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Billions Season 3, Episode 11 Recap: New York Times – June 3, 2018

Salt to Taste

by Sean T. Collins | New York Times | June 3, 2018

Source: Showtime

Kompenso

This week, on “Billions”: Salt Bae.

The viral-video sensation and steakhouse hearthrob Nusret Gokce makes an unexpected appearance to open the episode. Of all the real-life restaurateurs, athletes and hedge-fund aristocracy who’ve appeared on this show, none made me laugh harder at their sheer delightful audacity. Come to think of it, I don’t know if anything on TV has made me laugh harder than this.

The look of lust in the eyes of Condola Rashad’s normally unflappable attorney Kate Sacker, accompanied by the sensual strains of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” on the sound system, simply add additional seasoning to the scenario. Silly as it sounds, the scene is a textbook example of the attention to detail “Billions” pays to its Manhattan machinations. The show never settles for satisfying when spectacular will do.

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Billions Season 3, Episode 11 Recap: Entertainment Weekly – June 3, 2018

Axe, Chuck, and the Illusion of Control

by Kyle Fowle | Entertainment Weekly | June 3, 2018

Source: Showtime

Kompenso

Do you know why Billions is such a great show? There’s a ton of reasons, but one of them is the show’s ability to swing between ridiculous and tense in a matter of moments. This is a show that has unbelievable control over its tone. Its over-the-top moments hardly ever feel too over-the-top, and when they do there’s usually some sort of character motivation behind it. That kind of control allows the show to don many masks, to be funny and scathing and frightening all at the same time.

That kind of control is evident as “Kompenso” kicks off with Salt Bae. No, you didn’t read that wrong. As the episode gets underway, Kate and Chuck are dining at Salt Bae’s restaurant in New York. Or rather, Chuck is dining, and Kate is lustily eyeing Salt Bae, imagining a different kind of meal for the night. Chuck and Kate trade witty remarks before Karl shows up and delivers some bad news: He still hasn’t found anyone within Jock’s radius that can corroborate the Jeffcoats’ shady deal with Texas South Cable. Essentially, the whistleblower Cutler isn’t enough to build a case on because of his propensity to lie. He’s hardly a credible witness, which means the search is on for another one.

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Billions Season 3, Episode 11 Recap: Vulture – June 3, 2018

Comp Day

by Nicole Cliffe | Vulture | June 3, 2018

Source: Showtime

Kompenso

Good episode, teammates! A really good one! You’ll remember that I felt the writing has been a bit shaky recently: notes not hitting right, characters behaving out of character just to move the necessary plot points, etc. Well, I shouldn’t have doubted, because Billions just geared up with a roar for these last few episodes of the season. I’m impressed, I’m happy; let’s get into it.

I knew that we were going somewhere the minute I saw Sacker getting noticeably flushed while watching Salt Bae work his Turkish steak magic. Sacker doesn’t really get a chance to shine in this episode, so I’m glad she had some fun at dinner. When is Sacker going to get a worthy romantic plotline? I don’t want to return to the lovesick vibe she gave off in season one, but I would dearly love to see her go toe-to-toe with a man on her level (should such a man exist.)

Continue reading Billions Season 3, Episode 11 Recap: Vulture – June 3, 2018

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From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S3E10 ‘Redemption’ – June 1, 2018

Betrayals and Surprises 

by Lady Trader | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | June 1, 2018

Don’t you think I know what I’m doing
Don’t tell me that it’s doing me wrong
You’re the one that’s really the loser
This is where I feel I belong
Snowblind – Black Sabbath

Hello, and happy Friday from the Trader’s Desk! This week, we see Axe looking for “Redemption”, and it’s twofold: the $1.5 Billion Andolov is redeeming from his investment in Axe Capital, and Axe trying to find his own salvation, after almost selling something worth more to him than his soul – a piece of his firm!

