"I will remain coated, as is my right" - lol perfect line for Connor

I did think there was a possibility of Kendall throwing himself off the balcony at the end.

My thoughts exactly. Was honestly a bit surprised he didn’t lol

Yeah, at the end when he said "I wish I was..." I very much thought his train of thought was "dead."

Also, Tom has spent most of this season dreading the prospect of jail, and as soon as he's home free he seems to realize that his actual prison is his marriage and being part of that horrific family.

"I got a dick the size of a red sequoia and I **** like a bullet train."

I loved how Willa was sticking up for Connor as well. Especially the line about him hitting almost 1% of the popular vote.

Definitely the ep set up a few things. Tom will turn somehow, just unsure how at this point. Shiv is definitely now jealous of her brother, who is going to get screwed for sure by the streaming guy.

Have to say though, it's almost unrealistic that somebody would turn DOWN two billion dollars just to walk away from family drama. That's enough money to literally do whatever you want forever. If he offered a much lower number then I could see the conflict. The standing at the balcony thing was perfectly done though, like everyone else I actually thought he might jump.

The other weird thing is the whole first half season buildup with the trial and investigation seems to be - done? Like almost erased suddenly unless they turn it around? Kind of a waste of an entire half season long arc if that's the case, unless they were simply using it to set up the dynamic between the three kids.

I found the Willa stuff pretty weird, I don't feel like they've actively built her up to be a pillar of support for Con - I guess you could say now with the political motivation she's behind him all of a sudden but she felt more like she had a passive interest in being involved with him. Strange **** happens like this IRL, but it felt unearned to me.

As for the latter, I don't think it's really true and it's not really possible to know unless you're in that situation yourself - typically, people don't just stop at 2 billion - or any amount, for that matter.

I'm finding this season weaker than the prior - it's weird - the camerawork, the set pieces, the acting and the writing are all phenomenal but there's something off about the pacing. I don't feel quite as much urgency to watch as I did in the first or second season, I think there's something off with the stakes, like they haven't been properly interwoven into the plot. Someone smarter than me who feels the same way can prob explain. Anyway, still enjoying this show a lot.

Random thoughts:

• The episode framing was similar to Tom's stag party from Season 1
• I was also glad that Kendall didn't go through with that planned performance on the cross
• Roman wanted Kendall to punch him so badly at the end - I wouldn't have been able to not punch him, despite realising that
• Roman calling out Shiv over her reaction to Tom's news was beautifully cutting
• Kendall behaved like a massive douche but he wasn't wrong about Greg being a parasite
• Logan was barely in it but his presence still loomed over nearly every scene
• Enjoyed the pettiness of Logan crossing out the words Happy Birthday on the card

Prediction: Roman to be eviscerated by Logan before the end of the season

Yeah they seem to be setting Roman up for a fall. They've had several scenes with Logan praising him, and you can see that's like a drug to Roman. Now he is riding high thinking he single-handedly pulled off the Gojo deal, so when it goes south I expect Logan to turn on him.

Ha yes, so true. No one in this show is happy. In fact they actively dislike seeing other people happy. Tom even told Greg that seeing him happy was ruining his night, lol.

Yes I can see it. I think the stakes just don't seem as high, oddly enough. Unless they spring a surprise it appears the cruise scandal may amount to a big nothing. Which makes the awesome ending of last season feel less important. Like, why does Kendall want to run Wayco so desperately, when he tells anyone who will listen that they are corrupt and evil? He could take his $2 billion and start a new media company focused on all the buzzwords he loves.

Yeah that was brutally on the money.

the exchange:

"who isn't here?"

"your mom"
"your dad"
"your wife and kids"

was ****ing hilarious and perfectly delivered.

Exactly this.

I’m guessing that any plans for shooting a big court case / DC focused drama went out the door with covid and they improvised - Kendall’s birthday and the shareholder meeting were the only big sets of the whole season.

