The Unbeatable, Unstoppable, Unparalleled MVPs from Billions Season 4 Episode 4

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 and episode three. 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 4, “Overton Window.”

Gingersnap

Stellar Scene – Axe Capital trading old school. The tenderfoots watching in awe at the nuance of it all as Axe and Wags kept jamming it with voice trades. Props to Dollar Bill and his filofax of un-hackable ink! And the best leverage was Axe’s U.S. Open box on Arthur Ashe, which was passed around like a shared joint at a Dead concert. Finally, Spyros giving it up to his masters on bended knee with a Shakespearean “All hail our Lords and Saviors – RRRrrrrobert of Axelrod and Michael of Waggggggnarrrrr!” (nar, not ner)

“Shakespyros” – Photo source: Kelly AuCoin on Twitter

‘A’ for Admission – Both Axe and Chuck get an ‘A.’ First Axe admitting to Chuck that he was his most formidable opponent, then Chuck admitting to the world that he is a sadomasochist.

Flawless Wardrobe – Axe’s suede jacket. It’s a wicked color and he looks delicious in it.

Dazzling Nickname – Vomit Comet, aka the zero-gravity flight aircraft.

Best Line – Carter Calloway on the gas sector, “Gonna go up like a bullfrog with an M-80 in its ass.”

Lady Trader

Worst Punch to The Gut – Damianista and I have debated this, but the betrayal of Wendy by Chuck was heartbreaking. I’ve not been a big Wendy fan, but I felt her pain. To be blindsided by the person you most trust in the world is the lowest feeling one can have, and hats off to Maggie Siff for expressing that without words. This isn’t about Chuck telling his truth (good for  him) it was about doing it at the expense of the only good thing in his life. He broke her trust, and if a relationship doesn’t have trust, it doesn’t have much.

The Best “I feel your pain” Moment – I literally was on the edge of my seat when Axe Capital was flying blind and could not trade. I have been in that situation (open positions, then a server, or power going down) and you feel like you can’t breath. One minute in the market can feel like and hour, and can cost millions of dollars.

Worst Fashion Choice – Rebecca, you are a billionaire – ain’t no one wearing those high waist jeans. They were awful.

One of the Many Reasons to Have Axe as Your Boyfriend – Go for a test drive, get a Mercedes. I can do that!

Damianista

Top Saboteur – Grigor Andolov

It seems Andolov has had access to Axe Capital computer systems and the phones connected to the system for some time and he has just been waiting for the right time to strike. And the moment he found out about the natural gas disaster in Baton Rouge thanks to Axe’s phone call, he started the cyber attack on Axe Capital.

Supreme Conspiracy Theorist – Damianista! 😀

I am not typically into conspiracy theories and it is all Billions to blame for the conspiracy theory I have developed over the last couple of days.

I have been thinking about Hall ‘s words since I saw the episode. Hall figures the cyber attack happened because of a Russian-made circuitry planted at Axe Capital. He tells Axe and Wags someone that came to a meeting at the company was probably not who s/he said. And I was thinking… OK I do not want to say it but I will say it: Rebecca cannot be a mole for Andolov, huh?

But when you think about it, she is a recent addition to the Axe Capital crowd, and she seems to have already familiarized herself with the office. As she was having Michter’s with Axe and Wags in this episode, she wanted ice and when Axe offered to bring some she was like “I’ll get it”and left Axe’s office to go who knows where 😀 And, after all, who dares to monitor the boss’ new girl friend? Food for thought.

Best Chemistry – Axe and Wags

Axe and Wags are one of the best, if not the best, TV duos ever! And the “old school” way they get out of the natural gas positions is second to none. Old Burners. Dusty Dossiers. Carrots. Sticks. Done.

Wags: “Honey, baby, sweetie… It’s your dear old uncle Wags. Haven’t seen you since that tray of Kamikazes we stared down after Sohn…”

Axe: “You, me, at the Open. Uh-huh. Oh, my box on Arthur Ashe.”

Wags: “What do you mean you are not a buyer? How’d you just satisfy your need? I’ll believe you that you’re satisfied when I hear you moan and shake like an old washing machine and tell me who finished you off…”

Axe: “I’m sitting on half a mil Bay Pipeline and I want to exit silent and quiet like as Le Samourai.”

Well, they can make an episode only with Axe and Wags on the phone with the primes and I am in!

Loser of the Week – Black Jack Foley

The kingmaker of New York is a true criminal. He has been bribing people to mark his low-grade steel as high-grade for decades. His empire is built on selling sub-par material to state-run projects at top dollar and thereby risking public safety.  And now that he is dying, all of a sudden, Foley becomes this principled man who is determined to keep New York AG office pristine! Oh, and he liberally uses the information he has about Chuck’s sex life – which is not criminal – in return for immunity for his family so they can keep the wealth after he is gone. What a hypocrite. Bye, Foley!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Scene – Chuck’s Speech

Chuck’s speech is the single most remarkable scene in the history of Billions in my opinion. I know many see it as a betrayal to Wendy, but I see it as brave, honest, and necessary. You cannot hold a threat hanging over your head forever especially when what those people hold against you is some consensual, if unusual, sex life. And I seriously hope this scene helps shift the Overton Window in real life.

