S04.E11: Lamster

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Wendy weighs her options. Senior makes a shocking discovery. Taylor offers an unlikely solution to help their business. Chuck launches an attack at an enemy. Axe contemplates a risky move.

Original air date 2019.06.02

[dwmarch]

Spoiler warning for those who will not be watching this episode until it airs. Billions leaks every Saturday night well in advance of the scheduled time so I have already seen this episode.

Long story short, I loved it! Lots going on from the Connerty brothers safe heist to Axe living up to his name.

There were so many good lines in this episode! I loved Mafee's reaction of "fuck you, math guy!" and Chuck Sr. dismissing the smell of prison as "dick... I bet it smells like dick." There was also the bit where Connerty told Jock that he had seen Chuck Sr's ass along with Jock's... dismay on the matter.

I can't get a read on Sacker. Is she Chuck's undercover soldier, taking down all this corruption from within or has she bought in to the Jock regime? Sometimes this show zigs when I think it is going to zag.

Speaking of which, what the fuck Rhoades family, particularly Chuck Jr.? You have planted bugs on people! Did it never occur to you that the same thing could happen to you? I was certain the whole setup with the safe was going to be a trap deliberately set for Connerty and Co. but instead they seem to have no idea.

I like the unusual pairing of Wendy and Wags and I hope they have more cause to interact in future episodes. I also enjoyed Wendy telling Spyros to fuck off.

It looks like because Rebecca cut a deal with Taylor and rejected Axe's heroic solution, Axe is about to sell Rebecca down the river and I think that is a terrible idea.

[EtheltoTillie]

9 hours ago, dwmarch said:

Spoiler warning for those who will not be watching this episode until it airs. Billions leaks every Saturday night well in advance of the scheduled time so I have already seen this episode.

Long story short, I loved it! Lots going on from the Connerty brothers safe heist to Axe living up to his name.

There were so many good lines in this episode! I loved Mafee's reaction of "fuck you, math guy!" and Chuck Sr. dismissing the smell of prison as "dick... I bet it smells like dick." There was also the bit where Connerty told Jock that he had seen Chuck Sr's ass along with Jock's... dismay on the matter.

I can't get a read on Sacker. Is she Chuck's undercover soldier, taking down all this corruption from within or has she bought in to the Jock regime? Sometimes this show zigs when I think it is going to zag.

Speaking of which, what the fuck Rhoades family, particularly Chuck Jr.? You have planted bugs on people! Did it never occur to you that the same thing could happen to you? I was certain the whole setup with the safe was going to be a trap deliberately set for Connerty and Co. but instead they seem to have no idea.

I like the unusual pairing of Wendy and Wags and I hope they have more cause to interact in future episodes. I also enjoyed Wendy telling Spyros to fuck off.

It looks like because Rebecca cut a deal with Taylor and rejected Axe's heroic solution, Axe is about to sell Rebecca down the river and I think that is a terrible idea.

I just watched it too.  It doesn't really leak.  They just release it for Showtime On Demand at midnight Sunday morning.  Showtime does this with other shows, like The Affiair.  This was a better episode than previous few.  Good for Wendy telling the truth.  It felt right for her.

[scrb]

Axe had a sour puss on as he and Rebecca toasted to her deal with Taylor.

He has a bigger hard on for Taylor than Rebecca, I'd say.  He wasn't willing to spend $5 billion for Becks, he was willing to spend that money to hurt Taylor.

Where do they get these appliance factory names?  BTW, it's not that lucrative an industry I think.  Do people buy appliances at Sears or at Home Depot which can get it delivered and installed?

Wendy did the right thing.  Guess she knew Axe would never let her go so she doesn't need her license for a few years.

Hall saw the crooked painting covering the safe.  That cuff links Connerty's brother stole will be evidence or it should be.  And now Jeffcoat and Connerty are about to break another law to hear the recording they're not suppose to hear.

I'm sure Sacker is playing the con.  Thing is, Texas does voter suppression.  They don't have to use rigged election machines and their elections are usually not that close anyways.

Of course those old election machines are rife for fraud.  But you know what else is potentially rife for fraud?  Mobile voting or online voting of any kind.

