Brian Cox Doesn't Think There Will (Or Should Be) Any Succession Spin-Offs

In our current era of reboots, remakes, second-attempt adaptations, and IP-hungry execs, no hit TV series can enter its final season without sparking whispers of a potential spin-off. Not even "Succession" is the exception — for fans of the satirical HBO dramedy who are still struggling to swallow the bittersweet pill of its fast-approaching finale, this presents quite a conundrum.

On one hand, it's sad to bid "Succession" a final farewell and accept the reality of never living in this world again. What will we do without the witty one-liners, cruel insults, and painful pathos of the Roy family? On the other hand, the announcement that the series would end after this season also offered a certain level of comfort: it means that "Succession" will end on a high note rather than dragging along well past its prime. By that logic, continuing the story via a new show is a terrible idea. Wouldn't a spin-off with these characters just ruin our chance at a satisfying, definitive conclusion?

Well, according to Brian Cox, we have nothing to worry about.

Dispelling the rumors of a potential "Succession" spin-off, Brian Cox told Deadline, "I don't think there'll be a spin-off. I really don't." Ever the blunt speaker, the veteran actor added that even if they found a spin-off-worthy idea, it would just be rehashing the themes that "Succession" has already covered so well:

"The only spin-off would be Greg [Logan's bumbling nephew], but I think that would be pretty boring. I think that would be just same-old, same-old. I think we've covered it. I don't think there are any spin-offs, really. I think it's unnecessary. Jesse [Armstrong, the series creator], he's not going to do a spin-off. He wants to move on. He wants to go into other territories."

Don't let him hear me say this (because I would never survive a round of Boar on the Floor), but Cox might be wrong.

He makes a solid point when he calls a spin-off "unnecessary." So far, it seems like "Succession" is wonderfully on track to conclude the story of Waystar Royco and the three siblings (sorry, Connor) battling to control it. My personal impulse is to root for a satisfying ending to the Roy family story. But that doesn't mean there aren't other pockets of this world worth exploring.

Jesse Armstrong himself has voiced how hard it was to officially let "Succession" go. Declaring this the final season was a tough decision that he procrastinated on as long as possible, and in the aftermath, he admitted to feeling "deeply conflicted" about what comes next. He even floated a spin-off idea himself, saying, "there could be something else in an allied world" with new or "some of the same characters."

As I said, it's quite a conundrum. "Succession" is one of those rare shows where I would gladly watch a spin-off about literally any of these characters. Ten episodes of Stewy Hosseini savvily buying up businesses, verbally tearing people down, and occasionally snorting lines of coke in coffee shop bathrooms? Sign me up. A mini-series about Gerri Kellman dispersing withering glares while maneuvering herself through yet another corporate s***storm at a rival company? Yes, please. Hell, I'd watch a full-length season of Kerry desperately trying to survive those arduous New York subway schedules after being ousted from potential wealth by Marcia. And speaking of Marcia, I would gladly accept an entire prequel series about how the hell she became the most terrifying woman to ever exist.

Needless to say, if Armstrong wanted to announce a "Succession" spin-off tomorrow, I could be convinced. And I'm sure that other fans would welcome the opportunity to linger longer in this world. But the other great thing about this series coming to an end is exactly what Brian Cox alluded to: the big-picture question of what comes next. Whether in the world of Waystar Royco or far removed from it, whatever Armstrong, his fellow writers, Mark Mylod, or the cast decide to do next, they'll certainly have our attention.