:

To me it seems the Roys regard Greg as an entity with nothing that they haven't bestowed to him. Greg can't approach Kendall's employee because that involves Greg making a positive choice for himself and to have someone or something outside the family. 

Ewan said something similar, that Greg doesn't take himself seriously, which he really doesn't.

This episode is a great example. It's great that he got a win, but he's still going out on a date with someone who will go to work the next day to write a hit piece on him, not to mention the fact that half the reason she seems to be doing it is to get back at Kendall. I mean, that's not the actions of someone with any self-esteem.

 

2 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

ETA: Oh, one other thing I'd say about Greg is I never felt like his grandfather much had his back. He's had him running around a lot too. Even the lawyer he got him didn't seem like he was there to protect Greg so much as advance Ewan's agenda against Logan. Iirc, Greg even mentioned someting about the guy not answering his calls.

Greg was working at a theme park in episode 1. Logan is an absolute piece of garbage,  but he wouldn't let his kids do that, if only because it would reflect badly on him.

Ewan has no interest in Greg at all and never did, except when he can use him as a weapon against his brother.

 

10 minutes ago, FemmyV said:

She supports Kendall but does nothing to bring out his better side, so why is she there?

She's in a co-dependent relationship with Ken

[Bluesky]

4 hours ago, nb360 said:

Doesn't he look like a younger (and probably nicer) Jim Comey?

Did he play Comey?  Looks just like him 

[MBayGal]

9 hours ago, Kirsty said:

Edited to add: When Kendall started to cry, and he said "I wish I was..." did anyone else think he was going to say "dead"?

Yes, absolutely.  And I was near tears at the last scene.  Kendall is so heartbreakingly damaged.  

[Avabelle]

Ugh this episode made me hate Roman. So unbelievably nasty. I know the siblings all attack each other in different ways but his emotional abuse and then the physical push  of Kendall was just so uncomfortable to watch. I really need him to get knocked down pronto. 
 

Another person I need to see get taken down a few pegs is Logan’s secretary. Just ugh. 
 

and of course I desperately need to see Logan get fucked for once (paraphrasing what Tom said to Kendall. Not literally of course).

Edited November 30, 2021 by Avabelle

[Pestilentia]

7 hours ago, Clawdette said:

Maybe that could be a new business for Kendall - designing and delivering the most outrageous and ridiculous parties for the 1%. 

Kendall could have any life he wants. A "2 bil" buyout would give him the opportunity to quite literally do anything he wants for the rest of his life. What is he getting from remaining in the Roy circle that can compete against 2 billion?   People do things for reasons- there is some need deep inside him that is being met by all this misery, otherwise he wouldn't do it. Dysfunctional reasons, but reasons. Perhaps he is so bereft of emotion that feeling anything, even extreme sadness, is preferable to feeling nothing. I see Kendall as being a weird amalgamation of all the C cluster personality disorders. He needs treatment and he needs to take the freaking buyout and leave this foul family- I think a lifetime of hash and sex in Marrakesh sounded lovely.

4 minutes ago, Avabelle said:

Ugh this episode made me hate Roman. So unbelievably nasty. I know the siblings all attack each other in different ways but his emotional abuse and then the physical push  of Kendall was just so uncomfortable to watch. I really need him to get knocked down pronto. 

Everyone was very amped up at this party and while it wasn't directly referenced other than Kendall calling for Reece? to come set Askar up, there was a lot of coke around. I'm thinking Roman's outburst was coke induced. Not that it excuses him but it explains it enough that I can still love Roman. 

Not everyone is at their worst during tragedy and their best during triumph- graceful winning and losing is taught to children and that's just one more life lesson the Roy kids never received. Roman's lashing out is the way he deals with his own damage- hurt people hurt people.  

I don't mean to defend him really, but his coping mechanism is a smart mouth and IMO that is as pathological as Kendall's emptiness or Shiv's cluelessness or Connor's delusions. I can't blame him 'more' for being a smart ass than I can blame Kendall for being mentally ill- it's all fallout from childhood neglect and abuse. I really want them to get into the childhood specifics of all of them, but especially Roman. His repeated jabs that mention getting father-fucked have come by just a tad too often to be baseless. I doubt that particular abuse ever took place but somebody did something heinous to the smallest and most vulnerable Roy child and I want to know who and what. I know Shiv is younger but she's tougher IMO and the male children seemed to suffer most.

