The sudden and surprise death of Logan Roy on Sunday night’s “Succession” energized the show’s ratings.

Numbers were up 23% from last week as word spread to the other time zones from the East, social media went crazy, and even east coasters tuned in for the second showing at 10pm.

Imagine what the numbers might have been if HBO had given a clue about what was going to happen. But there were no previews, and no press screenings. This Sunday, the numbers should be up substantially for Logan’s funeral and the repercussions of his death. This should be the will reading of all time!

HBO will announce higher numbers from Sunday drawing on HBO Max and other platforms. These numbers are the actual ratings from the HBO main channel.

The episode was titled “Connor’s Wedding.” Remember it in July when it picks up Emmy nods for Best Drama, writing, directing, and all the actors.

Da dum!
“Law & Order” and all its configurations has been renewed by NBC. But regular orders only for classic “L&O” and “SVU.” Chris Meloni’s “Organized Crime,” with low ratings and four showrunners gone, is only guaranteed 13 weeks. Maybe after that, Meloni will only guest on “SVU.”

At the same time, NBC will bring back the “Chicago” shows — all three of them.

Add those to Wolf’s “FBI” shows on CBS, and it’s a 1000% victory. Dick Wolf will continue his hold on three different nights again next season: Tuesdays with three “FBI” shows.

Of them all, “Law & Order SVU” is the senior player, coming into its 25th season. Mariska Hargitay is the single longest running nighttime star on television. Now if only they’ll bring back Kelli Giddish– I watched it the other night and is really missed.

Legislation is needed to stop this kind of thing from happening.

Kim Kardashian, America’s favorite non entity, will appear on Ryan Murphy’s next season of “American Horror Story.” Kardashian has no acting experience other than pretending, convincingly, to be a celebrity without portfolio. She did make a sex tape, so that’s something.

Curious because in 2016 produced “The People vs. OJ Simpson,” the fictional retelling of the double murder trial. David Schwimmer played Kim’s now dead father, murder cover-upper Robert Kardashian. So this is a reunion, of sorts.

The new “American Horror Story” will also include Emma Roberts. I don’t see award winner Sarah Paulson included in this announcement, but she’d be smart to stay out of this one!

The great Elizabeth Hubbard has passed away at age 89. Her son, Jeremy, posted a notice to Facebook today: “I’m sorry to say with a broken heart mi mum passed over the weekend. Thank you for being an unmovable rock that guided me through life. I will try to honour your memory for as long as I live.”

She was nominated 11 times for Daytime Emmys for playing Dr. Althea Davis on “The Doctors” in the 60s and 70s, and Lucinda Walsh on “As the World Turns.” She was a powerhouse actress who chewed all the scenery and spit it out. Whatever scene she was in, it was hers. She came from the legacy generation of soap actors with extensive theater training, and it showed. She appeared on Broadway in 14 separate productions until joining “As the World Turns,” where she remained until the last day in 2010.

Aside from smaller roles in other New York soaps, Hubbard also appeared in some key movies, like “Ordinary People” and “The Bell Jar.” She will be sorely missed. Condolences to her family and friends.

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Logan Roy is dead.

The patriarch character of “Succession,” based on Rupert Murdoch, was killed off tonight in the 3rd episode of the show’s fourth and final season.

Already the reaction on social media is overwhelming. That’s because this was the most emotional hour of television in years. The Roys have fought among each other in the most vicious way for three seasons plus the last two episodes. And the whole thing was about love, lack of love, approbation, yearning for it. And now, that part of it is over.

I’m sure over the next five weeks we’ll see the Roy kids each each other alive to take over the company and come out on top. It will make “Game of Thrones” look like “Mary Poppins.” But for right now, the show was written with such despairing eloquence, and acted the same, the second showing right now on HBO should push the ratings into the stratosphere.

What Jesse Armstrong, the writer and creator of the show, has done is hit a bullseye dramatically. The emotions are so real and raw and unexpected throughout the roller coaster of denial and reluctant acceptance there’s huge identification. Brian Cox made Logan such a royal, immortal figure that a sudden death seems impossible. But last night week it was kind of telegraphed when the group of them had their final meeting. Logan actually apologized to them all. Even though no one accepted it, it was his farewell.

Emmys for the show and everyone involved. Outstanding work.

There are no advance screeners for tonight’s “Succession.”

A few people in the press received the first four episodes in advance, but now they’ve evaporated. HBO is holding back for a reason.

Tonight’s episode will feature Connor and Willa’s wedding, although marriage is not guaranteed. The kids are always fighting among themselves and with Logan, although Kendall and Shiv don’t know yet that Roman has weaseled his way back into his father’s good graces.

The X factor character is Alexander Skarsgard’s Lukas Matsson, aka “The Swede,” whose company is supposedly buying Waystar. We’ve only seen him so far on the phone eating junk food and making veiled threats. Matsoon is a stand in for Spotify’s Daniel Ek, but better looking.

But something big is happening tonight, that’s for sure. I’ll try and live tweet it at @showbiz411 and be back on here at the of the hour to say what I can without giving it away for other time zons.