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Succession: Season Three: The Complete Scripts
The complete, authorised scripts of the multiple award-winning
Succession
.
** Winner of thirteen Emmys, five Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and a Grammy. **
'Love'. You're coming for me with love?
In the wake of an ambush by his rebellious son, Kendall, Logan Roy is in a perilous position, scrambling to secure familial, political and financial alliances. A bitter corporate battle threatens to turn into a family civil war.
Collected here for the first time, the complete scripts of Succession: Season Three feature unseen extra material, including deleted scenes, alternative dialogue and character directions. They reveal a unique insight into the writing, creation and development of a TV sensation and a screen-writing masterpiece.
'The best TV show in the world.' The Times
** Winner of thirteen Emmys, five Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and a Grammy. **
'Love'. You're coming for me with love?
In the wake of an ambush by his rebellious son, Kendall, Logan Roy is in a perilous position, scrambling to secure familial, political and financial alliances. A bitter corporate battle threatens to turn into a family civil war.
Collected here for the first time, the complete scripts of Succession: Season Three feature unseen extra material, including deleted scenes, alternative dialogue and character directions. They reveal a unique insight into the writing, creation and development of a TV sensation and a screen-writing masterpiece.
'The best TV show in the world.' The Times
720 pages, Paperback
Published July 25, 2023
29 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 3, 2025
(They all consider how good The Beatles were.)
November 27, 2024
BANGER.
January 15, 2024
Absolutely brilliant. Succession? More like: Suc-this-is-the-greatest-show-to-have-aired-on-television-and-what-a-privilege-to-have-witnessed-it-live-ion!
June 11, 2023
le ken fest you will always be famous
July 18, 2023
will i ever recover from the emotional damage that the last two episodes of this season has dealt me? probably but right now it feels very fresh and is also making me insane. roy siblings how dare you do this to me!!!!
May 18, 2023
THEY GOT TV SCRIPTS ON HERE ⁉️⁉️
that's crazy anyway can't believe they made Shakespeare real
that's crazy anyway can't believe they made Shakespeare real
Read
December 27, 2023INT. LOGAN’S VILLA – LOGAN’S OFFICE – NIGHT
Tom heads on in to find the three siblings together. A hand held here. A bit of support there. Broken but together
Tom heads on in to find the three siblings together. A hand held here. A bit of support there. Broken but together
Read
February 25, 2025Season 3 was the first time where I felt the machine of the show spinning its gears - the Kendall faux-messiah arc felt like an attempt at freshening up a familiar dynamic by injecting new traits into the character, but I never fully bought the transition from season 2 to season 3 Ken unfortunately.
Nonetheless the Tom + Shiv/Tom arcs were outstanding. It almost feels like the showrunners started to realize he might be the one to win in this season so they put in the work to beef up his characterization and nerf Kendall's.
Another weird thing is, reading the scripts makes me realize how close Roman was to having the right temperament for the top job. There's something about the way Kieran (expertly) plays him that makes it hard for me to take him seriously in the moment, but that's kinda the beauty of it - he's shockingly good at deal-making in a pinch, and his intuitions are solid, but it's all so offered up so casually, you might miss it in the moment.
Nonetheless the Tom + Shiv/Tom arcs were outstanding. It almost feels like the showrunners started to realize he might be the one to win in this season so they put in the work to beef up his characterization and nerf Kendall's.
Another weird thing is, reading the scripts makes me realize how close Roman was to having the right temperament for the top job. There's something about the way Kieran (expertly) plays him that makes it hard for me to take him seriously in the moment, but that's kinda the beauty of it - he's shockingly good at deal-making in a pinch, and his intuitions are solid, but it's all so offered up so casually, you might miss it in the moment.