Paul Giamatti storms the scene giving a compelling performance and the characters’ immediate reactions to Chuck’s revelations are to die for! Long live Billions! Now who do you think is voting for Chuck? I put my money on Axe, Wags and Chuck Sr 😀

TheTailThatWagsTheDog

Best BDSM Line – Bronze Medal: Wendy “Hey I’ve seen it before” Silver Medal: Bobby “She’s gonna beat your ass for it” Gold Medal: Chuck Sr “Let her give you a good smack later, a win for everyone involved”

The Sean Spicer Award for Most Outstanding Spin – Chuck Rhoades for his speech in which he makes voting for a Sadomasochist a vote for a better society. (not that he is necessarily wrong either – it was just a brilliant play).

Potential Fissure in the Cracks Sign – Sarah and Taylor after they successfully played off of Axe’s troubles. Taylor congratulates Sarah but Sarah just acknowledges it as just her doing her job. Very unemotional, detached. Is she secretly harboring feelings for Taylor but is not sensing anything back and so is trying to play it cool? I would pay attention to their interaction in the coming episodes.

Food for Thought: What’s behind that reaction to Chuck’s speech? Is Wags actually a little bit jealous of Chuck and how free he looked there? Was he maybe taking notes, as if “Hmm, I may want to try a couple of those ideas. Sounds like fun.”

Author: Gingersnap

Management Analyst, part-time Adjunct Professor and Computer Software Consultant by day and Damian Lewis aficionado by night.

17 thoughts on “The Unbeatable, Unstoppable, Unparalleled MVPs from Billions Season 4 Episode 4”

    1. Thank you! We wanted to come up with something new and fun this year in addition to our regular weekly recaps. We can’t get enough of Billions!

  1. These are getting better and better every week! We all see different things, and it makes re-look at these scenes! This was a cracking idea, and hats off to it!

    1. It’s a delight to put them together. And they always crack me up! I really like it that every one of us pays attention to something different in a given episode.

      By the way, I think high-rise jeans are making a huge comeback this year. So Rebecca may be ahead of us. But yeah I don’t like high-rise jeans at all and having worn low-rises for a long time now I don’t know how we will go back to them 😀

      1. I know what you mean about the jeans! I have been having a hell of a time getting the low-rise ones. The high-rise I just don’t think are flattering – the low-rise elongates your torso, and makes you look taller and thinner!

      2. The high rise jeans have been back for a while now…my 17 year old daughter loves them , I, on the other hand, adhere to the rule that if you wore the trend the first time its likely off limits the second time around….

        1. Now that I am so used to low-rises I don’t know how to go back. I don’t like them on me anymore 🙂

          1. Count me pro hi-rise! With an hour glass shape I am constantly pulling lo-rise up. Every style has it’s day

          2. And every body has its ideal jeans’ cut! I care more about what looks good on me rather than what is trending these days 🙂

  2. Wags is pretty protective of Wendy after she pulled him from his midlife meltdown back in Season 2, so I thought he was just very concerned and sympathetic to her. Though yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was taking mental notes regarding the Rhoades sex life for himself later :p

    1. Yes, and I like it 🙂 My two cents: I think the blog’s name does not sound “serious enough” first but when they read it they see it is on par with what they could in a professional recap.

  3. Damianista, Lady trader and Gingersnap are a triple threat as reviewers and recappers. This is the best place to get a fresh perspective, or two, or three, on Billions and find out what you might have missed. To fill in the gaps. Your freeze frame photos (w captions even!) really help, not seen on the “professional” recappers. Such as the look on all their faces as Chuck gave his impromptu speech.

    Who was the original triple threat? Sammy Davis Jr. U cn lk it up, as they say. Chuck Senior would know!

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m in good company with the rest of the triple threat! 😀 Oh, and I couldn’t help put together that collage after I watched the episode. Priceless!

    2. Thank you so much! We all do this because we love to do it, but to get amazing feedback like this really makes us step up our game! Thank you for reading, and continuing this journey of Season 4!!

  4. Thanks for saying so about my commentary. Let no one doubt that the triple threat gals rock! To use some contemporary lingo. I much appreciate all you have to say and inform us on. Last and semi-lamely- “Sisters are doing it for themselves”

    I see at least a season six for Billions and all their fine actors. So glad they are making good money and good résumés at it. _____ Right now I am liking Rebecca and Bonnie the most. Also eye candy Helena____ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2655413/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t12 ____ who just might get a larger role.

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