S01.E04: Short Squeeze

[formerlyfreedom]

After getting one of his Portfolio Managers out of trouble with the police, Axe takes a spontaneous trip to see Metallica in concert with his childhood friends. While there, he meets a free spirited young woman who makes him face the limits of his own freedom. He also must fend off a short squeeze–an attack on one of his important holdings–led by Chuck’s father. Back in New York, Chuck has an epic day-long proffer session with Pete Decker, learning important facts about the inner workings of Axe Capital. But Chuck must also take action against his own father for his stock manipulation. Axe reckons with a cold betrayal by one of his old friends, and upon his return, Axe makes a momentous decision about the direction of his firm.

 

 

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Promo:

[chick binewski]

When the talk goes to buy/sell/margin call, all my head hears is "blah, blah Ginger". And this episode was loaded with it as well as the usual dick-swinging dialogue. The only actor I found watchable this week was Scott Cohen. I know I'm going to follow through on the whole season of Billions but for the life of me I can't tell you why. I'm looking forward to spending next Sunday with Daryl and Chris Hardwick and I'll save the Showtime dreck for my insomnia afterwards. 

[Broderbits]

Here is a show in which every single character is utterly despicable, and it's still boring as hell. Shouldn't Axe haven't the tiniest bit of charisma? All he has is money. If there was anything else on at this time I wouldn't be watching at all.

[Samsnee]

I dunno. This show is ridiculous. It's obvious they are just throwing out buzz words about shorting and margin calls but I doubt it passes the smell test.

I hope that blonde chick never comes back. She's the worst.

[WaltersHair]

This show is trying way too hard to be 'smart'. Chuck Sr throwing out the term off-piste and Bobby using the official name of the Prohibition Act.

Like a poster said up thread, I may stick this out, but no one, and I mean no one is interesting or likable in any capacity. So why am I still watching?

[Philbert]

 

ike a poster said up thread, I may stick this out, but no one, and I mean no one is interesting or likable in any capacity. So why am I still watching?

 

Because Game of Thrones doesn't start up again until April?

[SlipperyPete]

Vinyl is starting on HBO next Sunday. Even if it's a letdown I can't see it being worse than Billions.

 

So Bobby is utterly terribly in every way except he does happen to love his wife. Complex character, yo! Then again if you're going to fuck around on Malin Akerman, it may as well be with Kerry Bishe from Halt and Catch Fire...

 

The Good: This episode was way more focused on the principal cast members instead of trying to cram in every insignificant Joe Blow.

The Bad: The episode was still terrible, but in more of a boring way than the previous three. It didn't give me nearly enough energy for an angry, hate-filled rant.

Edited February 9, 2016 by SlipperyPete

[33kaitykaity]

Axe is definitely not Nicholas Brody.  I'm just not feeling the same lust for Axe that I did for Brody.  I still haven't figured out why yet.  

 

Axe saves his friend's ass by covering the short, and then he leaves him stranded up in Canada -- that was cold.  

 

I loved the backstage Metallica stuff.  

 

I'm on about my third re-watch of this.  I think I'll keep letting it play.  This made the buy/sell/short stuff more understandable to me than anything else I've ever watched.  I know fundamentally how a short works, though, so maybe that helps.  

[hoodooznoodooz]

I think the director is 12 years old and just told them to come across as "cool" as possible.

Does Wag sit at home practicing expressions like, "looser than my first wife's lips after our second child" so that he can use them when he's angry?

[ChuckL]

I'm trying really hard to enjoy Billions, though Paul Giamatti's almost non-stop use of his very annoying stage whisper gimmick is driving me crazy.  Despite that, I was beginning to get into the show. But last night's Short Squeeze episode has me rethinking my involvement.  I mean, who in their right mind would ever, EVER ask someone as phony, self-centered and utterly clueless as Metallica's James Hetfield for advice on ANYTHING?!   You would figure that at some point in his life the Axe character would have seen Some Kind of Monster, right? 

 

But I guess it could have been worse; ... he could have asked Lars Ulrich how to spend an entire lifetime pretending to be cool, and utterly failing.

 

I guess someone at the top of the ladder at the Billions production team just lo-o-o-oves Metallica, but geeze, what's next?  A cameo by Paul McCartney? 

 

"Just play, man. Just play."

[WordsWordsWords]

You know, I'm clearly not watching the same show as everyone else. Perhaps it's my long-ago career in banking, but I'm finding this show pretty interesting. I've known people in the banking world very much like these characters -- though on a lower level -- and still know a few who think exactly like these folks. So I'm enjoying "Billions" more than the rest of y'all.

