Another Succession episode, another clear piece of proof that Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) aren’t the best people for the CEO job.
A couple of episodes back they were easily outmanoeuvred by Shiv (Sarah Snook), and this week it’s very much the turn of Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron), with one particular monologue basically reducing Roman to a pile of semi-speechless dust.
Let’s recap.
What does Gerri say to Roman in episode 7?
Roman is clearly a bit apprehensive when he approaches Gerri at the pre-election party the Roys are throwing in episode 7. He has good reason to be. The last time they spoke in episode 6, Roman basically fired Gerri in the heat of the moment after she gave him a dressing down about abruptly firing another key employee — Waystar’s studio exec Joy (Annabeth Gish) — when she didn’t immediately agree with him.
And while Roman’s tone is conciliatory in episode 7, Gerri is having absolutely none of it.
“I’m out,” she tells him after he starts to suggest he might need her advice on something. “I’m done.”
Credit: Macall B. Polay/HBO
While Roman tries in vain to use humour to defuse the tension, Gerri goes the other way: She locks eyes with him and calmly delivers the following speech, which proves in under a minute why she would be leagues ahead of him in the CEO role.
“Look, I have some requirements you should know about, several of which have been officially communicated and some that I thought I should, you know, say in person.
“First of all I want money. Eye-watering sums. Hundreds of millions of dollars.
“I have retained personal reputation management. They will be on the line when Karolina does her background briefings off a set of my bullet points. And if I ever get a whiff of anything undermining my narrative, any time within the next five years, I will sue, and I will go public with the many, many pictures of your genitalia that I have in my possession. Have I made myself clear?”
Yikes. Gerri’s final, withering line as she leaves Roman speechless at the bar? “I could have got you there.”
Honestly, if Shiv and Gerri were behind the wheel Waystar Royco might still have a chance. But with Kendall and Roman in the driving seat things seem destined to end in disaster.