December 23, 2025
Succession created by Jesse Armstrong - Winner of nineteen Emmys, nine Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and a Grammy, and that may be just for the first season… it was called 'The most thrilling and beautifully obscene TV there is…' by the Guardian, and since they air it again on HBO here, I am looking at some of it, nevertheless, if you want to read more notes on films, there are more than five thousand posts on features from The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made and other lists, along with reviews of magnum opera from The Greatest Books of All Time and other web pages on my blog and YouTube channel https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... maybe you wish to subscribe
8 out of 10
I have already posted two notes on Succession, and one of them is here https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... but since this is such a generous topic, and HBO is airing again earlier episodes from the first series, why not write a few more lines
Jesse Armstrong is a very talented writer, I have also seen In The Loop https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... written by him and others recently, and it was a pleasure to watch, the irony, sarcasm and accuracy of the events depicted have been appreciated
Succession becomes relevant again – actually, it has never stopped being – now that there is a battle over a giant of the old days of film making, Warner, between Paramount and the new comer Netflix, the latter seemed to have sealed the deal, with about 80 billion or so, only to have Paramount push ahead with a hostile offer
Such maneuvers take place throughout the series of Succession, which had inspiration from the Murdochs and their obnoxious Fox News, the outfit that propelled the Orange Disaster to victory – spoiler alert, this will veer into other subjects, in my mind they are related, but you may feel you better leave now
The psychology classic Influence https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... by Robert Cialdini comes to mind, in particular the Principle of Respect for Authority, in the series represented by Logan Roy aka Brian Cox, and in the real world by this Absolute Moron living in the White House
It would be interesting to look on the internet for The Milgram experiments, to see what people do when they receive orders from authority – there was also the case of mass suicide in Guyana, and alas, there are other experiments such tragedies elsewhere – Logan Roy has many periods of frailty, weakness, but his power is immense
Catastrophically, the fool who has been voted the most powerful man in the world – though given his mental decline, I would not see him as ‘powerful’, dangerous, sure, not strong – is playing with the toys he has at his disposal, threatening allies – the news of the past day mention his sending an envoy to Greenland
Games People Play https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... is another classic of psychology by Eric Berne, and we learn from this about the way we blame others, Orange Woland has placed plaques at The White House attacking predecessors, unprecedented, the definition of madness
I have seen The Governor earlier, and we talked about this lunatic (he calls others that, but he is the epitome of mental) the funny governor mentioned his mother-in-law, how he did not go to his house in the hills, because she would come and she is too much, she keeps commenting on everything, news all that is on TV
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – I am on Goodreads as Realini Ionescu, at least for the moment, if I keep on expressing my views on Orange Woland aka TACO, it may be a short-lived presence
Also, maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the benefits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
8 out of 10
I have already posted two notes on Succession, and one of them is here https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... but since this is such a generous topic, and HBO is airing again earlier episodes from the first series, why not write a few more lines
Jesse Armstrong is a very talented writer, I have also seen In The Loop https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... written by him and others recently, and it was a pleasure to watch, the irony, sarcasm and accuracy of the events depicted have been appreciated
Succession becomes relevant again – actually, it has never stopped being – now that there is a battle over a giant of the old days of film making, Warner, between Paramount and the new comer Netflix, the latter seemed to have sealed the deal, with about 80 billion or so, only to have Paramount push ahead with a hostile offer
Such maneuvers take place throughout the series of Succession, which had inspiration from the Murdochs and their obnoxious Fox News, the outfit that propelled the Orange Disaster to victory – spoiler alert, this will veer into other subjects, in my mind they are related, but you may feel you better leave now
The psychology classic Influence https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... by Robert Cialdini comes to mind, in particular the Principle of Respect for Authority, in the series represented by Logan Roy aka Brian Cox, and in the real world by this Absolute Moron living in the White House
It would be interesting to look on the internet for The Milgram experiments, to see what people do when they receive orders from authority – there was also the case of mass suicide in Guyana, and alas, there are other experiments such tragedies elsewhere – Logan Roy has many periods of frailty, weakness, but his power is immense
Catastrophically, the fool who has been voted the most powerful man in the world – though given his mental decline, I would not see him as ‘powerful’, dangerous, sure, not strong – is playing with the toys he has at his disposal, threatening allies – the news of the past day mention his sending an envoy to Greenland
Games People Play https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... is another classic of psychology by Eric Berne, and we learn from this about the way we blame others, Orange Woland has placed plaques at The White House attacking predecessors, unprecedented, the definition of madness
I have seen The Governor earlier, and we talked about this lunatic (he calls others that, but he is the epitome of mental) the funny governor mentioned his mother-in-law, how he did not go to his house in the hills, because she would come and she is too much, she keeps commenting on everything, news all that is on TV
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – I am on Goodreads as Realini Ionescu, at least for the moment, if I keep on expressing my views on Orange Woland aka TACO, it may be a short-lived presence
Also, maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the benefits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
August 6, 2023
Very good writing but it’s amazing how much it’s elevated by every other aspect of the show
August 15, 2023
god i miss this fucking show
October 19, 2025
5 stars
Insane that some deem this the weakest season. No idea where that narrative came from, because critically it isn’t viewed that way at all.
People generally complain about “repetition” with this season, but it’s the heart of the show because of the ways that similar plot beats happen but with more intensity. Firstly, we’ve seen Kendall crash and burn, but never this hard. We’ve seen Shiv’s competitiveness and narcissism, but never to the extent that she actively undermines other women to get an angle, never with the diary-spitting, smear campaign initiating vitriol as in this season. We’ve seen the promise of the illusory Waystar throne drive wedges in previous seasons, but never break the characters and their relationships quite like here.
