Succession

gr. 9+, tragicomedy & drama

Succession centers around the Roy family, owners of media conglomerate Waystar RoyCo, as they compete against one another for control of the company. The premise of the show is rather simple but it’s explored in such a way which manages to keep viewers on the edge of their seats throughout all three seasons and forces audiences to care for deeply flawed characters

While all elements of the production are breathtaking, especially the wardrobe department who never fail to create some of the most elegant looks to graze the small screen and the set department who find some of the most incredible locations in all of New York, the camera work on the show is some of the best around The camera works as if it's its own character; looking around a space as if entering a room for the first time, dipping in and out of conversations, weaving in and out of crowds and peering through doors or windows The audience is invited in and quickly thrown back out at a moment's notice. It's a strange balance to strike and yet, it's effective and executed wonderfully. Alongside this, the writing is witty, dramatic and often gut wrenching, carefully teetering the line between drama and comedy. The exquisite writing is performed by the incredibly talented cast, all of which give it their all and never fail to make viewers care about the deeply flawed people around Waystar RoyCo.

There are some truly iconic lines which have come from Succession over the seasons, most of which include varying amounts of profanity and need some context in order to be appreciated, but are made as iconic as they are due to the performances Some standouts include Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy, easily the most flawed and broken man on television but Strong portrays him in such a way that no one else could. As well as Matthew Macfadyen and Nicholas Braun, the toxic dynamic duo made up of Tom Wambsgans and Greg Hirsch who never fail to change the entire tone of a scene, often being the funniest on the entire show Succession has talent oozing from every scene and this article would be an Extended Essay to go into all of the wonderful performances the show has to offer

In the end, there is no doubt that Succession showcases some of the best of the best on TV right now. It is a carefully crafted masterpiece which nevers to make the most vile of people loveable and never fails to deliver some of the best television out there.

Andor follows the story of Cassian Andor, one of the beloved heroes of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story played by Diego Luna, five years before Rogue One takes place. Andor asks the question “What compels someone to sacrifice their life for a cause?” with the aim of answering it somewhere in the story of Cassian Andor.

Andor knows exactly what story it wants to tell, needing to fit everything into the short 5 year time frame, while also recognizing that not everything needs to be included It picks its story beats to pure perfection, carefully crafting the answer to its central question. As the show is still airing, the central question has yet to be answered fully but so far it's been explored beautifully. The cinematography stunning, writing incredibly realistic and grounded and the performances from the entire cast are nothing less than breathtaking. All of the cast shine but it’s Luna’s performance which carries most of the weight of the show, giving nothing less than an authentic and heart wrenching performance as Cassian Andor never forgets its roots with many glimpses of the Rogue One Cassian fans came to love back in 2016 while still recognizing that he isn’t the man in Rogue One.