Chuck Sr. has a baby momma whom he plucked out of college.

[Dminches]

I thought this was one of the better episodes of the season.  Very nice twist to link Taylor and Axe’s girlfriend so she becomes collateral damage.  Taylor should be smart enough to realize that Axe is never going to stop coming after her even if it means losing the girlfriend.

I would be shocked is Sacker doesn’t end up on top of both Chuck and Joc.  She is too smart to not exploit both of their sick minds.

[janeta]

I agree that Sacker is playing all sides against the middle.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Looks to me like Rebecca has started to see Axe as a liability, at least as far as business deals are concerned. I'm still wondering if she's working undercover against him. Getting him to liquidate so much stock seems like a deliberate move to me, especially since she knew he'd be going against his own people to do it.

But I got lost at the end. What is this financial nuclear bomb Axe is about to drop, and why did Rebecca go after Taylor now? If that was a play why didn't she make it sooner before asking Axe to buy the rival appliance company?

[Chaos Theory]

I am not sure I buy Wendy confessing straight up to the medical board.  i get why  she did it and her explanation to Chuck Jr makes sense but in the end it just made no sense to me.  Honestly I think the show just wanted to strip Wendy down to nothing.  Which kind of pusses me off.  I did like Wags being outside the courtroom afterward though. Wendy and Wags have always made an interesting duo.  They shouldn’t work but they do.

For someone so smart Taylor has completely misread the situation with Rebecca.   Making peace with her was never going to appease Axe that is not how he rolls.  By this juncture he will burn Axecap down to take out Taylor and that is what makes him dangerous.

[Dminches]

8 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Looks to me like Rebecca has started to see Axe as a liability, at least as far as business deals are concerned. I'm still wondering if she's working undercover against him. Getting him to liquidate so much stock seems like a deliberate move to me, especially since she knew he'd be going against his own people to do it.

But I got lost at the end. What is this financial nuclear bomb Axe is about to drop, and why did Rebecca go after Taylor now? If that was a play why didn't she make it sooner before asking Axe to buy the rival appliance company?

I don't see it that way at all.  She wan't happy asking Axe to liquidate all those funds for her especially since it was clear he really didn't want to.  Thus, she took the matter into her own hands and negotiated directly with Taylor.  Her deal with Taylor was solid in that she made Taylor invest in Saler so Taylor wouldn't try to go against her again.  What Rebecca failed to realize is that Axe will do anything to try to destroy Taylor, even if it means hurting Rebecca in the process.

[khyber]

15 hours ago, scrb said:

Do people buy appliances at Sears or at Home Depot which can get it delivered and installed?

Chuck Sr. has a baby momma whom he plucked out of college.

I'm old. Back in the day, you would buy from Sears because they had good products, good selection and good service & repair.

The woman Chuck Sr. was with didn't come from college. He set up a college fund for the baby he fathered with her.

[dmc]

There were so many plots I couldn’t follow.  I hope it all comes together next episode.  Wendy’s biggest liability with this hearing was always her conscience because not a whole lot of evidence existed but she knows she did it.  In the end, coming clean to her felt more important.  

I fully expect Axe to use everyone as collateral damage to nail Taylor the next episode.  The entire concept of billions is Axe is a total war guy, he wants the entire win not a compromise.  Both Rebecca, Taylor, Wendy all go for compromises he cannot accept.  Taylor’s mistake is thinking anyone is more important to Axe than winning.  At any given point during this show, he has sacrificed his family, Wendy, his company and his freedom to win.  Taylor can never beat him because they (right pronoun?) has a line, he doesn’t.   So for Taylor to be the victor they would have to become Axe. 

Edited June 3, 2019 by dmc
Wrong pronoun

[Auntie Anxiety]

34 minutes ago, dmc said:

So for Taylor to be the victor she would have to become Axe. 

“they” would have to become Axe. (I’m also trying to figure out the pronouns.)

General warning to all viewers: Don’t spend too much time trying to make sense out of this show. It’s an exercise in futility.

