Whatever the occasions of the Succession finale, the Roy household is popping out on high in spite of everything.
HBO’s Succession Podcast, hosted by journalist Kara Swisher, is Adweek’s 2023 Podcast of the 12 months, with the manufacturing additionally taking the award for Greatest TV/Streaming Podcast. And Swisher couldn’t be prouder of the HBO podcast staff, Pineapple Road Studios and the entire expertise.
“Each little bit of it was satisfying,” Swisher advised Adweek. “I can’t consider a second I used to be ever irritated and never delighted.”
The podcast host and journalist, whose credit additionally embody New York Journal’s On with Kara Swisher and Pivot, mentioned the present’s success got here down to at least one easy truth: “HBO allow us to do what we needed.”
“They didn’t meddle. They didn’t attempt to make it a PR factor. They didn’t attempt to make it advertising,” Swisher mentioned. “They might have simply gone that approach.”
As an alternative, Swisher was given free rein, approaching the podcast as each a journalist and fan of the present. And audiences responded.
The Succession podcast made frequent appearances on the Apple TV and Movie podcast chart all through Succession’s headline-making ultimate season, all whereas making headlines of its personal, as Swisher explored the real-life occasions that impressed the collection, gave followers a deeper take a look at the making of the present and realized about alternate endings that wound up on the cutting-room flooring.
“Kara brings her personal ideas, attitudes, interview model, connections, viewers and a lot extra to the desk,” mentioned Michael Gluckstadt, senior director, HBO/Max podcasts. “I knew we hit on one thing once I’d get so invested listening to the dialog, I’d nearly overlook we have been recording a podcast.”
Along with Swisher’s charisma and interview model, Gluckstadt additionally gave credit score to Warner Bros. Discovery for letting the staff coordinate interviews with the solid and plug into advertising efforts. Succession creator Jesse Armstrong and govt producer Frank Wealthy helped navigate themes and dialogue factors alongside the way in which.
Success with followers
With years of expertise writing concerning the real-life billionaires who impressed the characters on Succession, Swisher was capable of discover the deeper reality behind what viewers watched every Sunday.
“I feel that helped,” Swisher mentioned. “I had a number of data of the individuals they have been depicting, particularly within the final season. There was a Mark Cuban-like character. There was clearly an Elon Musk character.”