Regarding the stall in storyline, if they can't write any better than this I suggest season 4 be individual stand alone episodes detailing some backstory on the childhood of this bunch- a Kendall ep, a Shiv ep, etc. Probably a topic for a different thread.

[BC4ME]

I thought it was interesting that even though drugs were mentioned, we don't actually see any drug use at the party (clearly, Kendal was smoking weed pre party but I mean hard drugs) and don't know who actually did drugs and who didn't. Tom says he did and it's implied he did coke but we haven't really seen Kendall do hard drugs even though he seems to be coked up a lot this season. I wonder if there's some reason for that? It just stood out for me.

[dmc]

9 hours ago, FemmyV said:

I'm with you on Naomi. Early on in the episode I got a strong vibe, she will betray him, and when Logan brought up the Pierces it felt like Chekhov's gun. She supports Kendall but does nothing to bring out his better side, so why is she there?

That said, I don't dislike her.

 

Solo children who didn't grow up dealing with the repercussions of using and misplacing or destroying their siblings toys/clothes/etc. And Kennedys, if a story I've heard is true.

 

 

I feel like anyone who has lived in society know this is a nope.  So she knew and didn’t care so basically like a Kennedy.  Once Jackie went to a party and stole this expensive gold lighter.  
 

https://lisawallerrogers.com/2011/10/11/jackie-kennedy-the-gold-cigarette-lighter/

 

Her husband had to send a check for it. 

Edited November 30, 2021 by dmc

[cardigirl]

14 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

So, do we know how Alan Ruck injured his arm?

Shoveling snow.

[sadie]

$2 Billion? This guy can cash out with $2 billion dollars and he’s still messing around being shit on by his father? Is this supposed to reinforce how damaged he is because it seems he could start his own company and make whatever he wants out of his life? Instead he keeps farting around trying to”win” Waystar? Why? 
 

The season just doesn’t seem to be moving and it’s not as entertaining was it was. They all just keep goi g round and round and nothing ever really happens. Only two eps left and we’ve gone nowhere all season other than to keep showing us how fucked up all these people are, none of them are likable AT ALL, it’s making this harder and harder to watch.

[peachmangosteen]

14 hours ago, Brian Cronin said:

I think the next step in the season turns on whether Shiv DID get that last board seat that they added for the Roy family in the negotiations with Stew/Sandy (I assume they did. I joked to my wife that it was basically "Chekov's extra board seat"). If so, then all she needs to take control of the board of WayStar is Marcia's board vote and Marcia is specifically being set up this season as to being anti-Logan, since she is disgusted at how he embarrassed her with his last affair and after seemingly agreeing to her terms, KNOWING how proud she is, he is now very publicly fucking his assistant (and giving said assistant more power as a result, even when her "power" is simply echoing Logan's own opinions back to him, which is also a tight piece of subtle writing by the writers. You look at Kerry's commentary, it is all obviously parroted Logan stuff that his ego loves to have told back to him by his attractive young assistant). So if Shiv and Marcia make a move, they can take control of the company with Stew/Sandy's gleeful support (Hope Davis would obviously play a role there, of course). 

I love this idea so I hope you're right.

[Pop Tart]

16 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I think Greg is way hotter than Comfry so everyone acting like she was some beauty and he was an ogre was weird. I guess it's just part of how horrible they all are as people. 

I think some of the "out of your league" talk about Comfry with Greg was more to do with how doofus-y he is vs how smart, competent, professional, with it, put together, etc. all the adjectives Comfry is. Of if that's not how they were meaning it, that would be why I'd say it to a Greg.

Comfry is helping run a major event, wrangling PR for Kendall (who is changing his wants and needs constantly), and a myriad of other things while Greg sits in a mail room and does....what exactly? She really seems to know what she wants and is going after it. He does not (to put it mildly).

So to me - clearly she is out of his league. Though I could certainly see why she might go out with him, partially to spite Kendall and partially because why not? She can have uncomplicated time with the doofus.

[peachmangosteen]

Ted, at least, specifically mentioned her being gorgeous/stunning/something along those lines. But Ted is a complete asshole to Greg so it probably isn't meant to taken taken as true lol.

