S03.E09: Icebreaker

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Axe makes a bold play to secure capital from a controversial source. Taylor chafes against Axe’s recent moves. Chuck recruits the allies he needs to move forward with a new plan. Connerty seeks out a career opportunity.

I personally love when "Taylor chafes".  Taylor has the best chafe face. 

[scrb]

Sounds like John Malkovich, who's suppose to play a Russian oligarch this season, is finally going to show up.

[Lemons]

I hate John Malikvich playing the Russia oligarch.  His accent is horrific, he’s terrible.  

Im glad they’re moving on to a new topic.  Take down of the creepy Texas attorney general.  What an asshole.  

I love how they had Wags make these sappy “Axe is never wrong” speeches just as Axe is making the biggest mistake of his career.  

[themadman]

Good lord, John Malkovich, where did you drag that horrifying accent from? 

Doing business with a criminal Russian oligarch. What could possibly go wrong?

[PrincessPurrsALot]

This was such a disappointing episode.   Malkovich's accent was so bad.  Axe is going to screw over everyone chasing his next big score with faux-Russian money.  I was going to sprain myself from rolling my eyes whenever JM was on screen. 

I am interested to see how Chuck will take down the AG.  I was expecting the current case to go to court with Connerty somehow being the attorney for the prisoner (doesn't work once he joined the FBI).  

[minamurray78]

Axe, you cannot be that desperate.

[dwmarch]

51 minutes ago, minamurray78 said:

Axe, you cannot be that desperate.

I read it more as hubris. The might of the US government couldn't take him down and that has left him feeling invincible.

But to join up with a Russian mobster? That's dangerous right there and Axe should know that from 30 some years of Russian mob mooks as bad guys on TV. They have certain characteristics:

They are ruthless - check, John Malkovich already threatened Axe's family. See also the story about gang-raping a random woman and leaving her son for dead.

They have lieutenants who do the dirty work for them - check, directly referenced by JM and indirectly referenced by Hall saying couldn't protect Axe.

They change the rules at random - check, JM already tried in wanting a direct line to the Secretary of the Treasury.

They cannot be stopped, only killed - check, JM just got out of jail. Russian jail.

Now I have no idea how this plot is going to play out but I cannot imagine Axe successfully invests the mobster's money, everyone gets a great return on investment and nothing goes wrong along the way. JM has already set the red line, do not lose my money. So that by necessity means Axe will be wrong about something, billions worth of gangster money is going be lost (or seized or stolen) and we're going to find out in short order what happens to investment guys who think they are better crooks than actual crooks.

[Dminches]

7 hours ago, PrincessPurrsALot said:

This was such a disappointing episode.   Malkovich's accent was so bad.  Axe is going to screw over everyone chasing his next big score with faux-Russian money.  I was going to sprain myself from rolling my eyes whenever JM was on screen. 

I am interested to see how Chuck will take down the AG.  I was expecting the current case to go to court with Connerty somehow being the attorney for the prisoner (doesn't work once he joined the FBI).  

Watching Malkovich play a Russian thug is going to get old really quickly.  It did for me during the hockey scene.

If Rhoades and Axe are not after each other this show is going to go south, just like when Sam and Diane finally hooked up. That was the beginning of the end of Cheers.

[hoodooznoodooz]

7 hours ago, dwmarch said:

I read it more as hubris. The might of the US government couldn't take him down and that has left him feeling invincible.

But to join up with a Russian mobster? That's dangerous right there and Axe should know that from 30 some years of Russian mob mooks as bad guys on TV. They have certain characteristics:

They are ruthless - check, John Malkovich already threatened Axe's family. See also the story about gang-raping a random woman and leaving her son for dead.

They have lieutenants who do the dirty work for them - check, directly referenced by JM and indirectly referenced by Hall saying couldn't protect Axe.

They change the rules at random - check, JM already tried in wanting a direct line to the Secretary of the Treasury.

They cannot be stopped, only killed - check, JM just got out of jail. Russian jail.

