S04.E10: New Year's Day

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Wendy and Taylor each prep for a big day. Wags gets in touch with his sensitive side. Axe and Wendy’s bond solidifies as he recalls a pivotal moment. Connerty reconnects with a figure from his past.

Original air date 2019.05.26

[scrb]

Axe Cap secretaries don’t mind being called into work on New Year’s Day cuz they otherwise couldn’t spend the Holidays in luxury resorts in the Carribbean!

The traders aren’t too happy, even the ultimate company man Dolla Bill.  But Taylor is making a move against Rebecca’s shitty department store again.  So they all have to come in and help defend the boss’ girlfriend.

Bobby flies back from Fiji! Where he was with his boys — finally showing he gives a damn about them.

But he came back for Wendy so yeah, the Axelrod boys will soon learn where they stand with pops.

Wendy won’t give up her license, even though as Chuck points out, she committed the crime so maybe she could do some time.

Meanwhile Taylor is also prepping to show up at the hearing to destroy Wendy, after sexy times with her employee Lauren, whom Mafee is also sweet on.

Back at Axe, Wags shows up.  Turns out he got played by a 22 year old grifter whom he thought could be the One, to make an honest man out of him.  Instead, she absconded with his expensive watch.

So Wendy sets him up with a professional cuddled.

Bobby puts Victor on how to avoid customs and taxes on expensive paintings so that story line will come back.

Connerty gets the judge to sign an order on Rhoads Sr. And Jr. to catch their illegal bank deal.  Sacker will only comply with the letter of the order but Bryan feels cock blocked because they had to shut off the recording when the Rhoads talked to Ira, their lawyer.

But guess what, he started see8ng a life coach who says do anything to get what you want.  And his brother happens to be a safecracker so he’s going to break into Chuck Sr.’s safe.

I guess Bryan Connerty doesn’t know that his spinning guru used to be Axe Caps performance coach before Bobby fired his ass and brought Wendy back?

Then we have the touching moment between Bobby and Wendy.  He tells her the exact moment when he knew she was his partner in “this.”  She defended him to the survivors of those bankers who died on 9/11.  But then she told him he better fucking deliver.

Wendy is a regular Bobby Knight!

Not surprising.  She may no longer want to play dominatrix for Chuck but she has that domineering streak in her.

But Bobby convinces her to go grovel to Taylor.  Axe recommends saying sorry?

Apologies and hugs at Axe Capital?  World must be coming to an end!

[Auntie Anxiety]

Yep, Connerty’s going down. The idiot took the bait. 

[khyber]

Wendy wants an exact moment from Chuck for the marriage proposal? That's stupid. 

[Auntie Anxiety]

22 minutes ago, khyber said:

Wendy wants an exact moment from Chuck for the marriage proposal? That's stupid. 

Actually, I think she wanted to know the moment when Chuck fell in love with her. I’ve always thought that Axe and Wendy as a couple made much more sense than Wendy and Chuck. 

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

But Bobby convinces her to go grovel to Taylor.  Axe recommends saying sorry?

Apologies and hugs at Axe Capital?  World must be coming to an end!

Saying you're sorry doesn't necessarily require actually being sorry. Axe and Wendy lie liike they breathe. I'm surprised Taylor fell for Wendy's 11th hour apology. Or maybe they didn't...

I'm starting to feel like Billions could've done with fewer episodes this season. IMO there are too many scenes that drag on or are clearly filler.

[khyber]

1 hour ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

Actually, I think she wanted to know the moment when Chuck fell in love with her. 

I've been married for 30 years, there was no one moment. It was a gradual thing after knowing him for a while.  I think you can have a thunderbolt of infatuation, but not a thunderbolt of love.

[janeta]

12 minutes ago, khyber said:

I've been married for 30 years, there was no one moment. It was a gradual thing after knowing him for a while.  I think you can have a thunderbolt of infatuation, but not a thunderbolt of love.

Yeah, that was how I interpreted Chuck's reaction: “The one moment? There were so many...”

