Article first published as BILLIONS Review on Seat42F.
Showtime’s
new series BILLIONS is seemingly about a hedge fund manager and a U.S.
Attorney, a battle of the big guy versus the common man, and a way to
express class frustration in this country. But what it really is, is a
drama about two flawed, petty men going at one another for all they’re
worth, a battle to the death (perhaps not literally, but definitely of
life as they know it), that only one man can walk away from, at best.
And honestly, that’s plenty for me.
WARNING: Spoilers are below, but nothing more spoiler-y than Wikipedia reveals.
BILLIONS stars Paul Giamatti (Sideways,
John Adams) as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of
New York, Chuck Rhoades. Chuck has a flawless record locking up those
who deserve it, picking his cases carefully, and with a chip on his
shoulder against the rich who think they’re above the rules. He is
influenced by his successful father, and intimidated (sometimes
positively) by his wife, Wendy (Maggie Siff, Sons of Anarchy, Mad Men),
who makes far more money than he does.
Wendy makes so much because she works
for Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis, Homeland, Wolf Hall), an extremely
successful player in the financial game. Wendy is his motivational
coach, though one wonders how much she knows about Bobby’s dalliances on
the wrong side of the law. Bobby’s own wife, Lara (Malin Akerman,
Watchmen, Trophy Wife), is certainly aware and supportive, even when it
includes milking 9/11 for the family’s monetary gain. This couple
sometimes pushes things a little too far.
Admittedly, that premise is a bit
far-fetched. The coincidence of Wendy’s employment alone, though
existing long before Chuck rose to power, stretches believability. Yet,
the characters are perfectly positioned for maximum conflict and drama,
so I don’t find myself minding all that much.
The primary reason to watch BILLIONS is
Giamatti and Lewis. Both accomplished, excellent performers, watching
them take these complex men and engage in a person struggle is highly
engrossing. Both have noble qualities and glaring flaws, and both do
things from a calculating perspective. They are two titans at the top of
their game (a description of both the characters and the actors), and
it’s a privilege to see them compete with abandon.
That isn’t to say the story isn’t enjoyable. Any series on Showtime
these days is pretty darn good, with the network having a high level of
quality in their programming. There are layers and twists and plenty of
detail to keep things interesting, and the topic is relevant and
current. I’m just saying that is secondary to the main attraction, the
fight where viewers will be unsure of who to side with from one scene to
the next.
What I’d most like to see change as time
goes on is for Wendy and Lara to play an equal role in the proceedings.
Wendy certainly does more than Lara in the pilot, but is still
supporting to the men. The lead actresses are perfectly capable of
standing toe-to-toe with their on-screen husbands, so I hope BILLIONS is
gender-equal over time.
There is also a top tier supporting
cast, including David Costabile (Breaking Bad, Suits) and Toby Leonard
Moore (Daredevil, The Pacific), who play the assistants to our
antiheroes. The production itself is pretty, and the direction is
appropriate to the scale of the conflict.
In short, BILLIONS is exactly on par
with what I expect from Showtime, if not a notch or two above some of
its peers. I am definitely committed to watching it, and recommend you
check it out. Like I said, if nothing else, you’ll likely enjoy the
leads.
BILLIONS premieres Sunday at 10 pm on Showtime.
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