Billions - Season 5/Part 2 (September 5th/Official Thread)

[Ohene]

i havent watched the second or third ep
so basically it sounds like i should abandon and revisit succession

 

[Ohene]

if they were smart they wouldve had Chuck move onto other adversaries ...outside of just the finance world but tech world, pharma and all that. they sort of did with the political angle but why didnt they make good on that, making Chuck an eventual mayor of NY or some other shyt couldve freed up some serious story lines.

and they would have had Axe use his billionaire status to expand into other ventures that open him up to new enemies/challenges (again outside of finance)...for instance, maybe he runs for office, maybe he buys a sports franchise, maybe his baby moms starts getting on some bullshyt, maybe he pivots into VC and funds a company that builds some new revolutionary technology, maybe he becomes a philanthropist or part time professor, maybe he starts gambling

who fukkin knows. there were many places they could have gone with a billionaire being the main character and the show being called billions...especially considering that Axe is newly single and wouldnt be tied down by his family. They couldve even made the divorce deeply affect his character.

Instead they have literally done ZERO character development for both him and Chuck. And that is the exact reason why Showtime isnt HBO level. Even Axe said so in episode 1. He has become a 10 Billionaire yet feels whatever about it...yet there he is going against some other dude...why? Because that dude stole the magazine cover for himself? Gimme a fukkin break.

They dropped the ball

 

[Trav]

They got Wendy out here like mf Professor X using her telekinesis to help unlock everyone's true potential

 

[ogc163]

These last 2 episodes have been horrible. I'm about to abandon this shyt.

The episode with the son had to be the most cringeworthy shyt I have ever seen on a serious show. I kept waiting for the twist and it never came. They have reduced Taylor to a insecure SJW incapable of rational thought, and Aquinas is a shytty character.

The show is junk food at this point. I find Black Monday more amusing tbh.

 

[Danie84]

If they had brought X out for the Yonkers FUKKERY

...Fubu Co-founder/Dominique Wilkins; Billions filled their quota

I can't believe Axe used Savion for a photo-op, tho

 

[Ethnic Vagina Finder]

They got Wendy out here like mf Professor X usingnher telekinesis to help unlock everyone's true potential

When she told him to close his eyes, I closed my eyes too .

Not for nothing, this show is motivational at times. Especially if you aspire to be or already an entrepreneur. A lot of jewels have been dropped on this show.

If people watch strictly for the theatrics and entertainment value, then the novelty of it will wear off.

 

[Ethnic Vagina Finder]

if they were smart they wouldve had Chuck move onto other adversaries ...outside of just the finance world but tech world, pharma and all that. they sort of did with the political angle but why didnt they make good on that, making Chuck an eventual mayor of NY or some other shyt couldve freed up some serious story lines.

and they would have had Axe use his billionaire status to expand into other ventures that open him up to new enemies/challenges (again outside of finance)...for instance, maybe he runs for office, maybe he buys a sports franchise, maybe his baby moms starts getting on some bullshyt, maybe he pivots into VC and funds a company that builds some new revolutionary technology, maybe he becomes a philanthropist or part time professor, maybe he starts gambling

who fukkin knows. there were many places they could have gone with a billionaire being the main character and the show being called billions...especially considering that Axe is newly single and wouldnt be tied down by his family. They couldve even made the divorce deeply affect his character.

Instead they have literally done ZERO character development for both him and Chuck. And that is the exact reason why Showtime isnt HBO level. Even Axe said so in episode 1. He has become a 10 Billionaire yet feels whatever about it...yet there he is going against some other dude...why? Because that dude stole the magazine cover for himself? Gimme a fukkin break.

They dropped the ball

A lot of the stuff you just mentioned was already covered. And the main characters have been fleshed out with backstories

 

[Mr Hate Coffee]

Not feeling the black people being used as pawns in this episode.

I also hate how smart they make Wendy. god I hate that bytch. They act like she got Jean Grey powers and shyt.