[Broderbits]

7 minutes ago, khyber said:

I've been married for 30 years, there was no one moment. It was a gradual thing after knowing him for a while.  I think you can have a thunderbolt of infatuation, but not a thunderbolt of love.

It happened to me! I knew the moment I first saw him that he was indeed my husband; we married less than 6 months later and had 34 years together until his death.

Wendy wanted Chuck to mirror Axe's devotion to her, but he let her down once again(in her mind). Kind of like comparing an exciting love affair to a decades long marriage. Such imperfect humans!

[dmc]

I’m not sure how Wendy violated patient privilege unless I missed something did she share Taylor’s patient history with anyone....didn’t she just used what she knew to manipulate her (I’m not saying this is the right thing to do but that’s hard to have evidence of).  Also does Taylor have any proof?  My father’s doctor gave my father wrong diagnosis and it led to his death and he still has his license.  They don’t just take medical licenses away.  It’s not enough for there to be impropriety there has to be like some sort of proof of the claim.  It’s difficult for me to take this seriously because I don’t really think there’s any proof that Wendy violated anything.  I think she’s losing because she feels guilty.  I don’t think Wendy wants to stand in front of a judge and lie.  I think ultimately that’s why Axe told her to go to Taylor. 

They have really ruined Bryan’s character.  

Chuck treats Wendy like Axe treated Lara to me.  I have no doubt he loves her but she’s expendable to him.  He respects her in certain ways but places himself above her.  He shares information when he thinks she needs to know.  

Wendy wants to be treated like an equal yet she feels superior to Chuck.  She treats him like he’s beneath her.  

They both want to be equal but refuse the other person that courtesy.  

To me Axe and Wendy are a better fit, They both make sacrifices for each other that they’re unwilling to make for other people.  

[talktoomuch]

I resent this blatant manipulation, show. I hate Chuck and Wendy, but I hate you more for trying to make me ship Axe and Wendy. It's not working. All three of them suck in their own ways.

Edited May 27, 2019 by talktoomuch

[talktoomuch]

7 minutes ago, dmc said:

I’m not sure how Wendy violated patient privilege unless I missed something did she share Taylor’s patient history with anyone....didn’t she just used what she knew to manipulate her (I’m not saying this is the right thing to do but that’s hard to have evidence of).  Also does Taylor have any proof?  My father’s doctor gave my father wrong diagnosis and it led to his death and he still has his license.  They don’t just take medical licenses away.  It’s not enough for there to be impropriety there has to be like some sort of proof of the claim.  It’s difficult for me to take this seriously because I don’t really think there’s any proof that Wendy violated anything.  I think she’s losing because she feels guilty.

...

Chuck treats Wendy like Axe treated Lara to me.  I have no doubt he loves her but she’s expendable to him.  He respects her in certain ways but places himself above her.  He shares information when he thinks she needs to know.  

Wendy wants to be treated like an equal yet she feels superior to Chuck.  She treats him like he’s beneath her.  

...

Yes, she actually did use Taylor's confidential information against them. She fed Taylor's history with their Dad to Axe for the express purpose of using it in a business takedown. I didn't understand the whole thing (nor care), but it was about the government commandeering the Dad's research and Taylor having to make a decision to cut him off. Wendy told Axe that decision would gut Taylor. And she only knew that because Taylor told her. It's a direct violation.

And also GREAT observation about Axe and Wendy only seeing one another as equals, rather than their chosen partners. I would also argue that they're only truly loyal to one another.

[dmc]

1 hour ago, talktoomuch said:

Yes, she actually did use Taylor's confidential information against them. She fed Taylor's history with their Dad to Axe for the express purpose of using it in a business takedown. I didn't understand the whole thing (nor care), but it was about the government commandeering the Dad's research and Taylor having to make a decision to cut him off. Wendy told Axe that decision would gut Taylor. And she only knew that because Taylor told her. It's a direct violation.

And also GREAT observation about Axe and Wendy only seeing one another as equals, rather than their chosen partners. I would also argue that they're only truly loyal to one another.

