S04.E01 Chucky Rhoades's Greatest Game

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

Season 4 begins with Axe closing ranks, determined to destroy Taylor. No longer U.S. Attorney, Chuck struggles to regain power. Taylor does what it takes to keep their new company afloat. 

Original air date 2019.03.17

https://www.sho.com/video/66440/next-on-401

[missyb]

Cannot wait. And only another month until Game of Thrones. Exciting TV.

[LotusFlower]

FYI - The first episode is available On-Demand, if anyone is interested in watching it a little early.

[scrb]

So Chuck is horse trading, a glorified gopher.  But manages to find someone who will take his parking pass.  Apparently these people don't have chauffeured cars or don't know about Uber in the year 2019.

Wags is trying to close the deal with some sheikh but he's cockblocked -- literally and figuratively.  Turns out it was Grigor again, foiling Axe from destroying Taylor's little firm.  Apparently a sneering Malkovich with a cheesy Russian accent is enough to get Axe to back off, until Wags tells him American oligarch > Russian oligarch.

Taylor has hired a new COO, who gets them to wear a wig and a cocktail dress to pitch to the same sheikh to invest with them.  Really surprised Axe and Wags aren't making crude references to Taylor, now that she's arch enemy No. 1.

I guess Chuck is not going to have to go for NY Attorney General rather than governor.  But "Black Jack" Foley may cockblock him using Chuck's BDSM proclivities against him  So they're going to do the Eliot Spitzer story in reverse?

Chuck Sr. is back goading Chuck to curry favor with those with power while Ira tags along.  Is the gold digger wife still around or has she hawked that hideous ring by now?

[Joimiaroxeu]

You'd think Wags would know better than to let himself get roofied. Weak plot device, IMO.

Taylor in a dress and a bad wig was a bit much. I could live without ever seeing that again. Meanwhile, I bet their new COO is trouble. Question is, who is she working for?

Geez, Booby needs to let it go. Insisting on getting revenge is always his downfall.

Edited March 17, 2019 by Joimiaroxeu

[kieyra]

Yeah, I can’t tell if the show has Bobby so careful about pronouns because we’re still supposed to root for him (because?? In what world is this guy a hero?), or because he and Wags (and apparently Grigor now?) have enough respect for Taylor’s abilities to get with modern times and terminology.

I’m sure it doesn’t go down like this in the real world, though. Gloves would be off. 

I thought Asia Kate Dillon did a fantastic job with the femme drag. Looked just the right amount of awkward/uncomfortable, but also predatory. 

Edited March 18, 2019 by kieyra

[minamurray78]

Oh god, Malkovich and his russian accent are still around. 🙄

[scrb]

1 minute ago, minamurray78 said:

Oh god, Malkovich and his russian accent are still around. 🙄

Guessing most of the season will be about Axe defeating Grigor and Chuck becoming attorney general.

Then they will clash again.

Usually shows run out of steam and the cast may look for other projects after about 5-6 seasons.  But Showtime will keep shows on indefinitely, well past their sell-by date -- Homeland, Shameless.

So as long as the main cast members, especially the two male leads are on board, they could do another 3-4 seasons, during which time maybe there will be the final confrontation between Rhodes and Axelrod.

[dwmarch]

It was weird seeing Aram from The Blacklist playing someone with confidence and swagger!

Asia Kate Dillon may not prefer the female form but they wear it very well.

I loved the brick joke with Chuck's special parking pass.

Chuck Senior is so savage! "I'd slap you in the face and tell you to be a real man but I'm worried that would turn you on!"

I hope Chuck just owns the BDSM. "Yeah, I'm into bondage and kinky stuff, so what? Have you seen my wife's boots?!"

I got a laugh out of Connerty and how his first order of business was to immediately get interrupted by the obnoxious AG who does not know or care about what Connerty would like to do.

Did they make a Trump reference in this episode? Something about one of the characters being the most famous Donald in New York now? If so, that dovetails nicely with Jeffcoat. However, it doesn't dovetail nearly as well with the real Southern District of New York, which I have heard is quite busy investigating the current administration. Maybe that's what Connerty was about to suggest before Jeffcoat cut him off.

