Categories Billions

Is That You, Bobby Axelrod? – Dec 17, 2019

Pop Culture Proxy Fights

by Dan McDermott | Yahoo! Finance | December 17, 2019

In the 1987 film Wall Street, Michael Douglas’ character Gordon Gekko gave the famous “Greed is Good” speech during a hostile takeover of his target, Teldar Paper. This scene is arguably still the most well-known portrayal of an activist shareholder. Recently, however, shareholder activism has returned in dramatic fashion to Billions on ViacomCBS Inc.’s Showtime and Succession on AT&T Inc.’s HBO. Both hit shows depict hostile takeovers/proxy fights as central themes. Viewers might wonder: Does this kind of thing really happen? And, if so, how accurate are the shows’ respective depictions of events?

Starting with Billions, Bobby Axelrod (see Steve Cohen of S.A.C. Capital/Point 72 capital for the character’s inspiration), played by Damian Lewis, wages two proxy fights during the course of the series. In Season 1, Axelrod wages a proxy fight at Yumtime (see Hostess Brands for likeness). In Season 4, Axe wages another proxy fight at Saler’s (see Sears) with private equity investor/love interest Rebecca Cantu played by Nina Arianda. Let us focus on Axelrod’s engagement with Yumtime, which shares the most real-life similarities with an actual proxy contest.

Companies often become vulnerable to activist hedge funds through sustained underperformance. In particular, lower stock price returns versus a group of peer companies can invite an activist hedge fund – like Axe Capital – to make an argument that change is necessary at the company’s Board of Directors, C-level management or both to turn the company around. In the case of Yumtime, Axe demonstrates that the dessert-pastry company had delivered poor performance for shareholders and offers a solution to turn the company around:

Continue reading Is That You, Bobby Axelrod? – Dec 17, 2019

Categories Billions

Frank Grillo to Recur in Billions Season 5 – Dec 16, 2019

New Character “Nico” 

by Denise Petski | Deadline | December 16, 2019

Photo by AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Frank Grillo (Captain America: Civil War, Black and Blue) is set for a recurring role on the upcoming fifth season of Billions, Showtime’s drama series starring Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis. Season 5 is in production in New York and will premiere on the network in 2020. Grillo will recur as Nico Tanner, a modern artist.

Created by executive producers/showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien, along with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Season 4 of Billions saw former enemies Bobby Axelrod (Lewis) and Chuck Rhoades (Giamatti), and Wendy Rhoades (Maggie Siff), the chief counselor to each, come together to form an uneasy but highly effective alliance, aimed at the eradication of all their rivals. They include Grigor Andolov (guest star John Malkovich), Taylor Mason (Asia Kate Dillon), Bryan Connerty (Toby Leonard Moore) and Waylon “Jock” Jeffcoat (guest star Clancy Brown). David Costabile, Condola Rashad, Kelly AuCoin and Jeffrey DeMunn also star. Julianna Marguiles and Corey Stoll will guest star in Season 5.

Read the rest of the original article at Deadline

Categories Billions

Roma Maffia and Daniel Breaker To Recur In Season 5 of Billions – Dec 13, 2019

Manhattan District Attorney and Chief of Staff

by Denise Petski | Deadline | December 13, 2019

Roma Maffia (Nip/Tuck) and Tony nominee Daniel Breaker(Passing Strange) are set for recurring roles in the upcoming fifth season ofBillions, Showtime’s drama series starring Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis. Season 5 is in production in New York and will premiere on the network in 2020.

Created by executive producers/showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien, along with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Season 4 of Billions saw former enemies Bobby Axelrod (Lewis) and Chuck Rhoades (Giamatti), and Wendy Rhoades (Maggie Siff), the chief counselor to each, come together to form an uneasy but highly effective alliance, aimed at the eradication of all their rivals. They include Grigor Andolov (guest star John Malkovich), Taylor Mason (Asia Kate Dillon), Bryan Connerty (Toby Leonard Moore) and Waylon “Jock” Jeffcoat (guest star Clancy Brown).

David Costabile, Condola Rashad, Kelly AuCoin and Jeffrey DeMunn also star. Julianna Marguiles and Corey Stoll will guest star in Season 5.

