The TV drama I hated at first but grew to love has won the award for best TV drama series at the Golden Globes.
Usually I'm a sucker for unlikable characters. The more flaws and sass the better. But episode one of Succession didn't chime with me. Wasn't interested in watching a bunch of rich privileged brats cavorting about in private planes and chauffeur-driven vehicles throwing hissy fits.
Modelled on the Murdochs of this world, the show, on a surface level, made me roll my eyeballs and think: yeah, nah.
But that was before I got what the show was really about.
That's when I fell in love with the series. I came late to it, but soon devoured all four seasons.
It's all in the premise.
When I understood the core concept that made the show tick, I was hooked. The Roy siblings have it all, except for their father's love (note: their mother's also a piece of work). They will do anything to get their father's attention, admiration.
I think there's a sizeable chunk of the population who can relate to that. Not the money bit. The parental affection bit.
Boom. We get it.
It's tapping into a universal theme. The audience are on board and engaged. If anything, the fact that these people are a bunch of sh*ts only adds to the appeal.
How so? We understand why they are so dysfunctional.
We can empathize with the characters and their actions even though they are reprehensible on so many levels.
Proving that protagonists do NOT need to be likeable to make a great show.
Yay for the antihero! As long as we understand how he/she got there.
Kieran Culkin wins best male actor in a TV drama series. Here, he is clearly still in character as Roman Roy.
Sarah Snook won best female actor in a TV drama series.
Matthew Macfadyen won best supporting male actor in a TV drama series.
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