Their pens only obey the voices within the characters, always loyal to the story itself.
The creation process and background of "Succession" are pretty intricate. Despite starting quietly, it eventually became a highly anticipated hit in American TV dramas. Although the story unfolds in the United States, the creative team consists mainly of British playwrights and writers with a profound background in Shakespearean plays. The series exudes a British humor style characterized by "dark humor" and "cringe comedy."
01 Battle of Succession · Genesis
Let's go back to 2009.
Writer Jesse Armstrong created a screenplay titled "The Murdochs," telling the story of media mogul Rupert Murdoch attempting to secure voting rights for his two young children (Chloe and Grace), born to him and his wife Wendi Deng on his 78th birthday. This script circulated wildly in Hollywood but was deemed too realistically fictional for any production company to take on.
Columnist Frank Rich was one of the fans of this script. Years later, he met Jesse on the set of the American series "Veep" and suggested to HBO that Jesse be involved in a project called "The Imperialist." However, this project has yet to materialize. Jesse continued his research on media tycoons and created the TV script "Immediate Family," depicting four siblings vying for equal voting rights on the board of their father's media company. This script caught the attention of HBO executives and director Adam McKay. Renamed "Succession," Jesse and Adam began planning the pilot. [Adam McKay is known for works like "The Big Short," "Don't Look Up," and the Dick Cheney version of "Vice."]
02 Battle of Succession · Humble Beginnings
The pilot's cast went to the home of director-producer Adam McKay for a script reading. It was the night of November 8, 2016, the night of the US presidential election. Late into the night, when everyone learned that Donald Trump had become the 45th President of the United States, Adam McKay, well-versed in satirical comedy, dryly remarked, "Good news, everyone. 'Succession' finally has a reason to exist."
The first season of "Succession" premiered in June 2018. As a summer show, HBO didn't invest heavily in advertising. Compared to other HBO shows like "Barry" with large billboards or "Insecure" with huge vertical ads on Sunset Boulevard, HBO seemed less confident in "Succession." This seeming lack of confidence made it hard to believe this story was crafted around figures like Rupert Murdoch. [Apart from Rupert Murdoch, Jesse also drew inspiration from the Hearst family, the Redstone family, the founder of Comcast, the founder of Breitbart, etc.]
03 Battle of Succession · British Core
Although airing on HBO and set in the US, the creator of "Succession," Jesse Armstrong, is British. More than half of the writers and playwrights who later joined the show also have a background in Shakespearean plays. Therefore, what we think is just another American drama about big shots is fundamentally a British-style comedy renowned for its "black humor" and "cringe comedy."
04 British Comedy vs. American Comedy
British comedy master Stephen Fry brilliantly summarized the humor styles of the UK and the US: traditionally, American humor stems from optimism and hope, while British humor tends to amplify failure and despair. American comedy refuses to view itself with a negative lens, while British comedy often ends with the protagonist's failure.
Typically, Jerry Seinfeld's "Seinfeld" is a classic representation of American comedy. Through sharp observations and deconstruction of life, he conquered the audience with his wit. However, in traditional British comedy, the brighter the character thinks they are, the more likely they will fall flat on their faces.
For example, in the second season, the first episode of the British series "The IT Crowd," the main character has to pretend to be disabled after going to the accessible toilet. Similarly, in the HBO American series "Silicon Valley," although there are many awkward situations, the protagonists' fate is much more optimistic than that of the protagonists of "The IT Crowd," who have no hope of advancement. Especially considering the emphasis of traditional American TV networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, CW) on ratings, where bosses worry that if the protagonist is unlikable or morally questionable, viewers might dislike the show and abandon it. Therefore, traditional American dramas follow a formula for character development to ensure the audience loves and identifies with the protagonist.
Of course, there are American shows that break this formula, such as "Parks & Recreation" and "Arrested Development." Although they have a specific audience in the US, they are still considered niche compared to the broader American audience. In contrast, British series like "I'm Alan Partridge," "Peep Show," and "Blackadder," known for their cringe-worthy humor, do not have high popularity outside the UK but enjoy high ratings and industry praise in their home country.
Share your thoughts!
Be the first to start the conversation.