Maffia will play Mary Ann Gramm, the smart and tough Manhattan District Attorney. Breaker is recurring as Scooter Dunbar, the brilliant and locked down Chief of Staff of business titan Michael Prince (Corey Stoll).

Read the rest of the original article at Deadline

Categories Billions Poll

The 100 Best Shows Right Now – Sept 9, 2019

TV Guide Ranks Peak TV’s Finest Offerings

by Liam Matthews | TV Guide | September 9, 2019

Game of Thrones‘ watch has ended, Fleabag raised an eyebrow to us for the last time, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend took its final bow, and The Big Bang Theory finally fixed that dang elevator. The last 12 months brought fans of some of television’s biggest shows the one thing they’ve been missing: closure.

But even after the conclusion of so many important series, thus rendering those programs ineligible for our ranking of the 100 best shows on right now (words mean stuff!), the caliber of content may be stronger than ever before. In the last month alone, viewers have been able to watch new episodes of GLOWSuccessionDear White People, and Power, and catch up on beloved series like The CrownThe Marvelous Mrs. MaiselSupernatural, and The Good Fight before their new seasons premiere. And who hasn’t gotten sucked into a marathon of SVU or Snapped at least once over the past year? This lineup will only grow in the future, with the launch of Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, HBO Max, NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, and, heck, even Quibi? Quibi! (Say it out loud, it’s fun.)

That’s our take, at least: Whittling down the list of best shows right now from some 1,700 options in this age of Peak TV was a painstaking task, and our editors and writers spent weeks arguing over which shows should make the cut. That some favorites were left off our definitive list speaks to the era; never has watching television been more rewarding than right now. These are the 100 best shows at this very moment.

Continue reading The 100 Best Shows Right Now – Sept 9, 2019

Categories Billions Merchandise

Billions Season 4 Coming to DVD – Aug 9, 2019

Billions For Everyone!

by Alexandria Ingham | Amazon Adviser | August 8, 2019

Billions season 4 will be on DVD on Sept. 24, 2019!

Now is a great time to pre-order Billions Season 4 on DVD. You can do so through Amazon here, where you get the Price Guarantee. The price has already dropped a little and there’s time for it to drop further. When you get the Price Guarantee, you’ll pay the lowest amount the price drops to up until the release date.

There are no details about the special features as of yet. Usually, you’ll get at least the deleted scenes and gag reel, but look out for featurettes about the season.

The fourth season picked up with Axe on a mission to destroy Taylor, who is doing whatever it takes to keep the new company afloat. That’s not so easy when Chuck is struggling to regain power now that he’s no longer a U.S. Attorney. What’s in store for the crew? Find out by watching the fourth season!

Read the rest of the original article at Amazon Adviser

Categories Billions Locations Guide

Billions Season 4 Locations Guide – July 1, 2019

A Guidebook to Billions Filming Locations

by Damianista | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | July 1, 2019

source: Showtime

I am an immigrant. I moved to the US for graduate study in late 1990s. My husband and I, having finished our PhDs, moved to New York in 2001, only weeks before September 11, for our first jobs. The city has since given me so much in so many different dimensions and defined me as an individual: a foodie, a film buff, a theatre lover, a feminist, a wine snob, a runner and more… Even though we moved to the South five years later for new jobs, we could not give up on New York. We still have a tiny apartment on the Upper West Side and we enjoy the city as part-time New Yorkers 😀

And as I mentioned a billion times before, Billions is a dream show for me not only because my favorite actor is in it, but also because New York, from its landmarks to its city parks and to its quirky shops, appears as a cast member in the show! As someone who feels the only home she has in the world is the city that never sleeps, I particularly love it that Billions is taking over New York, the BIG film studio that it is, and shooting all over the place, from Manhattan to Queens to Brooklyn to The Bronx to Long Island and to northern suburbs. So I have put together this Billions Season 4 Location Guide as a loving tribute to my most favorite place on earth and a heartfelt thank you to the show creators for writing a love letter to the city.

Hope you pick and choose and take your own Billions tour in New York City and beyond and give us feedback! And in case you missed our locations guide for Season 1, Season 2 and Season 3 you can check them out here, here and here.
Continue reading Billions Season 4 Locations Guide – July 1, 2019