I also agree with this. It seems like they're stretching things out in order to try and get more seasons before they actually have Logan die. I watch and enjoy it, but then I'm like "what actually happened" and "how has anything really changed since last episode" and I didn't used to have those questions eat at me.

Kendall’s manslaughter has not been brought up much this season…that’s still hanging over him.

the rooftop suicide was a swerve for kendall last season, wonder if it might be again now

with the mommy issues theme of his bday party, was thinking maybe he'll go see her again, and then confess and face the music in england
say no to the money and the company, a crime & punishment angle, cleanse himself and start over for real

similar to [redacted] in the wire now that i think about it

agree that roman is on track to get boned before the season ends, and that shiv will make some big play, two things that could easily be related

tom really seems to want out from the roy family as well, not sure how they do that but keep him on the show
maybe he'll kill himself? idk
his self-loathing is also very high rn

Good post seems like a good possibility something like that happens.

Saw a post on Reddit talking about Kendall shaving his head, similar to monks who do the same as a symbol of the renunciation of worldly ego. There was a lot of birth/death/rebirth symbolism going on in the episode. It's possible this is finally a real turning point for Kendall, and that he will finally admit his sins, repent, and somehow find redemption.

I like the idea... but on the other hand, this show seems to relish the concept that these entitled morons are irredeemable, so who knows.

I could see the redemption arc but then his father as an ultimate act of revenge buys him out of paying his penance so he doesn't go to jail. Almost like a symbolic way of making sure Kendall doesn't cleanse himself of his demons and will continue to suffer internally.

Finally caught up after all the Thanksgiving week hullabaloo

Definitely best episode of the season. Thought up until this week is was a material drop off in quality tbh.

Still think Roman is a dogshit character but thrusting him into the "negotiations" with Eric Northman was pretty good at least from the drama perspective. It seems quite obvious that whatever he thought he had negotiated is either not at all what Northman thinks or he is just being played...or both I guess. I'm still unclear on why anyone in a publicly traded company puts him out there front and center. Pretty big suspension of disbelief. The bit about him talking to the President a few episodes ago was so utterly ****ing ridiculous that I almost turned it off.

Shiv-Seems like the writers are trying a little too hard to create a line by which she can either have something dumped on her or she can jump over to Ken's side. I think having the family behind Republican guy that I gather is some sort of Trumpian loud mouth might be her breaking point. But repeatedly just taking it from her father episode after episode kinda doesn't really jive with earlier incarnations of her character where she seemed to have a little more of a spine.

As for the buyout offer to Ken. He thinks he is the hero that will save the company and rid the stain of his father. He is utterly delusional and thinks that none of what he is doing is possible without him. It's not about the money for him. He's always had access to money his whole life. So if we look at it and say "Why wouldn't he just take the $2B and walk away". That's not even on his radar. Money isn't the issue at all in this case. This whole fight gives him his reason for living...at least in the present.

My guess is that if he commits suicide or somehow harms himself it will be because he realizes that the battle he is fighting is lost and all the dirty laundry aired was worthless.

Shiv doesn't care about the fascist guys ideology and policies. She just doesn't want to look bad.

responding to some previous posts:
1) this is more of a character study and dialogue show so I don't expect the amount of action you would get in a plot-driven show. For me the idea is to show how people who are born super-rich can still become unhappy.
2) Greg was named a parasite, but couldn't each of the siblings be rightfully called the same?
3)Loved the brief moment (S3 E7) showing Shiv dancing. I'm not sure why she bothered to marry Tom. She doesn't seem to want to get pregnant and doesn't seem to respect Tom.
4)If it was me, I would get out of the company, take my $2 billlion and start my own projects. I guess with Logan nearing the end it made some sense for a while for Kendall to hang on with a chance to run Waystar and keep it in the family as a legacy.
5)Roman was unexpectedly extremely nasty in this episode. I guess it will turnaround to bite him, Karma, you know .
6)What happened to Kendall's presents from his kids anyway? Something malicious or just carelessness?