[PrincessPurrsALot]

I can understand Axe being focused on revenge.  I cannot understand him being as successful as we are told he is when he makes terrible decisions based on revenge. It's still a win if Saler's does well and Axe is left whole, but he insists on destroying Taylor for leaving.  Axe treats people terribly and then acts like a child when they leave. They more and more make me hope Axe ends up financially bankrupt and alone with his company gone and all of the people he has harmed picking up his clients. 

[txhorns79]

5 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

For someone so smart Taylor has completely misread the situation with Rebecca.   Making peace with her was never going to appease Axe that is not how he rolls.  By this juncture he will burn Axecap down to take out Taylor and that is what makes him dangerous.

I wouldn't say Axe going all in on revenge makes him dangerous.  If anything, it makes Axe extremely vulnerable.  It's a terrible decision to liquidate good positions on long term investments for the sake of getting back at someone.  Axe is too blinded by his own rage to see this, and hopefully, that will be his undoing. 

[dmc]

2 hours ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

“they” would have to become Axe. (I’m also trying to figure out the pronouns.)

General warning to all viewers: Don’t spend too much time trying to make sense out of this show. It’s an exercise in futility.

Thank you I tried so hard too.  

[Auntie Anxiety]

1 minute ago, dmc said:

2 hours ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

Thank you I tried so hard too.  

I was brought up in the day when “he” was used to mean both women AND men, so I’ve had to relearn grammar during a few different eras. It’s ever-evolving.

[dmc]

42 minutes ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

I was brought up in the day when “he” was used to mean both women AND men, so I’ve had to relearn grammar during a few different eras. It’s ever-evolving.

Agreed it’s difficult but I’m willing to do it 🙂

[Pop Tart]

23 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

But I got lost at the end. What is this financial nuclear bomb Axe is about to drop, and why did Rebecca go after Taylor now? If that was a play why didn't she make it sooner before asking Axe to buy the rival appliance company?

In the deal Taylor was making with Rebecca they wanted to go back to status quo with Salers buying appliances from the company Taylor had control of. Rebecca, because she had the fall back of Axe’s money, had a bit of leverage so she said sure Salers would buy appliances from Taylor’s company but that she wanted control of the company. But even though Rebecca would control the company, Taylor was to stay invested. Thus if Saler’s failed, the appliance company would go with it and Taylor would lose big time. Rebecca wanted Taylor’s financial fate to be tied to Salers so Rebecca would no longer be afraid of Taylor going after Salers.

The problem for Taylor now is that Axe cares more about revenge then he does Rebecca and the nuclear bomb is going to be Axe taking Salers down and thus Taylor with it. That it will also destroy Rebecca in the process as collateral damage  isn’t as important as taking Taylor down.

I kept expecting that perhaps Rebecca had been working with Taylor all along. Seems that hasn’t been so. Until now. Axe is about to make her an enemy and I don’t think that will be good for him at all. 

[scrb]

2 hours ago, Pop Tart said:

In the deal Taylor was making with Rebecca they wanted to go back to status quo with Salers buying appliances from the company Taylor had control of. Rebecca, because she had the fall back of Axe’s money, had a bit of leverage so she said sure Salers would buy appliances from Taylor’s company but that she wanted control of the company. But even though Rebecca would control the company, Taylor was to stay invested. Thus if Saler’s failed, the appliance company would go with it and Taylor would lose big time. Rebecca wanted Taylor’s financial fate to be tied to Salers so Rebecca would no longer be afraid of Taylor going after Salers.

The problem for Taylor now is that Axe cares more about revenge then he does Rebecca and the nuclear bomb is going to be Axe taking Salers down and thus Taylor with it. That it will also destroy Rebecca in the process as collateral damage  isn’t as important as taking Taylor down.

I kept expecting that perhaps Rebecca had been working with Taylor all along. Seems that hasn’t been so. Until now. Axe is about to make her an enemy and I don’t think that will be good for him at all. 

Makes sense plot-wise.  To hurt Taylor, Axe would have to hurt Rebecca.

But in the real world, if two companies are that tied to each other, where if one suffers, the other will, those aren't successful businesses.

Doubtful that Salers would be dependent on selling just appliances or that they'd have only one supplier.

And an appliance company with just one major client would also be on shaky ground.

