Slate Money: Succession Recap – Season 2, Episode 5: “Good Cop, Misogynist Cop”

Release Date: September 9, 2019
Host: Felix Salmon (referred to here as Felix Hammond in the transcript, likely as a playful pseudonym)
Panel: Emily Peck, Katie Baker (The Ringer), Jacob Weisberg (Pushkin Industries)

Episode Overview

This episode of the Slate Money: Succession recap dives into the explosive fifth episode of Succession's second season, "Good Cop, Misogynist Cop." The panel explores the pivotal Roy–Pierce family dinner, the show's gender politics, the machinations of succession, and the rich (and toxic) dynamics both within and between the families. Special emphasis is given to the tension between patriarch Logan Roy and the show's women—Marcia, Shiv, Rhea, Nan Pierce—as well as Succession’s scathing portrayal of inherited power and money in media families.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Episode’s Central Theme: Succession, Gender, and Power

• Shiv’s Anointment Revoked:
  Emily Peck opens with the observation that what started as a promise to Shiv is now very much revoked:

  “This episode makes clear that she is very much not the Anointed.” (02:04)

• The Succession MacGuffin Comes into Play:
  The show finally reveals a tangible reason for naming a successor—to sway the Pierce family for a major acquisition. As Felix notes:

  “If you have a liberal, young female successor, that maybe makes it easier for you to buy Pierce.” (02:29)

2. Logan’s Reluctance and Misogyny

• Logan’s Power Games:
  Katie Baker observes Logan refuses being told what to do, particularly by women, and is “confronted by all these people who are telling him who to pick and what to do” (03:47).

• Misogyny Unmasked:
  Felix and Emily hone in on Logan’s first on-screen confrontation with accusations of misogyny:

  “That was the first time that Logan has been called a misogynist on the show ... now you’re beginning to see ... maybe this is another shitty part of Logan.” (04:59)

  • This dynamic climaxes with Shiv’s “good cop, misogynist cop” line and Logan’s confusion.

3. Women in Power – Marcia, Rhea, Nan Pierce

• Dinner Tensions and the Place of Women:
  Emily points out:

  “Nan Pierce turns to Marcia ... and she says Beirut, right? ... Logan immediately, like, jumped in. Won’t even let her answer the question ... Marcia sort of, like, stepping up and getting a little huffy with him.” (08:13–08:40)

  • This becomes symbolic of Marcia’s increasing isolation from Logan’s inner circle.

• Nan Pierce v. Logan Roy: WASP v. Tycoon:
  Jacob Weisberg:

  “The Pierce family is the mirror of the Roy family. ... They drink French wine instead of California wine ... but they’re just as fucking greedy.” (12:13)

4. Mirrored Dysfunction – The Roys and The Pierces

• Parallel Families, Parallel Flaws:
  Both clans are ultimately driven by greed and internal fractures, despite pretenses to virtue or style.
  • Emily:

    “By the end of the dinner, [Naomi and Kendall] are ... just getting utterly shit faced. And they’re basically the same creature ... stripped away of the Shakespeare quotes, it’s the same thing.” (12:57)

• The “Disastrous” Dinner as Turning Point:
  Felix describes the dinner as “the most gloriously constructed dinner in the history of Succession,” one that, paradoxically, catalyzes the Roy deal with the Pierces (13:30–14:59).

5. The Hypocrisy and Vulnerability of Both Sides

• The Social Construct of Money:
  The panel discusses Nan’s speech about money’s constructed nature and the Pierces’ hypocritical high-mindedness.
• Naomi Pierce’s Surrender:
  The way Naomi, originally a holdout, capitulates to the Roys via substance-induced bonding with Kendall is critiqued as somewhat unconvincing but thematically resonant (“money wins again”) (20:49–21:14).

6. Character Spotlights and Notable Dynamics

• Tom’s Humiliation:
  Tom’s ineptitude and the group’s derision—highlighted by the mock interview at dinner (“the king of edible leaves, his majesty, the spinach”)—is a source of comic relief but also pathos (22:21, 23:22).

• Shiv’s Loss of Power:
  Shiv, once confident, is now drained, undermined both by her father and circumstances (“the way they film her ... she looks so pale ... just so different” – 24:31).

• Logan’s “Love” as Poison:
  Emily and Katie point out that Logan’s affection is a trap that erodes his children’s self-worth:

  “The closer you are to Logan, the more you hate yourself.” (25:06)

• Marcia’s Motivation:
  The group speculates on Marcia’s endgame and growing alienation—a slow-burning subplot that hints at future upheaval (27:14–29:39).

• The Women’s Potential Alliance:
  There’s spirited speculation about a possible female-led coup by Shiv, Rhea, Nan, and Jerry—but Jacob is skeptical, noting their motives aren’t aligned for a collective (“any alliances ... will be merely tactical” – 30:27).

