Succession

I recently began watching HBO's Succession and have found myself completely enthralled. I feel like it's been quite some time since a drama has captivated me to this extent. It's been mostly sci-fi or fantasy shows that have dominated my interest. This show gets everything right, starting with the excellent cast and terrific acting. They really make the intricate dynamics of family life feel real, while also entertaining.

The show follows the Roy family, a fictional combination of every powerful family in America. The family empire is a part Rupert Murdoch's FOX, part Disney. Logan, the patriarch and builder of the empire, is right bastard who finds himself at odds with his grown children who are poised to take his place.

While the show incorporates the intrigue of wealth and business, at the core it's about generational gaps, sibling competition, and dealing with parents when you are no longer a child. 

I absolutely love every flawed character on this show, and that quite a rare thing. None of the characters get short changed when it comes to their plotlines, and none of the actors shortchange the viewer with their delivery.

Given that I'd heard very little about this show, I felt the need to share my thoughts.

Saying Goodbye....

One week ago, my grandfather passed away at the age of 92. He was the last of my grandparents, and the last of my daughter's great grandparents. It was the loss of a great man, and the loss of a generation that influenced our lives. 

My grandfather was the kind of person that taught by example. He was the type of person that I strive to emulate. He was a man who showed how a man was supposed to be by living his life the right way. His family was everything to him (as it was to my grandmother who passed away nearly 27 years ago). They instilled that spirit in my father (who passed away nearly 7 years ago), and he passed that on to me. 

Saying goodbye is always difficult, but the ceremonies were as he would have wanted. The past few days felt more like a celebration of a good life lived well. There was sadness, but there was just as much laughter as tears as the entire family (and it is a HUGE family) came together, something that becomes harder and harder as time and distance continue to get in the way. Together we said goodbye the way he would have wanted...with a party and lots of great food.

We miss you, Pop Pop!