I doubt there are too many examples IRL of companies who have one major supplier or a vendor with just one customer.

[txhorns79]

7 hours ago, Pop Tart said:

I kept expecting that perhaps Rebecca had been working with Taylor all along. Seems that hasn’t been so. Until now. Axe is about to make her an enemy and I don’t think that will be good for him at all. 

Yeah, I don't think Rebecca would react well to Axe destroying her personal dream (and perhaps financially ruining her) to get back at Taylor.   

On a positive note, I thought Wags and Wendy's scene at the bar was very nice.  He was charming, and she looked really happy for what may be the first time this entire season.  I also enjoyed Chuck Sr.'s suggestion that he was engaged in home repair, as is his wont, when he found evidence of the bug.   

[khyber]

8 hours ago, scrb said:

Doubtful that Salers would be dependent on selling just appliances or that they'd have only one supplier.

And an appliance company with just one major client would also be on shaky ground.

I doubt there are too many examples IRL of companies who have one major supplier or a vendor with just one customer.

In the 80s I worked at Western Digital. At that time IBM was 85-90% of their business. They finally realized how dangerous that position was.

[roughing it]

Well, my theory was that Rhoades Sr and Jr were onto the "bug" with their phone calls to each other and the meeting with Ira.  I guess I was wrong, darn it, because I really want Connerty and his smug face to go down.  Well, he may still.  Not sure which side Sacker is on...

[Chaos Theory]

I think the moment Axe found out that Rebecca made a deal with Taylor his feelings for her vanished.   I am also not sure he wouldn’t let Wendy get hit by the crossfire.  Previously she was off limits.  But her actions at the hearing he would see as weak.   I am not sure someone like him can stomach that kind of weakness.

i am also not sure if Chuck Jr wouldn’t throw her to the wolves if it got him what he wanted.  

Edited June 4, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[Pop Tart]

9 hours ago, roughing it said:

Well, my theory was that Rhoades Sr and Jr were onto the "bug" with their phone calls to each other and the meeting with Ira.  I guess I was wrong, darn it, because I really want Connerty and his smug face to go down.  Well, he may still.  Not sure which side Sacker is on...

I still think they were fully aware that they might be bugged since they made such a point of making clear that Ira was their lawyer. I think Chuck has at least suspected they were listening to him going back to when they were discussing the bank that had been taken off the restricted list. Something about that phone call felt very staged. And Seniors nonchalance when he was being questioned by Jeff oat makes me think it’s all part of a plan.

[Mardo2044]

On 6/3/2019 at 7:40 AM, Chaos Theory said:

I am not sure I buy Wendy confessing straight up to the medical board.  i get why  she did it and her explanation to Chuck Jr makes sense but in the end it just made no sense to me.  Honestly I think the show just wanted to strip Wendy down to nothing.  Which kind of pusses me off.  I did like Wags being outside the courtroom afterward though. Wendy and Wags have always made an interesting duo.  They shouldn’t work but they do.

I don't buy it either.  I also don't but that any of those guys would use her for anything but "I need motivation" because they can not count on confidentiality to cover their stated misdeeds.  she can say it is confidential, but now everything is available by supeona.  All she could do is not keep records on a move forward. 

[Mardo2044]

On 6/4/2019 at 2:18 AM, scrb said:

I doubt there are too many examples IRL of companies who have one major supplier or a vendor with just one customer.

Car dealerships?

Edited June 5, 2019 by Mardo2044

[Mardo2044]

14 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

I think the moment Axe found out that Rebecca made a deal with Taylor his feelings for her vanished.  

This. Also he liquidated to "save" her, and her making a deal with Taylor "behind his back" (not her view, his) emasculated him

[Mardo2044]

On 6/2/2019 at 6:20 PM, scrb said:

Of course those old election machines are rife for fraud.  But you know what else is potentially rife for fraud?  Mobile voting or online voting of any kind.

truth

[Chaos Theory]

Although I usually find Chucks side less interesting.  I did realize that shows does state pretty openly that the biggest problem with the system is that the people in office are the ones who make the laws and most of them want to keep their jobs or rise in rank so they aren’t going to write laws that make it easier for them to lose their jobs.

