Prague

"Prague" shifts gears once again, taking the Roy family and their inner circle to a lavish party thrown by Tom to celebrate his bachelorhood. The episode serves as a brief respite from the corporate and familial warfare of previous episodes, but it's no less revealing in terms of character development. The party, held at an opulent venue in New York, provides a backdrop for various interpersonal dynamics to play out. Tom, feeling the pressure of his upcoming marriage to Shiv, indulges in the excesses of the evening while also grappling with his insecurities about his place in the Roy family. Matthew Macfadyen shines in this episode, portraying Tom's growing sense of inadequacy with a mix of humor and pathos.

Meanwhile, Kendall's downward spiral continues as he gives in to his worst impulses at the party. His drug-fueled escapades with Stewy and Greg serve as a stark reminder of the self-destructive tendencies that have plagued him throughout the series. The episode does an excellent job of portraying Kendall's increasing alienation from both his family and himself, with Jeremy Strong delivering yet another standout performance. The cinematography reflects Kendall's mental state, with disorienting shots and rapid editing that mirror his descent into chaos. The party scenes are vibrant and chaotic, contrasting sharply with the cold, calculated world of Waystar Royco, but the underlying tension never fully dissipates.

One of the most interesting dynamics in this episode is between Shiv and Roman, who both find themselves increasingly disillusioned with the family business. Shiv, who has been trying to distance herself from Waystar, begins to reconsider her role within the family, while Roman's insecurities about his own abilities come to the forefront. Kieran Culkin's portrayal of Roman's internal conflict is both humorous and tragic, as his character oscillates between arrogance and vulnerability. The episode ends on a dark note, with Kendall's drug addiction spiraling further out of control and the family's fractures becoming more apparent than ever. "Prague" serves as a turning point for many of the characters, setting up the emotional and psychological conflicts that will drive the final episodes of the season.

Episode 8: Starting to get repetitive with different thought out scenarios, bachelor party, feud, doom, carelessness, unrealistic psychological and physical situations for many, especially the newly arrived and already starting to drag subtly.

The character of Kendall has the most piercing look I've seen. Whether he is euphoric or angry, he always looks the same. In this episode we have the bachelor party. The brothers and their associates are there, engaging in different levels of debauchery. Well most anyway. Tom is giddy throughout because this kind of third circle of hell stuff is amazing to him. But ultimately, it gets down to another effort to take the old guy down. He and Shiv have had a serious confrontation. She is off with the political agent and is betraying her fiancee. But the rise of the former schmuck and his alliances is what this is all about.

To come from the tension of the "vote of no confidence" to this is a great change of pace.

This episode made me laugh several times and the party scenes were truly enjoyable.

This is essentially the "bachelor party" episode, with most of the best and most memorable moments of the hour revolving around Tom's messy and uncomfortable bachelor party. Kendall and Roman both use it as an opportunity to further themselves, clashing while everyone else along for the ride gets messy in their own ways.

Connor, as usual, kind of gets overlooked and given the fewest opportunities to shine (him taking MDMA should be funnier than what it is here), but that's a nitpick. Shiv continues to become more interesting and is given more to do; if there's a main flaw of the first season, it's that it took a while to find interesting things for her to do as a character, but I like how the last few episodes of the season bring her into the fold more.