[sistermagpie]

12 hours ago, Clawdette said:

In the opening minutes when Kendall was singing and lackeys were assembling the cross off stage, I knew we were in for a dystopian birthday party to end all birthday parties.   

Maybe that could be a new business for Kendall - designing and delivering the most outrageous and ridiculous parties for the 1%.  He would only have to book a couple before they would be the must-have thing.

Sadly, I think he'd be bad at it. This birthday party didn't seem like it was especially good. Nobody seemed to particularly feel grateful to Kendall for it. As usual he often didn't understand how anything was really coming across. Halfway through he started blaming the disappointment on Connor's coat for making everyone feel cold. It was just another party for everyone but the Roys who will remember the nastiness.

4 hours ago, Pestilentia said:

Kendall could have any life he wants. A "2 bil" buyout would give him the opportunity to quite literally do anything he wants for the rest of his life. What is he getting from remaining in the Roy circle that can compete against 2 billion?  

This is probably the central sadness of the whole thing. They could do anything and they all do...nothing. As funny as the Pierce guy was getting his second PhD in African American studies, he's using his money to pursue an interest. 

4 hours ago, Pestilentia said:

Not everyone is at their worst during tragedy and their best during triumph- graceful winning and losing is taught to children and that's just one more life lesson the Roy kids never received. Roman's lashing out is the way he deals with his own damage- hurt people hurt people.  

I don't mean to defend him really, but his coping mechanism is a smart mouth and IMO that is as pathological as Kendall's emptiness or Shiv's cluelessness or Connor's delusions. I can't blame him 'more' for being a smart ass than I can blame Kendall for being mentally ill- it's all fallout from childhood neglect and abuse. I really want them to get into the childhood specifics of all of them, but especially Roman. His repeated jabs that mention getting father-fucked have come by just a tad too often to be baseless. I doubt that particular abuse ever took place but somebody did something heinous to the smallest and most vulnerable Roy child and I want to know who and what. I know Shiv is younger but she's tougher IMO and the male children seemed to suffer most.

I thought it wasn't clear which one was older. To me, Roman is the youngest.

I think when Roman wanted Kendall to hit him he really kind of wanted it. He's the guy with the humiliation kink. I think part of him can't wait to fail so he can go back to being the snarky guy on the sidelines under less pressure. He might not be aware of it, but I think he's partially terrified by his success here. Like all the Roys, everything is everything or nothing with him. He had a good conversation with a guy who seemed like he might make a deal, so he has to be the best businessman in the world. Again, unlike Greg who's happy to get a date but is very aware that the girl might have had reasons for accepting that weren't even about him.

1 hour ago, Pop Tart said:

I think some of the "out of your league" talk about Comfry with Greg was more to do with how doofus-y he is vs how smart, competent, professional, with it, put together, etc. all the adjectives Comfry is. Of if that's not how they were meaning it, that would be why I'd say it to a Greg.

Comfry is helping run a major event, wrangling PR for Kendall (who is changing his wants and needs constantly), and a myriad of other things while Greg sits in a mail room and does....what exactly? She really seems to know what she wants and is going after it. He does not (to put it mildly).

But I don't think any of them think of Comfry that way. They have no idea how much work goes into the stuff she does or how difficult they make it when they change their mind at the last minute. I'm sure as far as Kendall is concerned *he's* the one doing the hard work by coming up with these "great" ideas and it's nothing for Comfry to make them reality. Greg might be a cousin Kendall looks down on, but that still makes him more important than Comfry who's invisible unless Kendall's disappointed, and then she's fired and gone.

[aghst]

52 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

Ted, at least, specifically mentioned her being gorgeous/stunning/something along those lines. But Ted is a complete asshole to Greg so it probably isn't meant to taken taken as true lol.

Who the fuck is Ted?

[aghst]

3 hours ago, sadie said:

$2 Billion? This guy can cash out with $2 billion dollars and he’s still messing around being shit on by his father? Is this supposed to reinforce how damaged he is because it seems he could start his own company and make whatever he wants out of his life? Instead he keeps farting around trying to”win” Waystar? Why? 
 

The season just doesn’t seem to be moving and it’s not as entertaining was it was. They all just keep goi g round and round and nothing ever really happens. Only two eps left and we’ve gone nowhere all season other than to keep showing us how fucked up all these people are, none of them are likable AT ALL, it’s making this harder and harder to watch.

