Tag: Billions

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”

From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S3 Ep2: Young Grasshopper vs Master Po

Happy Friday from the Trader’s Desk.

The title of my post comes from the TV series “Kung Fu” which features a student (Grasshopper) and a teacher (Master Po). I couldn’t help but think back to this reference throughout, and especially at the conclusion of this episode. Has the Student become the Master?

Axe behaves like a full blown addict in this episode. Some people are hooked on drugs or booze. Some on food or shopping; Axe is addicted to the thrill and control that trading, and making  big moves brings to him. It’s late at night, and he can’t sleep. It’s his first night of withdrawal, and he’s aching. You can see it on his face “what did I just do?” He needs to talk to the only person who can get him through this, and that is Wendy. Wendy is his sponsor in the AA of trading. Continue reading “From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S3 Ep2: Young Grasshopper vs Master Po”

From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S3 Ep1: “Tie Goes To the Runner” – The King without a Crown?

“Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown…”

Greetings from the Trader’s Desk!

Before I dive into the episode, I would like to thank the writers of this episode, Brian Koppelman and David Levien. As a New Yorker, kid of the 80’s and a trader, I can tell you they bring the realness of all three of those things of which I am and hold dear. From the mid-town Manhattan office of Axe Capital, to the setting of my favorite place for pierogies, (Veselka) to having real hedge fund managers (Marc Lasry of Avenue Capital and Michael Platt of BlueCrest Capital Management) at the idea dinner, a line from the movie that changed my life (“Wall Street”), to a beautiful view of the Freedom Tower, they continue to not just make this one of my favorite shows, but bring it home so authentically. By Season 3 some writers would be phoning it in, but they certainly don’t. Continue reading “From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S3 Ep1: “Tie Goes To the Runner” – The King without a Crown?”

Best of Billions Season 2

source: Showtime

As we cannot wait to welcome the Season 3 Premiere of our favorite show in a few days, how about getting into a Billions state of mind with a fun visit to the BEST of Billions Season 2?

Continue reading “Best of Billions Season 2”

Billions: A Look Back, a Look Forward

Five days till Billions Season 3 premiere, and I don’t know about you, but I’m at a loss to remember where we left off. One, the finer points of plot don’t stick to the neurons as much as the character development and two, binging TV seems to wreak havoc with attention spans. I mean, how can one possibly remember the in’s and out’s of a show watched over 12 weeks when most watching is done binging all 12 episodes over a few days? It’s a strange new cognitive disconnect I’ve just begun to notice. The way we watch is changing the way we remember. Of course, binging affords rewatching and nothing (but time and space) stops one from binge watching the prior two seasons in preparation for the third. The total recall afforded by such rewatching is what I intend to do with this post, but requiring less time and space. One post, all twelve episodes, a scant few sentences an episode. Just to hit refresh on our information clogged memories a bit. Once the neurons labeled Billions are lit back up, I’ll do a quick look-see at all the previews of Season 3 they’ve shown us so far. Sound like a plan? Alright, here goes!

Continue reading “Billions: A Look Back, a Look Forward”