Category: TV/Film Projects

Bobby Axelrod in Billions: By the Book or On The Board

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First things first: We don’t really think it’s essential to be a financial or legal expert to enjoy Billions. It is a show more about complex characters and their even more complex relationships than about the workings of Axe Capital or the US attorney’s office. Having said that being the “forensic fans” that we are, we believe it is more likely for us and probably for some of you to enjoy Billions once we understand exactly what’s going on… which brings us to this post.

I would put my signature under what Bookworm has told us in our anniversary post: “If you told me 365 days ago I’d be trying to wrap my head around stock market jargon, I would have laughed at you.” Oh yes, I would have laughed, too. And quite loudly! I would have laughed even louder if someone had told me I would root for a hedge-fund guy… It is all Damian Lewis to blame! 😀 Continue reading “Bobby Axelrod in Billions: By the Book or On The Board”

Billions on Showtime, Episode 2:
Naming Rights

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

We have left Axe saying “I am ready” on the phone at the end of Pilot. Now we find him in Episode 2 Naming Rights with some time in his hands — he is about to derail Chuck’s plans by presenting the US attorney’s office with Steven Birch’s head on a silver platter — to figure out ways to be ready!

While Pilot opens with a bound and gagged Chuck in his underwear on the floor in submission to a dominatrix, Naming Rights opens with Axe his underwear telling Pete Decker on the phone Gold Standard is never coming back and if it did, the world would be so fucked up that he would buy space travel… while his secretary as well as his COO are on standby to dress him for his next gig!

Axe is the King of his realm.

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

A comparison to the other king Damian Lewis has recently brought to life is inevitable. Do Axe and Henry have anything in common? Continue reading “Billions on Showtime, Episode 2: Naming Rights”

Throwback Thursday to Meeting Bobby Axelrod on Billions Pilot Set

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

Billions has now arrived and the pilot has become the BEST performance ever for a Showtime original series – HURRAH!

In our collective blog about our first impressions of Billions pilot, I said the following about my favorite line of the episode: “What’s the point of having FU Money if you never say FU?” I know this one is so obvious but it is very personal for me so I need to go with this. “How so?” you ask? Oh I’ll tell you all about it in a few weeks :)”

It’s now time to tell the story 🙂 It is, in fact, the story of how Damian Lewis found out about this very blog. And so it is very personal!

Well… I told you earlier Homeland was our local show. They filmed it in Charlotte, two and a half hours from our house, and we never made it to the set. So, when I found out they would shoot Billions pilot in New York, and we live in North Carolina and New York… I promised myself that if they filmed somewhere in the city, I would go… just not to regret later! I guess that’s my MOTTO for everything in life. Life is TOO SHORT to postpone anything if you afford to do it now! 🙂

Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Meeting Bobby Axelrod on Billions Pilot Set”

Billions, episode 2: Naming Rights

imageedit_12_7668989438First, the good news: Billions pilot broke records with “The best performance ever for a Showtime original“!

Now, the great news. We got Episode 2, streamed right after the pilot episode last Sunday night. Hoping they keep up the tease, and while they do, my Wednesday posts will be all about “Next on Billions“. Spoilers at ever turn below! Beware! Go watch the second episode, “Naming Rights”, before reading any further! Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Continue reading “Billions, episode 2: Naming Rights”

Billions: the Long and the Short of it

Billions has arrived and it seems that the relationships will be the most important issues on the show. Therefore it probably is not necessary to be able to understand what Bobby is saying when he is talking about Lumetherm, Electric Sol and Southern Wind or what he says when speaking to the reporter about Arcadian Railroad.

However, generally speaking people do not like it when they do not understand something. In fact we don’t like not understanding which is why we  have added a Glossary to the blog with definitions for words that we hear on the show and make us go ‘what?’  We invite you all to let us know if there is a word or words you have heard which we haven’t added yet.

A big thank you to Lady Trader who took the time to look this over and ensure we have it down right.

There are two terms which seem particularly important to understand. They are both mentioned during the pilot and no doubt will be important moving forward.

They are “stay long” meaning long position and “go short” meaning short position. Bobby tells Danzig to ‘go short’ on Lumetherm. Bill later advises that they should ‘go short’ on another stock (Superior Auto) as well. So what does this mean exactly?

Long or ‘long position’ is where you expect the value of stock to rise. You buy this stock and own it.

Short or ‘short position’ is where you expect the value of stock to fall. You borrow this stock rather than own it. You then sell it. However, you must later buy the stock back.

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

Continue reading “Billions: the Long and the Short of it”