[Tikichick]

21 hours ago, scrb said:

Taylor has hired a new COO, who gets them to wear a wig and a cocktail dress to pitch to the same sheikh to invest with them.  Really surprised Axe and Wags aren't making crude references to Taylor, now that she's arch enemy No. 1.

Absolutely expected the frame to widen out when Taylor hung up the phone with the COO -- to reveal the COO literally in bed with someone significant.

[teddysmom]

4 minutes ago, Tikichick said:

Absolutely expected the frame to widen out when Taylor hung up the phone with the COO -- to reveal the COO literally in bed with someone significant.

Me too!! 

I can't wait to find out who the blonde actress is playing, I loved her in Goliath. 

[Pop Tart]

I really enjoyed this. Chuck with his parking pass getting increasingly bummed that it's clearly not the big prize he thought it was (especially loved when Wendy was giving him the 'oh please' look before she went to talk to the guy about the ski runs). And then the payoff. Finally someone needs his parking pass and it's the person who can actually get him in to see the person he needs to see. Also loved him and the Commish acting out the mob murder and laying on the ground next to the car (though I did have a bit of worry that a car would come along and run over the Commish and Chuck's new power-buddy would be smushed). 

Loved how Chuck's running around trying to solve one problem was mirrored by Axe's doing same in order to find Wags. When Axe was wondering if they were torturing Wags and mentioning all the terrible things that could be happening, his guy who does dirty deeds for him (can't remember his name) doesn't tell him 'no none of that is happening'. Instead he's like, 'well maybe some of that, but more likely pumping him with truth-telling drugs...". 

Can't wait to see Connerty run up against Jeffcoat's wants and needs. As much as I feel for Connerty and how Chuck has messed him around multiple times, he knows that Jeffcoat is dirty, dirty, dirty and has willingly taken Chuck's job by plotting with Jeffcoat to get Chuck out, so he's also slipping down that slippery slope pretty quickly. So it will be interesting to see what Jeffcoat is going to want and how that will affect him (and Sacher too).

Though Axe going after Taylor so strongly is a bit much, it is in character for him. When he's thwarted or "betrayed" he goes after the person no holds barred.

Taylor's dressing as fem was impressive (from a willing to get anything to get what they need perspective, given how uncomfortable the idea was for them) and wow do their eyes still pop no matter what they're wearing. 

Only thing feeling off last night is how Wendy is behaving. She's done a complete turnaround in terms of morality and ethics. Not that good people (and her being "good" has always been up for question given her job) can't dirty their hands, but she is doing a deep dive into supporting Bobby's revenge on Taylor and that feels off to me.

One thing I'm still not clear on. Does Grigor have money with both Axe and Taylor? I somewhat watched the last episode from last season and I think it was left at Grigor put money with Axe, took it out of Axe's fund without telling him, then put it back after they met at his family dinner to talk. And he put money in with Taylor?

[Eyes High]

10 hours ago, dwmarch said:

I hope Chuck just owns the BDSM. "Yeah, I'm into bondage and kinky stuff, so what? Have you seen my wife's boots?!"

Not only that, but he's doing this stuff with his own wife. That's downright wholesome by political scandal standards. Chuck should just pull a Jeff Bezos and just make public any extortion attempts along with the details of whatever they're trying to extort him with. 

[scrb]

Axe fired Rudi for posting a selfie with Maffei.

Then Wendy piled on.

I thought her coaching was suppose to be all nurturing.

She's an employee, not a partner in Axe Capital, so her being a drill sergeant for the us vs. them mindset that Axe is stirring up is weird.  She came across better because she wasn't a diehard company man like Wags has been, showed some measure of independence.

[grommit2]

My 2 cents:
Taylor in a dress and wig...VERY interesting.  But, then, I am afflicted with being male.  Oh well...so sue me.
I liked this episode because it included a reference to Starship Troopers. Very cool movie...sort of like "90210" go to interplanetary war.  
Looks like Axe will not get to manage the sovereign wealth fund...outmaneuvered by a Russian oligarch, taking a break from the REDs movies. 
Taylor is basing her investment business on building algorithms that will predict not only market trends, but directions for individual equities. Very cool.  Very contemporary.  And...she is going to crash and burn, because there is no algorithm to predict individual and institutional behavior when it comes to the market. 
Chuck running around town trying to "work a deal" seemed quite superficial. But, at least he succeeded. 

