Slate Money Podcast Summary

Episode: Succession - “Weevils in the Flour Sack” (Season 3, Episode 1 Recap)

Date: October 18, 2021
Host: Felix Salmon (A), with co-hosts Emily Peck (B) and guest Janine Gibson (C)

Overview of the Episode

This episode of Slate Money dives into the much-anticipated opening of Succession’s third season. The discussion focuses on the fallout from Kendall’s explosive press conference at the end of Season 2, the state of limbo for the Roy family and their associates, and the shifting power dynamics at Waystar Royco. The hosts explore the episode’s portrayal of chaos, uncertainty, and the relentless jockeying for position at the top of a crumbling empire.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Immediate Fallout: Flight, Fear, and Limbo

[02:00 - 05:20]

• Season 3 opens exactly where Season 2 ends: Logan and the Roy inner circle scrambling, unsure where to go post-Kendall’s betrayal.
• The group is stranded in airports and hotels, hiding from potential legal ramifications.
• Notable quote [03:23, C]:
  “It's also very uncomfortable for the viewer because...all of the characters are in this weird limbo in a kind of purgatory where none of them can go home.”
• The sense of rootlessness is literal and metaphorical; none can settle or plan, which viewers feel viscerally.

2. The Glass Cliff and Jerry as CEO

[05:20 - 09:46]

• Logan unexpectedly appoints Jerry as interim CEO—a classic “glass cliff” scenario (promoting a woman just as things are falling apart).
• Notable quote [06:28, C]: “This is the Full Baskin Robbins 31 flavors of fuck right there.”
• The hosts marvel at the idea anyone wants the CEO job, which currently seems cursed.
• Discussion of how Jerry’s appointment is more about optics and placating critics than ceding real control, with Logan wanting to still call the shots.

3. Corporate Crisis Strategy and Realism

[10:06 - 11:31]

• Logan’s crisis management is both performative and ruthlessly pragmatic.
• He tries to tie up top law firms to prevent them from representing adversaries—a real-world tactic.
• Notable quote [10:25, A]:
  "He’s basically got this strategy of tying up every single conceivable lawyer who might be any good at this...and I was like, that’s like, yeah, that’s real."
• The hosts appreciate how closely the show's writers model actual high-stakes corporate crisis playbooks.

4. The Battle for Legal Ace: Lisa Arthur

[11:31 - 14:22]

• Both sides race to secure high-profile attorney Lisa Arthur (a composite, plausibly inspired by Gloria Allred or Lisa Bloom).
• The hosts dissect Shiv attempting to conflict Lisa out to block Kendall from hiring her, showing Shiv’s calculated competence.
• Notable quote [13:33, A]:
  "There’s been a couple of instances...where Shiv actually does show herself to be incredibly competent and quite good at what she does."

5. Kendall’s False Bravado and Lack of a Plan

[14:22 - 17:17]

• Post-press conference, Kendall appears triumphant but quickly reveals he has no actual plan.
• He clumsily seeks validation from PR strategists, his ex-wife, girlfriend, even cousin Greg.
• Notable quote [15:43, A]:
  "He did this great, like, mic drop moment...then it turns out he has no plan at all."
• [16:44, C]:
  "You can kind of tell when he’s all like...this is not someone who is actually in control of what they're doing or has a clue what they're doing."
• His nervous mania becomes a running theme—a man in over his head, desperate for affirmation.

6. Greg’s Role: Clueless, Useless, and Yet Crucial

[19:00 - 22:13]

• The hosts discuss Greg’s bifurcated role as both bumbling and accidentally pivotal (having provided Kendall with the key cruise documents).
• Notable quote [19:00, A/B]:
  Greg: "This is like OJ except if OJ Never killed anyone."
  Kendall (smiling): "Who said I never killed anyone?"
• Greg is essential yet incompetent—a running joke and a link between various power players.

7. Jerry’s Competence and Corporate Survival

[22:13 - 25:01]

• The hosts agree Jerry is the most clear-headed and effective in the crisis, which is why Logan leans on her.
• She is strategic, avoids mess, and executes well, making her appointment as CEO make sense.
• Notable quote [24:32, A]:
  "She’s just a very straightforward person, Shiv."

