S01.E08: Boasts and Rails

[formerlyfreedom]

A tip throws the case into jeopardy. Secrets surface from Axe's past.

 

[dwmarch]

And here I thought we were about to find out that Axe had been captured by Osama Bin Laden and forced to teach his son English until his son was killed in a drone strike...

 

In other Homeland news, it turns out Donnie is a triple agent? Well Gawd damn!

[EyesGlazed]

Reality check:  The Twin Towers fell before 9:30 AM on September 11th.  By the time the U.S. markets opened, everyone knew there had been some kind of coordinated attack on the U.S., though no one knew who was responsible.  So Axe claiming that his trading that morning wasn't bad because he "didn't know it was terrorism" is bullshit.  

 

Looks like Bryan sacrificed his principles, violated attorney ethical rules and broke the law for nothing.  Chuck is a very bad mentor.  Plus he was ready to betray Bryan in order to replace him with someone he hoped would be more malleable.  This plotline is making me mad.  Yes, U.S. Attorneys are political and they want to win and get publicity.  But what this show contemplates Chuck doing is really beyond the pale.  He would go to prison for sure.   I bet the next thing is when the s__t hits the fan, Chuck will pretend he was really recused, had no idea what was going on, and will let Bryan take the fall.

[dmc]

Reality check:  The Twin Towers fell before 9:30 AM on September 11th.  By the time the U.S. markets opened, everyone knew there had been some kind of coordinated attack on the U.S., though no one knew who was responsible.  So Axe claiming that his trading that morning wasn't bad because he "didn't know it was terrorism" is bullshit.  

 

Looks like Bryan sacrificed his principles, violated attorney ethical rules and broke the law for nothing.  Chuck is a very bad mentor.  Plus he was ready to betray Bryan in order to replace him with someone he hoped would be more malleable.  This plotline is making me mad.  Yes, U.S. Attorneys are political and they want to win and get publicity.  But what this show contemplates Chuck doing is really beyond the pale.  He would go to prison for sure.   I bet the next thing is when the s__t hits the fan, Chuck will pretend he was really recused, had no idea what was going on, and will let Bryan take the fall.

Okay first this episode was off the rails.  I had been planning to dump this show and I am back big time.

Second, I completely agree with you.  We knew by 10 am that it was terrorism soooo...what is this show talking about??? Does Showtime just hoping none of us remember that day or is Axe lying???

 

Also...how is Lara reconciling this with the fact that her brother died that day...???? Yikes.

[EtheltoTillie]

I really liked the twist at the end!

[caligirl50]

I agree.  The twist at the end was great and made sense.  It’s what I would have done if in the same situation and felt that loyalty to my boss.

Did I miss the scene when the Attorney General’s office bugged Axe Capital?  That surprised me.

[jvr]

 

Did I miss the scene when the Attorney General’s office bugged Axe Capital?  That surprised me.

 

It's not the office that is bugged, Donnie is bugged, unless I'm mistaken myself. They can only hear the meetings that Donnie is in, not the other scenes with the other accused workers or any other part of the office.

 

I'm definitely enjoying the show a lot more than I did during the first few eps, happy I stuck with it. I don't know what I want to happen in the end, maybe for both Axe and Chuck to go down? I do hate that Bryan seemed like a good guy with good morales (still may be) and was led astray and it will have been for nothing.

 

That dinner with Kate's parents was interesting...I've liked and been interested in her ever since she caught the leak in the office. She seems very ambitious but we learned in this ep she does have reservations about the things that are being done in the AG's office.

 

Regarding the 9/11 take...Axe is a lier who lies, he will spin things any which way he can. But like others I do wonder if we are supposed to believe his story (like do the writers believe it's plausible) and do characters like Wendy believe him.

Edited March 14, 2016 by jvr

[Sheenieb]

I like how Wendy scoffed at Chuck's salary. "You make $185,000 a year." As if it isn't shit when most people living in New York will never see a six figure salary.

 

And yes, I know, they live high. Their kids attend a $70,000 a year private school, but still. I was a little salty.

[jvr]

Yes, it is a lot but as a government official it is probably his max salary..meaning besides COL adjustments for inflation he will never make more than that (he has probably been maxed out for years). Of course like you said most people will never see that type of yearly salary... but he is maxed out in his earnings potential which wouldn't be the case in the private sector (it effects when he can retire, money for his kids future etc.). They live a really nice life though and it probably wouldn't be possible without his wife's salary or family money.

Edited March 15, 2016 by jvr

[ribboninthesky1]

I like how Wendy scoffed at Chuck's salary. "You make $185,000 a year." As if it isn't shit when most people living in New York will never see a six figure salary.

 

And yes, I know, they live high. Their kids attend a $70,000 a year private school, but still. I was a little salty.

 

You and me both!

 

The show thus far has been all about how Axe is at least one step ahead of Chuck and 99% of the human population, so I wasn't surprised about Donny.  Poor Bryan, Axe's attorney tried to tell him about the people who work for Axe.  Alas, he did not heed his words.  