Edited March 18, 2019 by grommit2

[scrb]

17 minutes ago, grommit2 said:

Taylor is basing her investment business on building algorithms that will predict not only market trends, but directions for individual equities. Very cool.  Very contemporary.  And...she is going to crash and burn, because there is no algorithm to predict individual and institutional behavior when it comes to the market. 

Yeah I wonder how the show runners look at this.  Do they think Axe or Stephen Cohen whom the character is based on has special insights?

Or that Taylor is a genius who will be consistently able to beat the market while studies have consistently shown that actively-managed investing can't sustain better than market returns?  In fact, you'd think Taylor's fact-based world view would also be aware of these studies.

They've certainly shown Axe cheating, using inside information, sabotage, etc.  They're surely aware that Cohen was prosecuted successfully for insider trading and other violations.

Yet they seem to hand wave the crimes or cheating that is depicted on the show.  Dollar Bill goes around with bagfuls of money to buy inside information but Dollar Bill is a colorful character!

And Axe is cool, because he has working class background and Axe and Wags both are so hip to popular culture as well as more obscure things like Ortolan rituals.  So what if he's a cheat?

He hasn't killed or resorted to violence.

Yet.

[Double A]

"I would slap your face and tell you to act like a man if I didn't think it would turn you on." Chuck Sr makes the academic scandal parents look like amateur night. 

Excellent season opener!

[EtheltoTillie]

I thought Taylor in "drag" looked something like Wendy.  Probably intentional on the part of the showrunners.

[txhorns79]

1 hour ago, GussieK said:

I thought Taylor in "drag" looked something like Wendy.  Probably intentional on the part of the showrunners.

I'm sure you are right.  I liked Chuck's wheeling and dealing, but I'm just tired of Wags.  He has his funny moments, but his behavior is just tiresome.  His whole Chaka Kahn riff was one of those moments.  Funny, but I can't imagine anyone taking him seriously. 

[auntiemel]

6 hours ago, scrb said:

He hasn't killed or resorted to violence.

Yet.

I mean...he kinda killed that guy with cancer.

[PrincessPurrsALot]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

I'm sure you are right.  I liked Chuck's wheeling and dealing, but I'm just tired of Wags.  He has his funny moments, but his behavior is just tiresome.  His whole Chaka Kahn riff was one of those moments.  Funny, but I can't imagine anyone taking him seriously. 

Wags was so tone deaf in that scene it was hard to imagine how he was ever successful at anything. 

[txhorns79]

10 minutes ago, PrincessPurrsALot said:

Wags was so tone deaf in that scene it was hard to imagine how he was ever successful at anything. 

Yes.  He tries way too hard, and it honestly seems like Axe would be turned off by that behavior.

[kieyra]

50 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

Yes.  He tries way too hard, and it honestly seems like Axe would be turned off by that behavior.

Is there any chance this is a failing of the actor?

I’ve never thought about it too hard because I mostly watch this show for Taylor (and Wendy when she had a soul), but yeah, Wags never quite sells me on his razor-tongued badass schtick. Are we supposed to see the self-loathing and substance abuse just under the surface? Or are some of us just still seeing sweet natured Gale from Breaking Bad? I really can’t tell, but either way the character comes off more as court jester than right-hand man. 

[scrb]

Bobby and Axe are like banker bros.

They have a couple of strong female characters but this is mostly a guys show.

[jvr]

12 hours ago, Eyes High said:

Not only that, but he's doing this stuff with his own wife. That's downright wholesome by political scandal standards. Chuck should just pull a Jeff Bezos and just make public any extortion attempts along with the details of whatever they're trying to extort him with. 

