‘Billions’ Season 4, Episode 11: Trader, Taylor, Lawyer, Spy

Also, where's Grigor?

Random thoughts: 1. I thought last week's episode was terrific and initially, found this week's scattered. On reflection, it's throwing out stuff to lay the groundwork for the finale. 2. I have rarely felt sorry for any of these characters but felt a bit of a pang for Chuck. As he sat with Wendy discussing the hearing, it had all the earmarks of a committed couple sorting through a mess. When he offered to "open a bottle" and she shot it down...a sad moment. Wendy is right...that relationship is over...but one can still feel a bit sad. As always, Giamatti is spectacular in communicating that realization. 3. I think some commentors are writing off both Lara and Rebecca. Axe is only ever going to have a relationship with someone tough...and both those women are tough enough to give him the boot. He grew up with Lara, built a life and the primary requirement from her was honesty. He blew it, she gave him some time and then SHE decided forgiveness wasn't warranted. I predict Rebecca doing the same...she may already be planning to move on. They seemed well matched, no nonsense, tough business people...she will see the relationship isn't as important to him and she will walk, maybe even before he sticks it to her business. She won't see him as worth revenge. 4. I'd initially thought the Rhoades' real estate deal was just sloppiness, thinking he was secure. Now I'm on the side of a trap for Connerty/Jefcoat...but then I was taken in by the phony juice con in season 2!

Temptation, misdirection, sleight of hand. I think we're all paying too much attention to what might actually be large bucket of red herrings (perhaps Bobby's day the boat was a hint?). The cufflinks, the flag pin. The actual paper agreement that most viewers agreed was a ruse to bait Connerty, perhaps also the idiot, and then the writers turn and do it to us with bits of jewelry. Either that, or it's the ultimate double/triple/quadruple cross, and everything and everyone is exactly as it's been presented to us this season. The fact that we spend all this time guessing and the finale will surely be something completely different is perhaps the real genius of this show.

The most clever Recap headline... Pretty much says it all, well done! My bad though. I thought the "idiot" remark by Chuck, Sr. was a reference to himself... Figured he's the one with "the most to lose," if not the Treasury Secretary. Either way, certainly explains why Jeffcoat can't produce either body "singing like a canary" in the next room. Yep. Suspicions of wire-tapping concluded. The writers took careful aim at restoring Wendy through redemption and she's right in her counsel to Axe... He "needs an enemy" to which he replies "I already have one." Double the pleasure, double the fun next season if Rebecca teams up with Taylor. It's a whodunnit to whodunnit thread and I hope the writers give the Connerty and Jeffcoat characters just enough pinch to unravel it which should bring entertaining and lively perspectives to rivals.

Hi, all. I've been loyal to "Billions," even though I've felt the show declined this season, mainly in the miswriting of Wendy's and Taylor's characters. But it felt right to have her confess, though I agree that she should have been shown some lenience. Whatever. Now she's in the "nothing to lose" position, always enviable. I had long hoped she would return to Taylor as an ally; her shilling for Bobby never made sense to me. With regard to Taylor: I'm glad that they declined to appear at the hearing, and wish for an end to doing battle. But the season has dragged on too long with the attack mode from both Taylor and Bobby. Rebecca did right to step outside. And please, no more sexist references, like the Barbie house. Too much time wasted on Rhoades Sr. I'm tired of the same old shtick. And would a professional safe cracker be so careless as to misalign a painting? No way. Time to wrap Season 4.

Did anyone else find it odd that Connerty was able to share the content of Chuck and his "Merry Men's" hospital waiting room meeting with Jock? We know that Connerty had Chuck followed, but I've replayed the scene and saw no one else in that waiting room. My question is then, Did one of the group leak their conversation to Connerty?

Rebecca is done. Axe gave her the Goodfellas classic Tommy D (Joe Pesci) stare, when he was in the bar with Jimmy (DeNiro) and the decision was silently made to get rid of Morrie after the Lufthansa heist. I swear I could hear the beginning of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" in the background. To him, she cheated on him. In his psychotic competitive mind, she might as well had slept with Taylor, because he now sees them both as enemies. "you insulted him a little"

The show is becoming telegraphed and needs to end soon. It's getting old really quick and this is coming from a fan!!!

