‘Succession’ Writers Kept Season 4 Death a Secret With Code Name ‘Larry David’

Note: Spoilers for “Succession” Season 4 Episode 3 follow below.

The “Succession” writer’s room successfully kept Season 4 Episode 3’s shocking twist a secret by using code, writer Georgia Pritchett revealed Tuesday.

The episode, titled “Connor’s Wedding,” revolves around the Roy family’s reaction to the surprise death of Logan (Brian Cox).

“This was a tough secret to keep! We decided it in the #Succession writers’ room in Jan 22. So nobody found out we used code on the whiteboards,” Pritchett tweeted. “Larry David meant Logan Dies. So episode 403 said Connor’s Wedding, Larry David. Mind you, that would also have been a great episode.”

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In a behind the scenes featurette, series creator Jesse Armstrong said that shooting the episode was “quite exciting because it felt high risk.”

“There’s a couple of factors that played into where Logan’s death falls in our narrative trajectory. One is sort of based on, ‘Ooh maybe it’ll surprise people.’ You know, I am not immune to such thoughts of wanting to keep the show exciting and fresh,” Armstrong explained. “I think much more prominent was the feeling of if we’re going to do this, we don’t just want to see people crying and then have a funeral and be done with the show. We want to see how death of someone significant rebounds around a family.”

Armstrong added that he was nervous to tell Cox he’d be exiting the series in the third episode of Season 4.

“I was very nervous to tell him because there’s lots of anxieties about whether this is the right creative decision and there’s anxieties that someone who I love working with and has been at the center of the show will feel rejected on a human level for not being in it anymore when he’s been so central to the whole thing,” he said. “He took it like a total pro and he was professional and decent and kind enough to make it a pretty good meeting, but sad and significant one.”

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Cox admitted in the same video that he was sad when he heard the news but also understood that it reflected reality in a stark way.

“When you’re playing a part that has been removed in that way, yeah, it has an effect on you. You feel, hang on this is one of the greatest pieces of work I’ve ever been involved in and suddenly it’s no more. But it also reflects what our existence is about because we’re here for a time and then we’re gone,” Cox explained.”

The actor also had “great respect” for Armstrong’s decision.

“When you work with the genius of somebody like Jesse, it’s always sad when that comes to an end, there’s no question about it, because you’ve had such great respect.”

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According to Nielsen and first party data, 2.5 million viewers tuned in to watch the episode on Sunday evening across linear and HBO Max platforms, a series viewership high.

Total viewing was 22% higher than last week’s episode (2 million) and 7% above the previous series high of 2.3 million viewers for the Season 4 premiere episode. In just three weeks, the season premiere episode has garnered nearly 7 million viewers across platforms.

Armstrong executive produces the series alongside Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Jane Tranter, Mark Mylod, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Lucy Prebble, Will Tracy and Will Ferrell. Armstrong also serves as showrunner.

“Succession” Seasons 1-3 and Season 4 Episodes 1-3 are available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes air every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

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