Not exactly, he has gone outside of the marriage. With and without Wendy, with that dominatrix woman. The few times he went there without her permission within the confines of the rules of their marriage, it was "cheating". I think it would be mildly embarrassing in this day and age to reveal something like this that you do in the privacy of your home with your spouse...but if they reveal he goes to clubs and does this with people not his wife...maybe it elevates it beyond "wholesome".

2 hours ago, auntiemel said:

I mean...he kinda killed that guy with cancer.

That guy was already going to die, so I would't say he killed him...he just stole a few months of his life.

22 hours ago, dwmarch said:

Chuck Senior is so savage! "I'd slap you in the face and tell you to be a real man but I'm worried that would turn you on!"

I laughed. Especially because Chuck started to explain that his dad hitting him wouldn't turn him on. "It doesn't work like that."

Edited March 19, 2019 by jvr

[Tikichick]

10 hours ago, scrb said:

Bobby and Axe are like banker bros.

They have a couple of strong female characters but this is mostly a guys show.

Chuck and Axe?   Bobby is Axe, unless I'm missing something.

9 hours ago, jvr said:

That guy was already going to die, so I would't say he killed him...he just stole a few months of his life.

How far a slide down the slope is it to suggest that everyone is going to die, so killing anyone is just stealing X amount of time from someone's life?

[Double A]

12 hours ago, PrincessPurrsALot said:

Wags was so tone deaf in that scene it was hard to imagine how he was ever successful at anything. 

I'm hoping this is a choice by the writers for his storyline. Wags is due for a real crash and burn.

[roughing it]

16 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I'm just tired of Wags.  He has his funny moments, but his behavior is just tiresome.  His whole Chaka Kahn riff was one of those moments.

That ^ and the way he was lounging on the couch in a professional business meeting.  Like he's above all that.  and 

2 hours ago, Double A said:

Wags is due for a real crash and burn.

Wags is my least favorite character.

[auntiemel]

6 hours ago, Tikichick said:

How far a slide down the slope is it to suggest that everyone is going to die, so killing anyone is just stealing X amount of time from someone's life?

I was just going to respond with this!

[Lemons]

On 3/18/2019 at 2:31 PM, grommit2 said:

Chuck running around town trying to "work a deal" seemed quite superficial. But, at least he succeeded. 

Chuck did say he was old school and that's the way to get things done old school.  Good for him!

[jvr]

6 hours ago, Tikichick said:

How far a slide down the slope is it to suggest that everyone is going to die, so killing anyone is just stealing X amount of time from someone's life?

I knew someone would say this. I was being facetious when I said he stole some time, this crossed my mind but I didn't type it because it gets far too deep. It's debatable, that's why he sorta killed him instead of just saying he killed him. The person most culpable is the doctor of course, and I doubt not presenting an experimental treatment option is a criminal offense, it's probably more a medical negligence thing (good luck proving that). It might not have extended his life at all but he should have had the choice if his doctor knew about it. In the case of Axe, it's blackmail (I can't remember what he had on the doctor), and maybe something like aggravated assault (he did something that resulted in serious harm). It's just semantics, what he did was truly terrible I just don't think it was murder. We can take this to the Billions and Billions: The Series as a Whole thread if we want to talk further. 

I can't wait for Connerty to realize Chuck wasn't so bad after all. He is way too happy right now, it's all downhill for him I'm sure. I hope Sacker helps Chuck bust up this joint. She has to realize Jeffcoat is not the person that's going to help her rise to the top.

[Gemini Gipsy]

Seems I'm in the minority,  but I quite like Wags. This is based on entertainment value, which is a high priority for me when watching television. His obnoxious humor keeps things interesting.  

I am however in agreement with the senses that Wendy seems "off" this season. I used to live for her shining moments and her undeniable unwavering character. I know it is only the first epi but something is amiss. Thoughts? Just didnt have good writing for the first episode is my hope. 

[chick binewski]

On 3/18/2019 at 8:52 PM, txhorns79 said:

I'm sure you are right.  I liked Chuck's wheeling and dealing, but I'm just tired of Wags.  He has his funny moments, but his behavior is just tiresome.  His whole Chaka Kahn riff was one of those moments.  Funny, but I can't imagine anyone taking him seriously. 