Thank you because I was like 🤷‍♀️And I’m still not sure how Taylor would prove this? I mean I know Axe and Wendy are unethical but their behind the scenes conversations are private and they could have found out about Taylor’s dad from Hall or any other way 

Edited May 27, 2019 by dmc

[talktoomuch]

You know @dmc, I'm a lawyer, not a doctor. But I imagine medical board hearings are probably similar to disbarment proceedings. It's not a court of law so the standard of proof is different. The accused almost has to prove they didn't do what what they're accused of if the claimant has any proof. And sworn testimony is proof. 

[dmc]

1 hour ago, talktoomuch said:

You know @dmc, I'm a lawyer, not a doctor. But I imagine medical board hearings are probably similar to disbarment proceedings. It's not a court of law so the standard of proof is different. The accused almost has to prove they didn't do what what they're accused of if the claimant has any proof. And sworn testimony is proof. 

You would still know better than I would.  I have no idea what happens in these proceedings

[Destiny74]

9 hours ago, talktoomuch said:

Yes, she actually did use Taylor's confidential information against them. She fed Taylor's history with their Dad to Axe for the express purpose of using it in a business takedown. I didn't understand the whole thing (nor care), but it was about the government commandeering the Dad's research and Taylor having to make a decision to cut him off. Wendy told Axe that decision would gut Taylor. And she only knew that because Taylor told her. It's a direct violation.

And also GREAT observation about Axe and Wendy only seeing one another as equals, rather than their chosen partners. I would also argue that they're only truly loyal to one another.

Ok.  This is my question.  Wendy went and found out the information about Taylor and her father after Taylor left Axe Cap, right?  So any privilege of doctor/patient confidentiality is void after Taylor left Axe Cap.  I mean, if Wendy was Taylor's doctor, didn't that go out the window when Wendy was no longer being paid to be her doctor?  

Sure it's sneaky and we can discuss the morality of the situation bit as soon as Taylor left Axe Cap, she was no longer an employee and was no longer a patient of Wendy's unless she was paying Wendy out of her own pocket for the sessions.  

If I decide to befriend my shrink after I am no longer paying for their services, isn't it just two people talking?

I guess not.

[scrb]

No they conveyed the sense that Wendy learned this info. from her sessions with Taylor while they were at Axe.

In fact there's a specific scene where Wendy tells someone to pull Taylor's session notes.

In the practice hearing, Chuck asks isn't it true that Wendy's session notes have been breached or accessed by people who shouldn't have access for other patients besides Taylor.

Chuck was of course referring to himself sneaking a look at Wendy's laptop.

But for the practice hearing, Chuck wasn't just being cheeky, just showing that Wendy might have to confront such a question.

[talktoomuch]

1 hour ago, Destiny74 said:

I mean, if Wendy was Taylor's doctor, didn't that go out the window when Wendy was no longer being paid to be her doctor?  

Nope. Doctor-patient privilege endures even after the treatment ends. It even survives the patient's death in most cases. It's the patient's privilege that only they can waive.

Edited May 28, 2019 by talktoomuch

[hoodooznoodooz]

This show used to be pretty good. The only characters I still like are Mafee and Taylor. 

[txhorns79]

9 hours ago, Destiny74 said:

If I decide to befriend my shrink after I am no longer paying for their services, isn't it just two people talking?

If you are no longer seeing your shrink for therapy, and just have a friendly relationship outside of any therapeutic one, then yes, it could be just two people talking.  However, that wouldn't do anything to change the fact that your conversations with your therapist when you saw them as a patient were still confidential.  

I think even Wendy recognizes that she screwed up badly.  She just doesn't want to own the consequences. 

19 hours ago, dmc said:

Chuck treats Wendy like Axe treated Lara to me.  I have no doubt he loves her but she’s expendable to him.  He respects her in certain ways but places himself above her.  He shares information when he thinks she needs to know.  

I think this kind of nails it.  He loves her, but doesn't need her.  When her interests get in the way of his, she is supposed to step aside and let him have his moment. 

[NoReally]

Why does Spyros even exist?

[PrincessPurrsALot]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

I think even Wendy recognizes that she screwed up badly.  She just doesn't want to own the consequences. 

