While not everyone will recognize Alan Ruck’s name, most people probably know him from his iconic performance as Cameron in the ‘80s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Over 30 years later, Ruck has perfected another iconic character who may even top Cameron in his memorability. Ruck plays the eldest of the infamous group of siblings in HBO’s hit series, Succession. Originating two beloved characters decades apart is surely the mark of a talented actor. But, what Alan Ruck has that has made him stand out is something that few actors have perfected. He knows how to create funny, endearing, lighthearted moments in dark, dramatic contexts. This is why we need more of Alan Ruck on TV.
For those who grew up in the ‘80s or those who simply love John Hughes’s classic coming-of-age movies, Ruck’s character in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is certainly memorable. He represents nostalgia, the feeling of playing hooky from school, and the things we all try to get away with as a teenager. Ruck played Cameron with relatability, earnestness, and dead-pan comedic timing that helped the movie become what it was. Throughout the '80s and into the '90s, Ruck also took on other roles worth noting —Stuart Bondek in the sitcom Spin City, as well as films like Bad Boys, Speed, and Twister, among others. But, Ruck didn’t reappear in a major way until 2018 in HBO’s dark dramedy Succession.
Succession’s tone is unique. It’s dialogue-heavy, emotional, gritty; it’s also sometimes goofy and even laugh-out-loud funny. In fact, whether Succession is a comedy is so disputed that one of the series’ stars, Kieran Culkin, told The New Yorker about a conversation he and his on-screen brother, Jeremy Strong, had over the hit series’ tone. “After the first season, he said something to me like, ‘I’m worried that people might think that the show is a comedy.’ And I said, ‘I think the show is a comedy.’ He thought I was kidding.”
If two of the show’s award-winning stars can’t agree about whether Succession is a comedy or not, it probably doesn’t warrant being placed in a category at all. And it’s safe to say that it’s successful in both serious, emotional scenes and humorous moments. A show that’s so dry, biting, and circumstantial in its humor is not usually the type to have a straight man and comic relief or any classic sitcom tropes. If viewers were to pinpoint a comedic relief character, however, they’d likely point to Connor Roy.
Connor, played by Ruck, is the dopey, neglected black sheep of a family composed entirely of black sheep. No one takes him seriously, and this fact becomes the butt of many jokes. Even so, Connor represents his family in a kind of unadulterated, unconcealed way. He’s painfully out-of-touch, sheltered, and unaware. He’s also convinced that he understands how the world works so thoroughly that he should become the President of the United States and that he has many faithful followers (known lovingly by him as "Con-heads").
While Connor is an important device to balance his siblings, Ruck plays this character with such earnestness that Connor becomes a unique individual all on his own. He’s sweetly self-deluded and often disproportionately intense. His would-be presidential platform is composed of political beliefs that are, like much of Succession, bitingly satirical. He’s so out of touch it almost hurts to watch. Yet, Ruck gives him a core that also evokes laughs, sympathy, and even comforting appreciation. At the heart of Connor Roy is someone who has been handed everything in life, except a few important things: acceptance, emotional support, and love. Ruck plays this nuanced character not only in a way that is relatable and heartfelt, but also in a way that is aware and reliably funny. Succession is unusually subtle, self-aware, and quietly comedic, and no performance in this notably talented cast seems to blend as seamlessly with this tone as Ruck’s. His timing and understated comedy are so unique and well-paired with Succession’s tone that he made Connor a comedic standout in an already subtly funny series. He is the perfect quiet, understated comic relief.
While Ruck’s recent venture to the small screen has certainly been a subtle standout, it was possible that his fit within Succession was just that: a great fit. Recently, however, Ruck made a move that proved that his mastery of Connor Roy was more than just a second iconic character born 30 years after his first. In Episode 4 (“Old White Men”) of Hulu’s true crime drama series, The Dropout, Ruck debuts as Walgreens medical director Jay Rosan. The Dropout is a stoic, dramatic show that has very little levity, let alone comedy. Ruck’s appearance was brief, but he brought a specific lightness and comic relief to his role. The two episodes in which he appeared stood out as lighter and funnier than the others, and he accomplished this in his now-classic, unique way.
In Succession’s wake, Ruck’s appearance in The Dropout shows that his understated comedic instincts make all of his characters stand out. This role proved that his attentive knack for comedy amidst the darkness in Succession wasn’t simply a one-off. Rather, Ruck is an example of Succession’s unique tone in the form of an individual. There is certainly room for more comedies that play like dramas and dramas that play like comedies on television. This is a genre that’s hard to get right, and Ruck has made it clear that he has an understanding of it that few actors do — and his part in The Dropout made it clear that what Ruck has to offer doesn’t thrive only in an environment that blends seamlessly with his style. Ruck is also perfect for being the lightness in dark moments in serious series where the question of whether they may be comedies doesn’t even enter into it. Since Ruck is spending his time off from playing Connor Roy taking on other television roles, it's likely that we'll be seeing much more of him in the near future — and any dramatic series that is looking for a little lightness should know exactly where to turn.