The Succession Scream-Off Between Hugo And Greg We Never Got To See
Jesse Armstrong's magnificent series "Succession" came to an end in May of 2023, but fans still can't stop talking about the ride of its five-year reign as the best show on television. Will a day come when we aren't still screaming lines like "I am the eldest boy," "You are not serious people," or "You little slime puppy?" When that day comes, I hope I'm not around for it.
One of the show's unsung heroes is Hugo Baker, played to kiss-ass perfection by Fisher Stevens. As a member of the Waystar Royco old guard, Hugo's role as the Senior Vice President of Communication for Parks and Cruises meant that he worked intimately with the entire Roy family, much to their annoyance. Hugo wasn't so much a "yes man" as he was someone desperately trying to stay on the good side of whoever writes his checks. Hence the memorable moment in the penultimate episode of the series when Hugo pledges his loyalty to Kendall Roy by delivering a demeaned "woof, woof" after being told, "You'll be my dog but the scraps from the table will be millions."
Hugo may not have made the biggest strategic moves, but he was a vital player in the world of "Succession" and I personally would have welcomed more screen time. However, in an interview with Insider, Stevens confessed that one of his all-time favorite Hugo scenes is one that never made it to air. "It deserved to be left on the cutting-room floor, but in episode 3 this season, Hugo did something that was my favorite thing no one will ever see," he said. Well, color me intrigued.
'I was Joe Pesci on him'
In case you somehow forgot, "Succession" season 4 episode 3 is when patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) finally bites the dust. The episode — which is considered to be possibly the best episode of the entire series — centers less on Logan dying, and more on the way everyone in the Roy inner circle reacts to the news. This includes business associates who are far less emotionally invested in Logan's passing, and are instead working overtime to make sure the news doesn't hurt anyone's bottom line.
"When Logan dies, there's a sense that the story of his death was leaked and maybe it was Greg when he was flirting with a reporter," Fisher Stevens said to set the stage. "I had a scene written and we also improvised like crazy where I confront Greg telling him he's a f***ing a-hole, he was the one who leaked the story, I'm going to f***ing kill him," he said. But remember, Hugo Baker is a short, brown-noser of a man, while Cousin Greg is an absolute giant. As Stevens said:
"I'm 5'8" and he's 6'7" and I'm just looking up and screaming at him. I was Joe Pesci on him. And he then just destroys me back in a very Greg way, calling me so small. It was this funny back-and-forth. I thought it was pretty good."
Maybe one day we'll get to see it, because that sounds pretty amazing.