Billions

[whaler11]

I must have missed the reference.

Closed with 'For Those About To Rock'.

Which is a great song that now I can't disassociate with HCVV.

 

[J187Money]

LOVE Dollar Bill.

 

[ZooCougar]

Last season I liked Chuck and disliked Axe. This season I want to see Chuck suffer.

 

[polycom]

Watched the pilot of this show..how do you guys watch this? It's more insane than ray donovan not to mention everyone talks in weird monologues

 

[intlzncster]

Watched the pilot of this show..how do you guys watch this? It's more insane than ray donovan not to mention everyone talks in weird monologues

Difference is that Billions actually has great actors.

It's different than RD when you watch it. I mean, they both have the whole outlaw vs lawman thing going I guess. But it's a different and more interesting setup. The characters themselves are smarter and more nuanced.

Ray Donovan's characters had more interesting backstories. And those backstories informed the tenor and direction of the show pretty much exclusively. Character's backstories in Billions are marginally important.

 

[ZooCougar]

It's compelling because it is rich outlaws versus corrupt and ambitious lawmen. Axe is pretty transparent about how he goes about his way, Chuck wants Axe basically for sport and to launch his campaign.

Chuck may have sidestepped my prediction for him and the Sandicot situation may not blow up in his face since he won't pursue Axe over it because it would lead the circle back to his Dad, Foley and ultimately him.

But I wonder if he is up to some self sabotage of his own. Chuck feels that the playing field isn't level so he dusts of his Lawyer's Ice Juice binder to make a play for wealth. Except his Dad doesn't have the liquid assets because they are tied up in the Casino thing upstate! LOL

So Chuck has to open up his blind trust and dip into that for the Ice Juice. What could possibly go wrong?

I am kind of hoping that Chuck is cunning enough figure out how to use Ice Juice against his Dad and Foley. I mean they help him, but their own shadiness handcuffs him in dealing with Axe and he is sick of it.

Lastly, it's amazing to me about how pop culture misunderstands Ayn Rand. Somewhere in there Dollar Bill makes an Ayn Rand reference for validation.

Ayn Rand would hate Hedge Funds and Hedgies. Under her philsophy, they produce nothing; therefore they are an illegitimate means of generating wealth.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Watched the pilot of this show..how do you guys watch this? It's more insane than ray donovan not to mention everyone talks in weird monologues

Pilot had a lot of silly parts in it which bogged it down, but also, this show also isn't for everyone. I might give it one more episode and move on if you don't like it.

 

[intlzncster]

It's compelling because it is rich outlaws versus corrupt and ambitious lawmen. Axe is pretty transparent about how he goes about his way, Chuck wants Axe basically for sport and to launch his campaign.

Chuck may have sidestepped my prediction for him and the Sandicot situation may not blow up in his face since he won't pursue Axe over it because it would lead the circle back to his Dad, Foley and ultimately him.

But I wonder if he is up to some self sabotage of his own. Chuck feels that the playing field isn't level so he dusts of his Lawyer's Ice Juice binder to make a play for wealth. Except his Dad doesn't have the liquid assets because they are tied up in the Casino thing upstate! LOL

So Chuck has to open up his blind trust and dip into that for the Ice Juice. What could possibly go wrong?

I am kind of hoping that Chuck is cunning enough figure out how to use Ice Juice against his Dad and Foley. I mean they help him, but their own shadiness handcuffs him in dealing with Axe and he is sick of it.

Lastly, it's amazing to me about how pop culture misunderstands Ayn Rand. Somewhere in there Dollar Bill makes an Ayn Rand reference for validation.

Ayn Rand would hate Hedge Funds and Hedgies. Under her philsophy, they produce nothing; therefore they are an illegitimate means of generating wealth.

I was thinking he's going to use Ice Juice as some sort of bait to draw in and then ax Axe, even if it means cold heartedly screwing over his dad and and his lawyer buddy.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I was thinking he's going to use Ice Juice as some sort of bait to draw in and then ax Axe, even if it means cold heartedly screwing over his dad and and his lawyer buddy.

The lawyer-buddy might as well be wearing a red Space Federation shirt. He is not going to make it.

 

[August_West]

The lawyer-buddy might as well be wearing a red Space Federation shirt. He is not going to make it.

A+

and no he wont.

 

[J187Money]

I like Axe a lot more as the show has gone on - I honestly thought he was miscast during the first 2/3 episodes.

 

[August_West]

The wife/shrink is the worst part of the show. The torn between 2 masters premise doesn't work at all and there is never anything interesting or believable there at all

 

[Husky25]

The cast of this show is just fantastic. Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti have always been dark horse scene/movie/show stealers for me. Even when they get cheesy like they did with Metallica plug last season it worked because I could see Axe being into Heavy Metal.

I could definitely see Axe being into Metallica and Megadeth. It actually appears to be a trait lifted from Christian Bale's portrayal of Michael Burry in The Big Short.

BTW, there were three far more cheesier parts of that episode.

