Creator Jesse Armstrong chose to end Succession after four seasons, although the prestige HBO drama series could have continued much further.
Despite a passionate call for more among fans and critics, Succession season 5 will not be happening and the acclaimed fourth season was the definitive end for the series. The smash-hit HBO series aired its final episode, “With Open Eyes,” on May 28th, 2023. The Succession finale closed the door on the Roy family legacy, wrapping up the converging storylines in a thrilling, funny, and grim ending. Succession ran for four outstanding seasons since premiering in 2018 and has won more than a dozen Emmy Awards during its successful run. The show gained massive popularity for its engaging characters, witty humor, and exploration of generational trauma through a corporate lens.
While the Succession ending left storylines open for things to potentially continue, it was a fitting conclusion for the main characters. Kendall is no longer in charge of the company, Roman is adrift and likely headed for a life of debauchery, Shiv has little to no power at her family company after betraying her brothers, and Tom is the American CEO of Waystar Royco. While there are still a lot of people who would have liked to follow these characters more, the door is still closed on Succession season 5.
Creator Jesse Armstrong Decided Succession Season 4 Would Be The End
The Storytelling For Key Characters Reached An Inevitable Conclusion
Creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong decided that Succession would end with season 4 and there would be no Succession season 5 release, even though it could very well have continued further. Armstrong believed that a natural conclusion was arriving for Kendall, Roman, Shiv, and Logan after season 3 and chose not to stretch out the exceptional series for the sake of more episodes. Armstrong had been contemplating when Succession would end since the end of season 2. He explained that ending Succession with season 4 would provide a poignant and timely conclusion that would maintain the integrity of the series.
HBO Would’ve Liked Succession Season 5 (If Armstrong Had Agreed)
HBO Was Wise Enough To Not Consider Continuing Without Armstrong
It’s no surprise that HBO would have given the green light to a Succession season 5 if Armstrong had been on board. The CEO of HBO Casey Bloys wanted more Succession but understood that the decision was better left in Armstrong’s hands. While HBO has certainly benefited from Succession’s impressive performance at the Emmys, Bloys felt that a critically acclaimed show such as this would be better off ending on the creator’s terms. While networks cannot always be counted on to choose artistic integrity over ratings, the fact that HBO’s bosses recognized Armstrong’s vital role in the success of the series.
What Would Succession Season 5 Have Looked Like?
A Potential Look At Logan Roy’s Backstory Could Have Been An Interesting Continuation
If there were plans for a Succession season 5, they likely would have involved changing what kind of show Succession was altogether. Armstrong revealed he played out scenarios of doing short seasons or extending it into unknown territory (via The New Yorker):
“We could go on for ages and turn the show into something rather different, and be a more rangy, freewheeling kind of fun show, where there would be good weeks and bad weeks.”
In the same Succession season 5 could have been made easily picked up after season 4’s fallout, with Tom as CEO, the uncertainty of Mencken’s presidential win, and what’s next for the Roy children.
Succession season 5, might have allowed more of Logan’s backstory to rise to the surface. The season could have explored Logan starting Waystar and dealing with his demons from the death of his sister Rose and how he mistreated Connor’s mother in his first marriage. The Roy kids’ early relationship with their father could have been explored more deeply, fleshing out those characters and even further explaining why they acted the way they did in seasons 1 through 4. In addition to a Succession season 5 release, a spin-off series could have been made following popular characters like Greg or Stewy.