That seems to be common with Wendy, Chuck and Axe.  When Chuck and Axe are forced to own consequences of their actions, they then fight back and try to burn whoever followed through on those earned consequences.  Oh to be someone who assumes you can do whatever you want whenever you want, and then there's the world we live in. 

1 hour ago, NoReally said:

Why does Spyros even exist?

I assume he is a form of torture we are being subjected to.  Perhaps we all killed someone in a former life? 

[dmc]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

If you are no longer seeing your shrink for therapy, and just have a friendly relationship outside of any therapeutic one, then yes, it could be just two people talking.  However, that wouldn't do anything to change the fact that your conversations with your therapist when you saw them as a patient were still confidential.  

I think even Wendy recognizes that she screwed up badly.  She just doesn't want to own the consequences. 

I think this kind of nails it.  He loves her, but doesn't need her.  When her interests get in the way of his, she is supposed to step aside and let him have his moment. 

Yep and he told us that in the first episode when he wanted her to leave Axe so he could work on the case. 

[Pop Tart]

Couple of things.

Though they are trying to make me sympathize with Wendy and her pain and anxiety about repercussions from the medical board, it isn't happening. She very deliberately weaponized the information she'd gained from Taylor during their sessions to help Axe with his revenge. And while it still feels totally out of character for her, that's the way it's been written this year so she can miss me with her woe-is-me worry, especially since she still at this point seems not to be fully capable of owning it. 

And speaking of out of character - which I've done for many of them, many times this year - when Wendy gets home to Chuck making dinner and asks him to tell her the moment he knew he wanted to marry her, he pauses and then tells her he can't remember in a fairly dismissive tone. All of which is meant to show Wendy that Axe is the only one who gets her, truly cares about her, etc. But Chuck's response did not ring true at all. Even if he honestly could not remember the specific moment, he's a politician. And one who's been trying to work his way back into Wendy's good graces. It was clear that Wendy was importing some meaning to the question and answer and Chuck would certainly be able to read that in her face. His answer might be, oh there were so many moments and he lists a few, or even picks one as the moment. His answer would not be, 'nope can't remember'. 

[Carolina Girl]

On 5/27/2019 at 9:51 AM, janeta said:

Yeah, that was how I interpreted Chuck's reaction: “The one moment? There were so many...”

Frankly, that's the sort of answer I would want from my husband.  

[Carolina Girl]

How many people think that it's going to be revealed that Chuck knows all about the bugs in his house, on the phone, etc.?  That he has a friend in the Bureau that tipped him off?  Maybe even the genius that installed them?

[Auntie Anxiety]

3 minutes ago, Carolina Girl said:

How many people think that it's going to be revealed that Chuck knows all about the bugs in his house, on the phone, etc.?  That he has a friend in the Bureau that tipped him off?  Maybe even the genius that installed them?

That’s definitely where this is all going. They’ve been leading Connerty down the garden path. When Ira(?) proclaimed that he’s the Rhoades’ lawyer, it was a set up. They knew the wire tap would have to be shut down at that point, but also knew that Connerty wouldn’t be able to restrain himself from listening to it. Connerty is going to get his ass kicked.

[talktoomuch]

11 hours ago, Pop Tart said:

Couple of things.

Though they are trying to make me sympathize with Wendy and her pain and anxiety about repercussions from the medical board, it isn't happening. She very deliberately weaponized the information she'd gained from Taylor during their sessions to help Axe with his revenge. And while it still feels totally out of character for her, that's the way it's been written this year so she can miss me with her woe-is-me worry, especially since she still at this point seems not to be fully capable of owning it. 

And speaking of out of character - which I've done for many of them, many times this year - when Wendy gets home to Chuck making dinner and asks him to tell her the moment he knew he wanted to marry her, he pauses and then tells her he can't remember in a fairly dismissive tone. All of which is meant to show Wendy that Axe is the only one who gets her, truly cares about her, etc. But Chuck's response did not ring true at all. Even if he honestly could not remember the specific moment, he's a politician. And one who's been trying to work his way back into Wendy's good graces. It was clear that Wendy was importing some meaning to the question and answer and Chuck would certainly be able to read that in her face. His answer might be, oh there were so many moments and he lists a few, or even picks one as the moment. His answer would not be, 'nope can't remember'. 