He isn't cashing out because it's another codependent relationship he has, with the family, with Logan.

He isn't cashing out for the same reason that his siblings aren't cashing out.  He doesn't want any of the others to win.

Shiv carved out her own career and distinct politics.  She hates the family's politics.  But she wants the throne, if only to deny her brothers.

Roman, if he wasn't screwed up emotionally, meaning he could have a complete decadent lifestyle like a lot of other rich scions, might have cashed out.  But as Tabitha repeatedly complained, he never wants sex.  As Gerri found out, he only wants humiliation.  Still he doesn't want his brother or sister to get it either.

 

As for whether the characters are likable or not, that was always the case from the start.

The question isn't whether you watch because the characters are likable but whether they're interesting and entertaining, no matter how awful they are.

Edited November 30, 2021 by aghst

[Ms Blue Jay]

Deleted

Edited November 30, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[Carolina Girl]

1 hour ago, sistermagpie said:

As funny as the Pierce guy was getting his second PhD in African American studies, he's using his money to pursue an interest. 

If I had "fuck you" money - that is PRECISELY what I would do.  Maybe not get degrees but sit in on college courses and soak up the subject matter. 

[Bluesky]

5 hours ago, dmc said:

I feel like anyone who has lived in society know this is a nope.  So she knew and didn’t care so basically like a Kennedy.  Once Jackie went to a party and stole this expensive gold lighter.  
 

https://lisawallerrogers.com/2011/10/11/jackie-kennedy-the-gold-cigarette-lighter/

 

Her husband had to send a check for it. 

Kennedy by marriage only.  It was her husband Onassis who sent a check. 

[Milburn Stone]

18 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

What was the jacket thing even about?! 

It made sense to me from Kendall's POV. A guest with a jacket on looks like a guest who is leaving.

[sistermagpie]

53 minutes ago, Carolina Girl said:

If I had "fuck you" money - that is PRECISELY what I would do.  Maybe not get degrees but sit in on college courses and soak up the subject matter. 

IKR? You could hire people to teach you stuff!

[Blakeston]

I have to wonder if Tom's apparent kiss of death to Greg is a prelude to Tom saying something like, "I know you gave Kendall documents that directly incriminated me and almost landed me in jail."

Re: Greg's attractiveness, I think the makers of the show want us to perceive him as doofy-looking, even though Nicholas Braun is clearly conventionally handsome. Hollywood loves casting hot people as not-so-hot characters. The alternative would be actually casting actors who aren't conventionally attractive, and we know they won't tolerate that!

[dmc]

3 hours ago, Bluesky said:

Kennedy by marriage only.  It was her husband Onassis who sent a check. 

You don’t have to tell me anything about the Kennedys.  Every book about them and Jackie, I own lol.  Yes by marriage.  But she very much still came home and showed up for them when Chappaquiddick happened.  Like Rava, she’s knew she wasn’t getting out.  

Edited November 30, 2021 by dmc

[sistermagpie]

Oh, and I figured I would mention--a friend of mine was an extra in this ep. I didn't think she was ever visible, but there is actually a moment you can see her in the distance. She's being a paparazzi outside the party. (The night they shot it was freezing so it's impressive how they all don't look miserable walking inside.)

[peachmangosteen]

4 hours ago, aghst said:

Who the fuck is Ted?

Tom. I don't give enough of a shit about him to remember his name.

[BlackberryJam]

I suppose this is an unpopular opinion, but I find absolutely nothing about Cousin Greg attractive. Well, he has nice hair. But he looks like the kind of guy who would cry after sex. Not one of the main male cast is attractive. I mean, Brian Cox is just okay for an old guy, but Logan is gross. Kendall is too broken. Roman is too squirrelly. Tom is just creepy. Connor is...I suppose...the thought of sex with Connor doesn't make my skin crawl, unlike all of the others.

A-Skars was some doing his Eric Northman bored, old, tired hot thing and I absolutely enjoyed that, but I'm not watching this show for the eye candy. 

[peachmangosteen]

22 minutes ago, BlackberryJam said:

Not one of the main male cast is attractive.

Agreed.

