Welcome back to our ‘Billions MVP Fanbook,’ a compilation post commemorating all those in honor of achievement for the utmost brazen, uber shameless, ultra scheming, unmatched bad asses to date – from sports references, music, and tasty food to pop culture remarks, shocking twists and ultimate paybacks.
In case you missed our previous awards, you can catch up with season four episode one, episode two, episode three, episode four, episode five, episode six, episode seven and episode eight. Now, let us continue with that tradition as we award our Most Valuable Players (MVPs) this week.
Here are our Billions awards for Season 4, Episode 9, “American Champion.”
Gingersnap
Hannibal Lecter Award – This goes to Dr. Gilbert. OMG as the camera pans from Clarice Starling’s (Chuck Rhoades) walk down the prison corridors into the locked solitary visitor’s cell, we see Hannibal (Dr. Gilbert) dressed in a similar prison jumpsuit, similar stance, clinched fists aside his body. I would also like to give myself an award for recognizing the symbolism before Rhoades and Gilbert began discussing Hannibal Lecter because it is not often I get all the references in Billions without having to look them up first.
Product Placement Mascot – Vick’s VapoRub. Leave it to Senior to remind us of the ointment our grandparents said cured everything. I remember when the jars were made of glass and the lids of aluminum. And that greasy label…
Best Monikers – Ari Spyros as “The Over-Caffeinated Serial Killer” and “Chatty Lurch“.
Church of Scientology Theme – The “Flagship” Fund at Axe Capital, only for the elite. I know the writers probably wanted the audience to recognize the similarities with Fight Club, but anytime I hear Flagship I think of that cult. I mean religion. I mean corporation.
Comeback Cameo Award – Award goes to Richard Thomas as Sanford Bensinger. I love Richard Thomas! I get my John-Boy and Frank Gaad (The Americans) all in one. Although Dr. Gus was a close second.
Supreme Team – Axe and Rebecca. She better not fuck my man over, though.
Lady Trader
Best Inflatable Doll – If you live or work in New York City, you have definitely see that huge inflatable rat outside buildings or work-sites where they are using non-union workers. As always, the writers know what’s New York through and through!
Best Way to Invoke Your Childhood – I know most kids don’t do this today, but if you are a child of the 70’s & 80’s, you got up early on Saturday mornings, poured yourself a huge bowl of the most sugary cereal you could find, and plopped down in front of the TV to watch Saturday morning cartoons! That meeting at the Kellogg’s store brought me right back to being 9 years old, a bowl of Apple Jacks (or Corn Pops) in my lap watching the Super Friends cartoon! Ah, life before iPads!
The “I Didn’t Realize He Was That Rich” Award – I knew Axe was rich, but I guess I didn’t realize he was rich enough to buy the Chrysler Building! Such an iconic building must cost a lot of coin! But, should anyone really be surprised at what Axe can do when he puts his mind to it?
The Kiss I Did Not See Coming Award – Who? What? What?
Bill and Bonnie, sitting in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love, then comes (a third) marriage,
then comes Bonnie with Flagship money!
Best Date Night Idea – If any of my old boyfriends had taken me to throw axes (is there a double meaning there?), I would have married them right then and there! Too bad you can’t put someone’s face on the target – now that would be fun!!
Damianista
Head-over-Heels of the Highest Order – Bobby Axelrod
From buying Chrysler Building to being willing to give up on his Saler’s board seat, we have seen Axe giving some serious goddamn about Rebecca! And while I really want their relationship to be real, the “supreme conspiracy theorist” in me still cannot trust Rebecca. Why does she insist Bobby should stay on Saler’s board? Is it really about Axe fighting for her dream like a pitbull or something else?
Substantial Mood Killer – The Shit Train
The shit train catches Jock and his wife over prayer at lunch table. And is it me or Jeffcoat first thinks his wife has farted? 😀
Prominent Invader of Personal Space – Ari Spyros
Does Ari really need to stay that close to Bonnie as the latter is drinking the espresso he made for her? And add to that Spyros telling Bonnie about “Beautiful Agony” website (I checked and it is a REAL one!) about the “O” faces? Gross. Workplace harassment is real, people!
Stephen Kunken, who does a brilliant job of bringing Ari Spyros to life on the show, had this to say in response to my tweet presenting him the award 🙂
https://twitter.com/stephenkunken/status/1127752083216764929
I think he should keep some space for the third. We LOVE you, Kunks!
Most GOT-like Moment – Taylor’s fucking list
That is so “Arya Stark” of them!
Best Multi-Purpose Vehicle – Minivan
Thanks to the blossoming love between Bonnie and Dollar Bill, we find out about the advantages of owning a mini van!
Supreme Community Organizer – Bonnie
She is smart. She is strong. She is brave. Bonnie is a natural leader. She single-handedly organizes a collective protest at Axe Capital to demand rights to get into The Flagship Fund. And guess what? Her colleagues may not be in but Bonnie is! Go, girl!
Better Late Than Never Moment – Bryan finally getting it!
OH MY GOD! Bryan finally has his aha moment thanks to Chuck who tells him he does not have the right stuff. As UFO’s “Doctor, Doctor, Please” aptly plays in the background, I am applauding as Dr. Gus, who is busy tending to his bonsai, finds Bryan at his door. KamikazeDoc is definitely the right shrink for Bryan thanks to their common interest in Japanese culture! I have given Bryan Colossal Disappointment award last week. Now I am hoping that Dr. Gus will re-make him. Well, do I have any other option? 😀
TheTailThatWagsTheDog
MVT: Most Valuable Trader – Bonnie. She is quickly becoming a pivotal player in the Axe Cap world. Whether it’s working Spyros, or Dollar Bill, or even Wendy, this is an alpha woman who knows how to get what she wants. Do you think she’s a Rebecca Cantu in the making? You have to figure Rebecca started out somewhat like this. Either way, it is fun watching this very talented performer do her thing.