Secondly, without all this, the show is nothing. In a story about trauma and maladaptive coping patterns, you need to present just that - patterns. Things do need to happen again and also in separate contexts. You could argue that Kendall’s self sabotaging was born of proximity to Logan in the previous seasons and his escape from his father’s quarters freeing him of that trait might have been what people wanted, but it’s not what the story’s about. It’s about deeply, perhaps irreparably damaged people playing in the mud, and season three is its muddiest season. It’s dense, toxic, at points gruelling. Episode 8 is a fine example. Almost every conversation is mired in discomfort. The conversation between Shiv and her mother still gets me to this day. “You were my onion”, “Your father never saw anything he loved that he didn’t want to kick to see if it would still come back”, “I was a kid” into “You were thirteen”. It’s beautifully written and a perfect insight into just how toxic Caroline’s internalised misogyny runs and has affected Shiv.
And episode by episode, this is an amazing season. It’s just not a *moments* season in terms of plot. Its moments are densely written and largely subliminal character interactions that have so many layers. This season is the show’s best expansion of a lot of its characters emotionally, and I think some just find that depth less entertaining because it’s less show-y. But you’ve got a lot to work with here. Episode five, the shareholder meeting is alight with tension and manages to juggle so much at once: an interesting set piece, the deal with Sandy and Stewy, Shiv’s cunning, Kendall grasping for control, Logan’s medical breakdown and the closer relationship being developed with him and Tom, it’s all great. Plus gems like “much ado about something” “You’re suing greenpeace? Well, I like your style Greg, who are you gonna go after next, Save The Children?” “Give the rabbit some bagel”.
I could go on, but I think the season’s consistency comes through when you read it especially. Watching or reading season 2 is about moments. I can’t wait to get to this bit, or that bit. Season 3 has moments like that, but they’re constantly in reference because they’re oriented around character. I can’t wait to see Tom betray Shiv, but I’m nibbling on that for so long before it happens because it’s completely baked into every episode prior, her neglect of his needs builds it up so well. Everything feels far more intentional and integral, you can’t cut any of this material. I don’t have an episode I dislike or am even meh on, but for highlights, the first episode, the second episode, episode five, episode six, seven, eight and nine are all bangers.
Pound-for-pound, this is one of my favourite seasons of TV, never mind just Succession. But in the scope of the whole show, I think in terms of writing, it’s second place, behind only season four, which is set up perfectly by this season, which is a masterpiece all its own.
Insane that some deem this the weakest season. No idea where that narrative came from, because critically it isn’t viewed that way at all.
People generally complain about “repetition” with this season, but it’s the heart of the show because of the ways that similar plot beats happen but with more intensity. Firstly, we’ve seen Kendall crash and burn, but never this hard. We’ve seen Shiv’s competitiveness and narcissism, but never to the extent that she actively undermines other women to get an angle, never with the diary-spitting, smear campaign initiating vitriol as in this season. We’ve seen the promise of the illusory Waystar throne drive wedges in previous seasons, but never break the characters and their relationships quite like here.
Secondly, without all this, the show is nothing. In a story about trauma and maladaptive coping patterns, you need to present just that - patterns. Things do need to happen again and also in separate contexts. You could argue that Kendall’s self sabotaging was born of proximity to Logan in the previous seasons and his escape from his father’s quarters freeing him of that trait might have been what people wanted, but it’s not what the story’s about. It’s about deeply, perhaps irreparably damaged people playing in the mud, and season three is its muddiest season. It’s dense, toxic, at points gruelling. Episode 8 is a fine example. Almost every conversation is mired in discomfort. The conversation between Shiv and her mother still gets me to this day. “You were my onion”, “Your father never saw anything he loved that he didn’t want to kick to see if it would still come back”, “I was a kid” into “You were thirteen”. It’s beautifully written and a perfect insight into just how toxic Caroline’s internalised misogyny runs and has affected Shiv.
And episode by episode, this is an amazing season. It’s just not a *moments* season in terms of plot. Its moments are densely written and largely subliminal character interactions that have so many layers. This season is the show’s best expansion of a lot of its characters emotionally, and I think some just find that depth less entertaining because it’s less show-y. But you’ve got a lot to work with here. Episode five, the shareholder meeting is alight with tension and manages to juggle so much at once: an interesting set piece, the deal with Sandy and Stewy, Shiv’s cunning, Kendall grasping for control, Logan’s medical breakdown and the closer relationship being developed with him and Tom, it’s all great. Plus gems like “much ado about something” “You’re suing greenpeace? Well, I like your style Greg, who are you gonna go after next, Save The Children?” “Give the rabbit some bagel”.