1) I didn't quite buy that Axe didn't know how James Hatfield was going to respond to his question ("I just play."). You could see it coming a mile away.
2) I didn't buy that a Miranda Lambert-esque artist would:
a) open for Metallica, or
b) take the teeth out of "Round-n-Round."
and c) for good measure...If that was a sound check, the concert must have sucked.
3) I knew Noah Emmerich's character was getting left in left on the jet to Canada. Axe asking him how much their friendship was worth was just the sealer.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The wife/shrink is the worst part of the show. The torn between 2 masters premise doesn't work at all and there is never anything interesting or believable there at all

They basically gave up on the "2 masters" theme this season. I think they needed a personal connection between Axe and Chuck, and I like Wendy a lot as the performance coach at the hedge fund, but it would have made more sense if she was Chuck's cousin or sister or something. Making her the wife didn't work, and I think the show's writers reached the same conclusion.

This is a tough show to write, and I think the writers struggle a little with the female characters. Wendy is a lot better character when she is just doing her job than when she is in any kind of personal situation. Axe's wife has no work role, so she is only in the show in a personal role. She is stupid and annoying, which makes her not credible as the wife of a hitter like Axe.

 

[August_West]

They basically gave up on the "2 masters" theme this season. I think they needed a personal connection between Axe and Chuck, and I like Wendy a lot as the performance coach at the hedge fund, but it would have made more sense if she was Chuck's cousin or sister or something. Making her the wife didn't work, and I think the show's writers reached the same conclusion.

This is a tough show to write, and I think the writers struggle a little with the female characters. Wendy is a lot better character when she is just doing her job than when she is in any kind of personal situation. Axe's wife has no work role, so she is only in the show in a personal role. She is stupid and annoying, which makes her not credible as the wife of a hitter like Axe.

I really like the show overall. But Wendy (with two kids and a DA husband) would never have been at Axes company in the first place, and certainly never wouldve gone back. As you said, her being the "wife" doesnt work if she is at Axe.

And yeah Axes wife sucks as a character and I dont like this actress for that role.

 

[mauconnfan]

I really like the show overall. But Wendy (with two kids and a DA husband) would never have been at Axes company in the first place, and certainly never wouldve gone back. As you said, her being the "wife" doesnt work if she is at Axe.

And yeah Axes wife sucks as a character and I dont like this actress for that role.

Really hate Axe's wife and how he doesn't somehow recognize when she's being a huge bi**h. No one who does so little nit seems to think they are someone more than a rich better half would ever act like here. STFU and go shopping of crying out loud, hate her.

 

[J187Money]

I really like the show overall. But Wendy (with two kids and a DA husband) would never have been at Axes company in the first place, and certainly never wouldve gone back. As you said, her being the "wife" doesnt work if she is at Axe.

And yeah Axes wife sucks as a character and I dont like this actress for that role.

Not sure that I'm following you. Looks like she was with Axe before her husband got to be so important, and she is the breadwinner. I know lots of couples like that in Manhattan. Didn't seem odd to me at all.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This week's episode was awesome. I will wait a few days to discuss so everyone can catch up. I also have to watch it again because I feel like there were some plot holes during the episode but I may just have missed some things.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

This week's episode was awesome. I will wait a few days to discuss so everyone can catch up. I also have to watch it again because I feel like there were some plot holes during the episode but I may just have missed some things.

Thought last night's episode was the best they've done. Setting up for an amazing finish to the season.

 

[August_West]

This week's episode was awesome. I will wait a few days to discuss so everyone can catch up. I also have to watch it again because I feel like there were some plot holes during the episode but I may just have missed some things.

So bottom line, just like Sandicott, Rhodes has Axe dead to rights again but wont be able to shoot the bullet, this time because Wendy played the short on Ice Juice. Fricking women.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

So bottom line, just like Sandicott, Rhodes has Axe dead to rights again but wont be able to shoot the bullet, this time because Wendy played the short on Ice Juice. Fricking women.

That ship sailed when Rhodes unleashed Super Dork on Axe.

I need to re-watch the episode tonight. I have a problem with two parts: 1) Axe trusting the Spartan Ives CEO, and 2) what were they doing at the bottling facility? I had to respond to an email and I was only half watching at that point.

 

[August_West]

2) what were they doing at the bottling facility?

Spreading more of the bacteria, "trace amounts", around so the bacteria wasnt only found in the spiked drinks but the plant itself to make it plausible.

 

[ZooCougar]

So bottom line, just like Sandicott, Rhodes has Axe dead to rights again but wont be able to shoot the bullet, this time because Wendy played the short on Ice Juice. Fricking women.

Or elder Rhodes' Sandicott collusion is unearthed by Axe and it slaps Chuck in the face.

So I am guessing most of us saw this coming. Even if it was predictable it was really fun to watch.

 

[intlzncster]

I was thinking he's going to use Ice Juice as some sort of bait to draw in and then ax Axe, even if it means cold heartedly screwing over his dad and and his lawyer buddy.

Nailed it.

 

[intlzncster]

So bottom line, just like Sandicott, Rhodes has Axe dead to rights again but wont be able to shoot the bullet, this time because Wendy played the short on Ice Juice. Fricking women.

Not necessarily. He was willing to sacrifice his dad and friend...and be ecstatic about it. He's unhinged right now. It's gonna be interesting to see if he's willing to string up his wife as well.