And don’t nobody care about Wags kids

 

[old pig]

And don’t nobody care about Wags kids

didn’t watch this past ep but this comment made me realize they are trying to drag everybody’s kids into this shyt this season and make them a storyline...chuck...axe and wags...the writers are desperate chuck and axe’s kids were just props prior to this and I don’t think wags’ kids were ever mentioned @ all smh

 

[Mickey Kane]

I think a lot of people like the Entourage-style Lifestyle Porn. Like, "I wish I could call up a hot chef and have him personally cook a meal for me" or "I wish I could go to a hot artist and buy up all their paintings", or "I wish I could go backstage at a Metallica show or whatever" or, at a lower level "Peter Luger!!...I ate there myself! I'm cool like Chuck!"
Some of that stuff is kind of fun.

I think, for me, the big problem is that the show is too in love with its characters, and thinks they're so superior. The writers really believe that Axe has a supernatural gift for making money, Taylor has a supernatural gift for numbers, Wendy has a supernatural gift for psychology, Chuck has a supernatural gift for political scheming, etc. That didn't really start to bother me until I started watching Succession.

Very interesting take, do you mind expanding on this please?

 

[Mr Hate Coffee]

Not for nothing, this show is motivational at times. Especially if you aspire to be or already an entrepreneur. A lot of jewels have been dropped on this show.

I agree with this to an extent... I admired Taylor's grind and determination. I actually look at Kate Sacker as an inspiration for how to handle work, be about your business, when dealing with a sea of devlish cacs. I really like that they haven't sullied her character. She's stuck to her principles but shes smart af and ambitious.

 

[humminbird]

this episode just pissed me off but this is actually what happens.

I knew though when axe was with the black kid in the first scene i was in for some bs

I liked it when Daymond said give me a deal you would give buffet and then they cut to him in the elevator.

A buffet expy vs Axe would be good though

 

[KalKal]

Very interesting take, do you mind expanding on this please?

A big criticism of Succession early on was that there were no likeable characters. But after I got used to Succession I realized you shouldn't want to like these people.

Rich people are not BETTER people just because they're rich. Sure you're more likely to get rich if you're smarter, but you still not some kind of superior being. And even if you have an above-average IQ (like Kendal, Roman, and Shiv surely have), you can still act like a total idiot in some contexts. First impression of Roman is that he's a dummy, but the truth is more like he just doesn't care about a lot of things.

But Billions seems to want to prove that it's main characters really are superior. Wendy has near supernatural skill at reading people. It's not enough for her to be just good at her job, she needs to be magical. Axe sometimes shows genius level mathematical ability, but then the bring in Taylor with GOD level math skills. But Axe has business skills on the level of Batman's crime fighting skills so they will never beat him.

And look at Chuck. Chuck is half based on Giuliani. By now most of us see Giuliani as kind of a moron. But the show has to turn their version of Giuliani into a Yale Law professor political mastermind.

 

[Mickey Kane]

A big criticism of Succession early on was that there were no likeable characters. But after I got used to Succession I realized you shouldn't want to like these people.

Rich people are not BETTER people just because they're rich. Sure you're more likely to get rich if you're smarter, but you still not some kind of superior being. And even if you have an above-average IQ (like Kendal, Roman, and Shiv surely have), you can still act like a total idiot in some contexts. First impression of Roman is that he's a dummy, but the truth is more like he just doesn't care about a lot of things.

But Billions seems to want to prove that it's main characters really are superior. Wendy has near supernatural skill at reading people. It's not enough for her to be just good at her job, she needs to be magical. Axe sometimes shows genius level mathematical ability, but then the bring in Taylor with GOD level math skills. But Axe has business skills on the level of Batman's crime fighting skills so they will never beat him.

And look at Chuck. Chuck is half based on Giuliani. By now most of us see Giuliani as kind of a moron. But the show has to turn their version of Giuliani into a Yale Law professor political mastermind.

Great break down.

 

[Nicole0416_718_929_646212]

Omg !! Since when is Brian in jail??!!! What did I miss - I didn’t think chuck would have him locked up!!

and Axehole with that kid in Yonkers - that’s messed up!