Now I have no idea how this plot is going to play out but I cannot imagine Axe successfully invests the mobster's money, everyone gets a great return on investment and nothing goes wrong along the way. JM has already set the red line, do not lose my money. So that by necessity means Axe will be wrong about something, billions worth of gangster money is going be lost (or seized or stolen) and we're going to find out in short order what happens to investment guys who think they are better crooks than actual crooks.

I totally missed this. Which scene was it? Thank you!

[janeta]

So what was the point of the dinner with Lonnie? (-whose hair is getting kind of amazing...)

 

The story about the woman and the boy was the very last scene in Axe's office, after JM had signed the agreement.  When JM asks Axe what happened to the boy, Axe says, "I don't know," and JM says "they all say that" or something along those lines.  Black. Credits.

[jvr]

I did not get gang rape from the women and boy story, I took it to mean the women was a prostitute (the description of her and her being "known") but now that I think about it, thats maybe what I was supposed to get as well (just an all around sad desperate tale, using and abusing). Either way, the boy was doomed.

I didn't mind the, by all accounts here, terrible Russian accent. I think real Russian accents are terrible so it's all the same to me.

Can't wait for Bobby to lose this dudes money, hopefully he faces real consequences. But I hope nothing happens to his kids.

I have a feeling Taylor will save the day though with their geek squad making a shit ton of money to somehow help Bobby out of this terrible situation.

Wendy sold her car to give money to whatshisface's charity because of guilt from the seduction scene? Not sure I got all that.

Edited May 21, 2018 by jvr

[Lemons]

1 hour ago, janeta said:

So what was the point of the dinner with Lonnie? (-whose hair is getting kind of amazing...)

 

The story about the woman and the boy was the very last scene in Axe's office, after JM had signed the agreement.  When JM asks Axe what happened to the boy, Axe says, "I don't know," and JM says "they all say that" or something along those lines.  Black. Credits.

Who is JM?

[Lathund]

37 minutes ago, Lemons said:

Who is JM?

John Malkovich, who played the Russian oligarch/mobster. 

I don't think anyone should be surprised about the horrible Russian accent after his performance in Rounders though...

[TV Diva Queen]

1 hour ago, jvr said:

I did not get gang rape from the women and boy story, I took it to mean the women was a prostitute (the description of her and her being "known") but now that I think about it, thats maybe what I was supposed to get as well (just an all around sad desperate tale, using and abusing). Either way, the boy was doomed.

I didn't mind the, by all accounts here, terrible Russian accent. I think real Russian accents are terrible so it's all the same to me.

Can't wait for Bobby to lose this dudes money, hopefully he faces real consequences. But I hope nothing happens to his kids.

I have a feeling Taylor will save the day though with their geek squad making a shit ton of money to somehow help Bobby out of this terrible situation.

Wendy sold her car to give money to whatshisface's charity because of guilt from the seduction scene? Not sure I got all that.

I totally got "gang raped" from that story (which is a funny sentence to type.  LOL).  He said he gave her to the soldiers.  I also think that kid was him and he was switching up the story a bit.  

[Lemons]

1 hour ago, Lathund said:

John Malkovich, who played the Russian oligarch/mobster. 

I don't think anyone should be surprised about the horrible Russian accent after his performance in Rounders though...

Oh! I get so confused when people use the real person’s real name to describe what a character is doing.  

[chick binewski]

Axe has been an asshole from the start but he's never been obviously, recklessly stupid. I'm not here for the Russian rapist storyline; I might be more invested if they let Lev Gorn play the oligarch instead of relegating him to that little pretzel cart scene.

[janeta]

2 hours ago, Lemons said:

Who is JM?

John Malkovich.  I'm not sure any of us remember the character's name. :-)

[meira.hand]

1 hour ago, chick binewski said:

I might be more invested if they let Lev Gorn play the oligarch instead of relegating him to that little pretzel cart scene.