 

That dinner with Kate's parents was interesting...I've liked and been interested in her ever since she caught the leak in the office. She seems very ambitious but we learned in this ep she does have reservations about the things that are being done in the AG's office.

 

Regarding the 9/11 take...Axe is a lier who lies, he will spin things any which way he can. But like others I do wonder if we are supposed to believe his story (like do the writers believe it's plausible) and do characters like Wendy believe him.

 

I've always liked Kate because she's not just intelligent - she's clever.  Also, she knows how to work her connections.  And yet, she's a daddy's girl all the way! I'm usually not a shipper, but I'm kind of hoping she and Bryan get together.  I think they compliment each other well.  

 

Bryan needs to balance integrity with aggression, and he can't do it with Chuck.  Erosion of principle, indeed. Also, Harry Lennix!   

 

If Wendy really believes Axe was just "scared" during 9/11, then I totally understand why Chuck hates her relationship with Axe.  Wendy believes she sees people as they are, but is naive enough to have a major blindspot with Axe.  I was hoping she saw Axe for exactly who he is, with an ego as big as his, but maybe not. Plus, she was kind of annoying this week, for me at least. Though, the only characters I didn't find annoying this week were Bryan and Kate.       

[jvr]

 

I've always liked Kate because she's not just intelligent - she's clever.  Also, she knows how to work her connections.  And yet, she's a daddy's girl all the way! I'm usually not a shipper, but I'm kind of hoping she and Bryan get together.  I think they compliment each other well.

 

lol, I'm trying not to. Doesn't he have something going on with the FBI agent lady? I thought Kate kind of peeped that something was going on in one of the scenes as well earlier in the season. I might be remembering that wrong but it was the only reason I had reservations about him asking her out for drinks, even if he said it was professional. What was your take on him asking? Was he being honest? I was surprised she invited him to dinner with her parents (after the dinner not so much, like you said she is sly, clever and is working the connections) and even more surprised he went! lol

 

Maybe she was trying to influence him in his decision concerning what to do the Axe 9/11 info. She had to know her dad would bring it up and how he felt.

Edited March 15, 2016 by jvr

[ribboninthesky1]

You read it correctly - she did intuit that Bryan and the FBI lady had something going on, and called Bryan out on it.  But I also think she knows that Bryan likes her and reciprocates the feelings.  As for going out for drinks, I think Bryan told himself it was a way to celebrate Kate's maneuvering without calling it a date, ha! FBI lady is really forward and frank, and while Bryan likes that...I've never seen him look at her the way he looked at Kate the night she was dressed to see Don Pasquale. Just saying!   

 

About the dinner - I do think she knew her father would grill him, and it was a clever way to remind Bryan to maintain his integrity.  Of course, I also think she genuinely likes and respects him, and doesn't invite just anyone to dinner with her parents.  They were probably vetting him, lol.    

 

Side note - I find it hilarious that no one is bothering to pretend that Chuck has recused himself.  

[scrb]

Really don't understand what that job offer was about.

That he's a real crusader?

Why would they offer him $9 million -- 20 times his salary? Most people would have gone for it at say 4 times. But he's not a rainmaker either, just some kimchee-eating schlub who wants to send his kid to a $70k school.

The way public servants make money is to become famous and write a book. Sure he has connections that could be valuable to the private sector but looks like Chuck wants to run for higher office.

[hoodooznoodooz]

How easy is it to get an unredacted copy of a chapter of a book?

[PiggyRod]

This was not half bad. I am glad I gave the show a chance.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the ending, Axe is supposed to be a mile ahead of the game so it would have really sucked if it was that easy to get to him.

 

I was curious about his connection to 9/11 since it was first mentioned and I find this a bit underwhelming. I am hoping there is more to it. I am also right there with everyone that wants to understand if we are supposed to believe his account or know that he is lying about know it was terrorism.

 

My least favorite character is Axe's wife, she just doesn't represent what her character is supposed to be.

As opposed to a few others I kind of like how Damian Lewis portraits Bobby Axelrod, and as some mentioned before I do see a bit of Mark Zuckerberg in him but also some Coldplay's Chris Martin for some reason.

[DarkRaichu]

Really don't understand what that job offer was about.

That he's a real crusader?

Why would they offer him $9 million -- 20 times his salary? Most people would have gone for it at say 4 times. But he's not a rainmaker either, just some kimchee-eating schlub who wants to send his kid to a $70k school.

The way public servants make money is to become famous and write a book. Sure he has connections that could be valuable to the private sector but looks like Chuck wants to run for higher office.

Isn't Chuck supposed to be the winningest AG ever or something like that?  The private company basically just wanted his name in their payroll.  They did not really care what Chuck would be doing once he joined

[mediafrenzie]

Reality check:  The Twin Towers fell before 9:30 AM on September 11th.  By the time the U.S. markets opened, everyone knew there had been some kind of coordinated attack on the U.S., though no one knew who was responsible.  So Axe claiming that his trading that morning wasn't bad because he "didn't know it was terrorism" is bullshit.

