There have been many TV shows about business dynasties in recent years, from the Roys inSuccessionto the Eagans inSeverance, and, curiously enough, one actor has managed to be on both these shows. Thisisn’t a human actor, however, but a canine one: Ditto the Dog. This wasrevealed on XbySeverancedirectorBen Stillerhimself and laterconfirmedbySarah Snook, who worked with Ditto the most inSuccession, because he plays Shiv Roy’s and Tom Wambsgans' (Matthew Macfadyen) pet, Mondale. InSeverance, however, Ditto is not an Eagan, instead playing Irving Bailiff’s (John Turturro) loyal companion, Radar, inboth seasons.
Ditto the Dog Plays Irving’s Pet Radar in ‘Severance’
Severancefans have loved Ditto the Dog since his first appearance in the series, in theSeason 1episode “What’s for Dinner?” That’s when he first appears as Irving’s dog, Radar, when the innies at the Macrodata Refinement department stage their breakout. Irving B., the innie, awakens at his outie’s house to find out about his life outside Lumon, discovering a lot about himself. Thebiggest discovery, of course, is that he has a dog, Radar.
Radar’s existence had been hinted at before that, however. In the episode “Half Loop,” Irving B. is granted a special wellness session with Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman) to treat his hallucinations about black paint oozing onto his desk at MDR. In this session,Ms. Caseytells him: “Your outie likes the sound of radar.“At first, that seemed like a random made-up fact, like most of the others, but it was true. Irving does like the sound of radar, because Radar is his canine best friend. The name comes from the fact that Irving Bailiff was once in the Navy, with radar being a key piece of equipment in that area.
In Season 2,Radar leaves Kier, PEwith Irving in the episode “The After Hours.” Before that, Burt Goodman (Christopher Walken) breaks into Irving’s house when he is not there. However, instead of attacking him,Radar simply keeps a dutiful watch over Burt, apparently aware of the man’s connection with Irving. That speaks a lot about Ditto the Dog’s acting chops, adding an extra layer of drama to that whole scene.
In ‘Succession,’ Ditto’s Role As Mondale Is Much Smaller, but Just as Significant
Unfortunately, Mondale doesn’t get as much attention inSuccessionas Radar gets inSeverance. His owners are Shiv and Tom, andthey keep him in his dog pen most of the time, and we rarely see him walking about. Tomoften uses himas an excuse to mask his feelings of frustration regarding thestate of his marriage with Shiv, but doesn’t seem to care enough to let Mondale out every once in a while.
Every Episode in ‘Severance’ Season 2, Ranked
“See you at the Equator.”
What’s interesting about Mondale regarding the Shiv-Tom dynamics is that it seems like he was Tom’s dog first, becoming the couple’s pet only after they married. In the second-ever Succession episode, “Sh*t Show at the F**k Factory,“Shiv refers to Mondale as “your dog” when talking to Tom, and, later, when the couple isheaded for divorce, Mondale stays with Tom. The poor guy is always starved for attention from his parents, but, even after the series finale, it doesn’t seem like he will get much.
A thing that has always sparked the curiosity ofSuccessionfans is where Mondale’s name comes from, and the reason is another point in the theory of Mondale being Tom’s dog, not the couple’s.He isnamed afterWalter Mondale, former Vice-President of the USA, who, like Tom, is also from Minnesota. In 1984, Mondale ran for President with Geraldine Ferraro, who was the first-ever female nominee for Vice-President, but they lost to Ronald Reaganby a landslide. Either way, we hope Mondale, the dog, is fine and happy now. He, Radar, and Ditto deserve all the treats.
