Categories Billions Print Media Recap

Billions on Showtime, Season 7 Episode 11: Axe Global

The Calm Before The Storm

by Damianista | Fan Fun With Damian Lewis | October 21, 2023

In one of the best episodes of the entire series, which I would call “the calm before the storm” Axe, Chuck and Wendy finally set up the game to take down Prince. The key to the episode is the three of them discussing Prince’s strengths and weaknesses in Chuck’s SDNY office where Wendy does her thing:

“We’re facing an ambitious, competent, confident, charismatic, socially conscious strategic thinker with high emotional intelligence and deep sources. But he’s morally complex, which means he likes to think he’s more ethical than those around him. And he’s not immune from engaging in questionable tactics to achieve his goals. That is a slippery slope and once place he can be hit. And he believes his own infallibility above all else.”

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Categories Billions Print Media Recap

Billions Season 7, Episode 11 Recap: Courting a Centrist Candidate

Axe Global

by Sean T. Collins | New York Times | October 20, 2023

Season 7, Episode 11: ‘Axe Global’

“So, well, there’s that.” You said it, Axe. The penultimate episode of “Billions” has now come and gone, and with it one of the show’s final opportunities to really blow us away with a patented five-steps-ahead scheme that ends in a sudden twist turning everything on its ear. That is … not what we got.

Don’t get me wrong — the five-steps-ahead thing is still alive and well in “Billions”-land. Mike’s story line hinges on how, or whether, to respond to the latest attack from Chuck and company: an all-out legal assault on his private holdings by the Southern District of New York. These are the only companies in which Prince Cap remains invested after Mike orders everything else dissolved to reduce vulnerability to Axe’s financial machinations. He has already voluntarily taken a huge loss as a defensive maneuver; to lose further, from that position, would make him look fatally weak.

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Categories Billions Print Media Recap

Billions Season 7, Episode 11 Recap: Minted

Axe Global

by Sarene Leeds | Vulture | October 20, 2023

If there’s one thing we can count on from Billions, it’s that by the end of every penultimate episode, we still have no clue how things will turn out. That’s exactly where we are as we gear up for next week’s series finale. Naturally, I have my theories, but from covering this show for multiple seasons, I’ve learned that it’s never a good idea to go all in on any of my predictions.

On the surface, “Axe Global” concluded with Team Axe/Chuck ostensibly accepting the Biggest Losers title: Prince somehow convinced his onetime rival, Governor Nancy Dunlop, to join him on the ticket as his vice-president. The clout and voters that Dunlop brings with her all but guarantee that Michael Prince will be the next president of the United States.

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Categories Billions Print Media Recap

From The Trader’s Desk: Don’t Kick the Hornet’s Nest!

Billions Season 7 Episode 10 ‘Enemies List’

by Lady Trader | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | October 20, 2023

They cursed and buried him along with shame
And thought his timeless soul had gone
In empty burning hell, unholy one
But he’s returned to prove them wrong, so wrong
Bark at the Moon – Ozzy Osbourne

Hello and welcome to this week’s From the Trader’s Desk. What an episode this week! Billions sure has been bringing it the last few weeks. And if these last two episodes are any indication, we are in for a wild ride the next two weeks!

Continue reading From The Trader’s Desk: Don’t Kick the Hornet’s Nest!

Categories Billions Music Print Media

Bobby Axelrod: A Man and His Music

From the Trader’s Desk

by Lady Trader | Fan Fun With Damian Lewis | October 19, 2023

Metallica, Megadeth, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Rainbow, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica

In each season of Billions, at least one episode has featured a song and t-shirt of a metal band that are Axe’s favorites. (Even an Axe-less Season 6 featured Mötley Crüe’s “Wild Side“.)

The writers of Billions make purposeful choices with music placement, so we know that these decisions are made to tell a story, shine a light on who the character is, or to set a tone. (Gingersnap and I are still holding out Season 7 will finally be the year of Iron Maiden but it’s getting close to the wire!!)

So, let’s take a look back at a man and his music, and maybe make some predictions!

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Categories Broadcast Media Dream Horse Print Media

Dream Horse Screening at Kilmersdon Village Hall

Reel People Film Group

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | October 18, 2023

Big screen cinema entertainment returns to Kilmersdon Village Hall in Somerset on Friday, 20th October as the local community film group, Reel People Films open their new season with a screening of the wonderful, Dream Horse.

Reel People’s opening film, Dream Horse (Cert PG, 1hr 42 mins) is a ‘feelgood’ choice to start your weekend. Set in a Welsh mining village, the film tells the ‘true’ story of an unlikely racehorse, ‘Dream Alliance’, raised by a local bartender with very little money who needs to convince the local community to support her. Starring Toni Collette and Damian Lewis. Doors and bar open at 7:15 p.m. for a drink and a chat, with the film at starting 8:00 p.m.

