Success and Sadness --- Day 12/152

 Walk: Not sure yet

Distance: ditto

So, tonight at 6:00 PDT and 9 EDT, millions and millions of Americans will be watching the old/new MAX to learn who succeeds Logan Roy.  In time zones around the world millions and millions more will also be tuned in.  And no matter who the writer-producer Jesse Armstrong appoints the winner, we will all be sad and casting around for what to do with our Sundays now.  No more Succession originals to watch; a great one like The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, The Wire, Mad Men and the very few other TV shows on the genius rung will go into re-runs.

Like those shows, there is absolutely no way of outguessing the show runners, but every temptation try.  So, here goes Ciwt:  In the very first episode of Succession on June 3, 2018 we learned that Logan had given Marcia two votes on the Waystar board.  A few episodes later we learned that Marcia has a son who has been an important executive at Waystar in the Mideast for many years.  In Season 3, to atone for his sexual shenanigans Logan was forced to amend his prenup much more strongly in Marcia's favor.

Every good mystery writer knows the narrative principle that every element in a story must be necessary and irrelevant elements should be removed.  This is called "Chekhov's Gun" and comes from his famous book writing advice "If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off.  If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be handing there."  

Soooo, applying that to Succession, Marcia's two votes must 'go off' in the finale. And there have also been teaser remarks about a possible 5th season by Armstrong and some cast members.  Putting all that together, Ciwt predicts:

- Marcia will be the successor, 

- She in turn will step aside in favor of her son (who may even have been adopted by Logan in those        Season 3 negotiations).  

-The new son-CEO will in turn keep the old guard staff (Gerri, Frank and Karl) 

- AND he will fund Logan's kids, Kendall, Roman and Shiv, so they can fulfill their contract with Pierce Global Media and run it as   a triumvirate.

All of that leaves Ciwt with a bunch of her own Chekhov guns: What about  Connor,Tom, Greg, Ewan, Mattson, Shiv's marriage and baby among others?  So, already we know Ciwt's guess is lacking at best and probably completely wrong.

She couldn't be happier about that! and can't wait to be dazzled - as she has been for the past almost four seasons - by what the brilliant writer(s), director(s), crew and actors have in store for tonight's finale of Succession.