Take Me Back to My Childhood Award – This goes to Brian Koppleman. I already knew we had to have come from similar upbringings based on his love of 70’s and 80’s pro wrestling stars and early REM music, but the clincher came when he was asked about his five favorite cereals:
Frosted Flakes
Frosted Mini Wheats
Coco Puffs
Captain Crunch W Crunchberries
Quisp https://t.co/Qzc7hYbibQ— Brian Koppelman (@briankoppelman) May 13, 2019
That final entry – Quisp –is not sold in stores anymore, and it’s a shame because it was the greatest cereal with the coolest character. Kind of a Captain Crunch taste to it, but not so orangey. I know of maybe half a dozen people who even know about it – now I can add BK to the list.
The ‘I Told You So’ Award – Goes to me who called that love triangle between Taylor, Lauren and Sarah. We saw it between Taylor and Lauren this week, and we saw them dodge Sarah when they got back to Mason Capital. I expect more fireworks to fly in the last three episodes. Either way I feel vindicated after my preseason picks completely botched the Rudy call.
The Americans/Billions Crossover – I love how these two shows use so many of the same actors. I’m just waiting for Matthew Rhys or Keri Russell to make an appearance one of these days.
Can I Trust This? – Rebecca and Axe. I so so so so want to believe in these two, but I am so very cautious. Why do I get the feeling one of them will screw over the other, and no, not in the way they already have.
Another week where we all saw something different! Just goes to show you how rich this show is!
Ginger: I didn’t get the Hannibal Lecter reference right away, so hats off to you! Also, I had heard that cops and MEs use the Vicks Vaporub trick as well. When I smell that, I’m 6 years old again – my mom was a fanatic about using it when I was sick! And, I see you watch Leah Remini’s show too!! I’m with you re: Rebecca – I hope she doesn’t double cross Axe, but I have a feeling it may be more of him screwing her!
Damianista: Yes, Axe sure is smitten! Haven’t seen him like this since…. well ever! And I totally thought of Ayra’s list with Taylor! I’d still take Arya over Taylor though! You and I are on the same page about Bonnie – I haven’t met a lot of women like that on Wall Street, but I know Bonnie and I would be buds!
TTWTD: I loved the cereal references too. I never had Quisp, I remember seeing it on the shelves!
And, yes, you called the love triangle! It will be interesting to see where it goes!
I am amazed that every week we talk about different things. But this week at least 3 of us had one thing in common: Axe and Rebecca. Gingersnap gives them the supreme team award, I give Axe head-over-heels award and TTWTD asks if he can trust the relationship. And it seems we all want this relationship to be real but then again we have difficulty trusting it. Is it Billions that has made us cynical about relationships — because they look like they genuinely enjoy each other’s company — or we all sniff something in there that we do not believe/trust/like? I think mine is Rebecca seems to be Axe’s soulmate, she is almost a female Axe — but a more human version — that seems slightly too good to be true! And Hall saying someone at Axe Capital is not what s/he told s/he was… and now Rebecca insisting Axe stay on Saler’s board? And Lady Trader thinks it could be Axe screwing her… I think Axe is too smitten with her to do that but yeah we all know how he could turn 180 degrees in an instant… so anything is possible! I really hope we have an answer at the end of the semester!
This episode brought back childhood memories for sure. I believe all mothers and grandmothers used Vicks when kids were sick and I still lovingly remember its smell. Re cereal: That is one thing I have never gotten into. We had cereal in Turkey when I was growing up and my cousins LOVED it and I never did for some reason. To this day, I do not get what it good with it 🙂 Sorry about that!
I wanna try axe-throwing at some point. It looks like fun!
I’ll definitely go Axe throwing with you! I’d love that!
And I know that the cereal thing with me was all about the sugar! I have more than a sweet tooth, and those cereals here sugar heaven!
I do love the ReAxe relationship, but like you say, Billions is not a “happily ever after” type of show, so I think we are all waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think Taylor is going to set something up in which Axe has to choose business or Rebecca (like he forced Taylor to do with their Dad) and I’m not convinced Axe would choose Rebecca!
Billions loves symmetries! And we know Taylor has now seen a structural weakness and will try to exploit that. So it would be really interesting if Taylor created a situation where Axe has to choose between his company and Rebecca. Maybe this is the whole purpose of introducing the character Rebecca this season. Someone Axe values as much as Taylor values their dad.
I went Axe throwing last summer – it is a ton of fun – you definitely need to try it.
And is Rebecca plotting with Taylor??? Oooohhh I need to think about this one.
Oh I think Lady Trader suggests Taylor will plot something where Axe will be forced between his company and Rebecca.
My MVPs were Bonnie and Dr Gus. Lots of laughs generated by them. Then Bonnie practically mugs Dollar Bill, pushing him into his kid carrier van for sex and Flagship membership.I hope Dr. Gus appears next episode to train Brian some more. Another MVP is the shit train. It should still be sitting down there in Texas next to Chez Jock. Let’s hope so.
In Dr. Gus I trust!
I can’t stop giggling about the shit train. Can you ever imagine?