Succession succeeds in creating an hour of television for the ages

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This column contains spoilers for the most recent episode of Succession.

On Easter Sunday, a perfect episode of television. In the third instalment of the final season of Succession, titled “Connor’s Wedding,” a showboat ceremony was upstaged by a future funeral.

Given Succession’s premise (and title), followers may have expected Logan Roy (played by Brian Cox) – the billionaire patriarch of a dysfunctional American family – to kick it at some point this season. But not this early. Not off-screen, en route to Sweden to secure a business deal instead of attending his eldest son’s ill-conceived nuptials. Not this soon, not like that.

After all those onscreen near-deaths, Logan Roy finally bit it, in flight, off-screen.

Our father, who most definitely is not in heaven. Art.

Even in this golden age of television, this was a standout offering that will endure. The writing, the direction – the acting! Sarah Snook, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin gave the performances of their lives. This will be recounted over the decades as a remarkable TV death – and an event. Where were you when? Was it post-Easter dinner, digesting, with the family? In bed after putting the kids to bed in the midst of a loooong long weekend?

Did you do what I did: Watch it once and then watch it again immediately?

Life moves pretty fast, as Ferris Bueller once proclaimed. But death can be faster. Roman thought his biggest challenge of the day was going to be enduring idle chit-chat about people’s jobs and kids on board an afternoon booze cruise. Then not only did his father die, but Roman would be haunted by his final, vulgar words to dear old dad. Dead old dad. Did Logan listen to that message? Did it kill him?

The way the news came out of the blue – a couple of rejected phone calls from an estranged husband. No biggie. Then a call to a different sibling. A crackly voice down the line with some confusing information: “Your dad is very sick.” How sick? What was happening? None of us were sure – fictional family members, real fans at home. Eventually, the shots of the airplane scene. A flight attendant performing chest compressions. And later, Logan Roy’s chest, exposed.

If you have ever received such a phone call, you know. The shock, the denial, the helplessness. It is surreal. Of course, we plebs are not generally engaged in billion-dollar battles with our dying or dead parent; the President of the United States is probably not on the list of people you need to inform. But still. The responses from the children were note-perfect. The way Shiv said “Daddy.”

The way Kendall said, “We love you,” before the much more difficult, “I love you.”

The way your life has been ripped apart irrevocably and you are already transformed, but all around you, people are going on with theirs. Sipping champagne and tittering over small talk, in this case.

The way the kids tried to remember, not very long after the fact, what went down. What they said or didn’t say. Why didn’t you come and get me, Shiv wanted to know.

The way emotionally stunted Connor seizes the moment and manipulates it to his advantage in his insecure relationship. He goes ahead with his wedding anyway, even after his father drops dead, even after young Willa basically tells him she’s marrying him for the dough. Something good out of something bad!

Kerry’s weird smile and laugh.

This is an episode of television that will supply Easter eggs for pop culture through the ages. Bits of dialogue, dress, camera shots.

The show itself referenced one of history’s great TV episodes. When it’s suggested that Kerry be part of the public statement, Karl says, “Chuckles the Clown? I think not.” Remember The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode where Chuckles the Clown dies and Mary can’t stop herself from breaking into fits of giggles at his funeral?

“Connor’s Wedding” will join “Chuckles Bites the Dust” in the canon as one of the best single episodes of television, ever. And one of the best TV depictions of death.

If you have ever been on the receiving end of a call with the worst news – get to a certain stage in life and many of us have – Sunday’s Succession might be triggering. But also, possibly, strangely soothing. There is no universal, correct way to respond to a loved one’s death, no matter how weird or banal the circumstances.

Hurray for not having to wait a whole summer to find out what’s next, à la “Who shot J. R.?” – Dallas’s cliffhanger for the ages.

A lot can happen in seven episodes, yeah? Or on a wedding boat cruise, or somewhere over the Atlantic, when you least expect it.