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17 hours ago, henrygandorf said:

jesus, the whole scene with axe and his ex wife on the couch playing the pronoun game about taylor's bonus was exhausting.  i don't care if it's pc or not, i almost turned it off.  i weep for the future.

Yeah I'll be like "fuck this" if they have Malcovich's old school oil gangster character doing this shit with Taylor. 

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sidenote, i don't know if anyone is as big of a mamet fan as me, but the direct line, "the bitch is a booster, the bitch is a born thief" is straight out of house of games. 

"oh, you're a bad pony and i'm not gonna bet on you.  you said my knife.  you see, what you did, in our thing?  you cracked out of turn.  you crumbed the play."

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On 6/6/2018 at 3:49 PM, crony said:

Yeah I'll be like "fuck this" if they have Malcovich's old school oil gangster character doing this shit with Taylor. 

Welp...he’s headed that way.  Lol.

 

This episode, while entertaining; took some VERY conveniently easy turns. Malkovich, the General, and ultimately with Chuck meeting up with Ax. I’m cool with artistic license, but 3 in one show?

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yeah, i agree that i'm fairly happy with the resolution and how it sets up s4, but the way they got there could've been much cleaner and made a little more sense (required fewer jumps).  malkovich really didn't need to be in this show at all.  he added nothing for me.

the turn with the ag was a little predictable (as it seems this show has done it before) and really required everyone to turn on chuck and pull the same direction (which is somewhat hard to believe).  the way they hammered it the last several episodes, especially with connerty, you could connect the dots.  the only one i was disappointed with was his sidekick (i forget her name).  but obviously she was gonna do what's best for her future (hence the political animal line).

overall, it was a very well done story arc starting with the rivalry with axe (and wendy's involvement).  that turned to the ice-juice setup, which led to an unorthodox settlement of the case, which ruffled too many feathers (also because of wendy's involvement), which started the wheels in motion against chuck from every direction.  the fact that the ag was a son-of-a-bitch with his own agenda was just a pleasant coincidence in the story.

shit, if wendy hadn't had such little faith in chuck that she felt the need to make her own personal short on the deal, would any of this had even happened?

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shit, if wendy hadn't had such little faith in chuck that she felt the need to make her own personal short on the deal, would any of this had even happened?


Wendy is the most nefarious of the main characters. She can pretty much get Axe and Chuck to do anything, and she'll continuously be able to get away with a ton of shit as a result. I bet she ruins the AxeChuck bromance buddy show next season because of some bullshit reason...
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So, Sacker tells Connerty that Chuck's plan is "legit."  Connerty tells Dake it's a no-go.  Which one of them do "we" think decided to turn it against Chuck with the Kurgan?

It appears that Connerty and Dake told the Kurgan, but whose idea was it?

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On 6/12/2018 at 9:45 PM, APMP said:


 

 


Wendy is the most nefarious of the main characters. She can pretty much get Axe and Chuck to do anything, and she'll continuously be able to get away with a ton of shit as a result. I bet she ruins the AxeChuck bromance buddy show next season because of some bullshit reason...

 

Agreed.

 

Other random notes.  I usually hate "Texans" on tv, but I thought the Kurgan was pretty good, probably because he wasn't played "country dumb."  The continued use of "they" pronouns in E12 in reference to Taylor continued to confuse and annoy me.

 

I enjoy Giamatti and Lewis about equally as actors, acknowledging that Giamatti is more talented.  Given that their characters are about equally likable/detestable, I think Axelrod is more fundamentally honest and virtuous as a character than Rhoades.  Maybe that's the lawyer in me.  Jeffrey DeMunn I think is underrated; his Chuck Sr. is fanfuckingtastic, imho.  I am also a big fan of David Strathairn and enjoyed Black Jack quite a bit.  I enjoyed the reprise of Teddy KGB as well.

 

While this is, of course, fantastical fiction, I fear that the portrayal of the government lawyers is more accurate than even the most cynical of us would like to believe.

