Brilliantly packaged in its four seasons, many consider HBO’s “Succession” to be one of the greatest television shows of all time. Although the first season is a tad too slow for me, “Succession” is a contemporary Acropolis of prestige TV — towering above the rest as a masterpiece of drama, ambition and family intrigue. In its purest form, the plot of “Succession” is rather derivative — a rich family grovels over power. It’s a familiar tale we’ve seen many times before, from Shakespeare’s tragedies to recent corporate thrillers, such as “Dynasty,” “House of Cards” and “Empire.” But, it is “Succession’s” razor-sharp dialogue, championed by its wellspring of emotional depth, that distinguishes it from the rest.
In a show driven by character complexities, Siobhan Roy, her father’s only daughter, emerges as the most dynamic sibling. Despite the nuance brought to the role by the writers and actress Sarah Snook, too many “Succession” fans relegate Shiv to the “worst character” box, while excusing her male counterparts as morally gray. Compared against the actions of her father and siblings, I would argue that Shiv is the only Roy who has any sense of a moral compass. If the worst thing Kendall Roy has done is commit negligent homicide and the worst thing Shiv has done is commit adultery, it’s astounding to me that Shiv is the sibling considered irredeemably corrupt while Kendall is unanimously deemed the show’s “Babygirl.”
Paving her own path, Shiv begins the show as a political consultant, notably separate from the family’s billion-dollar media conglomerate, Waystar Royco, where her brothers and husband are locked in a constant battle for CEO and the approval of their father, Logan Roy. To keep Shiv from aligning with Logan’s political enemies, he exploits her hunger for power and paternal approval, manipulating her into joining the family business with the false promise of CEO. These moments are character-defining, highlighting Shiv’s internal conflict between self-worth and power. Despite the benefits and convenience of aligning with her family’s conservative values, Shiv remains a liberal, having previously worked with leaders in the Democratic Party — much to her father’s chagrin but in support of her own belief system. To work for her father, the most powerful conservative pundit in the world, would come at a great personal cost. But to pass up the opportunity for such gripping authority would be a mistake against her self-interest, a choice she will never make.
As the show progresses, the false promise of CEO emphasizes Shiv’s misguided trust in her father and how far she will go to sacrifice her ideals and independence for power. In doing so, she hurts those around her — most notably, her husband Tom, whom she grows to viciously resent, and her brothers, who, despite their own glaring transgressions, are caught in the fallout of her decisions. Shiv’s pursuit of power doesn’t just erode her relationships, but it absolutely dismantles her sense of self, leaving her empty — not only of power but also of self-worth.
One can’t discuss Siobhan Roy without disclosing the cruelty of her marriage with Tom Wambsgans — a sham of a marriage built on self-interest and power plays. But let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that Shiv was the only one playing the game. “Succession” fans frequent the debate of who’s to blame for the destruction of their relationship. While some might argue that the question is pointless or that their downfall is rooted more in greed than individual fault, I’m going to be a bit more direct — it’s Tom’s fault.
Tom Wambsgans is, plain and simple, a leech feeding off the blood and wealth of the Roy family. While I do enjoy his character and think Matthew Macfadyen delivered some of the funniest lines in the series, I can’t help but find Tom a complete embarrassment. Utterly incompetent at his job, he only secured executive positions at Waystar Royco — aside from the finale — because Shiv asked her father to give him a role, a favor Tom came to expect as part of his marriage to a Roy.
His performance during the testimony on the sexual assault allegations against Waystar was nothing short of disastrous. Tom not only lied to Congress multiple times, but also contradicted the defense of Waystar in a way that only deepened the company’s exposure. His close involvement with the scandal, a choice he made, makes him a prime candidate for imprisonment, with him even offering to be the sole person taking the fall for the company. Yet, Tom finds countless ways to shift the blame onto Shiv. Again and again, he weaponizes his own incompetence and subservience as tools for undermining her, turning every failure into her fault.
Finally, I want to defend Shiv’s actions in the finale of “Succession” — voting against Kendall’s ascension to CEO and in favor of selling Waystar Royco to an international streaming service. Many have labeled this moment a “betrayal,” attributing it to petty spite and a deep-seated contempt for her brother, with some critics claiming, “She just can’t tolerate seeing Kendall win.” But this final vote is a complex mix of practicality and self-preservation. Of course, there is a degree of spite and sibling rivalry at play — Kendall’s consistent failure to truly understand what it takes to lead and his reckless pursuit of power clearly irk her. But if we’re being honest, it’s not just about “if I can’t have it, no one can.” That would be too simplistic a read of Shiv’s character.
This isn’t just a power grab or a revenge move but rather a carefully calculated decision. At the heart of it, I think Shiv recognizes that Kendall acting as CEO would spell disaster — not only for the company, but also for her own prospects. Time and time again, Kendall has demonstrated that he lacks the emotional stability and sharp political acumen needed to lead a company like Waystar Royco. Additionally, I think Shiv was keenly aware that Kendall’s sense of loyalty is tenuous, at best. He’s constantly switching allegiances based on his own ambition, and that has never included a genuine, consistent partnership with Shiv. Being a strategist herself, Shiv recognizes that Kendall will sacrifice anyone to achieve his ultimate goal of his own ascension. Within this context, voting against Kendall isn’t just about his incompetence as CEO but about protecting herself from being swept up in his ambition, only to be cast aside once Kendall has the power he’s always dreamed of. This is not subtext — Kendall is not above betraying his allies when the stakes get higher. Shiv is simply not naive enough to trust Kendall to protect her position once he had the reigns.
The ultimate tragedy of Siobhan Roy is that, after all her maneuvering, calculating and positioning, she ends up having to remain aligned with Tom as CEO. Despite everything, she’s forced to rely on someone she’s never truly respected — someone who, in many ways, embodies the very thing she’s spent her life trying to avoid — subjugation.
Siobhan Roy is breathtakingly complex, a character whose layers I could spend countless pages unraveling. There’s so much more to explore — her relationship with her mother, the pivotal moments of the season three finale, her evolving fashion sense and beyond. For now, though, I’ll leave it at this — Siobhan’s trajectory is one of both incredible ambition and heartbreaking compromises, and it’s what makes her one of the most compelling characters to ever grace television.