Billions in the Media: Make it Rain!

[Meredith Quill]

Your Media Topic!

[BetterButter]

[formerlyfreedom]

From TVLine;
 

In Showtime’s upcoming high-finance drama Billions, Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti star as a hedge fund king and a U.S. Attorney, respectively. But it’s their wives — played by Malin Akerman (Trophy Wife) and Maggie Siff (Sons of Anarchy) — who clearly control the proverbial purse strings, as evidenced by the exclusive promo above. (WARNING: The trailer contains NSFW language.)

[scrb]

Qualified recommendation from Variety:

http://variety.com/2016/tv/reviews/billions-review-1201670929/

A review from the financial press.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-06/-billions-dishes-a-smorgasbord-of-wall-street-scandals-review

Another review which notes that the show gets a lot of details right. Reviewer thinks the bankers may actually watch.

http://uk.businessinsider.com/showtime-billions-pilot-review-2016-1?r=US&IR=T

Edited January 9, 2016 by scrb

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Some cast/crew interviews:

 

 

 

 

[scrb]

Article on some of the real-life figures after whom the Rhoads and Axelrod may have been modeled.

 

Also the production team got access to the US Attorney's office.

 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/manhattan-u-s-attorney-preet-bhararas-office-gets-hollywood-treatment-in-showtime-series-1451947972

 

Minor spoiler, apparently there is a very competitive atmosphere between US Attorneys offices and some of the lawyer and the FBI agents they work with have had affairs.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

[BetterButter]

‘Billions’ Renewed For Season 2 By Showtime

[ElectricBoogaloo]

[Margherita Erdman]

Paul Giamatti on Seth Meyers Late Night:

http://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/video/paul-giamatti-talks-working-with-a-dominatrix-on-billions/2972723

Maggie Siff on Seth Meyers:

http://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/video/maggie-siff-talks-playing-a-dominatrix-and-life-coach-on-billions/3010527

[Artsda]

Quote

The second season of the Paul Giamatti/Damien Lewis drama Billions will premiere Sunday, Feb. 19 at 10/9c.

Homeland Season 6, Billions Season 2 Get Premiere Dates at Showtime

[PBSLover]

Can’t wait!!!!!

[jvr]

Gosh, why isn't this show back yet!

Here are some season previews to alleviate the ache.

[scrb]

Going to be just over a year between season 1 and season 2 premiers.

Seems like the right pace.

[jvr]

Hell no, that's too long, especially for a show with a short season of episodes. I don't mind the short season, makes the writers keep things tight and remove unnecessary shit, each scene feels very significant. But a wait of over a year stops momentum too much for me.

[scrb]

Well all these HBO and Showtime shows have "short" seasons -- they've always been around 10 episodes, give or take a couple.

So it's unlikely Billions would deviate from others.  Plus, I'm sure Showtime has a year-round schedule for each of their shows, to keep viewer interest alive on all of them.  If they brought Billions back early, they probably would have to push back another show.

[jvr]

Hmmm..that might be the reason I don't watch any current HBO or Showtime shows (except this one, mistake realized).....I guess I'll leave Westworld alone since my patience is thin these days.

eta: Actually, maybe it's not my patience, I think I easily lose interest in needing to watch something even if I like it. I've got a long list of shows I keep saying I'll catch up on and I can't push myself to press play since it will always be there to watch eventually. That's the momentum I talk about for me, I want to watch it now but I may not when it actually starts.

Edited January 9, 2017 by jvr

[jvr]

Went to a free screening of the first two episodes, really good start. Definitely gonna need to watch both again though, missed some stuff.

[scrb]

There's a book on Steve Cohn, who ran a hedge fund and got in trouble.

It sounds very much like Cohn was the real life model for Axe.

The author, who once worked at a hedge fund herself, has been doing interviews to promote her book.

http://www.npr.org/2017/02/07/513896351/black-edge-recounts-the-biggest-insider-trading-scandal-in-history

[Artsda]

Billions” will be returning for a third season.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/uncategorized/billions-will-keep-earning-through-season-3-on-showtime/

[PBSLover]

3 hours ago, Artsda said:

Billions” will be returning for a third season.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/uncategorized/billions-will-keep-earning-through-season-3-on-showtime/

I LOVE this show.  So glad that Showtime is supporting it.

[scrb]

The real-life US attorney for the Southern District of NY is refusing the Trump administration order for all US attorneys appointed by previous administration to turn in their resignations.

Looks like Chuck Rhodes was partly based on Preet Bharara's career:

Quote

Bharara built a reputation in New York by going after big banks and Wall Street. 

He's prosecuted nearly 100 Wall Street executives and brought legal challenge to the four largest banks in the U.S. He also closed a multi-billion dollar hedge fund as part of an insider trading settlement.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/323537-obama-appointed-us-attorney-in-ny-refusing-to-submit

Bharara had a sterling record of convictions against Wall Street and was known to pick his cases carefully.

However, Rhodes is a composite of other figures, including probably Elliot Spitzer, who also went after WS, came from a wealthy family and had aspirations for higher office.  Of course Spitzer had to resign because of a hooker scandal so maybe Billions writers decided to show a kinky side to Rhodes.