8. Lingering Issues: Who Goes Down?

[25:14 - 29:35]

• Debate over who (if anyone) might actually face jail time, with Tom and possibly Greg considered likely scapegoats.
• Shiv is the only major Roy seemingly shielded by plausible deniability.
• Notable quote [27:19, C]:
  "Logan Roy is not going to jail. Nobody goes [to jail]. Somebody else will go to jail, but that will be somebody who is not a blood relative..."

9. Side Characters: Hugo and Karolina

[31:00 - 32:18]

• PR shuffle: Karolina gets unceremoniously kicked out by Kendall; Hugo becomes more prominent, despite his unctuousness.
• The hosts note the pettiness and volatility of this new power structure.

10. Mirroring Real World and Series Continuity

[30:00 - 33:33]

• The hosts emphasize how the show's writers draw on real-life corporate scandals, keeping the show grounded but heightened.
• The Roy clan’s instinct is always to splinter and lawyer up at the first sign of trouble.
• Notable quote [33:11, C]:
  "The reaction of this family is to immediately break apart into tiny huddles, try and form an alliance and hire a shitload of lawyers."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Glass Cliff for Jerry ([05:58, B]):
  "This is the ultimate glass cliff moment...a woman gets made CEO just at the point where everything turns to shit."
• Roman Roy’s Pitch ([06:43, C]):
  "Obviously I want it, but...if you don't think I'm ready, then maybe I don't want it."
• Logan's Ruthless Wisdom ([07:42, C]):
  "If I start picking scabs and saying sorry, who knows where we'll end up?"
• Kendall’s Delusions ([15:04, A]):
  "He needs to be told by an underling—Yeah I don’t think they’re going to let you into the building."
• Frank is ‘Mashed Potatoes’ ([34:42, A/B]):
  "You’re not trusted, you mashed potatoes!"
• Roman to Jerry ([36:13, A]):
  "I’d lay you badly, but I’d lay you gladly."
• Roman’s Cronyism ([23:11, A/C]):
  "If it ain't Romy time, maybe it's crony time."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening chaos and rootlessness: 02:00 – 05:20
• Jerry named CEO, glass cliff, and the poison chalice: 05:20 – 09:46
• Corporate legal wrangling & realism: 10:06 – 11:31
• Race for Lisa Arthur & legal maneuvers: 11:31 – 14:22
• Kendall’s unraveling and PR spectacle: 14:22 – 17:17
• Greg’s importance & relationship to Kendall: 19:00 – 22:13
• Jerry’s strategic value & character analysis: 22:13 – 25:01
• Speculating on jail time and outcomes: 25:14 – 29:35
• Side character shakeups (Hugo, Karolina): 31:00 – 32:18
• Epigrams, favorite lines, and closing reflections: 34:11 – end

In the Speakers' Own Words

• Janine Gibson, on the episode’s structure ([03:23):
  "All of the characters are...in a kind of purgatory where none of them can go home."
• Emily Peck, on Jerry’s new job ([05:58):
  "I mean, this couldn’t be worse situation. I don’t understand why everyone still wants to be CEO of Waystar Royco."
• Felix Salmon, on the show’s authenticity ([10:25):
  "That’s like, yeah, that’s real."
• Roman Roy’s signature line ([23:11):
  "If it ain't Romy time, maybe it's crony time."
• Emily Peck, on the Roy sibling dynamic ([15:43):
  "At the end of Season 2, I was like, wow, Kendall's cool now. And then almost immediately into this episode, I was like, oh, dear God, he's going to fuck it up, just like his brother said."

Recap for New Listeners

This episode captures the chaos, crackling dialogue, and sharp satire that Succession is known for, making for a lively and insightful podcast discussion. The panel praises the series' realism, the cleverness of the "glass cliff" setup, and the layered, often hilarious writing. Listeners unfamiliar with Succession's return will come away understanding the show’s current stakes: panic among the Roys, Jerry’s ascendance, Kendall’s uncertain power, the ruthless corporate maneuvers at play, and a cast of characters both hyper-competent and farcically inept.

Final thought ([37:00, A/C]):
"I do think now, though, that whether he realizes it or not, Logan has basically got Roman on board by putting Jerry in charge...probably even more so than if he'd been made CEO himself."