How Succession’s Lack Of Nudity Broke HBO’s Perfect TV Show Formula
Could it change the network’s game long-term?
If you were asked to name HBO's most popular and successful recent series, there's a good chance that Succession would come to mind. The show was absolutely unique, not only in its premise, but also in the way that the seemingly unexciting corporate setting resonated with fans.
What stands out most, however, is that Succession was so popular, and received such positive reviews from both critics and audiences, that it was one of the few shows on HBO without excessive nudity.
From The Sopranos to Euphoria, from Oz to Game of Thrones, the network is known for not being afraid to show a little too much skin on screen, and it was considered one of the keys to the success of its shows. The rise of Succession, as well as the almost simultaneous failure of The Idol, shows that times are changing.
Jesse Armstrong's decision to limit all implications of sex throughout the series, whether conscious or unconscious, made the moments that did have sexual overtones all the more shocking.
The tension between Roman and Gerri worked so well without nudity because of the other markers used to show the power dynamic between the characters.
The same goes for all the relationships in the show, both romantic and familial. It's not like the show is about spoiled billionaires who couldn't afford a few more crazy parties with girls with little to no clothes on. They just wouldn't add anything of value.
Fans who joke that the characters are constantly being screwed over, but in a different way, are not far from the truth: the tension of power arouses viewers just as much as steamy moments.
If nudity can be metaphorically equivalent to vulnerability, then Succession does the trick perfectly by pitting the siblings, children and their parents, against each other in a nasty corporate battle.
The real question is whether someone else would be able to play the same card and replicate the success of the show to change the path that HBO takes in the future. And would they even want to, considering how well the sex actually sells their product?