Billions ep 11 : Magical Thinking

Master of reading the charts and anticipating risk, master of seeing the long shot and taking the short road to get there, Difference Maker Bobby Axelrod has had a slip in judgement. He hasn’t seen what every other manager and analyst, “to a man”, has seen, and by refusing to budge in the face of the majority opinion, he proceeds to lose. And lose big. Axe Capital is on the brink of losing upwards of $800 million simply due to Bobby’s stubborn and ill-conceived refusal to see the numbers he’s always been able to see. But was it a refusal to see the big picture or an incapacity? Is Axe losing his wizard skills or did he subconsciously sabotage himself? These are the questions up for exploration in this penultimate episode of the series.

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Billions on Showtime, Episode 11: Magical Thinking

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

Well, night is young and magical for some and not so much for others in Billions Episode 11 Magical Thinking. 

Mafee sends in Wags to ask for permission to talk to Axe about BioLance that will make a special announcement in nine minutes about whether the FDA is giving approval for their diabetes type II drug. All the research points to the approval being a coin flip and Mafee, who usually sleeps like a bear, is losing sleep on it. He can pare their position right now just before the announcement and they can still make 10%. But they will lose 400 million should the FDA deny approval. Axe is not having any of it. 10% could be good for a benchmark fund which Axe Capital is NOT. They are already in BioLance where the win is. He fires Mafee on the spot. Continue reading “Billions on Showtime, Episode 11: Magical Thinking”

Billions ep 10 : Quality of Life

No secret that I was pretty disgusted with Axe in the last episode. In this episode some of his humanity is back, beautifully on display, and, thankfully, there’s a visible thaw in the ice-cold of last week’s fire house scene.

When he gets news of Donnie’s death, Damian lends Bobby that cast over the eyes that looks like someone has clubbed him in the knees. He’s hobbled. The episode proceeds to careen back and forth in time in an expert way that fills in all the holes that need filling in Donnie’s story.

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Billions on Showtime, Episode 10: Quality of Life

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

We have had our “educated” speculation last couple of weeks and we now have it all out in Episode 10 Quality of Life: Axe has known Donnie was sick. He sees something is seriously wrong with him in the meeting where Donnie does not see the matrix and follows him to the men’s room.

source: Showtime

“Cancer.” “Yeah.” “Shit.” “Pancreatic.” “Shit.” I would probably say “Double scoop of shit” Wags-style. Axe will make sure Donnie sees the top oncologist in the country. He should put himself together and see Axe by the end of the day.

We learn Donnie was closeted until he met Walter. He feels guilty about his wife so gives her all he has and starts back at zero with a plan to make the money his kids would need for a comfortable future in 10 years. Alas, life intervenes. He wants his kids to live a comfortable life. Axe offers “rewards of paradise” on earth:  40 million dollars pre-tax. But there is a downside. His last months will not be his own. Donnie is in unless he is going to jail. Axe assures him lawyers will take care of that part. Continue reading “Billions on Showtime, Episode 10: Quality of Life”

Billions on Showtime, Episode 9: Where the **** is Donnie?

source: Showtime
source: Showtime

I know why Episode 9, directed by Susanna White, who also directs Damian Lewis in the coming soon Our Kind of Traitor, does not open but just closes with Townes Van Zandt’s Waiting Around to Die.

“Sometimes I don’t know where
This dirty road is taking me
Sometimes I can’t even see the reason why
I guess I keep a-gamblin’
Lots of booze and lots of ramblin’
It’s easier than just waitin’ around to die.”

Because you feel it.

It was certainly an aha moment to see Donnie frantically hiding his pills during the FBI raid in his house in Episode 8. I have been uneasy since Axe rewarded him for his loyalty: tripling his stack and giving him 200K shares of Rubinex despite the fact that the guy was not able to deliver! But the pills last week and Wendy noticing his weight loss this week and… I knew… Donnie is seriously sick. And this makes a few other things make sense for me. Continue reading “Billions on Showtime, Episode 9: Where the **** is Donnie?”