I have been a fan of Rebecca, while gleefully waiting for the tension to arise in her relationship with Axe. I've been holding out hope, and admittedly I can't quite see how this will play out, that all of this is a machination of hers. They've demonstrated that she is scrappy and made it clear that she is a match for Axe with a dose of emotional intelligence he lacks. His derisive Barbie Dream House reference gave me pause; I don't think she is a woman who would let something like that slide. It would not be the first time I've given someone on this show too much credit for nuance, but she seems too smart to fail to anticipate Axe's reaction to her deal with Taylor. The commenter who noted the cufflinks will come back to stab Brian eventually is 100%.

Sean Collins' recap was almost as good as the show and really got me to thinking about the points that he raised as well as his prognostications. Added bonus, not on those screwy, grammatically incorrect pronouns when referring to the freak Taylor. Bravo, Sean! I have watched every episode of Billions since the first season and if anything, they keep getting better. Great directors, writers and actors keep me glued to whatever screen I'm watching.

Can we all agree that Paul Giamatti will star as Homer Simpson in the live version? The eyes, the shape of the face...Perfect.

I have loved this show since the beginning. Pilot opening scene was almost a turn off. But now, they have lost it, only a few of the episodes have been slam dunk well done. Mostly poor writing, and the same ongoing plot. It is getting old. I think Rebecca just lost Axe. It has been hinted at that Wendy and Axe had prior involvement. They are dragging this romance potential out way too long. I do not like Taylor's character. They look like something from and old episode of Star Treck and "Binary" means yes no, 1 or 2 not confused gender in its true translation. I see the end in sight, unless they get a breath of fresh air and ideas.

i don't think i have a soft spot for any character in this series, but captivating enough i come back every Sunday. Kate Sacker's revealing conversation to Jeffcoat is probably a ruse to get him to trust her and she'll go on to nail him. Wendy might realize, after her cleansing of her soul, that both Chuck and Axe aren't worth soiling herself anymore.

Pithy title. All the main characters destroy everything on their vengeful path. The only one who seems to have perhaps pulled back, or would, is Taylor (who kept their word not to show up) and Wendy actually did step out but stupidly because she got no lenience in exchange for her confession. Both men helped her with the license, especially Axe returning from Bali, then she torpedoed both. It can’t be that Wendy is “idiot”, can it? How can she withstand the knockout punch that will come from learning that both men justified blowing up their relationship with her, especially after that amazing scene where Axe says exactly when he knew Wendy was his partner? Chuck passed on helping both Sr and Wendy to get Jock, will Sr return the favor? And just when we saw Rebecca having a good influence on Axe, like letting the pizza guy retire to FL, now Axe will lose her just to get Taylor? I did think Rebecca was a Taylor plant when it looked like he was going to lose his capital, but actually, it seems more to get Taylor than to help his damsel in distress. And speaking of moles, I think Lauren is for Axe and that’s why she didn’t defer in getting her money. Kate is the wild card. I think she may well still be helping Chuck, or it’s really about helping her dad. Hard to believe she would side with Jock on the election fraud issue that would disenfranchise minority voters, but again, everyone on the show goes against loyalties and principles for pride/ego.

Looking ahead, I don't think the 'idiot' is the construction colleague of Rhoades senior. The obfuscation here is that Wendy might be the one Axe would be willing to sacrifice or is it Rebecca- he was giving her some steely eyed glances as he reluctantly clinked glasses over her victory announcement of 'truce' with taylor. He looked downright pissed and ready to throw her out the window. Just hoping that Jeffcoat and Connerty get their come upings, but when it comes down to how this series usually runs, the cliffhanger next week will have to revolve around one of the inner circle- chuck, wendy, or axe. maybe chuck spots connery sporting the cufflinks leads to Concerty's arrest? maybe there'll be a new super girl group formed with 3 way alliance- wendy taylor and rebecca? lots of options possible based on last night's episode.

The one thing about "Billions" that is always a given is that nothing lasts forever. The cuff links that were stolen from "the lamster" and given to Connerty by his brother will come back and bit him. It was only a matter of time before Bobby pointed his sharp revenge sword at Rebecca in addition to Taylor. I didn't see Chuck being betrayed by Kate Sacker coming. I should have realized that she is the sharpest attorney in the story line. I find the dialog and acting of Clancy Brown outstanding. He truly makes the perfect bad guy with no morals with that deep, rich baritone voice and his overpowering physical appearance. The first time I saw him was in "The Shawshank Redemption" He terrified me then. My fear grows exponentially with every role he has played ever since.

I'm hoping that Wendy's willingness to tell the truth and accept responsibility for how she betrayed her own values will allow her to begin to regain her real power.