The gloves are off and we are having confidential weird naked pool conversations on this week's Billions. My thoughts on the episode are after the jump.
After last week's big cliffhanger, I was anxious to see what everyone's next big steps would be and they were about what I expected. Plenty of denial and plenty of deal attempts. However, we have a whole half of a season left. There was no way a deal was going to be made. Things are going to get rough and dirty. People are going to have to decide how much they are willing to compromise and what they are willing to lose.
This was made clear in the interrogations with Dollar Bill, who was the catalyst for all of this conflict last week. He denied all wrong doings to Chuck and his team until they came to him with proof of his mistress and double life. In a second, Dollar Bill immediately sent his wife an email about his other family (and probably revealed why they had lost a bit of money toward a second mini van) and consequentially destroyed one half of his life. All in the name of Bobby Axelrod. This was huge. It set a precedent for how the show will unravel over the rest of this season. To ensure your billions and your loyalties, you have to give up everything or play smart.
Wendy is taking the "playing smart" route by trying to rile up, while at the same time sympathizing with, both of the men she is loyal to. In another one of Billions' weirdly erotic scenes, Wendy got into a weird candle lit chamber pool completely naked with Axelrod and discussed options and loyalties. She literally had to lay herself bare for him in order to keep his trust. The scene ended with their own kind of deal making, but we did not see what they decided on together. It makes me wonder if his snap during the final negotiations with Chuck's team was all an act. It was pretty showy and melodramatic of him to crack rehearsed jokes and then rip the check up in Chuck's face. The questions that are now up in the air and numerous. What is Wendy's endgame? What does Axelrod know? Is Chuck aware of any of this? Who exactly is being played?
The episode ends with Chuck pulling himself out of the continuing case and making amends with Wendy... or so we thought. He met with Bryan Connerty in secret (though completely obviously. There is no way that Wendy did not notice the strange timing of his night time dog walk) to basically reveal that he is not actually out of the case, but wants to trails leading back to him. It is not completely sure who knows more, Axe or Chuck, but it will be exciting to see who can outplay who. We even get a hint of someone playing Axe's wife, who I hope gets more to do in the episodes to come. Wendy is such a great character that I am hoping that our other Lady Macbeth gets her time to shine.
The message to take from this episode going into the next part is this: what are you willing to compromise? What ware you willing to give up? Your family? Your body? Your wealth? Your reputation? The necessities have been laid out for all of our characters. Now we will see who is willing to play the dirtiest.
By the way, how great has that "Master of Puppet" Metallica motif been? I really enjoyed their cameo on the show two weeks ago and I have continued to enjoy the music on the show. It lends some nice edge and energy to the proceedings that make this show feel unique and modern. I thought it was a nice choice.
Grade: B+.
Billions airs every Sunday on Showtime.
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