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Billions on Showtime, 3.10: Redemption – May 31, 2018

Good Gracious – Axe is Bodacious

by JaniaJania | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | May 31, 2018

Source: Showtime

Billions Season 3 Episode 10, “Redemption” was the first episode where Bobby’s omniscience as written felt truly believable.

Not only does Bobby know everything, he also doesn’t break a sweat when returning Maria Sharapova’s serves. As he finishes up getting crushed sweatlessly by one Russian, he absorbs the blows of another Russian, John Malkovich’s Grigor Andolov, pulling his money out of Axe Cap minutes after it has just landed. Axe doesn’t see the game Andolov is playing. All he knows is that he’s been struck and he needs to recover. The deft speed with which Bobby Axelrod gets back on the horse is a thing of beauty. His resilience is the one truly beautiful (ie sympathetic) thing about him.

Continue reading Billions on Showtime, 3.10: Redemption – May 31, 2018

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Photos & Videos: Next Time on Billions Episode 11 – May 28, 2018

Season 3, Episode 11: Kompenso

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | May 28, 2018

On the next episode of Billions, Axe determines his employees’ worth at the year-end “comp” meetings. Chuck advances a dangerous plan, but is distracted by a friend in need of help. Taylor and Axe argue over Taylor’s place and worth at the firm. Wendy seeks Lara’s aid with an internal Axe Cap problem. Connerty discovers a new, secret source of information.

Source: Showtime

To view more sneak peek photos, please visit our Gallery

Official clip: Next on Episode 11: 

Official clip: “I Need a Meeting with Your Boss”

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Billions on Showtime, Season 3 Episode 10: Redemption – May 28, 2018

“A Man Who Turns on His Family, He Turns on Himself”

by Damianista | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | May 28, 2018

Source: Showtime

The moment you think your favorite show cannot get any better, Billions proves you wrong and delivers a brilliant hour of TV with family at its center.

As Chuck delivers Carrie Caminetti, the corrupt Buffalo mayoral candidate, to Randy Kornbluth from The Journal in an envelope, Randy knows the US Attorney should expect something in return: Everything he has on Jeffcoat! We find out Jeffcoat was the governor of Texas before becoming the AG in the new administration. He is rich, twenty times 10-15 million rich, complete with a PR team whose only job is to keep the boss out of the financial press. Chuck finds, at a time where most people try to look richer than they are, Jeffcoat downplaying his wealth intriguing.  The rumors about how the Jeffcoat brothers made their money, according to Kornbluth, center around Jock’s “televangelist” brother and the ownership of the TV stations he broadcasts on.

Continue reading Billions on Showtime, Season 3 Episode 10: Redemption – May 28, 2018

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Billions Season 3, Episode 10 Recap: Forbes – May 27, 2018

This Week’s Episode Brings Both ‘Redemption’ and a Striptease

by Dana Feldman | Forbes | May 27, 2018

Source: Showtime

Redemption

There are only two episodes left in the third season of Showtime’s No. 2 drama series Billions and this season is the show’s best yet. The latest episode entitled “Redemption” has more than its share of surprises, including Axe Capper Ben Kim (Daniel K. Isaac) doing a striptease in front of potential investors.

Chuck Aims To Take Jock Down Once And For All:

On the heels of Wendy’s (Maggie Siff) advice, Chuck puts a plan into action and digs up dirt on Waylon ‘Jock’ Jeffcoat (Clancy Brown). He suspects his boss may know what he’s up to, but moves forward despite the danger. We’ve seen how Jock obliterates his enemies, but Chuck isn’t one to easily back down from a fight.

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Billions Season 3, Episode 10 Recap: Entertainment Weekly – May 27, 2018

Axe and Chuck Make Necessary, Difficult Sacrifices

by Kyle Fowle | Entertainment Weekly | May 27, 2018

Source: Showtime

Redemption

With the feud between Chuck Rhoades and Bobby Axelrod firmly in the past (for now), the third season of Billions had to change its course. The battle of the biggest players in their fields played out to a draw, resulting in a simple question: What would come next? With only a few episodes left in the season, Billions is beginning to answer that question. The stakes are piling up, new villains have emerged, and the show is once again finding another gear. The endgame is in sight, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch.

