‘Billions’ Season 2 Premiere: Neanderthals

Interesting dissection of this episode. All of these characters sound like they're on cocaine. Which makes their conflicts all the more inevitable and fascinating.

"Barely Legal" has always been a wink-wink term in the porn industry, as in "is she or isn't she?". Wags is correct in the usage.

Great recap Scott. Just want to add that I think Taylor Mason could be a really important character this season.

The show is basically about masculinity. So far Wendy is crucial because she's immune from all the negative/toxic/weak aspects of masculinity. She's the grown-up that both Chuck and Bobby need. But now we have a character that stands even further apart from masculinity, this asexual super-smart Spock-like character.

Bobby is where he is in large part because the way he sees things. Taylor by nature sees things in a radically different way - a trait that I'm sure Bobby will appreciate. If Wendy doesn't get back to Axe Capital, then maybe Taylor can be a good substitute, being clearheaded, helping Bobby find a way forward.

Yes this cinephile noticed the Nilsson/Goodfellas song, it is indelibly attached to that film and should never be used anywhere else! Also there was another rip (reflexive or not), Wags in the bathroom snorting and eye dropping, etc, the editing/concept is somewhat à la Requiem for a Dream and the line said into the mirror "It's showtime..." is à la All That Jazz. But despite those derivative notes, it was directed by a woman who is also a cinematographer- Reed Morano. Nice.

As the Director of Progressive Prison Ministries in Greenwich CT, the first ministry in the country created to support individuals and families with white-collar incarceration issues, I am spellbound by this show. Sure it's stylized, but it's real enough that every hedge funder I know won't miss an episode. Great fun too.

Rev. Jeff Grant, JD, M Div
Progressive Prison Ministries
Greenwich CT & Nationwide
prisonist.org

Are there any characters on this show who are the slightest bit human? I just can't see anything redeemable in any of these characters, and the exhausting ways of trying to shock with new uses of vulgar language is boring. Best of luck to Showtime, I am exhausted at trying so hard to care.

We actually have seen Chuck and Wendy's kids. Season 1 they were both with Chuck getting ice cream in a park when Chuck was approached by someone he convicted. They were also both excused from the dinner table in one episode and their son was in a scene where Axe introduced the son to his favorite athlete.

I am so disappointed with first episode of season two. With propaganda of leftist agenda: same thing over and over, transgenders, blacks watching bad whites people. It's so boring and predictable! I feel bad.

billions

my hero

"That both men are so keen to fight on, despite the obvious personal and professional consequences, speaks to the psychology at the heart of “Billions,” a show about the benefits and limits of alpha-male aggression."

Or it could simply be to provide a story for Season Two, which promises to be even more ludicrous and laughable than Season One. You are aware that "Billions" (like most narrative TV series) is fiction, aren't you, Mr. Tobias? When something wildly improbably happens it's not so much a reflection on life or love or philosophy or gender as it is bad writing.