I could go on, but I think the season’s consistency comes through when you read it especially. Watching or reading season 2 is about moments. I can’t wait to get to this bit, or that bit. Season 3 has moments like that, but they’re constantly in reference because they’re oriented around character. I can’t wait to see Tom betray Shiv, but I’m nibbling on that for so long before it happens because it’s completely baked into every episode prior, her neglect of his needs builds it up so well. Everything feels far more intentional and integral, you can’t cut any of this material. I don’t have an episode I dislike or am even meh on, but for highlights, the first episode, the second episode, episode five, episode six, seven, eight and nine are all bangers.
Pound-for-pound, this is one of my favourite seasons of TV, never mind just Succession. But in the scope of the whole show, I think in terms of writing, it’s second place, behind only season four, which is set up perfectly by this season, which is a masterpiece all its own.
March 24, 2024
The Succession scripts just get better and better and series three is a blinding piece of writing. All the episodes are excellent but the series finale is an absolute classic. It seems like the broadcast version was improvised by the cast somewhat so I can’t wait to watch that shortly. I’ve already watched the entire series once and for my second viewing I’m watching episodes after I’ve read the corresponding script. This enhancing the viewing and reading pleasure of what has to be one of the best dramas ever made. Roll on the final series of scripts!
December 18, 2024
Solía pensar que la temporada tres de Succession era la que menos me gustaba, pero ver con detenimiento cómo se entretejen los hilos finos para el amarre dramático de la cuarta temporada me hizo apreciarla muchísimo más. Me parece también la parte de la serie en la que se devela con claridad la psique de Logan: no se trata de mantener a la familia unida, sino que orbite con él como centro. Como refiere Caroline:
“He never saw anything he loved and he didn't wanna kick it just to see if it'd still come back"
“He never saw anything he loved and he didn't wanna kick it just to see if it'd still come back"
February 9, 2025
Season 3 has me all apart, blown into a million pieces... finale is psychologically ruinous actually. Emotional climax like no other. Kendall breaking down and being comforted by Shiv and Roman... the end confrontation with their father... Also, on a separate note, Too Much Birthday, which is a devastating microcosmic depiction of Kendall's whole S3 arc. Siblings, power, breaking apart and pushing back together. Fuck!
"Roman heads towards Kendall and Shiv. In their own private worlds of betrayal and pain. But they are together."
"Shiv's face falls. She crumples, emotionally. Kendall sees. He supports her.
Tom heads on in to find the three siblings together. A hand held there. A bit of support there. Broken but together."
"Roman heads towards Kendall and Shiv. In their own private worlds of betrayal and pain. But they are together."
"Shiv's face falls. She crumples, emotionally. Kendall sees. He supports her.
Tom heads on in to find the three siblings together. A hand held there. A bit of support there. Broken but together."
February 11, 2025
The TV show is excellent in my eyes, so it wasn't a surprise that I loved reading the scripts. However, this book is better still for all the little details that are revealed through the stage directions and deleted scenes that are included. Obviously it's not a book for someone who doesn't like the TV show but for fans it's a brilliant insight into the way the episodes were constructed. The writing is superb and it provides a useful example of how top tier TV scripts are written.
December 8, 2023
Once again, reading this made me appreciate all the details and wonderful storytelling that the writers did to craft this TV season masterpiece, especially the final moments of the season finale where it all came together and landed one of the biggest shockers in the show's history. I'm really glad that I'm relieving the show again through this format.
April 16, 2025
If you want to learn how to write witty dialogue, read this. Laughed out loud more times than I can count. Like the season 2 script, there were plenty of deleted scenes in here that added so much depth to the characters. Even if you've seen the show a gazillion times like I have, I still highly recommend reading the scripts because it's a completely different experience.
December 25, 2025
my favourite season <3 getting to read my favourite scenes and compare them to what we got in the show truly shows the cast’s skills, already good script made even better with such good acting?!?! i love it
July 7, 2023
i LOVE the insight into the characters thoughts
November 3, 2023
THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER LIKE HBO SUCCESSION
March 18, 2024
sooooo good
April 14, 2024
season 3 episodes 7, 8 and 9 you will always be famous
December 27, 2024
BANGER.
Read
January 2, 2025apparently this was sitting on my shelf for over a year after i finished it... anyway, great ofc!
January 30, 2025
please give us season four.
March 2, 2025
“Love?”
April 9, 2025
Bad bitches to the left. Money bitches to the right
June 3, 2025
the juice is loose babyyyy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews