From the Trader’s Desk: 2 for 1 Special – Your Questions & Wendy’s Personal Kobayashi Maru

After a brief hiatus, Lady Trader is back to answer some questions about “A Flaw in the Death Star” and my take on “The Third Ortolan”.

I received some questions regarding “A Flaw in the Death Star”: Dollar Bill’s trade, why Axe Capital would hire someone like Ari Spyros, Taylor’s meaning of “ETFs have sucked all the dumb money out of the market that hedgies used to prey on”, and last but not least, the biggest question of the season so far: Why did Axe Capital move to NY?

In “A Flaw in the Death Star” we see Dollar Bill plan to short a pharmaceutical company, Mendham. He has paid off one of the employees to blow the whistle on the animal cruelty that is going on there. A simple short for Dollar Bill and a crap load of money for Axe Capital. But, Dollar Bill has come up against something he can’t throw a duffel bag of cash at – Head of Compliance, Porsche driving, cappuccino making (and I’m guessing its cappuccino since I don’t drink coffee), and all around boorish , Ari Spyros. Continue reading “From the Trader’s Desk: 2 for 1 Special – Your Questions & Wendy’s Personal Kobayashi Maru”

Billions on Showtime, 3.05: Flaw in the Death Star

In case you haven’t noticed, I tend to watch stuff with the eyes of one who looks for dark and light and all the gradations in between. Light for the fun and entertaining, dark for the real and true. This episode, “Flaw in the Death Star”, balanced the two quite nicely, never spending too much time in either extreme and provided a fair and balanced view of this world we’ve come to know as BillionsContinue reading “Billions on Showtime, 3.05: Flaw in the Death Star”

Billions on Showtime, Season 3 Episode 5: Flaw in the Death Star

I may find the way they operate appalling, but it is impossible not to applaud Axe and Chuck for eliminating a lot of risk in the first four episodes. Chuck has been able to convince Dake to cover up Wendy’s Ice Juice short,  change the judge in the Axelrod case and keep his father quiet about his involvement in Ice Juice. Axe has given an even better performance by keeping Danny Margolis and the Burke Brothers quiet on his side, having Maria Gonzalez deported, and giving Ira his life back along with an engagement ring from Buccellati’s exclusive collection. We now find the two men going after the loyalty of the same man simultaneously.

Dr. Gilbert is the man of the hour.

While Axe is ready for his trip to Silicon Valley, the new Halls deliver news big enough to keep him in New York. The Eastern District has grilled every doctor Axe has been or donated to including Dr. Gilbert. This reminds Axe that the good doctor may still have the slide he told him to get rid of once he verified with him that the bacteria they put in Ice Juice would not be fatally hurting anyone. Given Axe is saying his line of business is about eliminating risk, I highly recommend him to hire our own Gingersnap as a personal consultant 😀 Gingersnap said the day after Season 2 Episode 11 Golden Frog Time that Axe should not have left that slide with Dr. Gilbert and it would come back and bite him in the ass. Kudos! Continue reading “Billions on Showtime, Season 3 Episode 5: Flaw in the Death Star”

From the Trader’s Desk: Attack of the Quants!! Billions Recap, S3 Ep3

Greeting’s from the Trading Desk! This week’s recap will be broken down into three parts: the first part will be a bit of a rant before the actual recap, the second, on Axe Capital and the attack of the “Quants”, and last, but not least on the dealings of Axe and in keeping with his God Complex, how he gave two people their “lives” back.

Rant: I need to address Ira and his girlfriend. I usually don’t veer off into the non-financial aspect of Billions, but it was the opening scene, and it pissed me off and had me yelling at my screen.

Ira, if that chick doesn’t want to marry you when you’re broke, why the hell would you want to marry her when you’re loaded? She basically told you she was a gold digger! And, she knows you are in financial trouble, but still orders those damn truffles? GTFO with her. Maybe your revenge was giving her that fugly ring? Ira, go out and get yourself a real woman, not a money grubbing Barbie. It’s women like that who give us GOOD women a bad name.  OK, end of  first rant. (If anyone who knows me and just read that in my 100% Brooklyn accent, thank you!!) Continue reading “From the Trader’s Desk: Attack of the Quants!! Billions Recap, S3 Ep3”

Billions Season 3: Capital Offenses

Hi everyone!

We are absolutely thrilled to have a new blogger on Fan Fun! The Tail That Wags the Dog is not only a big fan of Billions but also has a personal connection to the show, exactly like we do, but in a slightly different way.

With David Costabile after his performance in The Hairy Ape

Here is a short bio in his own words:

“I am a high school math teacher – mostly focused on AP Statistics. I also run the theater program at my school. None of this is even remotely interesting or relevant except that the school I do this at also happens to be the school that I went to, which is also the school that David Costabile went to. David was a year ahead of me in high school and I was a part of five shows with him. I say “was a part of” because I was an ensemble player back in the day while David was, quite naturally, the star. I have followed his career from when he left Tufts and moved to NYC onto Broadway, then to TV, then movies, then back to TV and now here on Billions. Having found this show, I am now completely enraptured by the brilliant writing and acting of this show, and my newest bucket list item is to be able to have a drink with Dollar Bill, or maybe even get Kelly AuCoin to follow me back. :)”

The Tail That Wags The Dog is most interested in the character development in Billions and keen on tracking some of our favorite characters during the rollercoaster ride they have over the season and give us his take on where they stand and where they may be going next. Let’s give him a warm welcome! Cheers! Continue reading “Billions Season 3: Capital Offenses”