On 3/18/2019 at 11:08 PM, kieyra said:

Is there any chance this is a failing of the actor?

I’ve never thought about it too hard because I mostly watch this show for Taylor (and Wendy when she had a soul), but yeah, Wags never quite sells me on his razor-tongued badass schtick. Are we supposed to see the self-loathing and substance abuse just under the surface? Or are some of us just still seeing sweet natured Gale from Breaking Bad? I really can’t tell, but either way the character comes off more as court jester than right-hand man. 

David Costabile was terrific as Gale but also pretty great as a bad guy on Damages. But I've always thought despite the great talent on the show most of the pop culture-peppered convos sound incredibly stilted, and since Wags employs the tactic so much he can bring the show to a grinding halt. Actors who have mastered it on their respective shows (Gilmore Girls, West Wing) had coaches to help with the fast patter. 

It just takes me out of the show completely because every Billy Beane-referencing pigeon-eating scene just feels way too try hard.

[Mardo2044]

I love that the episode was dedicated to Dennis Shields, Bethany Frankle's fiance from RHONY .  I wonder if one of the characters that was "connected" that Rhoades had to beg and barter from was supposed to be Dennis.  It would be cool to know.

[Mardo2044]

On 3/18/2019 at 10:19 AM, Pop Tart said:

Only thing feeling off last night is how Wendy is behaving. She's done a complete turnaround in terms of morality and ethics. Not that good people (and her being "good" has always been up for question given her job) can't dirty their hands, but she is doing a deep dive into supporting Bobby's revenge on Taylor and that feels off to me.

Yes, I guess it is because Axe and her husband are "good" now.... but in real life she would have to be saying "professionally I have to distance myself from this, and even advise against this.  But I know you are going to do it anyway, so know I'm on your side in spirit but can't run with you on this one" 

Edited March 24, 2019 by Mardo2044

[Mardo2044]

On 3/17/2019 at 8:24 PM, kieyra said:

Yeah, I can’t tell if the show has Bobby so careful about pronouns because we’re still supposed to root for him (because?? In what world is this guy a hero?), or because he and Wags (and apparently Grigor now?) have enough respect for Taylor’s abilities to get with modern times and terminology.

I’m sure it doesn’t go down like this in the real world, though. Gloves would be off. 

The show doesn't go there because the audience would hate it and there would be such negative press for Billions.  But you know if they were true to the characters Axe, Wags and the rest would be totally sexist, vulgar, derogatory, etc. when it comes to Taylor now that they are the enemy.

[Skyfall]

On 3/17/2019 at 11:52 PM, scrb said:

Guessing most of the season will be about Axe defeating Grigor and Chuck becoming attorney general.

Then they will clash again.

Usually shows run out of steam and the cast may look for other projects after about 5-6 seasons.  But Showtime will keep shows on indefinitely, well past their sell-by date -- Homeland, Shameless.

So as long as the main cast members, especially the two male leads are on board, they could do another 3-4 seasons, during which time maybe there will be the final confrontation between Rhodes and Axelrod.

Dexter... *shudders*

[nb360]

On 3/18/2019 at 10:10 PM, scrb said:

Bobby and Axe are like banker bros.

They have a couple of strong female characters but this is mostly a guys show.

It's a guys' show with the kind of women those kind of guys would like (Wendy, Lara, etc).

[chocolatine]

On 3/17/2019 at 1:20 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

Taylor in a dress and a bad wig was a bit much.

I thought they looked like an ultra-orthodox Jewish woman from East Williamsburg with that wig and the conservative black dress (knees and elbows covered). Which gave me an idea for a new show, a crossover between Billions and Unorthodox, about a young woman from that community who becomes a successful Wall Street trader and eventually hedge fund manager, balancing her career with a traditional wife role at home.

I've loved John Malkovich in almost every role in which I've seen him, but I can't stand him on this show. Not only is his accent terrible - I'm a native Russian speaker, so it's especially glaring to me - but also because I want Taylor to outperform Axe on their own merit, not because a rich Russian criminal is interfering to "protect" them. I hope one of his enemies takes him out via one of the methods he enumerated for Axe last season to get him to approve a hit on Taylor.