^This post right here? Is everything. You totally nailed the biggest writing flaws of this season in two scenes.  I wish you would post this 50 more times so I could like it over and over and over and over and over...

[scrb]

Wendy has always seem above the shady behavior at Axe Cap.

But really, it shouldn't be a surprise that she's as much the company person as anyone there.  She's ostensibly helping hedge fund workers maximize their earning potential, including overcoming any doubts about doing whatever it takes to maximize returns.

She is just as entitled as the rest of them that Axe Cap must win, deserves to win.

She doesn't have to meet some metric but she gets fat bonuses.  Now of course, it may turn out it's because Axe is smitten with her.  But the presumption is that she helps the firm maximize profits by removing any kind of guilt the workers may have about how they help the firm maximize profits.

So she probably expects those bonuses to keep coming.  Of course she's going to cross the line to weaken a competitor, which sought to hurt the firm.

[MJS]

21 hours ago, talktoomuch said:

^This post right here? Is everything. You totally nailed the biggest writing flaws of this season in two scenes.  I wish you would post this 50 more times so I could like it over and over and over and over and over...

I didn’t think Wendy was being written for sympathy- I think we're supposed to see her misdeeds and acknowledge that she doesn’t deserve a redemption arc. Taking the plea deal would have been her redemption, but so clearly swatting it away as an option was to show her just as dug and invested in winning as anyone. 

[scrb]

Well rich people don't want to suffer any consequences.

Why should they?

As for whether she should be sympathetic, this show has always made these rich, shady characters but full of quips and cultural references appear sympathetic.

Or at least too hip and cool to scorn or despise.

Axe isn't some stuffy, snooty billionaire.  He's got working class origins, still down with Metallica.

Wendy is stylish doesn't seem as morally compromised as others at Axe Capital.

[Broderbits]

When this show first started I watched with the expectation that the audience was supposed to find at least 1 person to root for. By the season's end I realized that, at least for me, everyone was despicable in some way, and I stopped watching for a couple of years. Now I'm back, probably since my faith in so many things has been destroyed and seeing these characters fuck each other over so thoroughly provides a kind of catharsis. There is no one here who deserves my sympathy, not even Taylor; but then Taylor would be the last being to ask for or expect anyone's sympathy.

[LibertarianSlut]

If there was a television scene more clunky, boring and cliched than the 9/11 conversation between Wendy and Axe, I am not aware of it.  There is no fucking way Axe could have remembered sentence upon sentence of Wendy's words from 17+ years ago, unless he is some type of savant, which has never been part of Axe's character.  Brilliant?  Yes.  Extraordinary recall ability that few people on this planet have?  Not part of his make-up.  Yet he was reciting the words as if they were verbatim, not paraphrased.  Awful writing.

They're writing Wendy so poorly now in general. Are we really supposed to believe that she's that immature that she would answer Chuck's good faith question about having compromised her patient notes before with a "are you fucking kidding me?"  Uh, no, he's not fucking kidding you; he's trying to prepare you.

I don't know if anyone knows anything about corporate law, but I have always learned in law school that privilege is destroyed when anyone other than the attorney and client (or the attroney's agent) is present.  How do they keep getting around that here?  Or are we supposed to fan-wave that too?

It was a fun episode.  I liked seeing every character being pulled in.  I kind of wish that guy that is working with Connerty would come back to Axe Cap to be "head of Human Resources" again, and let Wendy go take a swim in the East River. 

I'm not rooting for anyone.  I guess I want Chuck to beat Connerty, but I'm not even enthused about that.

Also, I'm not a mother, but I was a kid once, and I find it so ridiculous how little screen time Chuck and Wendy's kids get.  I find Axe the absentee dad way more realistic.  I found it realistic when Chuck and Wendy were rotating in and out of the house, but now that they are raising two young-ish kids together, the kids would definitely be around more.  Calling them down to dinner so that we know that the writers know they're still there is ridiculous.  Even less clingy kids simply have much more of a presence at that age.  These kids' level of involvement is that of college students who just come home to do their laundry or something.

