Succession: The Main Characters, Ranked By Likability

The word “likable” and Succession‘s Roy family, including their employees, business partners, and hangers-on, are as suited to each other as a Lamborghini and a street parking space. No Waystar Royco transaction can be done without a corporate war, stock shorting, noncompliance with manufacturing standards, and a host of other deceptions so that the rich Roys get richer.

The family’s personal betrayals (undercutting a sibling’s deal, covering up a murder then using the secret to blackmail one’s son, or testifying against one’s father in a sex scandal) are as ubiquitous as private planes, multiple mansions, and servants. How likable can they be?

10 Roman Roy

The youngest of the Roy siblings is also the boldest and possesses the most style, which can be grating on its own, but Roman (Kieran Culkin) is so immature, unfocused, whiney, and downright nasty, that merely being in the same room with him can make a person feel drained.

It’s no shock, and almost satisfying, that his father won’t advance him in the company, his siblings keep him out of the loop on business deals, and his wife left him on Thanksgiving, no less. Yet for some reason, Gerri still wants to work with him.

9 Tom Wambsgans

Tom is at his most likable (using the term loosely) when he’s with Shiv, and that’s only because he is so vulnerable, boyishly devoted, and acting like such a doormat that one doesn’t so much get a soft spot for him, but feel sorry.

He is a social climber who didn’t come from money, so Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) is obsessed with the Roys’ power and social standing. Tom is shameless when it comes to sucking up to his in-laws and will suffer any humiliation–especially from Shiv–to stay in the family. He uses his Roy-by-marriage status to intimidate and humiliate his subordinates at Waystar. He just can’t be respected, let alone liked.

8 Rhea Jarrell

Waystar Royco wants to buy media-giant PGM, and CEO, Rhea (Holly Hunter) is instrumental in making it happen because the Pierce family does not want to sell. At first blush, one can’t help but admire that this strong, capable woman is in such a high-ranking position.

But then we discover she’s betraying the Pierces (which eventually gets her fired), having an affair with Logan, trying to weasel her way into Waystar, and attempting to get Shiv to betray her family by offering her the CEO job at PGM. After agreeing to go with Shiv to talk to (i.e.: intimidate) a witness in the sexual assault case, she tells Shiv that she’s on her own. Anyone so disloyal can’t be trusted.

7 Logan Roy

The patriarch of the Roy family didn’t amass his fortune in business by playing nice. Logan (Brian Cox) wants what any father wants, children he can be proud of, who can take over the company he built. Instead, he got Conner, Ken, Shiv, and Roman.

Granted, many of his subordinates don’t always listen or come through for him, but his learn-via-humiliation tactics beg the question: Is this job worth it? It’s clear he’d rather be feared than liked, and well, he’s gotten his wish. The only one she’s actually good to is his 3rd wife Marcia–and he still cheats on her.

6 Kendall “Ken” Roy

Likable went off the table when he accidentally killed the Country Club waiter from whom Ken (Jeremy Strong) was buying drugs and had his dad cover it up. He thought he was going to take over Waystar when Logan stepped down, and when he finds out that’s not the case, all hell breaks loose.

Ken steers business associates away from making deals with Waystar, gives Greg a luxury apartment provided Ken can use it to party, then agrees to take the fall for his dad over the sex abuse scandal that happened aboard the cruise ship line the family owns, only to announce at a press conference that Logan was in full compliance and knew exactly what was going on the entire time. There’s being mad at your dad, and then there’s this.

5 Siobhan “Shiv” Roy

Her nickname is appropriate because that’s what you get in the back if you mess with her. Shiv (Sarah Snook) is beautiful, rich, educated, and a natural-born leader, more interested in politics than Waystar. Her maniacal ambition makes her untrustworthy because she would sell out her own family to get ahead.

She has no romantic interest in her husband and wants an open marriage. Shiv is a very cold, calculating person and after a while, even her husband Tom the sycophant is unhappy with her and their relationship.

4 Gerri Kellman

As Waystar’s General Counsel, Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron) is someone you want to like because she puts up with so much from this family. She’s more like a janitor, always cleaning up their messes.

Just when you think she’s the voice of reason amongst the crazies, she begins a very disturbing relationship with Roman. Apropos the cruise ship sex scandal, when someone suggests that Gerri take the fall, Logan nixes the idea, saying that no one has ever been more important to the company than her. That may not necessarily mean Gerri is liked, but definitely means she’s valued.

3 Connor Roy

Compared to his younger siblings, Conner (Alan Ruck) could win a popularity contest. He is the oldest but from Logan’s first marriage. People are drawn to him over the others because he has no interest in the Waystar, or business in general. He lives on a ranch. When it’s not known if Logan will make Shiv’s wedding, she asks Conner to give her away.

He’s a soft-hearted man but whatever likeability he gains by not being a corporate shark, he loses by being a wealthy aging playboy, indulging his every whim. He falls in love with Willa, an escort whose career he wants to be given up, and decides to back her play that she even admits isn’t ready for production; then one day just decides to run for president. Conner volunteers to take the fall for his dad, but Logan tells him he’s not enough of a “big fish.”

2 Marcia Roy

Devoted Marcia (Hiam Abbass) is Logan’s 3rd wife who cares for him through his medical emergencies, but despite her kind efforts has yet to develop trusting relationships with his children (Shiv did a background check), especially when Logan makes her the successor of his company, instead of Kendall.

She is sophisticated and gracious, but will not be messed with. She’s had choice words for Shiv, and when Marcia gets wind of the affair with Rhea, she confronts her rival. She is not happy when Logan changes his mind and announces Rhea as his successor.

1 Greg Hirsch

He is so hapless, you cannot help but root for all 6′ 6″ of him. “Cousin Greg” (Nicholas Braun), as he’s known is a distant relative who moved to New York to finally meet the relatives he’s heard so much about and ask for a job, which he gets reporting to Tom. Logan uses him to spy on the others.

After finding out about Shiv’s cheating, he blackmails Tom to get out of doing work he doesn’t like. When Greg inherits $250K from his grandfather, he goes to Logan to quit.