Church and State

Church and State
Season	4
Episode	9
Overall	38
Release date	May 21, 2023
Length	70 minutes
Director(s)	Mark Mylod
Writer(s)	Jesse Armstrong
Previous	"America Decides"
Next	"With Open Eyes"

"Church and State" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of Succession and thirty-eighth of the series overall. It premiered on May 21, 2023 on HBO and Max. It was written by Jesse Armstrong and directed by Mark Mylod.

Premise

As the family girds themselves for an emotional funeral, Kendall finds himself at odds with Rava… and inopportune news from Jess. Later, Shiv tries to reposition herself within a new political landscape, as Kendall rallies supporters to his side.

Plot synopsis

The morning after the presidential election, the Roys prepare for Logan's funeral as protests break out in the streets. Kendall is enraged to learn that Rava will be taking the kids upstate to avoid the protests rather than attend the funeral. He attempts to stop her from leaving but is unsuccessful. He is then further agitated when Jess informs him that she wishes to quit her job as his assistant.

Meanwhile, Shiv advises Matsson to release the news of his questionable subscriber counts in India, given that it will receive relatively low coverage due to the election and funeral. En route to the funeral, she informs Kendall and Roman of her pregnancy. Tom has skipped the funeral to perform post-election damage control at ATN, having been named by The New York Times as complicit in Mencken's victory.

At the funeral Mass, Shiv speaks with Matsson and proposes that he make a deal with Mencken to allow the GoJo sale through, in exchange for Matsson naming an American as Waystar's CEO. Shiv nominates herself but Matsson questions her inexperience, as well as realizes that Shiv is pregnant. Caroline arrives and greets her children, immediately noticing that Shiv is pregnant. She then goes off to introduce Kerry and Marcia to Sally-Anne, Logan's mistress during his marriage to Caroline. The four women decide to sit together in the front row.

As the eulogies begin, Ewan heads for the podium to speak. He shares stories of his and Logan's troubled childhood, even revealing the unfortunate demise of their baby sister Rose. He then chastises his brother for his corrupt influence on the world, as well as his family and associates, but insists that he loved him nonetheless. Roman then nervously attempts to give his eulogy, but breaks down crying upon seeing Logan's coffin. He then calls his siblings to the stage and seeks comfort from them. Shiv and Connor return to their seats with Roman, and Kendall goes up to speak in his place. In an impromptu eulogy, Kendall reflects positively on the "terrible force" of Logan's ambition. Shiv is the last to speak. She describes the precious rarity of receiving love from her father, as well as the difficulties of being the daughter of a misogynistic man.

The family then heads to Logan's committal service at a mausoleum he purchased. Kendall enlists Hugo as a key aide in his planned takeover of Waystar.

At the post-funeral reception, Kendall offers to hire Colin as his own bodyguard. He then attempts to negotiate with Mencken, but is interrupted by Greg, Roman, and Connor swarming around him as well. Shiv and Matsson pitch their idea to Mencken. Tom arrives and shares a moment with Shiv and Caroline regarding Shiv's pregnancy. Matsson later calls Shiv to report that Mencken has accepted their terms, and Shiv is elated, believing her position as CEO is secured.

Kendall enlists Roman in working against Shiv at the impending board meeting, where the deal will be finalized. Kendall makes a snarky comment to Roman that he "f**ked it" at the funeral and with Mencken. Videos begin to circulate of Roman's breakdown at the funeral. Roman, feeling overwhelmed and ashamed of his failure, walks out on the street and into a crowd of protestors, provoking them into beating him.

Cast

Starring Brian Cox as Logan Roy (credit only) Hiam Abbass as Marcia Roy Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy Dagmara Domińczyk as Karolina Novotney Peter Friedman as Frank Vernon Justine Lupe as Willa Ferreyra Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans Arian Moayed as Stewy Hosseini David Rasche as Karl Alan Ruck as Connor Roy J. Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy Fisher Stevens as Hugo Baker Alexander Skarsgård as Lukas Matsson

Recurring Harriet Walter as Caroline Collingwood Hope Davis as Sandi Furness Justin Kirk as Jeryd Mencken Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Oskar Guðjohnsen Eili Harboe as Ebba Natalie Gold as Rava Roy James Cromwell as Ewan Roy Zoë Winters as Kerry Castellabate Scott Nicholson as Colin Stiles Juliana Canfield as Jess Jordan Pip Torrens as Peter Munion Larry Pine as Sandy Furness Elliot Villar (photograph) as Daniel Jimènez Swayam Bhatia as Sophie Roy Quentin Morales as Iverson Roy Patch Darragh as Ray Kennedy Brian Hotaling as Mark Rosenstock Mary Birdsong as Marianne Hirsch Nicole Ansari-Cox as Sally-Anne

Quotes

• Kendall Roy: But... But it was only that... that human thing. The will to be, and to be seen, and to do. And now people might want to tend and prune the memory of him to denigrate that force. That magnificent, awful force of him, but my God, I hope it's in me.
• Kendall Roy: Me, rule the world. And you can come. But it won't be a collaboration, OK? You'll be my dog. But the scraps from the table will be millions. Millions. Happy? Hugo Baker: Woof. Woof.

Trivia

• Logan's former mistress Sally-Anne is portrayed by Brian Cox's wife, Nicole Ansari-Cox.