I enjoyed Wags and Spiros.  They made me laugh.  I know, it's so wrong.

[Mardo2044]

On 5/27/2019 at 12:38 PM, khyber said:

I've been married for 30 years, there was no one moment. It was a gradual thing after knowing him for a while.  I think you can have a thunderbolt of infatuation, but not a thunderbolt of love.

For me it was the spark when we first met, for him it was my absence... but we both have a "moment" we can talk about.   And if you don't have a moment you can list the qualities that made the person right for you... there are things you can say....  she is looking for validation.

Edited June 1, 2019 by Mardo2044
spared posters details of my romcom romance

[Mardo2044]

On 5/27/2019 at 1:41 PM, dmc said:

They have really ruined Bryan’s character.  

Chuck treats Wendy like Axe treated Lara to me.  I have no doubt he loves her but she’s expendable to him.  He respects her in certain ways but places himself above her.  He shares information when he thinks she needs to know.  

Wendy wants to be treated like an equal yet she feels superior to Chuck.  She treats him like he’s beneath her.  

They both want to be equal but refuse the other person that courtesy.  

To me Axe and Wendy are a better fit, They both make sacrifices for each other that they’re unwilling to make for other people.  

THIS!

[Mardo2044]

Connerty was the one I have rooted for this whole time.  This character has changed in a not so believable way.  I don't even buy that he would get this inspirational cycle guy... or he would try 1 session and throw it out saying "this isn't me".  He also did not strike me as the guy that was "true irish" so to bring it in now is odd.  Growing up in a rough environment and deciding to take the straight path normally gives you an edge that can be used effectively.  I have never really seen that from his character.  I do buy the safe cracking brother's character as believable, just not as connerty's brother.

[Mardo2044]

On 5/30/2019 at 10:42 AM, LibertarianSlut said:

I enjoyed Wags and Spiros.  They made me laugh.  I know, it's so wrong.

I enjoy wags because he embodies a stereotypical successful trader.  You are sort of repulsed but he really is more spot on than anyone would like to think... and that is the joke that keeps on giving

[Auntie Anxiety]

9 hours ago, Mardo2044 said:

  I do buy the safe cracking brother's character as believable, just not as connerty's brother.

I thought it was extremely lazy, sloppy writing that suddenly we come to find out that Connerty has a shady brother who happens to live in NYC, a sibling that Connerty hasn’t spoken to in years, and lo and behold, this same brother conveniently is a safe cracker? And the tape of Chuck, Chuck Sr., and Ira that Connerty is desperate to listen to is in a safe? What a coincidence! 

[scrb]

Actually I can buy Connerty having a rougher or more humble upbringing.

He made something of himself while his brother didn't.

Last season or the season before, he was jawboning one of the thugs that Axe hired in the Ice Juice scam, like they were going to meet and fight.

He is suppose to be this idealistic guy who cares more about justice.  So when Axe's lawyer, who also happens to be a former law professor of Connerty, tries to bribe him with a much higher salary, he doesn't go for it.

Or he tries to shame Taylor for taking Axe's dirty money.

Usually these guys who become US Attorneys are looking to make big names for themselves, so they can run for political office, like Giuliani and others.

But I don't know why Bryan thinks busting Chuck is his only big ticket to better things.  There are plenty of crooks on Wall Street for him to take down.  Chuck would be a big catch but I bet others in the SDNY and in FBI are leery about going after one of their own.

Especially if Connerty is going to cut corners or break laws to try to get Chuck.

[Auntie Anxiety]

1 hour ago, scrb said:

But I don't know why Bryan thinks busting Chuck is his only big ticket to better things.

For Bryan, it’s become personal. And that’s not a good thing because it clouds one’s vision.

With regard to his brother, I have no problem with Bryan having had a tough childhood on the mean streets of NYC, etc. but what I do have a problem with is that not only is his brother shady, but he’s a safe cracker of all things—not a burglar, not a hit man, not a gang member, a safe cracker! How fortuitous. And convenient for the storyline. 