Or any one of the many very good Russian actors that have lately played Russian characters. I really like how lately they use actors from the actual (or close) original country for the relevant parts. It feels so much more authentic. Lev Gorn has such a fundamentally honest face and kind eyes that I am nor sure I can see him in this role :).

[roughing it]

1 hour ago, Lemons said:

I get so confused when people use the real person’s real name to describe what a character is doing.

That happens when you only see the actor and not the character they are playing.  Which means they are not doing a very good job.

[Lemons]

2 hours ago, janeta said:

John Malkovich.  I'm not sure any of us remember the character's name. :-)

I don't remember either.  That's why I usually say the Russian guy or the guy with the stupid mustache.  I always forget Axe's goofy sidekick's name.

1 hour ago, roughing it said:

That happens when you only see the actor and not the character they are playing.  Which means they are not doing a very good job.

Yea, he is not blending at all.  

1 hour ago, meira.hand said:

Or any one of the many very good Russian actors that have lately played Russian characters. I really like how lately they use actors from the actual (or close) original country for the relevant parts. It feels so much more authentic. Lev Gorn has such a fundamentally honest face and kind eyes that I am nor sure I can see him in this role :).

Homeland did a good job with the Russian actors.  

[scrb]

Russian oligarchs or kleptocrats don't seem to invest in risky things.

Instead they buy up real estate. Primarily in London or NY.

But this guy is suppose to be like the Russian Axe, cocky about flouting laws or rules for little people?

Yet he tried to make Bobby blink talking about where his children sleep and his little charming story about the little boy, his mother and the hot spiced wine.

 

I guess they're trying to bring melodrama and danger into this story about rich people, whose lives are relatively boring.  It doesn't make a lot of sense.  Like Lara, this guy already has billions.  Sure they want to make their riches even bigger so they are going to pay high management fees to a hedge fund when most of them won't outperform the market indices?

Maybe if this guy was willing to pay a high vig to launder money.  But again, they go for things which will always retain enough value, like high-end real estate in places in high-demand.

 

So Axe takes a big risk to go into business with a guy who telegraphs his criminality.  Will he be under pressure to take risks to make money, meaning more insider trading?

 

Meanwhile Chuck is going to go after the AG Jeffcoat because he made the SDNY prosecute a case that made Sacker outraged.  So in the interests of justice he's going to try to blackmail his boss?  He better win, as he told Bryan, who'd also threatened his boss.

[txhorns79]

Quote

I read it more as hubris. The might of the US government couldn't take him down and that has left him feeling invincible.

I saw it this way too.  Axe is being dumb and reckless, and is dealing with someone who probably won't think twice about physically harming Axe or his family to get what he wants.  I mean, I took him at his word with his general threat about not losing money.  

I am curious what Taylor is cooking up.  Perhaps a way to get away from Axe for good.   

[didhugh]

4 hours ago, scrb said:

I guess they're trying to bring melodrama and danger into this story about rich people, whose lives are relatively boring.  It doesn't make a lot of sense.  Like Lara, this guy already has billions.  Sure they want to make their riches even bigger so they are going to pay high management fees to a hedge fund when most of them won't outperform the market indices?

 

I think they're trying once again to give both Chuck and Axe someone to go after besides each other; Chuck has the AG, now Axe has the oligarch.  They can even tease "Bobby goes to jail" again, but then have it revealed that they used him to get the oligarch or have an excuse for them to team up again.

The returns on index funds generally beat actively managed funds by a significant amount but the very top hedge funds - SAC (which Axe Cap is supposed to be loosely inspired by), Tudor, Renaissance, Greenlight, etc. - do regularly outperform the markets (or at least did during the time when they came to prominence; some of them have fallen off.  In an amazing coincidence, SAC hasn't outperformed the market since they were the targets of a real-life insider trading investigation; then they became a family office in a settlement - essentially the deal that Axe turned down in Season 1).    

 

7 hours ago, roughing it said:

That happens when you only see the actor and not the character they are playing.  Which means they are not doing a very good job.