 

Overlooking one point, he shorted stocks in the European not US market, and Europe normally closes around noon NY time, so he had plenty of time. The US market didn't open for 6 days, and most airline stocks in the US fell between 25-40% in a single day. So, the corresponding stocks traded abroad would also fall similarly if they hadn't already in the preceding 6 days.

[Dminches]

At what point did Axe and Donnie come up with this plan? When Axe was told by his inside man that he had a janitor in Rhodes office and they brought in an informant Axe certainly acted as though this was new information. So, when did he and Donnie execute the switcharoo? It is one thing for Donnie to be a acting since he is wired up, but Axe didn't have to.

[ahpny]

Reality check:  The Twin Towers fell before 9:30 AM on September 11th.  By the time the U.S. markets opened, everyone knew there had been some kind of coordinated attack on the U.S., though no one knew who was responsible.  So Axe claiming that his trading that morning wasn't bad because he "didn't know it was terrorism" is bullshit.

 

 

Overlooking one point, he shorted stocks in the European not US market, and Europe normally closes around noon NY time, so he had plenty of time. The US market didn't open for 6 days, and most airline stocks in the US fell between 25-40% in a single day. So, the corresponding stocks traded abroad would also fall similarly if they hadn't already in the preceding 6 days.

 

 

Flight AA11 struck the North Tower at 8:46 AM. Flight UA 115 struck the South Tower at 9:03 AM. Both towers were still standing at 9:30. The South Tower collapsed at 9:59 AM. The North Tower collapsed at 10:28AM. Nevertheless, it was clear to most by the second tower strike at 9:03 AM that something very wrong was happening and that this was no accident. But that morning most were more focused on trying to save lives and minimize damage rather than fixing blame. That came later.

 

I don't get why short selling airline stocks, at least for Axe, is perceived to be ruinous. Venal, heartless, contemptible and manipulative, sure, but those values are prized, not condemned, on Wall Street then and now (and not illegal in any way). The 9/11 attacks were pretty much the antithesis of "inside information."

[lovinbob]

If Wendy really believes Axe was just "scared" during 9/11, then I totally understand why Chuck hates her relationship with Axe.  Wendy believes she sees people as they are, but is naive enough to have a major blindspot with Axe.  I was hoping she saw Axe for exactly who he is, with an ego as big as his, but maybe not. Plus, she was kind of annoying this week, for me at least. Though, the only characters I didn't find annoying this week were Bryan and Kate.       

 

I might be off, but I think Wendy's deal is that she knows what motivates everyone and uses that to help them be their best. I'm not sure that she has a blind spot with Axe; she knows what he wants to hear, how he wants the world to see him, and what will help him to keep on being Axe. She operates with those principles in mind.

 

I also want to see them go at it. Ugh, I was so glad we didn't have to watch an S&M scene with Giamatti—not interested.

 

BTW, if I didn't dislike Chuck enough, how about him putting kimchee on Bryan's food? That was appalling to me.

About the dinner - I do think she knew her father would grill him, and it was a clever way to remind Bryan to maintain his integrity.  Of course, I also think she genuinely likes and respects him, and doesn't invite just anyone to dinner with her parents.  They were probably vetting him, lol.    

I didn't like Kate in that scenario. How is she reminding him to maintain his integrity when she was the one to find the redacted chapter—and the suggestion was that her methods weren't necessarily wholesome? Further, her telling her father about it was unethical, Daddy's Girl or not.

 

I'm glad to see the sister/chef character emerge a bit. I've been wondering where that's going.

Edited March 18, 2016 by lovinbob

[molshoop]

 

I really liked the twist at the end!

 

     I didn't get to see the ending. Would someone please tell me what happened.

[roomtorome]

Sorry, having been there that day, I am fussy about facts about it all - Yes, by the time the second plane hit, we knew it was terrorism but the towers had NOT fallen by 9:30 a.m. - the first tower fell at 9:59 a.m.; the second, at 10:28 a.m.  (Second plane hit at 9:03 a.m. so that was the...moment).

 

As to the show - what on earth is it with PG's whispering voice?  Does he talk like that in real life?  God, is it annoying.

 

Whatever the timeline of his grotesque actions on 9/11 - Even if it were true that no one knew it wasn't terrorism when he did it (people were burning to death when he decided to do it and hundreds had just died in the building and plane), the fact is that it is really is hideous behavior regardless of what he knew or didn't know when he did it.  

 

They are all pretty awful people - some addicted with obscene amounts of money, the others addicted to the power that comes from the power of being in a position to take the first group down.

 

The twist was nice but - eh.

 

I wish there was a wee bit more humor (but, only if well written) in this - in real life, working in high stress situations, humor is often (for most people I know) a coping mechanism - even in morbid situations.