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Categories Billions Poll Print Media

Billions MVPs: Season 7 Episode 10, “Enemies List”

The Unbeatable, Unstoppable, Unparalleled MVPs 

by Staff | Fan Fun With Damian Lewis | October 18, 2023

Billions is back and so is our MVP series! We continue to award our Most Valuable Players for Billions season seven in our series compilation, the ‘Billions MVP Fanbook,’ which commemorates all those in honor of achievement for the utmost brazen, uber shameless, ultra scheming, unmatched bad asses from the episode – from sports references, music and tasty food to pop culture remarks, shocking twists and ultimate paybacks. In case you missed it, catch up with the MVPs of the season seven premiere Tower of London, episode two Original Sin, episode three Winston Dick Energy, episode four Hurricane Rosie, episode five The Gulag Archipelago, episode six The Man in the Olive Drab T-Shirt, episode seven DMV, episode eight The Owl, and episode nine Game Theory Optimal.

Now let’s dive in. Here are the Billions MVP awards for Season 7, Episode 10, “Enemies List.”

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Categories Billions Print Media Recap

Billions on Showtime, Season 7 Episode 10: Enemies List

Axe is Back and All the World is Right Again

by Damianista | Fan Fun With Damian Lewis | October 14, 2023

Well, the world is upside down, ladies and gentlemen! Who would have guessed we would see Chuck Rhoades saying the following words to Bobby Axelrod?

“Thank God, you’re here.”

YES! Axe is back and all the world is right again!

Bookended with two showdowns between the King and the Prince in London and New York, Episode 10 Enemies List gives us a tale of two cities that sees Axe and Chuck work together to free Wendy from Prince’s trap and ultimately get their alliance together with the goal of stopping Mike Prince from being the next POTUS.

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Categories Billions Print Media Recap

Billions Season 7, Episode 10 Recap: Mutually Assured Destruction

Enemies List

by Sean T. Collins | New York Times | October 13, 2023

Season 7, Episode 10: ‘Enemies List’

To borrow some terminology from professional wrestling, an art form much beloved by the traders and lawyers of “Billions” (to say nothing of the show’s writers), Mike Prince is a monster heel champion. He is a bad guy at the top of the heap, gold around his waist and his last defeat a distant memory. Seemingly impervious to attack, Prince steamrolls every babyface contender who comes his way. He is an effective villain because he has been booked to be unstoppable — all to better set up the moment when he is stopped.

This week’s episode of “Billions” is that moment. And the babyface responsible for handing Prince his first real setback? Bobby Axelrod.

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Categories Billions Print Media Recap

Billions Season 7, Episode 10 Recap: Welcome Home, Bobby

Enemies List

by Sarene Leeds | Vulture | October 13, 2023

Bobby Axelrod just doesn’t work as a supporting character. With two episodes left in Billions, Axe has finally returned stateside after an almost two-season absence, but good God, getting him here was harder than pulling an abscessed tooth. And that was just this episode alone!

In case you couldn’t tell, I’m conflicted by the Axe homecoming. On the one hand, Billions is infinitely better whenever Damian Lewis is onscreen. That is an undeniable fact. On the other hand, every one of his appearances this season has been little more than a glorified cameo. Even now, with Axe firmly aligned with Team Wendy-Chuck-Wags-Taylor, I’m still scratching my head over why the four of them needed him so badly. Chuck giving Axe the “Thank God you’re here” cliché? Insert eye roll emoji.

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Categories Billions Print Media Recap

From The Trader’s Desk: I Have Questions…

Billions Season 7 Episode 9 ‘Game Theory Optimal’

by Lady Trader | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | October 13, 2023

What you gonna do
Time’s caught up with you
Now you wait your turn
You know there’s no return
Hand of Doom – Black Sabbath

It’s Friday, so it’s time for “From the Trader’s Desk” to dive into Billions S7E9 “Game Theory Optimal.”

This was a great episode that had all the characteristics of what we love about Billions – drama, double crosses, and bold moves. I chose the lyrics from Black Sabbath’s “Hand of Doom” because as a viewer, I felt the impending doom of Wendy, Taylor, and Wags. Time caught up with our brave trio, but they have two aces in the hole that will hopefully help them save the day.

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Categories Billions Poll Print Media

Billions MVPs: Season 7 Episode 9, “Game Theory Optimal”

The Unbeatable, Unstoppable, Unparalleled MVPs 

by Staff | Fan Fun With Damian Lewis | October 11, 2023

Billions is back and so is our MVP series! We continue to award our Most Valuable Players for Billions season seven in our series compilation, the ‘Billions MVP Fanbook,’ which commemorates all those in honor of achievement for the utmost brazen, uber shameless, ultra scheming, unmatched bad asses from the episode – from sports references, music and tasty food to pop culture remarks, shocking twists and ultimate paybacks. In case you missed it, catch up with the MVPs of the season seven premiere Tower of London, episode two Original Sin, episode three Winston Dick Energy, episode four Hurricane Rosie, episode five The Gulag Archipelago, episode six The Man in the Olive Drab T-Shirt, episode seven DMV and episode eight The Owl.

Now let’s dive in. Here are the Billions MVP awards for Season 7, Episode 9, “Game Theory Optimal.”

Continue reading Billions MVPs: Season 7 Episode 9, “Game Theory Optimal”