The Unicorn Scale: Succession

By Jennie Roberson

July 07, 2022

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Photo credit: Image/HBO

Hey there, my gorgeous Unicorns both fresh-faced and experienced! I hope everyone’s doing well in their patch of the world. In my area, the trees and flowers are bursting into the full bloom that is spring. If that’s the case for you — hooray! I hope you’re enjoying the fruits of the season — and any allergy meds you may need.

While I’ve been shedding layers, I do love me a good turtleneck, and that article of clothing always makes me think of my favorite prestige comedy: Succession, a King Lear dynasty writ (corporate-level) large. Over the course of this last season (the third in the series), I’ve realized there is a character here that may appeal to queer audiences I haven’t explored in this space. So I thought it was high time to take a closer look at the darling of HBO.

Before I go any further, I should throw down a few warnings both for those who are new to the Scale and for whomever needs a refresher or a heads-up on certain content. First and foremost, this review will contain SPOILERS through the third season of the HBO series. Also, I should add a few content warnings: verbal abuse, displays of drug use and relapses, as well as a few deaths and just general cruelty. Finally, if this is your first time coming across the Scale — a hearty welcome to you in particular! — you can find out all about the column’s metric over here.

Got it? Splendid. Now let’s settle in with a glass of lemonade (perhaps with some vodka), listen to one of the best opening themes in TV history, and jump right in.

Succession is a drama/corporate satire focusing on the media mogul family, the Roys, headed by belligerent but newly-fragile Logan (Brian Cox). After Logan suffers some brain trauma, questions emerge about which of his children will inherit his media empire — Connor (Alan Ruck), middle son and heir apparent Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), or Roman (Kieran Culkin).

The Roys, posing in front of a large painting.
Image/HBO

What I Liked:

Usually I don’t recommend Succession; it’s a hard watch unless someone has a specific itch that needs to be scratched. Does this person love seeing characters hurl Veep-like, Olympic-level creative insults at people they supposedly love? Then yes, this would be a hit. Wanna see a thinly veiled jab at the Murdoch family? Great. Do they like amoral characters in the vein of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia but would not be cool with them rarely getting a comeuppance, despite the fact they’re working at a level that influences millions of lives? Maybe not their cup of tea.

But this last season beefed up a storyline that may give the show a bit of a broader appeal to queer audiences. And that is what seems to be the growing affection of Shiv’s husband, Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfayden) for the family’s Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun). From the pilot on, we’ve seen Tom both give Greg a hard time and, professionally, take him under his wing. But as the seasons have progressed and we’ve seen Tom wrestle with the complexities of his relationship with his wife (her cheating on him, revealing on their wedding night she wants an open marriage, etc), there seems to have been a shift in the way he engages with and thinks about Greg.

In short, I think it’s safe to say that Tom loves Shiv, but is also — in his own, twisted way — falling for Greg as well.

Tom and Shiv sitting together at the beach having a conversation with serious expressions.
Image/HBO

It’s not as hard to make a case for Tom’s attraction as one might think. In Season 2 when there’s a threat of a shooter and Greg says he may want to move to another department, Tom’s reaction is closer to that of taking a break-up badly than seeing it as the professional branching out that it is.

Not only that, but Tom usually goes to Greg for both moments of celebration as well as his woes. Sure, we see once he has eluded jail time he goes to Greg in triumph (and trashes his office), but what particularly stuck out in my mind is this incredible (and incredibly gay) scene when Tom feels the walls closing in:

I know when I’ve faced tremendous amounts of stress, I’ve said some unusual things. But nothing of this caliber.

Also, when we near the end of Season 3 set in Tuscany, Greg mentions considering pursuing a colleague, Tom goes from elated at sidestepping prison to quietly miserable and needling Greg for trying to pursue anyone.

Maybe it’s because I will always and forever see Macfayden as Darcy that I’ll always have a romantic framework while I watch his roles, but Tom’s line about castration and marrying Greg and Darcy’s “you’ve bewitched me, body and soul?” Same energy.

Tom and Greg having a serious conversation. Both are wearing suits, and Tom has a drink in his hand.
Image/HBO

What I Didn't Like:

Is this all to say that Tom’s love for Greg is a healthy one? That’d be one huge and hellacious NO! Tom is a bully, and that routinely comes out when Shiv has just laid into him and Tom does some psychological transference to Cousin Greg — either because he doesn’t know how to confront Shiv, or is afraid of her blowback. Tom’s behavior is also wildly unfair because of the power dynamic at play, since Greg technically works under Tom, so the forms of abuse are plentiful here.

And yet, at the same time, I do feel for Tom in some ways. It seems evident he came up in a heteronormative culture/workspace and, as such, reverts to schoolyard bullying disguised as corporate #nohomo riffing to express his attraction to Greg. But just because Tom doesn’t have the tools to properly put words to these feelings, it doesn’t excuse one iota of his behavior.

The Rating:

Look, am I about to say that Succession is a great representation of bisexuality? Of course not. Do I think that Tom’s growing queer attractions and inner conflict about them, in such a high-powered, high-stakes setting, is fascinating enough to be its own series or film? Totally. This dramedy is known for its well-drawn-out but deeply cruel characters and this storyline (often seen as the C-storyline throughout) is no exception to that rule. Is it still a compelling and watchable relationship? Without a doubt. I consider Tom’s emotional turmoil as more of a bi bonus than anything in this corporate satire — but it’s still worthy of both mention and analysis.

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