[EtheltoTillie]

I am just really having trouble with the idea that the US attorney is trying to prosecute the company where his wife works.

[Duke2801]

I'm still enjoying this show. I don't think it's anything amazing, but it's entertaining. 

 

I will say that the appearance of Stan/Noah Emmerich made me glad The Americans will be coming back next month.  And I JUST realized that Susan Misner (aka: Stan's ex wife Sandra) works for the Attorney General.

 

Axe is definitely not Nicholas Brody.  I'm just not feeling the same lust for Axe that I did for Brody.  I still haven't figured out why yet

 

 

Same here. I definitely found Brody hot.  But I think it was more his character. It was more... vulnerable or something? Axe is just mostly a dick. 

[scrb]

I don't know what the ratings are like but people are discussing the show. Would think some bankers and hedge fund people are watching it.

Metallica is suppose to be some symbol of authenticity for rich people like Bobby, harkening back to his blue collar origins? Like the pizza joint and Yumtime cakes?

All these old rockers now make a load of money selling tickets to middle aged upper middle class or richer fans. I don't really follow Metallica but I guess for some people, they're "real" because of something something.

One rumor is that Hetfield has a knife used by his father to kill a black man. But the other thing I associate with the band is Lars moaning about people stealing from him, when he was a millionaire many times over.

Of course they got paid to do this show and pretend like they're buds with Axe.

[TV Anonymous]

My complaint is that they have a show at Centre Vidéotron and they drink Heineken? As well, all service people in Québec speak English with American accent, with no hint of French in their voice?

[EyesGlazed]

This show's got it all:  HBO-mandated boobs (how many times have they flashed back to the naked lesbian sex scene by now?), shiny toys (private jets! Metallica!), profanity laced dialogue, and zero characters that I care about.  It's quite relaxing to watch as I'm not invested in anything that happens on the screen.

 

Having said that, if someone made me save one character as they all perished in a burning building, I guess I'd save Maggie Siff.  Not that I even know her character's name even having watched all 3 episodes.  I'd throw gasoline on Wags.  Finally, I weirdly loved the rocker chick's Metallica cover.  Who was that actress?  Was that really her voice?

Edited February 12, 2016 by EyesGlazed

[TV Anonymous]

But this show is Showtime, not HBO.

[Noirprncess]

The only real comment I have is "wow, how far has Metallica fallen they they are the old rock group doing FaceTime with billionaires?". There was a time when they thought they were better than all of that.

[ethalfrida]

But what was that song? You're So Psychopathic? Totally liked it.

Edited February 14, 2016 by ethalfrida

[scrb]

They were always sellout so werent they?

They tried to cultivate the outlaw image, appealing to working class fans.

[Philbert]

 

But this show is Showtime, not HBO.

 

Compared to SHOWTIME, STRZ, and CINEMAX, HBO is downright demure these days.

[Shades of Red]

Axe saves his friend's ass by covering the short, and then he leaves him stranded up in Canada -- that was cold. 

Initially I thought the friend was a plant and a traitor who was being used by Chuck to get info on Bobby.  As soon as Bobby found out what happened I knew the friend was toast.   Bobby vouched for him and that was the end of things.  He did ask buddy how much their friendship was worth - that was the clue for me. 

 

I was pleasantly surprised that Bobby didn't take the singer up on her offer.  What a departure from other shows.  I wondered if he and his wife may have some kind of agreement about outside activities but it turns out he really is loyal and faithful to their marriage.

 

Listening to Pete Decker giving his answers to Chuck made me realize just how careful and powerful Bobby is.  

[MyMorningCoffee]

On 2/12/2016 at 1:52 PM, EyesGlazed said:

Finally, I weirdly loved the rocker chick's Metallica cover.  Who was that actress?  Was that really her voice?

That song wasn’t Metallica. It was Round and Round by Ratt. 

[kieyra]

I became interested in this show because of Asia Kate Dillon, who I think doesn't appear till season 2? Anyway, I liked the pilot well enough, but by this episode (1x04) I'm pretty bored and having trouble telling some of the endless white dudes apart. Really, the casting in particular is problematic for me, almost every player seems dull and lifeless. Damien Lewis does nothing for me, never has, and the only actor who seems remotely to "pop" on the screen is Maggie Siff. This terrible episode also featured what I hope was a one off for Carrie Bishe (as the ... random singer chick?), because that actress is way beyond that scene, which played like Californication-lite.

Honestly, I suppose I shouldn't have expected much, what with the neutered-dog metaphor in the pilot, but I was hoping for ... non-boring. Will probably read the recaps for the rest of the season then try season 2.