“Redemption” begins with a familiar Billions scene: the clandestine parking lot meeting. Here, Chuck meets with a reporter and offers up a lot of dirt on one of the mayoral candidates for Buffalo. That information comes with a price, though. Chuck wants everything the reporter has on Jock Jeffcoat, the Attorney General who’s become Chuck’s sworn enemy. Evidence the paper couldn’t corroborate, or rumors about Jock, Chuck wants it all.

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Billions Season 3, Episode 10 Recap: New York Times – May 27, 2018

Defcon 6

by Sean T. Collins | New York Times | May 27, 2018

Source: Showtime

Redemption

“Billions” has always been an odd-couple show.

From its pilot episode to its Twitter hashtag emoji, it’s centered on the contrast between the lean, mean local boy made good Bobby Axelrod and the gruff, tough Yale-educated bulldog Chuck Rhoades. Played by Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti respectively, they’re the proverbial study in contrasts.

But in Attorney General Jock Jeffcoat, I think Chuck has met an even better (mis)match. The man presides over the Justice Department like a Confederate caudillo, reviving Giuliani/Reagan-era drug war polices on a whim because he didn’t like the look of the neighborhoods his car drove through on the way from the airport, using an obscene epithet favored by our current commander-in-chief to describe them. And as portrayed by Clancy Brown, a charming but physically imposing actor best known for genre work, he looks as if he could squash Chuck like a bug. When this guy invites himself over to Chuck’s place for dinner, Giamatti invests the garrulous fake courtesy of his reply (“Great! O.K.! Very good!”) with just a hint of panic.

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Billions Season 3, Episode 10 Recap: Vulture – May 27, 2018

All in a Day’s Work

by Nicole Cliffe | Vulture | May 27, 2018

Source: Showtime

Redemption

I am delighted to report that Grigor Andolov is becoming a more interesting character/eventual antagonist for Axe! And, unsurprisingly, the nicer and more benign he is towards Axe, the scarier he seems in general. If he brought me flowers I would assume I’d be digging my own shallow grave before the day is out.

If we had to impose an overarching theme on this episode, it would be people changing others’ perceptions of them in a single day, for good or bad. Grigor, rising above mine (and Axe’s, after that late-episode reveal)! Bobby letting down Taylor in a really profound way, and Taylor fearing they’ve irrevocably changed their relationship with Oscar. Sacker stepping out from her father’s shadow so Chuck can see her teeth. And, of course, BEN KIM.

Continue reading Billions Season 3, Episode 10 Recap: Vulture – May 27, 2018

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From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S3 Ep9 Icebreaker – May 25, 2018

Axe: Killing Yourself to Live?

by Lady Trader | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | May 25, 2018

Source: Showtime

So you think it’s me who’s strange
But you’ve never had to make the change
Never give your trust away
You’ll end up paying till your dying day
Killing Yourself to Live – Black Sabbath

Is that what Axe is doing? Is he putting himself (and possibly others) in such a dangerous position, just so he can still be Bobby “Fucking” Axelrod? And in the end, will it be worth it? Is he Killing Himself to Live?

Happy Friday from the Trader’s Desk. Please indulge me this week, as I won’t be doing a usual recap, but more of my observations on the state of things at Axe Capital, and the possible consequences.

This week’s episode, “Icebreaker” was many things, but first and foremost for me, the word intense comes to mind. There was also an overtone of doom (at least in my opinion).Two main characters, Axe and Taylor, are putting themselves in precarious positions, although one is much more dangerous than the other.

Continue reading From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S3 Ep9 Icebreaker – May 25, 2018