Why Matthew Macfadyen Thinks Tom And Shiv Have Stayed Together In Succession
It's not a stretch to say that HBO's "Succession" is about relationships. Sure, it's easy to grow numb to the cyclical drama and abuse trickling down the Roy family food chain — and the Shakespearean tragedy of it all, paired with some truly crackling writing, certainly gets most of the attention. But there's a reason why the series has been chugging on for three (almost four, and hopefully five) strong seasons. It's because of the odd-ball dynamics within "Succession." We love to hate these uber-rich freaks, and we love to watch them destroy each other. But, perhaps more importantly, we love to see them pair up and try to be human to each other. We love to root for some semblance of a genuine connection.
When "Succession" first began, it seemed like there'd be a chance for that aforementioned sincerity between Siobhan "Shiv" Roy (Sarah Snook) and her now-husband, Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen). Of course, there was something slightly off about their relationship from the very start: Tom was clearly giving more than he got, but it was easy to chalk that up to Shiv's potential intimacy issues. Yet as the seasons wore on — heck, even as the first came to a close — it became clear that their relationship isn't based so much on love or mutual respect as it is on a calculated search for power and control. As toxic as that is, they're still, somehow, together — but Macfadyen himself would argue that power and control are the very things keeping their relationship afloat.
A marriage of inconvenience
With the exception of "Succession" showrunner Jesse Armstrong, Macfadyen and Snook probably understand Tom and Shiv's dynamic better than anyone. It's likely why fans are always asking the actors what's going on between them. "Sarah and I are often asked, you know, why are they together?" Macfadyen recently told NPR. So many wonder whether the couple is actually in love — or, at least, if the couple will stand the test of time — and Macfadyen at least has his answer:
"I think [Tom] does love [Shiv] — or, I mean, I don't think he knows, you know. It's always that thing. You start asking those questions. But really, I don't think they have any hard and fast answers. He would say that he does. And he certainly loves all the reflected glory and power of being a Roy, you know. But I don't know. It's interesting."
Keeping things nebulous has certainly been the way to stay in the game, and to keep either member of this marriage from destroying things entirely. There hasn't been a whole lot of honesty at play, and there's a chance that neither fully understands their own feelings about their relationship at all — think of Shiv's "I may not love you, but I do love you" confession in the season 3 episode "Chiantishire." With that in mind, though, why is Shiv still committed to Tom?
'He's never going to let her down'
Macfadyen and Snook have had countless conversations with Armstrong about the complexities of their characters' marriage, and worked out why, exactly, Shiv still chooses Tom at the end of the day:
"There's a nice idea that Tom came along when Shiv was in a very low place. And, you know, they got together. And he's sort of safe. And he's not a threat. And so she'll never leave him. She'll probably have lots of affairs and one-night stands and, you know, but he's never going to let her down."
The idea of Shiv being in a "low place" when they met has actually come up in the series, with Shiv admitting that she was "such a total mess" when she first hooked up with Tom. Obviously, Tom was taking advantage a bit. And according to Macfadyen, he sticks around only to "shimmy his way up the greasy pole in Waystar." He's paid for it dearly in the years since — Tom's relationship with Shiv has essentially been one ego check after another — but the season 3 finale finally saw Tom gaining the upper hand in the Waystar Royco scramble, and at Shiv's expense, too. Where their relationship goes from here is really anyone's guess, but it's gonna be very interesting to see if the tables really turn in season 4.