there wasn't a male in this episode who looked smart or noble. Not a one.

Kendall wants to burn it down just, like, cause he wants to bro. His narcissism knows no limits.

Having scaled the top of the mountain , Roman let his emotion get the better of him and "fucked the deal".

Frank and Karl continue to bumble. They serve no purpose and don't even mind being let go because they know they're paid. They're old, white, and content to cash out and not ride coattails any longer. Tom and Greg will inherit the dipshit duo mantle, rinse wash repeat.

and then there's Matsson, a Musk-ian madman who's so entitled he can't comprehend how disturbing his behavior is.

Contrast Shiv in this episode with Shiv at the mourning gathering. Then, she feebly accepted her third banana faux CEO-ship. She's pregnant and hellbent on hiding it. She takes a mean spill in the living room surrounded by all the king's men. Marcia looms, a true alpha, intimidated by none of the men and certainly none of the women in the home.

But now, for the first distinguishable time in the show's history, Shiv demonstrates a true cunning. There's no bravado, just brains ("first off, good one!" she tells Madsen after the blood reveal...padding the ego just a wee bit to couch her message) Then, having calmly evolved into the matriarch, she saves Karolina, Geri, and Tom - and by saving Tom, in turn saves her child.

This is just beautiful writing.

There's been so many times in this show's run where I come out of an episode and just think "how did they write that?" and I don't think I've ever felt that in a bigger way than I did here.