It’s no surprise that Succession, which won almost every major award and a staggering amount of critical acclaim, called HBO its home. For almost 30 years, HBO has been considered the gold standard of prestige television. In its early days of original programming, the channel gave us game-changing shows like The Sopranos and Sex and the City, with HBO continuing to dominate the pop culture conversation in the years since. However, Succession is the last truly great HBO show — and it ended three years ago.
Why Succession Is A Masterpiece
Those who have never seen Succession may ask, “Why should I watch a show about a bunch of awful rich people?” It’s a fair question, but the answer is simple: Succession is Shakespearean, in every sense of the word. While the term is overused in the entertainment industry, Succession is the kind of show it was invented for.
Beyond Succession‘s obvious parallels to King Lear, about a reigning monarch forcing his children to fight for his kingdom in his twilight years, the show is a deep exploration of the moral failings of those in power, much like Shakespeare’s tragedies. Each of Succession‘s main characters has tragic flaws that make them both cruel and selfish, yet at times, deeply sympathetic.
Whether it’s Kendall’s dueling need for paternal validation vs. finding his own identity, Roman protecting himself by playing the fool, or Shiv’s Lady Macbethian need for control clouding her judgment, these are characters we love to hate and need to watch. Succession is unmatched in its dialogue, with characters wielding language like weapons in their insatiable quest for power.
However, despite its intense drama, Succession is also one of the funniest shows on TV. It’s cynical and biting in its satire of media tycoons, Succession‘s insult dialogue leads to hysterical quotes, its cringe humor is often more uncomfortable than Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Tom and Greg, the de facto Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are an endless source of physical comedy. Everything Succession does, it does brilliantly.
Alexander Skarsgård & HBO Are A Perfect Match
As an alpha male tech bro with the intelligence to back up his swagger, Alexander Skarsgård’s Lukas Matsson is able to disrupt the old guard power structure at WayStar Royco better than any antagonist who came before him. But beyond his boss-level threat status, Skarsgård imbues the character with a darkly funny mean streak.
Skarsgård has a penchant for playing twisted yet deeply, darkly funny antagonists, which makes him a perfect fit not just for Succession, but HBO as a whole. The actor has been an HBO fixture for nearly 20 years now, elevating each series he’s in with his trademark sensibilities while also making each of his characters wholly unique.
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Alexander Skarsgård’s Major HBO Roles |
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Title |
Character |
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Generation Kill (2008) |
Sgt. Brad “Iceman” Colbert |
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True Blood (2008-2014) |
Eric Northman |
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Big Little Lies (2017-2019) |
Perry Wright |
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Succession (2021-2023) |
Lukas Matsson |
It was on HBO where Skarsgård found his Hollywood breakthrough, playing the powerful Viking turned bad boy vampire Eric Northman in all seven seasons of True Blood. In 2008, the year of True Blood‘s premiere, Skarsgård also played the real-life Sgt. Brad “Iceman” Colbert in the underrated HBO miniseries, Generation Kill. The actor brought his signature cool, calm charisma to the role, befitting his character’s name and stealing every scene he was in.
However, the role where Skarsgård has seen the most glory is in HBO’s Big Little Lies. Skarsgård won an Emmy in 2017 for his portrayal of Perry Wright, abusive husband to Celeste (played by Nicole Kidman, who also nabbed the Emmy for her performance).
Perry is even more monstrous than Lukas Matsson, yet with his charm, power, and attractiveness, it’s easy to see how Celeste fell for him. And it’s that lethal combination that makes Skarsgård such a captivating screen presence — on HBO and beyond.
No HBO Show Has Topped Succession Since It Ended
After audiences were finally able to close their dropped jaws following Succession‘s explosive ending, they turned back to HBO, eager for the next series that would forever change television as we know it. Unfortunately, three years later, we’re still waiting.
It’s not that all post-Succession HBO shows have been duds. The White Lotus continues to shock and awe, the Game of Thrones franchise has two hit spinoffs in House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and new celebrity-led comedy series DTF St. Louis and Rooster have earned impressive reviews. But there’s a difference between a great show and a true television masterpiece, and none of these series is the latter.
This isn’t a knock on HBO. Television as a whole has seen a decline in quality in recent years, with the “Golden Age of Television” or “Peak TV” era ending in 2023 — seemingly with Succession. With the sheer volume of shows born out of the streaming wars, it has become impossible to keep up, and platforms appear to be prioritizing profitability over quality content.
This is a bigger concern with regard to HBO Max, as Warner Bros. has been acquired by Paramount — a Succession-esque story in itself. Time will tell if HBO can hang on to its prestigious brand status, but when it comes to their next revolutionary series, they may want to consider a certain blond Nordic actor whom they’ve worked with in the past.
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- Birthdate
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August 25, 1976
- Birthplace
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Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden
- Height
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6 feet 4 inches
- Notable Projects
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Godzilla vs. Kong, The Legend of Tarzan, The Northman
- Professions
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Actor, Producer, Director
Discover the latest news and filmography for Alexander Skarsgard, known for True Blood and Big Little Lies.