• Roman and Jerry:
  The bizarre, co-dependent Roman–Jerry dynamic, with hints that Jerry may become “the Rasputin” of the group, is also dissected (30:39–31:05).

7. The Succession Parallels to Real-World Families

• Bancrofts v. Sulzbergers:
  The Pierce family is read as a clear play on the Bancroft family (former Wall Street Journal owners), with the episode’s plot strongly echoing Murdoch's buyout (17:13–20:19).

• On-Point WASP Satire:
  Both the writing and performances are praised for nailing the quirks of WASPy elitism and hypocrisy—down to the “roast theater” and performative humility (16:28–18:52).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Gender, Power & Succession

• “He doesn’t want a bunch of women telling him that he has to appoint a woman.” – Felix (05:36)
• “He’s kind of a manipulative sadist ... watching them go at each other like scorpions is appealing to him.” – Jacob Weisberg (07:49)
• “Shiv ... makes a joke and everyone’s like, ‘That’s not funny, Shiv.’ ... You can really see ... the swagger ... has been drained from her.” – Katie Baker (24:31)

The Dinner Scene

• “I got tipsy and I offered him the State Department.” – Connor (33:07) (group favorite)
• “Would you like to take illegal drugs with me?” – Naomi to Kendall (34:21)
• “King of edible leaves, his majesty the spinach.” – Tom (22:21, 23:22)
• “Jeepers fucking creepers. What a shit pinata. That was like the most Roy thing I’ve ever seen ... I got a quart of Roy injected into my eyeballs.” – Tom to Shiv (33:21)
• “You want to know my Shakespeare? Take the fucking money.” – Logan (32:49)

WASP Satire and Money

• “The Pierce family is the mirror of the Roy family ... they’re just as fucking greedy.” – Jacob (12:13)
• “Welcome to our funny little house.” – Nan Pierce (16:28)
• “I continue to wonder: Who are Shiv’s friends? They hate everyone.” – Felix (39:15)

Final Reflection

• “You won. Yeah. Yeah. Money wins. Here's to us.” – Felix (46:23)
• “The celebration ... Logan immediately just puts his drink down, turns away and goes up the stairs. And everyone's just sitting there, you know, hating life ... quite the ending.” – Katie Baker (46:39)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:18 - Panel introductions and excitement for the episode
• 02:04 - Discussion of Shiv’s succession arc
• 03:47 - The power of women in this episode (Jerry, Rhea, Nan, Naomi)
• 04:31 - Analysis of Logan’s misogyny and refusal to cede power
• 08:13–09:16 - The Roy–Pierce dinner: Marcia’s marginalization
• 12:13 - The Pierces as Roy “mirrors”; wine and cultural signifiers
• 13:30–14:59 - Disastrous dinner, accidental dealmaking
• 17:13–20:19 - Real-life inspirations: Bancroft/Murdoch/WSJ parallels
• 22:21, 23:22 - Tom’s humiliation at dinner
• 24:31 - Shiv’s loss of confidence and familial undermining
• 27:14–29:39 - Marcia’s discontent and speculation on her next moves
• 30:39–31:05 - Roman and Jerry’s dynamic; possibility of her as a “Rasputin”
• 32:49–34:21 - Favorite lines: “Take the fucking money,” “Would you like to take illegal drugs with me?”
• 39:15 - The Roys’ utter contempt for outsiders
• 46:23–46:39 - “You won. Yeah. Yeah. Money wins. Here's to us.” / The hollow victory and family discontent

Episode Takeaways

• “Good Cop, Misogynist Cop” is a turning point in Succession, revealing the Roy dynasty’s vulnerabilities, especially around gender and inherited power.
• The Roy–Pierce dinner is a comedic and dramatic masterclass, exposing class satire, familial toxicity, and the Pyrrhic nature of victory for both families.
• Money, not virtue, always wins—and even triumph tastes hollow for the Roys.
• Marcia, Jerry, and Rhea are rising wildcards to watch as the inner circle stews in mutual resentment and shifting alliances.

Selected Favorite Quotes & Lines (with Timestamps)

• “Good cop, misogynist cop.” – Shiv (04:58)
• “The Pierce family is the mirror of the Roy family ... but they’re just as fucking greedy.” – Jacob Weisberg (12:13)
• “The king of edible leaves, his majesty the spinach.” – Tom (22:21)
• “Jeepers fucking creepers. What a shit pinata. That was like the most Roy thing I’ve ever seen.” – Tom (33:21)
• “Take the fucking money.” – Logan (32:49)
• “You won. Yeah. Yeah. Money wins. Here's to us.” – Felix (46:23)
• “Logan brings you in closer and strips you away of all your power so he can ... and your self respect. ... the closer you are to Logan, the more you hate yourself.” – Katie and Felix (25:00–25:06)

This detailed breakdown captures the sharp observations, humor, and thematic depth that make both Succession and the Slate Money recap engaging listens and must-reads for fans and critics alike.