Heh, not only did I not see the character, I also didn't even see Malkovich.  I saw John Malkovich playing John Malkovich playing his character from Rounders.  It's a whole new level of poor acting.  

Edited May 22, 2018 by didhugh

[Auntie Anxiety]

The show is going south very quickly. Not interested in Chuck taking down the AG. Not interested Axe and the oligarch. Not interested in Dollar Bill losing his dollar bill. 

Edited May 22, 2018 by Auntie Anxiety

[hoodooznoodooz]

16 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

I totally got "gang raped" from that story (which is a funny sentence to type.  LOL).  He said he gave her to the soldiers.  I also think that kid was him and he was switching up the story a bit.  

“That story gang raped me.”  Words can be funny!!! 

Thank you for your theory. Otherwise, I am completely confused as to why he told Axe that story.  What did he say? “Nobody ever knows what happened to the boy.” Which is incredibly heartbreaking.

 

 

(Turns out, I fell asleep before that scene. That’s why I had to ask when the dialogue happened.)

[Syd]

Malcovich sounds more Israeli than Russian to me. It's so bad that it's distracting. 

"Assassinate that motherfucker" - I love this Wendy.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

Can't wait for Bobby to lose this dudes money, hopefully he faces real consequences. But I hope nothing happens to his kids.

Bet when he gets in trouble with the Russian guy he's going to end up begging Lara to take the kids and disappear. Which would be a bit of karma after he boxed her in to make sure she didn't move with the boys to the other side of the country. But I wouldn't be mad if the Russians just killed Lara.

[txhorns79]

Quote

But I wouldn't be mad if the Russians just killed Lara.

It would be nice to see Bobby face some consequences for which he cannot just buy his way out. 

[TV Diva Queen]

I have the towel in my hand and I'm just about ready to throw it in the ring.  I've lost all interest in this show and that makes me sad because it used to be "must see, send the kids and hubby out of the family room tv"

[hoodooznoodooz]

I want Axe to start wearing a halo brace. All the head twitching and head gesturing is driving me crazy. No offense to anyone who must wear one for spinal injury recovery. 

[TexasGal]

On 22/05/2018 at 8:29 AM, Syd said:

Malcovich sounds more Israeli than Russian to me. It's so bad that it's distracting. 

"Assassinate that motherfucker" - I love this Wendy.

It sounded like Malkovich recycled his German accent from Shadow of the Vampire to me.  Which is one of my favorite movies and it was very distracting to me.

[Lemons]

On 5/22/2018 at 9:29 AM, Syd said:

Malcovich sounds more Israeli than Russian to me. It's so bad that it's distracting. 

"Assassinate that motherfucker" - I love this Wendy.

What’s so puzzling is the Russian accent is easily recognized.  Does he hear himself?

[MBayGal]

On 5/21/2018 at 12:34 PM, janeta said:

John Malkovich.  I'm not sure any of us remember the character's name. :-)

Or could spell it if we did!

[PrincessPurrsALot]

John Malkovich's character is Grigor Andolov.  Yes, I did look it up.  It says something that no one remembered the character's name but we certainly knew the actor and the bad accent.

[PBSLover]

On 5/21/2018 at 9:08 PM, Auntie Anxiety said:

The show is going south very quickly. Not interested in Chuck taking down the AG. Not interested Axe and the oligarch. Not interested in Dollar Bill losing his dollar bill. 

I kind of have to agree. I am getting the sense the show is jumping the shark this season...it’s edging there. Bringing JM into the show for an over-the-top performance may just do it. If the writing/story becomes fantastic all of a sudden then I might stick around, otherwise, I am losing interest. Fast.

[BigDfromLA]

I actually like that Axe and Chuck are no longer at each other's throats. We can use a little break from that. It would even be intriguing if they came together/cooperated with each other to take down a common foe or threat. That would be something that no one could have ever imagined happening throughout much of the life of the show.