[Mardo2044]

On 5/30/2019 at 10:42 AM, LibertarianSlut said:

Also, I'm not a mother, but I was a kid once, and I find it so ridiculous how little screen time Chuck and Wendy's kids get.  I find Axe the absentee dad way more realistic.  I found it realistic when Chuck and Wendy were rotating in and out of the house, but now that they are raising two young-ish kids together, the kids would definitely be around more.  Calling them down to dinner so that we know that the writers know they're still there is ridiculous.  Even less clingy kids simply have much more of a presence at that age.  These kids' level of involvement is that of college students who just come home to do their laundry or something.

you are so right about this!  But TV does this alot unless it is a family show about the kids.  Not saying it is right, just sort of typical.  Will and Grace reboot conveniently got rid of kids for same reason... they get in the way of dramatic storylines.

[EtheltoTillie]

On 5/30/2019 at 10:42 AM, LibertarianSlut said:

If there was a television scene more clunky, boring and cliched than the 9/11 conversation between Wendy and Axe, I am not aware of it.  There is no fucking way Axe could have remembered sentence upon sentence of Wendy's words from 17+ years ago, unless he is some type of savant, which has never been part of Axe's character.  Brilliant?  Yes.  Extraordinary recall ability that few people on this planet have?  Not part of his make-up.  Yet he was reciting the words as if they were verbatim, not paraphrased.  Awful writing.

Yes to this!  I hate this type of clunky exposition, and I have inveighed against it before in these forums.  No one ever has this type of conversation IRL with the person who participated in the event.  But they do it all the time in live theater, usually less on TV.  Ugh. 

[Ottis]

On 5/30/2019 at 10:42 AM, LibertarianSlut said:

If there was a television scene more clunky, boring and cliched than the 9/11 conversation between Wendy and Axe, I am not aware of it.  There is no fucking way Axe could have remembered sentence upon sentence of Wendy's words from 17+ years ago, unless he is some type of savant, which has never been part of Axe's character.  Brilliant?  Yes.  Extraordinary recall ability that few people on this planet have?  Not part of his make-up.  Yet he was reciting the words as if they were verbatim, not paraphrased.  Awful writing.

They're writing Wendy so poorly now in general. Are we really supposed to believe that she's that immature that she would answer Chuck's good faith question about having compromised her patient notes before with a "are you fucking kidding me?"  Uh, no, he's not fucking kidding you; he's trying to prepare you.

I don't know if anyone knows anything about corporate law, but I have always learned in law school that privilege is destroyed when anyone other than the attorney and client (or the attroney's agent) is present.  How do they keep getting around that here?  Or are we supposed to fan-wave that too?

It was a fun episode.  I liked seeing every character being pulled in.  I kind of wish that guy that is working with Connerty would come back to Axe Cap to be "head of Human Resources" again, and let Wendy go take a swim in the East River. 

I'm not rooting for anyone.  I guess I want Chuck to beat Connerty, but I'm not even enthused about that.

Also, I'm not a mother, but I was a kid once, and I find it so ridiculous how little screen time Chuck and Wendy's kids get.  I find Axe the absentee dad way more realistic.  I found it realistic when Chuck and Wendy were rotating in and out of the house, but now that they are raising two young-ish kids together, the kids would definitely be around more.  Calling them down to dinner so that we know that the writers know they're still there is ridiculous.  Even less clingy kids simply have much more of a presence at that age.  These kids' level of involvement is that of college students who just come home to do their laundry or something.

I enjoyed Wags and Spiros.  They made me laugh.  I know, it's so wrong.

Actually, the show has shown that Axe is a savant, and I have assumed that is part of why he is successful. Recall his, uh, recall, of who was at the neighbor’s pool when Axe went over and slugged him. It was almost clinical in its depiction.

Also, I am a parent, but I am thankful the show puts the kids in the deep background. To do anything else would make this a different kind of show, one I at least wouldn't watch. 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Ottis