It's Not Too Late to Get Totally Addicted to HBO's 'Succession'

sarah snook as siobhan shiv roy in hbo's succession

(Image credit: HBO)

published 3 September 2020

Think the family you've been stuck quarantining with is dysfunctional? Just wait 'til you meet the Roys of HBO's Succession. The critically-acclaimed drama about the wealthy and ruthless Roy family hit the small screen in 2018 and has been making mergers and acquisitions seem downright sexy ever since. While the first season was a sleeper hit, the second season was a runaway TV heavyweight, gaining Internet fame for Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his dastardly cursing; Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook) and her chic turtlenecks; and Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) and his admirable brown-nosing.

The drama has also become the one to beat during award season, scooping up a BAFTA and Golden Globe for Best Television Series—Drama as well as several Emmy wins and acting nods for Cox and Kieran Culkin (Roman Roy). It'll also be one to watch at the 2020 Emmys, where the show earned an outstanding 18 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.

To sum up: You need to binge it now, before season 3 (which has unfortunately paused production due to COVID-19) drops.

How can I stream Succession online?

If you have an HBO subscription, you can stream the show via its digital on-demand services HBO Go and HBO Now. Fairly new service, HBO Max, will also give you access to watch Succession for $14.99 per month. You can also access the show by adding HBO packages to existing Hulu ($14.99 per month for HBO + $5.99 for Hulu's base package) or Amazon Prime Video ($14.99 per month for HBO + $12.99 for Amazon Prime package) accounts. Amazon, Youtube, and iTunes also allow viewers to purchase individual episodes/seasons for varying costs.

kieran culkin and jeremy strong as roman and kendall roy in succession — Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong as Roman and Kendall Roy, respectively.

Can I watch Succession for free?

Almost every streaming platform, including HBO Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, offer completely free trial periods (varying from seven to 30 days). Considering Succession only currently has 20 hours of content, any of those options should allow you more than enough time to get caught up without being charged. (But chances are you'll keep that HBO login for when season 3 drops.)

As for when that third season will drop, there's no official word out on that yet, sadly. Cousin Greg, I mean actor Nicholas Braun, told Esquire in August that they were discussing filming season three when the pandemic hit.

"We were definitely talking about it and getting close," said Braun to the magazine. "But then, it became more vague and then it just continued to drift. But, it feels like we're getting closer. I think there's a lot of positivity. I think we're seeing a lot of shows go back or movies will start shooting again. They're able to do it and it doesn't sound like a catastrophe. So, I think everybody's feeling really optimistic. Hopefully, we'll figure out a way to do it, and we'll do it safely."

Showrunner Jesse Armstrong has plans to start filming again but don't assume it's a sure thing. Armstrong told Variety they are "trying to think about starting shooting in New York before Christmas," but the plans are still "just conversations"apparently. Adding, "Who knows if that’ll come about, but that’s the plan at the moment."

Hopefully it works out!

Neha Prakash is Marie Claire's Entertainment Director, where she edits, writes, and ideates culture and current event features with a focus on elevating diverse voices and stories in film and television. She steers and books the brand's print and digital covers as well as oversees the talent and production on MC's video franchises like "How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?" and flagship events, including the Power Play summit. Since joining the team in early 2020, she's produced entertainment packages about buzzy television shows and films, helped oversee culture SEO content, commissioned op-eds from notable writers, and penned widely-shared celebrity profiles and interviews. She also assists with social coverage around major red carpet events, having conducted celebrity interviews at the Met Gala, Oscars, and Golden Globes. Prior to Marie Claire, she held editor roles at Brides, Glamour, Mashable, and Condé Nast, where she launched the Social News Desk. Her pop culture, breaking news, and fashion coverage has appeared on Vanity Fair, GQ, Allure, Teen Vogue, and Architectural Digest. She earned a masters degree from the Columbia School of Journalism in 2012 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 2010. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and dog, Ghost; she loves matcha lattes, Bollywood movies, and has many hot takes about TV reboots. Follow her on Instagram @nehapk.