Tag: TeamAxe

Garbage People

by Sean T. Collins | New York Times | April 28, 2019

Season 4, Episode 7: ‘Infinite Game’

Wendy Rhoades really cares about her husband. In spite of his grasping ambition and her position in the crossfire during his now-ended war with her boss, and in spite of how Chuck outed them both as sadomasochists, she wants him to be happy. She hates that he has been made to suffer.

But Wendy is suffering, too, which is one reason she wants to sell their home. When Chuck responded by divulging a story of emotional abuse from his childhood — in which the lesson from his mercurial father was that all women crave domination — Wendy was horrified, of course. She isn’t out to compound Chuck’s anguish by destabilizing his home. She is selling the house not to punish him, but to move beyond her own painful memories. And she’s probably doing it for his sake, as well.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 7 Recap: New York Times – April 28, 2019

The Moral Reckonings of Wendy Rhoades and Taylor Mason

by Kyle Fowle | Entertainment Weekly | April 28, 2019

Wendy’s been real close to going off the deep end for a while now. When Billionsbegan, she was a neutral force between rivals Chuck and Axe, expertly being the professional she needed to be at Axe Capital while remaining an integral part of her husband’s political ambitions. Over time though, she became more important to Axe and his business, and she started to feel like there might be more for her than simply acting as a therapist for the stressed-out employees. Add in a very public reveal from Chuck this season, and suddenly Wendy is more conflicted than ever, more willing to wade into the weeds. She’s been claiming her own space, but at some point, as it always does on Billions, there had to be a cost to doing business that way.

When “Infinite Game” kicks off, it looks like it’s going to be a throwaway episode of sorts. That’s not to say a bad episode, but rather the kind of episode that dives into a few fun tertiary, one-off plots, allowing Chuck, Axe, Taylor, and Wendy to do their thing without pushing the season’s main story much further. “Infinite Game” does feel like that at times—it’s a little too meandering, especially when it comes to Chuck’s dog-killer problem—but by the time the credits roll, things have changed in a big way, and that’s impressive. It bumps a solid B episode into B+ territory simply by showing us how these characters are reckoning with decisions they’ve made. Cause and effect, baby; it’s a reliable storytelling tool.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 7 Recap: Entertainment Weekly – April 28, 2019

Permanent Damage

by Sarene Leeds | Vulture | April 28, 2019

If I’m reading into the title of tonight’s Billions episode correctly, Axe is the only one of the four main characters who best understands that they are all playing an “Infinite Game.” While Chuck, Wendy, and Taylor each end the episode in pieces, Axe looks the happiest he’s been in months.

But that’s not even the genius of this episode, which was written by co-showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien. Its brilliance is in the way Axe callously crushes Taylor and Douglas while also making me cry tears of joy by sending local pizzeria owner Bruno (Arthur J. Nascarella) off to his dream retirement in Florida. With all the sociopathic behavior exhibited and discussed in “Infinite Game,” Axe’s is hidden in plain sight, making him look like the hero on the surface — and that’s pretty darn scary if you think about it.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 7 Recap: Vulture – April 28, 2019

Standard Problems – Nonstandard Solutions

by Damianista | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | April 28, 2019

I could not be happier that a game theory term makes it to the title of this week’s episode: Infinite Game.

In finite games, like a tennis match, the players are known and the rules are fixed. The players obey the rules and play to win the game. In finite games, there is a clear endpoint. In infinite games such as politics or business, or life itself, players and rules may change. There is no definite endpoint. The goal for all players involved is to keep the game going.

And this fantastic episode is a deep dive into life, an infinite game, where human beings try to find the balance between their rational and emotional sides and keep it going. Hats off to everyone behind and in front of the camera!

Continue reading Billions on Showtime, Season 4 Episode 7: Infinite Game – April 28, 2019

Trust No One

by Lady Trader | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | April 26, 2019

Yes I know the secret that’s within your mind
You think all the people who worship you are blind
You’re just like Big Brother, giving us your trust
And when you have played enough you’ll cast our souls into the dust
Who Are You? – Black Sabbath

Trust: firm belief in the reliability, truth or strength of someone or something

Happy Friday and it’s time for another view From the Trader’s Desk, and what this trader would short this week is trust. There is a lot of talk from this group of loyalty and trust – but that is all that it is, talk. And we all know that talk is cheap.

A little housekeeping before I get into my trust meter:

I have never heard of this organization Wags gets rejected from, Kappa Beta Phi so I have not a thing to add. It’s a secret society, so that explains it. However, I would love to see these titans of the financial world dressed in drag, because anyone who knows me knows that I love RuPaul’s Drag Race! I am anxious to see just how Wags gets his revenge! It will be one for the ages!

Continue reading From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S4E6 Maximum Recreational Depth – April 26, 2019

Only the Fittest Survive

by Dana Feldman | Forbes | April 22, 2019

We’re at the halfway point in the fourth season of Showtime’s hit series Billions. In this survival-of-the-fittest landscape, only the truly ruthless will make it out alive, or in this case, with their billions intact. Fortunately for some, the pain is not only worth it, it’s also something they rather enjoy.

Chuck Thrives On The Pain:

In the latest episode, “Maximum Recreational Depth,” Chuck’s (Paul Giamatti) requirement for BDSM is escalating. His need for punishment and physical pain just can’t be denied or ignored. This is exemplified by the safety pin he put through his nipple. Unfortunately for him, Wendy (Maggie Siff), is no longer willing to participate in satiating his appetites. He has a solution. Doesn’t he always?

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 6 Recap: Forbes – April 22, 2019

Vengeance Comes In Many Forms

by Kyle Fowle | Entertainment Weekly | April 21, 2019

Navigating tricky and ever-changing relationships is a big key to success in the world of Billions. You can have all the brains and money in the world, but if you’re misreading a relationship you might end up with your pockets turned inside out. It’s not just that everyone has their own motivations and that they’re often trying to hide them in some way, but that the landscape is always changing. Axe may preach the Tao of Loyalty like it’s especially sacred, but he’s more than aware that loyalty is as limited a resource as Victor Matteo.

Tonight’s episode, “Maximum Recreational Depth,” kicks off with a renewed relationship of sorts. Wendy finally takes up Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon) on their offer to meet and chat about Chuck’s public admission. She takes Taylor to a speakeasy that serves “vegan mango rice ice cream”—Taylor, despite their attempts to keep straight-faced, can’t help but smile when taking the first bite—and pleads her case, saying she’s ready to talk now, and that she just needs someone to listen. She seems genuine and open…but nobody would know how to put on that front quite like Wendy Rhoades.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 6 Recap: Entertainment Weekly – April 21, 2019

Side Mission

by Sarene Leeds | Vulture | April 21, 2019

Well played, Billions. I bow down to your expert manipulation tactics and admit to being completely suckered into that red herring of a friendship between Taylor and Wendy.

Tonight’s episode has reopened the discussion of whether Wendy is the most nefarious character on the show, and as of this moment, all signs point to yes. She possesses weapons that are far more destructive than Axe’s arsenal of money-draining methods or Chuck’s talent for trading favors. As a psychiatrist, Wendy knows how to earn Taylor’s trust by getting into their head and using all of their weak spots to her advantage.

Continue reading Billions Season 4 Episode 6 Recap: Vulture – April 21, 2019