‘It feels like it could carry on’: Kieran Culkin reacts to the end of ‘Succession’

Warning: this article contains spoilers for the Succession series finale

After an incredible, award-winning four seasons, Succession has finally come to an end. The show is ostensibly about the huge media conglomerate Waystar Royco, but as any viewer will tell you, it’s inherently a family psychodrama; something the twisty, unpredictable (well, for some people at least) last episode underlined. So, even though we now know Tom is the man who’s been placed in control (even if it is just to act as a puppet), that doesn’t mean the story has to end — and one of its stars agrees.

In an interview with ET, Roman Roy actor Kieran Culkin was keen to point out there was potential to follow the three main Roy kids, even though the company was no longer central to their lives.

“We read the table draft for the last episode and then Jesse told us that it’s the end of the show. And it’s one of those where if he said there’s gonna be a [season] five right after that, it made sense too. It feels like an end, but it feels like it could carry on. And for Roman, it feels very much the same. Nothing’s wrapped up in a pretty little bow. There’s more life that carries on after the episode ends.”

With that said, plenty of fans online are gushing about the “perfect” ending, and the show, while leaving the outcomes for the Roys open-ended, did what it set out to; end with a successor to the titan that was Logan Roy.

As far as final episodes go, it was one for the ages. Beginning with a missing Roman, and Shiv and Kendal at loggerheads, we saw the trio bond at their mother’s house in a series of scenes that were genuinely sweet, before they decide to stick together and tank Mattson’s deal. With that said, the sequence served as another reminder that these people, with their endless power and reach, are just three incredibly traumatized siblings, who have let their neuroses leech into every aspect of the multi billion dollar company they seek to run. And, as we saw by Shiv changing her mind about letting Kendal become CEO in the final minutes, and her older brother’s ensuing meltdown, that was always going to be the problem.

A Kendal and Shiv rupture would be great material for a follow up or future seasons, if that ever were to happen, and it’s not the only aspect of Succession that could be interesting to see more of. Greg floundering under a new regime who he tried to backstab, Tom and Shiv’s changing relationship dynamics now he’s the one with all the power, and even Mattson’s manipulation of Tom are all rich potential plotlines. Funnily enough, despite Culkin’s comments, Roman is the child who seems to have come full circle the most: he can go back to his playboy lifestyle, as it was clear he was only ever involved in the company so he could get his dad’s approval. And, while we wouldn’t say no to a whole season of perverted hilarity, it’s not quite the depth we’ve come to expect from the series.

This is all a moot point, though. While fans will always want shows to carry on, the fact is that Succession isn’t coming back. Show creator Jesse Armstrong had a vision, and he implemented it exactly how he wanted it to. And, while the characters we grew to know and, maybe love, in a strange, messed up way, could feasibly continue to be interesting to watch, that’s just a sign that they’re real, rounded, and compelling, and not a reason to suck the concept dry. All good things must come to an end, and yes, that means great shows too. But if Succession does ever return, you can be sure there will be plenty of folks who are happy to see it.