The upcoming fourth season of “Succession,” premiering on March 26, will be the final season of the hit HBO drama.
Creator Jesse Armstrong announced the decision in an interview with The New Yorker, in which he got candid over his conflicted feelings about the show’s imminent end.
“You know, there’s a promise in the title of ‘Succession,’” Armstrong told the magazine. “I’ve never thought this could go on forever. The end has always been kind of present in my mind. From Season 2, I’ve been trying to think: Is it the next one, or the one after that, or is it the one after that?”
The five-time Emmy winner said that it was always his preference for the series to seem “muscular and complete, and go out sort of strong” instead of airing hit-or-miss seasons.
“I hope that no one ever thinks that we are outstaying our welcome — that we’re going to do a dud season, or be stretching it out,” he added. “I hope those concerns never occur to people. I know they do when I’m watching other people’s shows, even ones I admire and like.”
So Armstrong started thinking of the fourth season as the final go-round for the show, and his mind was set around the time the cast and crew started filming the new episodes.
That said, Armstrong also told The New Yorker he felt “deeply conflicted” over the “difficult decision” to end the show.
“I feel sad, and I have the circus-has-left-town feeling that everyone gets who works on a production that’s good, and this one particularly so,” he said. “I imagine I’ll be a little bit lonely, and wandering the streets of London in a funk, and wondering, What the f—k did I do? I’ll probably be calling you up in about six months asking if people are ready for a reboot.”
‘Succession,’ which follows the fictional Roy family as they fight over their Waystar RoyCo corporation, is a hit with critics and viewers alike. The show has raked in 48 Emmy Award nominations and 13 Emmy wins, including two trophies for Outstanding Drama Series. The ensemble cast includes Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Nicholas Braun, Matthew McFadyen and Alan Ruck.