Chuck has always been a bull in a China shop.  He will go after anyone he sees as in his way of when he feels personally offended.  Although he is himself status quo he will go after anyone else who is status quo just because he can.

[The Solution]

On 6/4/2019 at 2:18 AM, scrb said:

I doubt there are too many examples IRL of companies who have one major supplier or a vendor with just one customer.

I got out of a company about 6 months - 1 year before they realized 90% of their business came from one customer (albeit lucrative) who wasn't buying from them anymore. This after years of me saying that we needed to develop some other customers.

I got significantly more money and a better position out of it so don't cry for me Argentina.

[MJS]

On 6/3/2019 at 7:45 AM, Dminches said:

I don't see it that way at all.  She wan't happy asking Axe to liquidate all those funds for her especially since it was clear he really didn't want to.  Thus, she took the matter into her own hands and negotiated directly with Taylor.  Her deal with Taylor was solid in that she made Taylor invest in Saler so Taylor wouldn't try to go against her again.  What Rebecca failed to realize is that Axe will do anything to try to destroy Taylor, even if it means hurting Rebecca in the process.

I agree with this. I also think Bobby was annoyed that she ended up solving this on her own. He may say he wants a powerful equal, just as long he's a bit more powerful and equal than she is. 

I truly enjoyed Mafee coming to Taylor's defense. He's Taylor's Wags. 😎

Edited June 8, 2019 by MJS

[talktoomuch]

On 6/3/2019 at 10:52 PM, Pop Tart said:

The problem for Taylor now is that Axe cares more about revenge then he does Rebecca and the nuclear bomb is going to be Axe taking Salers down and thus Taylor with it. That it will also destroy Rebecca in the process as collateral damage  isn’t as important as taking Taylor down.

I kept expecting that perhaps Rebecca had been working with Taylor all along. Seems that hasn’t been so. Until now. Axe is about to make her an enemy and I don’t think that will be good for him at all. 

Even though I don't think Rebecca is written that well, so I don't care about what happens to her, I wish the show would make her into a formidable foe for Axe. An alliance with Taylor would be fantastic. But then I come back to reality and realize no one but Chuck is going to be allowed to stand against Axe.

On 6/4/2019 at 1:41 PM, Chaos Theory said:

I am also not sure he wouldn’t let Wendy get hit by the crossfire.  Previously she was off limits.  But her actions at the hearing he would see as weak.   I am not sure someone like him can stomach that kind of weakness.

i am also not sure if Chuck Jr wouldn’t throw her to the wolves if it got him what he wanted.  

Wendy has never truly been off limits for Chuck nor Axe. Both men will sacrifice everything and everyone to win. The only difference is the show allowed Chuck to go through with his betrayal of Wendy while stopping Axe's.

On 6/4/2019 at 9:13 PM, Pop Tart said:

I still think they were fully aware that they might be bugged since they made such a point of making clear that Ira was their lawyer. I think Chuck has at least suspected they were listening to him going back to when they were discussing the bank that had been taken off the restricted list. Something about that phone call felt very staged. And Seniors nonchalance when he was being questioned by Jeff oat makes me think it’s all part of a plan.

I still think they knew as well. All of that overly stage-y conversation and then willingly signing a document admitting to fraud is too smart for this pair. This and the scenes with Sacker have to be part of a Rhoades plan. Though I really hope Sacker has her own plan. Anything so long as Jeffcoat and Connerty go down.

On 6/5/2019 at 7:03 AM, Chaos Theory said:

Although I usually find Chucks side less interesting.  I did realize that shows does state pretty openly that the biggest problem with the system is that the people in office are the ones who make the laws and most of them want to keep their jobs or rise in rank so they aren’t going to write laws that make it easier for them to lose their jobs.

Chuck has always been a bull in a China shop.  He will go after anyone he sees as in his way of when he feels personally offended.  Although he is himself status quo he will go after anyone else who is status quo just because he can.

This is true of both Chuck and Axe. They have the same self-serving motivation to win at any cost. It has to be what attracts Wendy to them both. Not that Wendy has ever been shown to be attracted to her own husband on this show.