Category: Billions

From the Trader’s Desk: “Risk Management”, Episode 1 Season 2 of Billions

Welcome to “From the Trader’s Desk” for the 2nd Season of Billions! The original concept of these posts was to recap of 2-3 episodes from my point of view as a trader, and to help with any confusion with “fin speak”. However, “Risk Management” was so meaty; I had to dive right in. So now, without further ado….

”Trading is gambling, legalized gambling.”

source: Showtime

Those are words I spoke to Damianista on our first meeting. I think she asked me how I got into the financial industry, and I told her I loved to gamble, and found a way to do it legally.

How fitting then is it that we open Season 2 with Axe sitting at a racetrack! Now, I’ll admit, I didn’t know it was Yonkers Raceway. I thought it was Belmont Park, a place my grandfather would take me to as a kid. Axe tells Bach “this place made me”, and I totally understand. Continue reading “From the Trader’s Desk: “Risk Management”, Episode 1 Season 2 of Billions”

Billions on Showtime 2.01: Risk Management

By now, you’ve seen Billions S2 opener, “Risk Management” and have probably read Damianista’s excellent episode recap. Now, from me, you’ll get some of the “emotional truth” in this episode.

Bobby is a spiral of disordered nervous energy. When he stands in front of his people, in what is ostensibly a morale building exercise, there’s a tension to him that wasn’t there when he climbed on top of file cabinets last season and mobilized the minions to batten down the hatches when he first found out he was under investigation. This time, it seems to be a combination of him standing in the dark in front of a lit but otherwise blank screen and a certain air to his words that make you wonder if he even believes what he’s saying. He’s primed for battle, but in a sort of unprepared, grasping-at-straws way.

Even though Bobby didn’t suffer anything more than the self-inflicted destruction of his offices, revenge must be exacted. Leave it to the Billions writers to never come at Chuck one simple way. They seem to coax out ways to hurt Chuck via lovely twists in prior events that you thought were meant to never touch him. Continue reading “Billions on Showtime 2.01: Risk Management”

Billions on Showtime, Season 2, Episode 1: Risk Management

source: Showtime

First things first: I thank Showtime for releasing the season premiere early and giving me time to digest this extremely rich and loaded episode and fantasize a little bit about what may come our way. In a recent interview with CraveTV Canada, Damian hinted that the first episode is the calmest of the season. Given that this episode alone has several game changers, we are certainly in for a real treat! It’s hard to put in words but you can see below how ready I am for the thrill ride! Continue reading “Billions on Showtime, Season 2, Episode 1: Risk Management”

Previously on Billions: Season 1 Finale “The Conversation”

Previously on Billions…

Axe is waiting for Wendy out on the street. He is unusually wearing a suit. He comes bearing the gift of a new car as a present for their session in ‘Magical Thinking’. He is just about to go and meet Wags as they are on a capital raise. Wendy thinks Axe is ready, but the investors may not be.

source: Showtime

Lonnie is back at Southern District and Chuck puts him straight on to a tip about criminal activity by Bobby. This cannot be tied to Chuck who tells Lonnie to start with Mick Danzig.

Wags is carrying all of Axe’s paperwork because Axe is the principal who must arrive unburdened, apart from his brilliant ideas. They are on their way to their first capital raising meeting. The first one does not go well with them getting a ‘wait and see’ who else jumps on board.

Continue reading “Previously on Billions: Season 1 Finale “The Conversation””

Billions: Fly Away, Fly Away

This blog has been a long time coming. Damianista and JaniaJania have been wishing to see it up for a long time. I wanted to wait until I had seen all 12 episodes before posting.

We had devoured all the early promos for the show and have been blogging about Billions for over a year. We attempted to get a feel for the characters as early as we could and this helped immensely as we discussed what we thought about Bobby and Wendy. Even early on, it was clear those two had a connection. After Naming Rights, we were having one of our discussions and I mentioned that I thought there was some Peter Pan in Bobby and Wendy. I was encouraged to investigate this further as Jania Jania said “Peter Pan is an archetype now…the boy who doesn’t want to grow up.” Investigate I have and there is a fair bit of Peter in Bobby. I am not saying this was intentional on the writer’s part, but that I had fun digging through the book looking for it. .

Quotes from Peter Pan by J M Barrie are in italics. The other quotes not in italics are from Billions.

Bobby and Dr Mojo/Peter & Wendy with sprinkles of lost boys and Tink

Bobby even has his own Wendy, (hereinafter referred to as “Dr Mojo”) and he has built his house around her.

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

“She knew of no Peter, and yet he was here and there in John and Michael’s minds, while Wendy’s began to be scrawled all over with him. The name stood out in bold letter than any of the other words and as Mrs Darling gazed she felt that it had an oddly cocky appearance.”

Dr Mojo’s mind seems to be scrawled all over with Bobby Axelrod and Bobby Axelrod is quite as cocky as Peter Pan. Dr Mojo knows what Bobby is, but she stays by his side for a very long time. She forgives his transgressions and mistakes.

Continue reading “Billions: Fly Away, Fly Away”