10 Times Tom From Succession Was Actually Mr. Darcy

At first glance, Matthew Macfadyen’s most iconic roles are two very different men. “Tom Wambsgans is a long way from Mr. Darcy,” the actor himself told NPR last year. But after four seasons with Tom on HBO’s Succession, it’s become clear that his 2005 Pride & Prejudice character Darcy and Shiv Roy’s bumbling estranged husband are two sides of the same hot, awkward coin.

For starters, they’re both obsessed with status. For Tom, that manifests in ridiculing Cousin Greg’s love for California Pizza Kitchen or calling out his deck shoes. For Darcy, it’s shading his romantic interest Elizabeth’s family for their “lack of propriety” and turning up his nose at local balls. They’re also pretty awkward people at heart, but as you’ll see on this list, they can turn on the charm when the occasion calls for it.

Still not convinced? Here’s a look back at all the times Tom from Succession was way more like Mr. Darcy than expected.

Tom’s First Impression

Season 1, Episode 1

Tom and Darcy make a biting first impression. In the first episode of Succession, Tom has fun messing with Greg before saying the quiet part out loud: “I may look really fun, you know? But the thing about me is that I’m a terrible, terrible prick.”

It’s basically what Elizabeth overheard in Pride & Prejudice, when Darcy said she was “not handsome enough to tempt [him].” They’re jerks!

Tom’s Early-Morning Jaunt

Season 1, Episode 9

Tom and Darcy are also aesthetic twins. Case in point? On his wedding day, Tom went for an early-morning run in the English countryside to clear his head — resulting in a scene reminiscent of Darcy’s dawn stroll in Pride & Prejudice.

“I’d Castrate You & Marry You In A Heartbeat.”

Season 3, Episode 4

Remember when Tom was super worried about going to prison? His nerves compelled him to buy a book about Ancient Rome, where he found a very interesting story that reminded him of Greg — in which Emperor Nero killed his wife and forced his slave, Sporus, to act as his partner instead. Despite the horrifying context, the story leads Tom to deliver the closest thing we may ever get to a Austen-esque love confession: “I’d castrate you and marry you in a heartbeat.”

When his gesture fails to elicit more than a kind smile from Greg, Tom’s face falls — and he turns into bully mode, trying to force Greg into a bout of play wrestling before walking away in a huff.

If you look closely, it’s similar to Darcy telling Elizabeth, “I love you... most ardently” in the rain before getting rejected and insulting her family.

Watching Greg Across A Crowded Room

Season 3, Episode 6

Tom took another page from Darcy’s book during Season 3’s conservative political conference, where he watched Greg revel with his new fascist friends — his sad gaze proving just how much he’d rather be hanging out with Greg, instead. It’s giving Darcy at the Netherfield Ball, who watched Elizabeth dance with fellow partygoers from afar before willing her to run into him.

When Tom Kissed Greg On The Forehead

Season 3, Episode 7

A tender, Austenian moment if there ever was one.

When Tom Strolled Through The Compliment Tunnel

Season 3, Episode 7

Yes, this was an actual thing at Kendall’s 40th birthday party — and yes, the floral backdrop was definitely something out of a Regency promenade. But what really makes this a Darcy moment is the tension. Tom wanted to celebrate that he was not going to prison, but he turned moody once he realized that Greg was happier about lining up a date than his friend’s newfound freedom. Angsty!

The Proposal

Season 3, Episode 9

When Tom asked if Greg would like to make a “deal with the devil” during the Season 3 finale, that was basically a Darcy proposal — with an accompanying handshake that was almost as loaded as the Pride & Prejudice hand flex moment.

*That* Memory With Shiv

Season 4, Episode 4

Greg isn’t the only one to benefit from Tom’s Darcy-esque gestures. In fact, a recent scene with Shiv is maybe one of Tom’s most swoon-worthy moments yet. You know the one: Tom’s trying to comfort Shiv after Logan’s death, and he brings up a steamy memory about the early days of their relationship. “I’d sent you all those handwritten notes,” he recalls. “And then the first time, you were wearing that very fine silk shirt. And I put my arm around you. And I kept asking, ‘Do you like this? Do you like this?’ And you said, eventually, ‘I like it all.’”

The moment is intimate, and it’s extremely Darcy-coded — delivered with the same dreamy whisper the romantic Pride & Prejudice hero employed during his dawn proposal to Elizabeth.

Tom’s Squabble Era

Season 4, Episode 5

OK, not every moment can be that touching. But, like Darcy, Tom’s squabbling is pretty romantically charged. During the Roys’ trip to Norway, Tom and Shiv engage in some verbal sparring — which turns to actual sparring when he flicks her ear. “Your earlobes are thick and chewy,” he says. “Yeah, like barnacle meat.”

The social mores of Austen’s time would probably prevent her leading man from anything that extreme, but it’s definitely in keeping with Darcy’s grumpy side. Plus, Tom’s reaction to Shiv saying she prefers Lukas Matsson’s “broad” body? It’s very much Darcy getting jealous of Wickham in Pride & Prejudice.

When Tom Asked For A Second Chance

Season 4, Episode 6

While Tom and Shiv’s relationship has been pretty rocky, their sneaky, post-split hook-ups are full of chemistry. “I think I want you. I think I would like this back,” is essentially Tom’s version of Darcy’s line, “My affections and wishes have not changed.” Even the placement of Tom’s head on Shiv’s is straight out of the 2005 film.

You can’t get more Darcy than that.