Alongside the seminal high-fantasy seriesGame of Thrones, HBO’s satirical comedy-dramaSuccessionis one of the most popular and highly-regarded TV shows of the past 15 years. At their best, both series garnered universal acclaim and reshaped the entire landscape of television. But there’s one key difference between them, which placesSuccessiona cut above its neo-medieval contemporary.
Both shows started strongly, withGame of Thronesactually receiving more praise for its debut season thanSuccessiondid. However,Succession’s seasonscontinued to get stronger as the show went on, culminating in a breathtaking final season in 2023. Unfortunately, withGame of Thrones, it was a different story.
The fantasy show simply couldn’t live up to its own incredibly high standardsby its eighth and final season.Game of Thrones’ endingwas a huge disappointment to fans and critics alike, tarnishing the legacy of the series and giving a deeply unsatisfactory sendoff to some of the most beloved characters in recent television history.
Succession Stuck The Landing Better Than Game Of Thrones
Its Finale Was Stunningly Effective As Opposed To GoT’s Weak Ending
In contrast toGame of Thrones,Succession’s series finale was its finest hour,springing an ingeniously crafted surprise which had subtly been prepared throughout the show’s run, right under our noses. No one could have been less appropriate for the role of Waystar RoyCo CEO than Logan Roy’s ostracized son-in-law Tom Wambsgans, and yet, in truth, Tom was the perfect choice.
He somehow managed to be an impossibly spineless doormat and a hideously unscrupulous social climber at the same time. As such, he climbed his way to the top of Logan Roy’s company without anyone noticing, where he could serve as the ideal “pain sponge” for Waystar RoyCo’s new owners.
Rotten Tomatoes scores by season forGame of ThronesandSuccession
Game of Thrones season
Succession season
90%
89%
96%
97%
93%
-
94%
55%
Overall
95%
Tom’s journey was the embodiment of everything that was wrong with the company, which, in the end, made him just the right fit. What’s more, while he’d taken on all the Roy family’s worst qualities to further his own career, he didn’t have the baggage that came with appointing an actual Roy as Logan’s successor.
In a deliciously ironic turn of events,Succession’s finale proved that pure nepotism doesn’t always pay. By contrast, theGame of Thronesfinale felt mostly redundant, going through the motions to tie up loose ends without ever broaching the kind of climactic twist that madeSuccession’s final bow so stunningly effective.
A lot had alreadygone wrong withGames of Thronesseason 8more generally before its last episode, but the show’s final 78 minutes of television were still a letdown for viewers who’d been watching it for eight years. The major events that it depicted felt rushed and underdeveloped, and therefore lacked any semblance of a well-earned payoff.
What Succession’s Finale Got Right That Game Of Thrones' Didn’t
The Episode Was Meticulously Crafted With The Rest Of The Series In Mind
AlthoughGame of Thrones’ final seasons weren’t all bad, they lacked the clarity of thought and feel for characters that went into George R.R. Martin’s novel series, on which the first six seasons are directly based. The TV show’s writers clearly struggled to develop the likes of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen further without Martin’s novels to guide them.
Meanwhile,Succession’s last season was meticulously plotted, carefully developing plot threads and character arcs that had begun in previous episodes and seasons, under the direct supervision of creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong. Having already written series finales forThe Thick of ItandPeep Show, Armstrong was a seasoned pro when it came to finishing with the strongest episode possible.
Succession’s finale isn’t just a superb piece of television on its own terms, or a fitting ending for the show’s characters.It feels like it belongs at the end of the story, alongside the other episodes not only of its season, but of the entire series.
Perhaps the best example of the episode’s suitability as an ending is the way itcircles back to the Lawrence Yee storyline fromSuccession’s very first episode. Yee unexpectedly made good on his threat to become a bigger fish in the business world, and “eat” the Roy family up.
Succession Will Go Down In History As One Of The Best TV Shows Of All Time
Game Of Thrones Was A Landmark Series, But Not On The Same Level
Retrospectively,Game of Throneswill go down in history as a generationally brilliant, game-changing fantasy drama, which opened the door for other major shows in the genre to follow in its wake. However,Successionwill go down as one of the greatest satires of a true storyever made, and as a TV show for the ages, across all genres.
Rarely has a comedy show been so dark and brutal, or landed so on the money with its portrayal of a real-world setting.
Its cutting one-liners, cringingly awful character flaws, and agonisingly brilliant dramatic ironies set it apart among the best shows of the century.Successionis so good that you have to watch it a second timeto catch most of the jokes, as well as the nuances of each character’s behavior.
Rarely has a comedy show been so dark and brutal, or landed so on the money with its portrayal of a real-world setting.Successionmay have lasted just four seasons and 39 episodes, but it’s already left an indelible mark across the whole of television.
Succession
Cast
Succession is a Black Comedy and Satire television show created by Jesse Armstrong. It stars Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, and Kieran Culkin and follows the story of an aging conglomerate owner as he deals with his declining health and the sudden realization that one of his children will soon inherit his position and run his company.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