Jeremy Strong looks great when he has salt & pepper hair and a beard though. And I think the Greg actor is hot outside of the show. I don't get the Matthew McFayden thing. Keiran Culkin looks like a kid still to me.

They even managed to make Alexander Skarsgard look not that good in this show. Quite a feat. Adrien Brody looked hot as hell though.

[Brian Cronin]

12 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

They even managed to make Alexander Skarsgard look not that good in this show.

Which sort of makes me question why they cast him in the first place. "Let's get Alexander Skarsgard, but make him not look good." Like...why? I don't dislike Skarsgard as an actor, but his physicality is obviously a big part of who he is, so if you're going to disguise that, just get a different actor.  It'd be like casting Joe Manganiello as some dumpy guy. Just cast an actual dumpy guy. 

[Lassus]

18 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

They even managed to make Alexander Skarsgard look not that good in this show. Quite a feat. Adrien Brody looked hot as hell though.

No love for Kirk?  ;-)

[laprin]

6 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

Ted, at least, specifically mentioned her being gorgeous/stunning/something along those lines. But Ted is a complete asshole to Greg so it probably isn't meant to taken taken as true lol.

I believe you mean Tom. 

[peachmangosteen]

9 minutes ago, laprin said:

I believe you mean Tom. 

Yes, already covered lol. I oscillate between remembering his name is Tom and thinking it's Ted and I don't care enough about the character to get it right tbh.

24 minutes ago, Lassus said:

No love for Kirk?  ;-)

Who is Kirk?

[DoubleUTeeEff]

In order to remember Tom's name, you just have to remember that you have to break a few Gregs to make a Tomlette. It doesn't matter how many Gregs you break you will never make a Tedlette.

[Penman61]

18 hours ago, Bluesky said:

Did he play Comey?  Looks just like him 

And they're both tall and lanky!

And they both think they're getting the better of ruthlessly immoral power-hungry wolvish assholes but in reality they're getting played because they still have a sliver of conscience buried in all that boyscout ambition that actually makes them weaker among these wolves!

Edited November 30, 2021 by Penman61

[Milburn Stone]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

Who is Kirk?

Maybe Justin Kirk, who played Roman's favorite presidential candidate?

[Ms Blue Jay]

I think Kieran and Matthew are so attractive.   But Kieran is not younger than me and I'm an enormous fan of "Igby Goes Down" and "Pride and Prejudice".  They are burned into my brain.

https://www.vulture.com/article/lorene-scafaria-succession-season-3-episode-7-interview.html

Quote

A LONG TALK NOV. 29, 2021

‘God, I’m crying over Kendall?’

 

A guided tour of Succession’s descent into birthday hell with director Lorene Scafaria.

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[Bluesky]

5 hours ago, dmc said:

You don’t have to tell me anything about the Kennedys.  Every book about them and Jackie, I own lol.  Yes by marriage.  But she very much still came home and showed up for them when Chappaquiddick happened.  Like Rava, she’s knew she wasn’t getting out.  

Her daughter Caroline is very much a Kennedy and JFK Jr was too.  I only followed their political careers,  not so much Jackie or personal.  Have you been to Chappaquiddick?    Pitch dark and very narrow bridge with no sides.   Not an excuse just an observation.  

[Bluesky]

1 hour ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I think Kieran and Matthew are so attractive.   But Kieran is not younger than me and I'm an enormous fan of "Igby Goes Down" and "Pride and Prejudice".  They are burned into my brain.

https://www.vulture.com/article/lorene-scafaria-succession-season-3-episode-7-interview.html

 

I don’t know which one is Matthew but Kieran is too weaselly-faced and small for my taste.   And I think Greg is as goofy looking in real life as he is supposed to be on the show.     But I’ll take watching these actors any day over airbrushed surgery faces or generically beautiful but no talent.   I like the variety they cast.  

[Athena5217]

15 hours ago, BC4ME said:

I thought it was interesting that even though drugs were mentioned, we don't actually see any drug use at the party (clearly, Kendal was smoking weed pre party but I mean hard drugs) and don't know who actually did drugs and who didn't. Tom says he did and it's implied he did coke but we haven't really seen Kendall do hard drugs even though he seems to be coked up a lot this season. I wonder if there's some reason for that? It just stood out for me.

We saw Shiv put some white powder drug in her drink so we do know she did drugs. But we did not see anyone snorting coke.