Edited by TwiceHorn
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On 6/12/2018 at 9:45 PM, APMP said:


 

 


Wendy is the most nefarious of the main characters. She can pretty much get Axe and Chuck to do anything, and she'll continuously be able to get away with a ton of shit as a result. I bet she ruins the AxeChuck bromance buddy show next season because of some bullshit reason...

 

My favorite part of the finale was Axe and Taylor’s heated interaction with each other. Can’t wait to see how he takes her (them) down. And it seems like I was wrong about Taylor’s boyfriend, he really did care for her. Taylor will probably realize quickly that playing on Axes level may not be worth it, especially when you’re dealing with the Russian dudes money. Whoa. I wouldn’t be surprised if Axe asks Wendy to take Taylor’s offer and work internally to tear Taylor’s company apart. But - there are so many twists and turns and unknowns with this show - who knows?

Taylor popping up out of nowhere to one of Axe’s employees, scaring the shit of them, was hilarious.

Such a great show. The next season can’t get here fast enough.

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maybe i'm remembering it wrong, but that asian guy who spooks so easily - was he always like that, or did they build that into the last few episodes?  i thought i remembered him just being one of the guys until recently.  they've turned him into the least confident/self-assured person in modern television history.

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  • 9 months later...
On 6/15/2018 at 5:52 PM, henrygandorf said:

maybe i'm remembering it wrong, but that asian guy who spooks so easily - was he always like that, or did they build that into the last few episodes?  i thought i remembered him just being one of the guys until recently.  they've turned him into the least confident/self-assured person in modern television history.

IIRC, and I don't follow this show that closely but I enjoy it.  I think it was before a bonus interview in Season 2 (or could have been one of Axe's "come and bring me quietly 2 good ideas so I know we're not suffering from heard mentality"), but either way it was a pivot moment where they needed somebody who was smart and capable to be shown folding under the pressure of both Axe and the legal investigation.  Most of the usual suspects hang tight, but they needed somebody to fold.  But yeah...to your point, we were made to believe that he was always fragile and just magically buckled.  The shop pivots on Axe and Wendy and Wags and even one another lifting one another up (even Taylor) to levels of "I don't give a fuck" not seen at most shops" so I'm guessing he's the "Guys, I'm not so sure about this" for some future reason.  In real life, there'd be a dozen of him but we needed somebody to be that guy and I like that it's the Asian guy who they used to use as their doorstop.  That said, I haven't watched this season yet, so maybe he's going a different direction.   

csb/ I'm using the show from last year in class to demonstrate that the fall guy for political targets has gone from corporate raider, to oil CEO, to health insurance CEO, to hedge fund manager (think Axe), and soon will actually be Venture Capitalist.  It's the next logical target in the national dialogue.  The average American doesn't know anything about hedge funds, just that their leaders are bad.  I assure you that VC leaders are next. 

Really curious though where they go with Chuck and Bobby as not necessarily allies, but at least with weapons back in the sheath.     

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Enjoyed the last episode 

And not sad to see it looks like Chuck and Wendy split. She kept him from running for governor and now wanted to keep him out of the AG’s office. Aside from the show going nowhere if Chuck agreed, I was bored with her story arc. Time for new action  

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14 minutes ago, Pig Bellmont said:

Enjoyed the last episode 

 

  Hide contents

And not sad to see it looks like Chuck and Wendy split. She kept him from running for governor and now wanted to keep him out of the AG’s office. Aside from the show going nowhere if Chuck agreed, I was bored with her story arc. Time for new action  

 

i don't think you need spoilers after an episode has aired.

i'm also glad he sent malkovich packing (hopefully for good).  i haven't been shy about my distaste for that character/storyline.

billions has become adept at having plot conclusions (that feel like "end of season" turns) happen midway thru a season.  i kinda like that, because i have no idea where it's gonna go from here.  although now that axe and chuck have "helped each other out", i wonder how long their friendship will last.  i also wonder how much chuck is going to go after those who have wronged him recently.  they cannot be happy about this development.

