On his 80th birthday, media magnate Logan Roy, whose imminent retirement was thought to be a given, shocks his family by announcing he's staying on indefinitely as CEO of Waystar/Royco. The news shatters his son Kendall, the heir apparent who's in the midst of negotiating the purchase of a digital-media venture founded by a slick operator named Lawrence.

Logan's incapacitation sets off a heated succession debate among his children, as the Board rushes to inform the media about leadership contingencies before the stock market opens. Greg is tasked to retrieve some important items from the Roy apartment. Kendall makes an impassioned final plea to keep Waystar/Royco in the family, and receives some sobering news.

With Waystar's stock plunging to dangerous lows, Kendall is confronted with a major crisis involving a secret bank debt. Upset with Marcia for pulling rank in the Roy apartment, Shiv decides to enlist an old paramour to conduct a background check on Logan's third wife. Kendall and Roman attend their first big meeting in their new roles, as do Tom and Greg.

With the company’s annual foundation gala fundraiser approaching, and his dad out of the picture, Kendall polishes up his speech while enlisting an on-air personality from the Waystar’s ATV Networks to accompany him. Shiv tries to minimize damage from a sordid photo that threatens a client's political future. Tom inherits a “virus” from his predecessor.

After hearing Logan’s plan to expand in to local TV, Kendall begins to plot a vote of no confidence against his father. Greg drives his ornery grandfather Ewan from Canada to New York for a Thanksgiving reunion with Logan. Tom grows increasingly concerned about the terms of his prenuptial agreement with Shiv, and recruits Greg for a clandestine task.

With the vote of no confidence against Logan approaching, Roman attempts to sway a neutral board member, while Kendall frantically shores up his “yea” votes. Logan arrives in Washington to meet with the president, but worries he's been snubbed after a last-minute cancellation. After successfully thwarting a potential scandal, Tom introduces Greg to fine dining.

In an effort to fix his public image, Logan agrees to a family therapy session at Connor’s New Mexico ranch that Logan intends to double as a publicity stunt. While lying low, Kendall spends some time with the locals and finds his sobriety tested. Shiv considers putting herself in a precarious situation when Nate pushes her to join a potential presidential candidate’s team.

Tom has a bachelor’s party to remember. Kendall eyes a new business opportunity with a pair of idealistic entrepreneurs. Roman looks to land a deal for local TV stations with his father’s longtime nemesis. Logan tasks Greg to act as Kendall’s babysitter during Tom’s party. Shiv and Gil get ambushed during a TV interview on a Waystar network.

The Roys assemble at an English castle to prepare for Shiv and Tom’s wedding. The children reunite with their mother Caroline, who is every bit as acerbic as Logan. As guests mingle and clash, Kendall learns from Stewy and Sandy that their plot for a hostile takeover of Waystar has been fast-tracked in order to catch Logan off guard.