1. Roy=Roi You first have to get the fact that Logan Roy is Henry VIII incarnate. He only seems like a modern-day tycoon. But his modus operandi is pure Tudor dynasty. Henry, like Logan, could be expansive, generous, fun to be around. But it only lasted so long as he felt assured of the admiration and allegiance of those around him. Thomas More (the heretic-burner or great-man-of-honor, depending on which movie you see) is the expert here. He told his son in law Roper that though he, More, was at the time favored by the King “more singularly” than any subject in the realm, “I have no cause to be proud thereof, for if my head could win him a castle in France, it should not fail to go.” And of course More’s head did eventually go—though not for a castle in France but because More refused to bend to Henry’s voracious will.
For some wild reason I first read the phrase as "Shiv = Boi" and I thought wow; that's brilliant. My mind, in its disordered phase, expected a piece about Shiv as the "Boy-King" or a piece about her androgyny. But of course it's Logan!!! And it's helpful in understanding a family like this to think about historical figures that really existed and have taken up residence in our collective unconscious. While reading this piece and glancing at the clips, I had a much fuller appreciation of the actress' subtle physical movements and body language. The folded arms! The walk! And then the hummingbird-fast flickers of emotion on her face before she restores herself to armored mode. I have felt so protective of Shiv because of the awful sexism, but I've now come to see that she isn't really....um.....the best...at this business....I'm choosing a new exterior color for my house and I'm drawn to deep, charcoal gray....that's the Logan mood - nothing's black and white...just gray, gray, to a deeper gray....
Thanks. Succession reminds of the old Shakespearean kings for certain. Others tie it in also too toxic narcissism and other psychopathologies. Find it interesting the name "Shiva" association with the informal Native American roots of the word - meaning knife or razor. Then there is always
Yes, and a “shiv” is an improvised knife made by prisoners. Probably comes from the NA roots you mention.
A funny side note on “Shiv”: I’m Jewish, and when someone dies we “sit shiva.” Joking, my husband called my sitting down to work on this piece “Sitting Shiv”.
I’m sure there will be dissertations on the literary references on this show!!
Well said. What does make the Succession characters most interesting is our constant ambivalence about them. As many have noted, even Tom had a Mr. Darcy throwback moment in Episode 3. 🙄
For some wild reason I first read the phrase as "Shiv = Boi" and I thought wow; that's brilliant. My mind, in its disordered phase, expected a piece about Shiv as the "Boy-King" or a piece about her androgyny. But of course it's Logan!!! And it's helpful in understanding a family like this to think about historical figures that really existed and have taken up residence in our collective unconscious. While reading this piece and glancing at the clips, I had a much fuller appreciation of the actress' subtle physical movements and body language. The folded arms! The walk! And then the hummingbird-fast flickers of emotion on her face before she restores herself to armored mode. I have felt so protective of Shiv because of the awful sexism, but I've now come to see that she isn't really....um.....the best...at this business....I'm choosing a new exterior color for my house and I'm drawn to deep, charcoal gray....that's the Logan mood - nothing's black and white...just gray, gray, to a deeper gray....
Shiv=Boi works too! Not that she’s androgynous. But she is so male in so many ways. And then—unfortunately for her—she’s also a little girl.
Thanks. Succession reminds of the old Shakespearean kings for certain. Others tie it in also too toxic narcissism and other psychopathologies. Find it interesting the name "Shiva" association with the informal Native American roots of the word - meaning knife or razor. Then there is always
shiva to take into account?
Yes, and a “shiv” is an improvised knife made by prisoners. Probably comes from the NA roots you mention.
A funny side note on “Shiv”: I’m Jewish, and when someone dies we “sit shiva.” Joking, my husband called my sitting down to work on this piece “Sitting Shiv”.
I’m sure there will be dissertations on the literary references on this show!!
Well said. What does make the Succession characters most interesting is our constant ambivalence about them. As many have noted, even Tom had a Mr. Darcy throwback moment in Episode 3. 🙄
You know (I’m sure) that he played Darcy in one of the remakes of P and P. And was pretty hot. Something I don’t find Tom to be!
Exactly, Susan. He was Darcy in the 2005 version with Keira Knightly. https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/succession-pride-and-prejudice-mr-darcy-matthew-macfadyen-tom-wambsgans