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I don’t fully get why Axe would take the kid out in the manner that he did. Sure, the kid didn’t want anything to do with him, but Axe himself clearly understood that his stake and backing couldn’t have meant much to someone who loathed him starting in his formative years. Hell, all the surviving families resent him and his hush money. What does he really gain for the trouble of putting the kid out to pasture beyond the lion’s roar of dominance?

Especially in a time when he’s just shaken off a worthy adversary, he seems poised to create yet another by spurning an emerging foe.

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9 hours ago, Party_Taco said:

I don’t fully get why Axe would take the kid out in the manner that he did. Sure, the kid didn’t want anything to do with him, but Axe himself clearly understood that his stake and backing couldn’t have meant much to someone who loathed him starting in his formative years. Hell, all the surviving families resent him and his hush money. What does he really gain for the trouble of putting the kid out to pasture beyond the lion’s roar of dominance?

Especially in a time when he’s just shaken off a worthy adversary, he seems poised to create yet another by spurning an emerging foe.

that was kind of cold of axe to take the kid down like that.  he's a vindictive, petty motherfucker.  kind of disappointed in that.  and the way he wants chuck to make it his mission to take taylor down.  i like taylor more than axe actually.  hopefully something turns there.

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Disappointed to see Wendy part of everything still. Figured since she wasn’t on stage for the acceptance speech she was gone. Loved the power move to clean up Albany. 

Prediction: Chuck is setting up SDNY with the permitting thing with his father. Connerty explicitly told Chuck he was up his ass, and Chuck’s dad wouldn’t risk Chuck’s first state wide elected gig. 

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7 hours ago, Pig Bellmont said:

Disappointed to see Wendy part of everything still. Figured since she wasn’t on stage for the acceptance speech she was gone. Loved the power move to clean up Albany. 

Prediction: Chuck is setting up SDNY with the permitting thing with his father. Connerty explicitly told Chuck he was up his ass, and Chuck’s dad wouldn’t risk Chuck’s first state wide elected gig. 

whats the big deal about getting the permits anyway?  so maybe he skipped ahead a few places in line.  is that a crime?  what I would like to see is chuck and connery join ranks again to take out axe, just like old times.  let's get the band back together again.

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13 hours ago, thrillhammer said:

what the hell happened to wendy?  is she really going after taylor, or helping axe go after taylor?  she's stooping to the low blow, slimeball tactics of axe.  I always thought she had more morals and ethics.

I have the same question.   Could she be turning on Axe and using Taylor as a cover?

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13 hours ago, thrillhammer said:

what the hell happened to wendy?  is she really going after taylor, or helping axe go after taylor?  she's stooping to the low blow, slimeball tactics of axe.  I always thought she had more morals and ethics.

Her explanation at the end of the episode actually provides cover for Taylor to work without sabotage. And if Taylor’s dad fucks up all on his own, the implosion will be more devastating 

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2 hours ago, Pig Bellmont said:

Her explanation at the end of the episode actually provides cover for Taylor to work without sabotage. And if Taylor’s dad fucks up all on his own, the implosion will be more devastating 

I don't believe there is a "without sabotage" situation when axe has his mind on sabotage.

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On 4/10/2019 at 3:11 PM, pepper brooks said:

my guess is wendy bangs axe, chuck finds out, chuck decides to go after axe again.  that's almost too transparent and easy.  hope that isn't the road they take. 

Wendy bangs Taylor...

 

Taylor pegs Chuck...

 

Edited by slorch
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12 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

No Michter's in this past episode, what gives?

Wendy and Taylor both appear to be cracking up. Things could be getting interesting. 

Taylor irritates me so fucking much. I hope they somehow ditch that character and move on. 

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2 hours ago, Liquor and Poker said:

This show.  I used to really like it.  It started as “not really realistic.”  But the previous season was so over the top and the plot has just gotten sillier and sillier.   Now it’s like Ballers on Wall Street.  I think I am done.  

I'm pretty close to being right there with you. 

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