The plot of the HBO comedic drama Succession easily defines its title: It’s a story of media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his four children: Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), and Roman (Kieran Culkan). The offspring love their dad despite his rampant abuse and also want to make sure he’s not quite dead yet (i.e., until it has been decided which one of them will secure the top seat of his conglomerate, Waystar Royco).
But the show also fits the second definition of that word: “a series of people or things that come one after the other.” Being cast in Succession is a gift to any actor, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be seeing a lot of them. And the recent additions of Hope Davis as Sandi Furness (daughter of one of Logan’s many nonfamilial rivals, Larry Pine’s Sandy) and Stephen Root and Justin Kirk as nefarious Republican politicos means there are now even more characters to keep track of as they disappear into other off-screen adventures, perhaps never to be heard from again.
Of course, on Succession, there’s no telling when a character may pop back in to demand more attention and perhaps a pay raise — after this season, a move henceforth known as The Marcia Roy — so as a refresher, we’ve rounded up some other missing-in-action Roy-family associates who could swoop in at any time to shake things up.
Sophie and Iverson Roy (Swayam Bhatia and Quentin Morales)
Last seen in: Season 3, episode 5 (virtual appearance)
Yeah, we had to double-check their names too. Much has been made already of the fact that the children of once-heir-apparent, now-exiled favorite son Kendall are rarely seen or heard about besides a recent Zoom call with their dad’s assistant. (Their new rabbit’s most-likely-death by bagel will surely make for a great therapy session one day.) This is particularly odd because, if we’re playing by British-Royal-family rules, they are (sorry to Cousin Greg) the next generation’s only legitimate heirs to the throne. It’s odd that they aren’t being groomed as such. The actors’ lack of onscreen appearances this season may be a result of COVID protocols or time commitments (they are kids, after all) — or perhaps their mother, Rava (Natalie Gold), is just smartly keeping them as far away from Kendall and his ilk as possible.
Gil Eavis (Eric Bogosian)
Last seen in: Season 2, episode 10
One of the first tall male antagonists in the series’ run of characters who tower over Roman, the U.S. senator’s political ambitions may be floundering since Shiv left him and all her false claims of liberalism in the hope that she would be anointed by Daddy. While Gil was involved in the senate’s questioning regarding the Brightstar allegations, Shiv’s recent run-in with Gil’s aid Nate, her former paramour, suggests that his hopes of becoming POTUS are dwindling and he’s losing respect in the media. Things may be changing, however, now that the unnamed president in Succession-land is not running for reelection. Imagine a presidential debate between Gil and fellow POTUS wannabe Connor …
Tabitha (Caitlin FitzGerald)
Last seen in: Season 2, episode 8
When your boyfriend has to pretend you’re dead to have sex with you, you get the hell out of there and do not waste time bonding with your electric toothbrush. Hopefully, Tabitha clocked Roman’s fascination with Gerri and used it as an escape opportunity to return to her previous life of meeting Manhattan’s finest at secret underground lairs. Perhaps she can be edited out of photos of Shiv’s marriage to Tom? At least she has some fond memories of her time with the Roys, which she’ll always carry with her thanks to that video she made of Kendall’s infamous “L to the OG” rap.
Michelle Pantsil (Jessica Hecht)
Last seen in: Season 2, episode 4
The journalist’s tell-all book about Logan got a big break with the deathbed confession of Logan’s associate (Moe)Lester McClintock. But it’s really going to be in demand now that the murders, assaults, and cover-ups in Brightstar, the company’s cruise division, have come to light. It shouldn’t be hard to break Greg if she tries to interview him again, but could she be the lifeboat Tom needs to save himself from going to prison?
Brian (Zach Cherry)
Last seen in: Season 2, episode 4
Roman’s talented theme-park buddy warned us that he’s an “enigma” and that you “can’t pigeonhole” him because he’s “intellectually promiscuous but culturally conservative.” Which is to say … he might be the best choice to replace Logan.
Lawrence Yee (Rob Yang)
Last seen in: Season 2, episode 2
The former Vaulter head stupidly trusted Kendall Roy with his media company, an experience that has probably made him leave the media profession altogether. Maybe he’s now a cop in a Rust Belt state? Maybe he went into medicine?
Scott (Ian Poake)
Last seen in: Season 2, episode 2
Oh, you know that the fired Vaulter employee who spits in Kendall’s face is a legend in New York media circles. Because, really, that’s all he has got.
The children of Marcia Roy
Last seen in: Season 1, episode 10
Logan’s scorned third wife, Marcia Roy, isn’t going to stand by her husband during his company’s sexual-assault and murder allegations without some financial insurance for herself and her children. Her son, Amir (Darius Homayoun), is theoretically guaranteed protection because according to Logan he can implicate Kendall in waiter Andrew Dodds’s drowning death after Shiv and Tom’s wedding. (“Amir saw you last night, rather damp.”) But this mama bear also wants security for her unnamed daughter. Well played, Marcia. Now these two can fulfill their destinies as Rich Kids of Instagram. Or they can start their own media company that will one day rise to take down the Roys. Call it Dodds Media.
Grace (Molly Griggs)
Last seen in: Season 1, episode 5
Roman’s first partner (and possible wife? Roman is introduced in the pilot wearing a wedding ring, though that disappeared quickly) has been MIA since the fifth episode, when Roman picks a fight with her at Thanksgiving for watching The Biggest Turkey in the World, a hit for the family’s movie studio that he passed on when he worked there. She also has a child, who is probably not Roman’s, whose impotence issues are common enough knowledge for Shiv to mock him for them. In their final fight, Grace calls him out on their infrequent sex — might she have gotten an early preview of the proclivities he has been exploring with Gerri? Did Grace pick up any dirt on Logan during her brief time as a member of the Roy family? More importantly, does she have a copy of the screenplay Roman might have written? Because we’d really like to read that.
Eva (Judy Reyes)
Last seen in: Season 1, episode 4
ATN executive producer and legal consultant Eva hasn’t been seen since the first season, but it might be time to check back in with her, given that the DOJ is probably coming for the Roys and the president of the United States is claiming that their news channel’s coverage of him affected his mental health. Although someone with her level of legal prowess would probably know to stay away from this hot mess. Florida seems nice this time of year.
Marianne Hirsch (Mary Birdsong)
Last seen in: Season 1, episode 1
Greg’s cynophilist mother got him into this mess when she sent him begging his great-uncle for a job. He shows up on the very day Logan has a stroke and, for better or worse, has since left behind his days of eating California Pizza Kitchen’s Cajun-chicken linguine. But Marianne? Her father, Ewan (James Cromwell), Greg’s grandfather and the Esau to Logan’s Jacob, cut her off long before he decided to donate Greg’s inheritance to Greenpeace. She has since racked up a fortune in credit-card debt, according to her son. While Greg may have gotten stuck paying it off, Marianne is probably volunteering at pet-adoption fairs while secretly seeking out purebred breeders to find a new, expensive furry friend to add to her collection.