[PBSLover]

He wouldn’t resign so Trump fired him. It’s been all over the news but I read about his firing on Toby Leonard Moore’s twitter page.

Edited March 14, 2017 by PBSLover

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The food of Billions (S1):

 

The food of Billions (S2):

 

The women of Billions (S1):

The women of Billions (S2):

 

Wags' words of wisdom (S1):

 

Wags' guide to life (S2):

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Eric Bogosian discusses Billions on Build:

[PBSLover]

http://themuse.jezebel.com/billions-star-asia-kate-dillon-asks-the-emmys-to-recons-1794072144

Great piece on Asa Kate Dillion on Jezebel today.

[Artsda]

‘Billions’ Ups Asia Kate Dillon To Series Regular For Season 3

http://deadline.com/2017/04/asia-kate-dillon-billions-cast-series-regular-season-3-1202064782/

[ElectricBoogaloo]

David Costabile discusses the show on Build:

[grommit2]

I wonder if the writers will have our favorite Billionaire leveraging the recently elected President in some nefarious scheme.  
Let's see: 
1) He could take advantage of a nefarious scheme by using advanced information from the Prez (such as knowing how the Education department will no longer share student loan info with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).  Axe would certainly go long on student loan companies.
2) Or, how the new Secy of Education is going to launch a campaign that takes local dollars and shovels them to Charter Schools.  Axe would go long on charter schools.
3) Or, the Prez is going to put our nuclear-capable bombers on 24-hour alert.  Axe would go short on North Korean bonds. 
Anyway, I have more story lines...just waiting for that call from the Writers.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Critics Choice Award nominations:

Best Actor in a Drama Series - Paul Giamatti
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series - Asia Kate Dillon

[jvr]

The first long trailer for the new season I've seen. Others were just short teasers. Couldn't remember when the show came back last year, I was hoping for closer to end of Jan, early Feb.

 

Edited January 8, 2018 by jvr

[Artsda]

Looks great!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

A bunch of promos and other stuff from

Character perceptions:

Spoiler

Wendy Rhoades:

Bryan Connerty:

Bobby Axelrod:

Taylor Mason:

Chuck Rhoades:

 

 

Short tease promos:

Spoiler

Threat:

Power has a new name:

The powerful Wendy Rhoades:

Closed doors:

Survival:

Loyalty:

 

Other misc promos:

Spoiler

Cast discusses S3:

 

Inside the IPO with Boomer Esiason, Phil Simms & Adam Schein:

 

Billion dollar lines:

 

S3 cast photoshoot:

 

S1 & S2 recap:

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Asia Kate Dillon discusses Billions:

[grommit2]

MONEY!!  It is so intoxicating to imagine having stacks and stacks of money.
Ferraris, yachts, ocean-front mansions...yes!
But what is even more compelling is knowing how to get it; the expertise to figure out (legally and illegally) how to accrue all those bags of cash.
Yes, I know this is a fictional TV show, but it sure is "must see TV".

[mledawn]

@ElectricBoogaloo thanks for sharing that video. Asia is a fantastic interview, and is so knowledgeable and yet acknowledges any lack of knowledge at the same time. I definitely have gained some understanding after watching that.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S3 sneak peek:

 

More character perception videos:

Spoiler

Mike Wagner:

Kate Sacker:

Lara Axelrod:

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Malin Akerman discusses Billions and her new movie Rampage:

[jvr]

First Teaser for Season 4

 

 

Billions Season 4 premieres Sunday, March 17 at 9pm ET/PT. Gosh, that's a long ways away.

[jvr]

An even longer trailer dropped. I'm ready, but it feels like we are no closer to this damn thing premiering. 

 

[car54]

Season 4 premiere March 17.

https://deadline.com/2018/12/billions-season-4-premiere-date-trailer-showtime-paul-giamatti-damian-lewis-1202522959/

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Brian Koppelman & David Levien discuss Billions:

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Heidi Schreck, who has served as a writer and producer for the show (and also appeared in an episode back in S1) has been nominated for a Tony!

Best Leading Actress in a Play
Annette Bening, All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me

[Joimiaroxeu]

‘Billions’ Renewed for Season 5 at Showtime

[Joimiaroxeu]

Asia Kate Dillon is in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum which opens wide in theaters on Friday, May 16.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Maggie Siff discusses Billions and her new play Curse of the Starving Class:

[scrb]

Damian Lewis interviewed on Fresh Air recently.

Talks about all his roles and how he is able to do American accents, how he alters his voice, etc.

https://www.npr.org/2019/06/10/731241586/actor-damian-lewis-explores-a-world-of-ego-and-power-on-showtime-s-billions

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Critics' Choice Award nominations!

Best Actor in a Drama Series – Paul Giamatti

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Asia Kate Dillon

[scrb]

Interview with the author of a biography on Robert Moses, a relatively little-known mover and shaker in NY politics.

Robert Caro, the biographer, says Moses had more power than any NYC mayor or any NY state governor.

He built hundreds of miles of road and thousands of public housing.

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/06/812816339/biographer-robert-caro-on-fame-power-and-working-to-uncover-the-truth

This guy sounds like the real-life model for Black Jack Foley.

[Joimiaroxeu]

I had no idea Condola Rashād was up to this:

Edited June 6, 2020 by Joimiaroxeu