Tag: Nina Arianda

The Moment

by Sarene Leeds | Vulture | May 26, 2019

At first listen, the use of U2’s classic 1983 track “New Year’s Day” to open this episode seems like a cross between laziness and eagerness to once again show off Billions’ music budget. But the energetic bassline and corresponding piano riff actually provide the right amount of blood-pumping energy to kick things off. Because all is not quiet on New Year’s Day in the Billions world — not when there are medical board hearings to prep for and international banking laws to circumvent.

Wendy’s review is looming, so a mock panel is staged at the Axe Capital offices, with a crackerjack legal team consisting of Chuck, Axe’s personal counsel Orrin Bach (Glenn Fleshler), Ira, and — groan — Spyros presiding. But it’s presented as a fait accompli, even after Axe surprises Wendy by interrupting his Fiji vacation to be by her side: All four attorneys, including Chuck, think Wendy is guilty.

The mock panel scenes are fantastic, because I agree with the all-male lawyers that Wendy has done wrong, and that her career is based on a dangerous concoction of psychiatry and performance coaching. However, I take issue with their condemnation of her difficult behavior. It’s another infuriating reminder that we live in a world where it’s okay for Brett Kavanaugh to throw a tantrum in front of the Senate, but heaven forbid a woman gets frustrated in a legal proceeding.

Adding to Wendy’s resentment is the fact that her medical-license troubles are messing with her husband’s to-do list. Instead of supporting his wife, Chuck would rather see her take a deal so he can focus on far more pressing concerns, like his father’s latest real-estate financing snag. Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 10 Recap: Vulture – May 26, 2019

New Year’s Irresolution

by Sean T. Collins | New York Times | May 26, 2019

Season 4, Episode 10: ‘New Year’s Day’

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 9 Recap: New York Times – May 26, 2019

Deliveries, Shakedowns and Cuddles

by Damianista | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | May 26, 2019

A phone conversation between Chuck and Krakow lets us and the US Attorney’s office know that Qatar State Bank is going back to the restricted list 😀 This means Chuck Senior may lose his sweet deal with the bank and so Chuck and Krakow agree to meet on New Year’s Day.

And as the U2’s “New Year’s Day” plays in the background, the opening sequence of iconic New York landmarks reminds me that of Manhattan, one of my favorite New York movies.

New Year’s Day at Axe Capital

Helena and Peach had to cut their vacations on St. Barths and Turks and Caicos, respectively, short to be at the office on New Year’s Day. But they are still smiling since should they have not had these jobs, they would have seen those beautiful islands only on TV – if they could have afforded cable! Continue reading Billions on Showtime, Season 4 Episode 10: New Year’s Day – May 26, 2019

Sparks Fly, Chuck Tells Wendy A Lie

by Dana Feldman | Forbes | May 13, 2019

There is a lot to unpack in this week’s episode of Billions, but before getting into everything that happened, Showtime must be thanked for ordering a fifth season of the show. The fan favorite, which currently averages 4.2 million viewers per week across platforms, certainly didn’t disappoint with “American Champion.”

Sparks were definitely flying this week! At Axe Capital, Bonnie (Sarah Stiles) and Dollar Bill (Kelly AuCoin) have started a new office romance and over at Mason Capital, things between Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon) and Lauren (Jade Eshete) have heated up. Will this be a love triangle? Sara (Samantha Mathis) hasn’t hidden her feelings for Taylor very well.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 9 Recap: Forbes – May 13, 2019

Structural Weakness 

by Sarene Leeds | Vulture | May 12, 2019

The Battle of the AGs just got really interesting.

Up until now, Chuck’s rivalry with Jock Jeffcoat never came close to the level of contentiousness that made his conflict with Axe in previous seasons so compelling. But the decision to throw both Charles Senior and Wendy to the wolves in order to avoid capitulating to Jock, while hardly surprising, has succeeded in turning me into a popcorn-chomping spectator of this story line.

Putting his ego over his family is a classic Chuck move, but since none of the maneuvers he executes in “American Champion” had a chance in hell of panning out anyway, the viewer’s enjoyment lies in watching Chuck dig himself into a hole.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 9 Recap: Vulture – May 12, 2019

You Can’t Please Everybody

by Kyle Fowle | Entertainment Weekly | May 12, 2019

Every episode of Billions, in one way or another, is about making deals, but “American Champion” is the kind of episode that pulls the heated relationships at the season’s core to the front and center, moving the battle forward in a way that feels meaningful and exciting. We get Chuck and Jock going head to head. Axe and Taylor continue their battle to undercut each other’s companies, but this time Rebecca gets caught up in it all. Add in an intriguing storyline involving Bonnie and a worker uprising, and some significant, delightful screen time for the always entertaining Spyros, and you’ve got a great outing that sets up the season’s final few episodes.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 9 Recap: Entertainment Weekly – May 12, 2019

The Doctor Is In

by Sean T. Collins | New York Times | May 12, 2019

Season 4, Episode 9: ‘American Champion’

I can, and will, write quite a few words about “Billions” this week. For what really matters, however, five words are all it takes.

Dr. Gus is back, baby!

Yes, the preposterously macho performance coach played by Marc Kudisch during Season 2 has returned. It’s easy to forget now, but for a time, the good Doctor — the profane replacement for the then-departed Wendy Rhoades at Axe Cap — ranked right alongside Asia Kate Dillon’s Taylor Mason as the series’s breakout character.

But after his unceremonious firing from the company, he all but disappeared. Meanwhile, Taylor rose to become the fourth spoke on the Chuck-Bobby-Wendy protagonist wheel.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 9 Recap: New York Times – May 12, 2019