The recent CBS Home Entertainment DVD release of Season 5 of the Showtime "greed is good" series "Billions" provides a good chance to catch-up on this boiler-room drama before savoring the sixth season that started January 23, 2022.
This simple-but-brilliant concept of "Billions" pits master-of-the-universe/wolf of Wall Street Bobby "Axe" Axelrod (Damian Lewis) against now- New York attorney general Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). The numerous reasons for Chuck having an axe to grind include estranged wife Wendy Rhoades being the high-level performance coach at Axelrod firm Axe Capital and having a close personal relationship with the boss.
Some of the best moments belong to Axe lieutenant Mike "Wags" Wagner, who particularly shines when verbally abusing Axe Capital employees. He is the boss from Hell who proves that comedy is trauma that is inflicted on someone else.
Both the fast-paced plots and the enhanced quality of the already very-good writing distinguish S5 from earlier seasons. The most notable aspect of this is the obvious homage to classic Aaron Sorkin projects absent the extended speeches and the copious long walks. We additionally get numerous pop culture references that include inside jokes about Alan Alda and fellow Showtime series "Dexter" within minutes of each other in the "Billions" season premiere.
The no-reason-to-feel-guilty pleasure of the series include the vicarious joy of the win-at-all-costs 'tude of our major players. This extends beyond Axe separately blatantly exploiting an inner-city teen boy and (at least temporarily) ruining a competitor to achieve his own selfish desires to every main character proving that you cannot trust anyone.
Our season begins with the zeal with which Chuck prosecutes a bitcoin mining operation fluctuating in response to the degree to which he and Axe are battling. The professional fallout from that abuse of discretion drives much of the action. This get-rich-quick-scheme also is a factor in a notable episode in which Axe and his prep-school son get schooled.
S5 also finds Axe showing no mercy in his effort to obtain a bank charter. The price that he pays for that ambition reflects the morality of the Hays Code of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Secondary plots that tie into the main story arcs include the ripped-from-the-headlines issue of providing the marijuana industry banking services, the exploitation of opportunity zones that are intended to aid lower-income communities, and the conflict between art and commerce. A personal perspective as to the latter is once joking with a young artist about spending a small premium for a very limited edition print because its value would increase on his death. Moderate guilt arose on his passing away a few years later and the print substantially rising in value.
All of the "Billions drama aptly ends with a not-entirely-unexpected twist in the road runner/coyote relationship between Chuck and Axe. The conclusion follows the good model of a season finale also serving as a satisfying series finale in the event that are leads do not live to fight another day.
The apt bottom line this time is that "Billions" S5 easily provides investment-grade entertainment that is worth roughly $20 and approximately 12 hours of your valuable time.
