"Billions" New TV Drama on Showtime Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Juan Matus, Jan 14, 2016.

  1. Juan Matus

    Juan Matus Reformed Audiophile Thread Starter

    I watched this last night and despite a decent cast I thought it was pretty meh. Paul Giamatti turned in a good performance (doesn't he always) but some of the plot was a bit silly. I will probably watch more episodes unless it goes really off the rails. Anyone else watch and care to post an opinion?
     
  2. tonyc

    tonyc Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    I saw Paul Giammati on Stephen Colbert last night and I will watch it on free preview this weekend. It seems like a show that may be hard to sustain, however, since neither side can totally win.
     
  3. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident

    A read a review whereby the reviewer commented that after seeing the first 6 eps, he felt like he should watch more, not because it's really good, but because...we'll he's seen so many that he feels obliged to see it through (otherwise know as the sunk cost fallacy).

    So basically, he seems to be echoing your 'meh' assessment - not terrible, not compelling (despite the good cast).
     
  4. DigMyGroove

    DigMyGroove Forum Resident

    I enjoyed the Pilot and look forward to seeing how it evolves. It definitely has that "Showtime" vibe, that's for sure.
     
  5. tonyc

    tonyc Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    I liked the pilot, too. I don't get Showtime so any updates from time to time would be appreciated.
     
  6. Chazro

    Chazro Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Palm Bch, Fl.
    Saw the 1st episode, sure, it wasn't fantabulous, but it was good. It's way too soon to give it a definitive thumbs up or down. I'm a big fan of many of the actors involved so I'm in!
     
  7. BEAThoven

    BEAThoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Saw the first two episodes... I really like the premise, and I think the acting is there, but... the dialogue seems a bit weird to me. It has that stilted quality that you find in macho action movies or some such.

    The first scene in the first episode seemed gratuitous as hell as though the producers were saying: "Hey, you might be thinking that there's going to be a lot boring hedge fund/Wall Street/investment talk, but here ya go with some spicy TV-MA material within the first 10 seconds."

    That said, I'm still in for episode 3. I think it has some fine potential.
     
  8. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    I didn't find it gratuitous within the context of the relationship between those two characters.
     
  9. BEAThoven

    BEAThoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Nah, the viewer didn't even know it was his wife until the end of the show... All we needed to know was that he's one of those stereotypical, massively powerful dudes who enjoys the services of a dominatrix... to feel powerless and at the mercy of someone else for his sexual gratification.

    We could have seen his wife just bust out the whips at the end of show as they moved into the bedroom or some such.

    They opened the scene with him hog-tied and being burned and urinated upon. The nature of their relationship could have been established with less specificity; the graphic nature and details of the scene were for audience titillation.

    Later on, naked lesbians doing cocaine off each others sexy bodies? That was for every horny dude in the audience... which is fine, but it just seemed so forced.

    The scene could have been played with her just snorting cocaine -- that was the only element that puts her job/career in jeopardy.

    Just my perspective. It ain't necessarily the right one.
     
  10. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    Just because you didn't figure out who the dominatrix was 'til they spelled it out for you, doesn't mean that no one else figured it out sooner... :)
     
    BEAThoven likes this.
  11. BEAThoven

    BEAThoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Right on, bro-heim.

    When she burnt his chest with a cigarette, I basically winced and turned away. When she urinated on him, I got up and mixed another drink. I just ain't that liberated! ;)
     
  12. Chazro

    Chazro Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Palm Bch, Fl.
    It's not bad....I think it's going to get better, seems like it's on a low boil!
     
  13. Juan Matus

    Juan Matus Reformed Audiophile Thread Starter

    I guess I will watch the 3rd at some point. It think it's ok so far. I liked the idea of it more than what I have seen so far.

    The only thing that annoyed me so far was the whole house thing. I thought that was totally unrealistic and didn't really seem vital to advance the plot.
     
  14. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    So how were you with this week's lesbian love and cocaine scene?
     
  15. BEAThoven

    BEAThoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    As I mentioned a couple of posts up:

    "Later on, naked lesbians doing cocaine off each others sexy bodies? That was for every horny dude in the audience... which is fine, but it just seemed so forced.

    The scene could have been played with her just snorting cocaine -- that was the only element that puts her job/career in jeopardy."

    But I will surely be checking out episode 3.
     
  16. Splungeworthy

    Splungeworthy Forum Rezidentura

    I'm watching this really because Paul Giamatti is one of my favorite actors, and to have him on a weekly TV show is rare indeed (water sports notwithstanding). And I don't know about anyone else, but the amount of financial-speak on this show has left me lost at times. But I'm sticking with it.
     
  17. Daryl M

    Daryl M Senior Member

    Location:
    London, Ontario
    I'm ambivalent about the show but I enjoyed the second episode more than the initial
    offering. I would have preferred to have seen Paul Giamatti and Maggie Siff as a married
    couple in a show about.....whatever.....maybe chasing Damien Lewis the serial killer.
     
  18. Plinko

    Plinko Senior Member

    The dialogue is a bit explanatory. However, I remain interested because the show seems a bit like The Sopranos. The kids aren't involved but the different episodical story lines follow a similar path...shakedowns, foes being humiliated, etc....it's also trying to weave in some humor, like The Sopranos. An older character has emerged (similar in some ways to Uncle Junior...and other ways very different).

    And Paul Giamatti is absolutely terrific.

    It also seems like they are trying to make Axelrod a "1%r" who is very different from that world.

    I read something somewhere where they suggested Lewis and Giamatti were miscast their roles should have been reversed. After three episodes, I think they were perfectly cast.
     
    Rufus McDufus likes this.
  19. Tone

    Tone Senior Member

    Wake me up when it does..... Wifey and I gave up on it halfway through the 2nd ep.
     
  20. JorgeGvb

    JorgeGvb Senior Member

    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    I have found the dialogue to be over the top at times and the show is pretty predictable so far.
     
  21. BEAThoven

    BEAThoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Well... I'll probably make it through the rest of the season, but I doubt I'll be brought back in....

    After this past Sunday's episode, this series is starting to remind me of the type of hypothetical "drama" show that Spike TV would launch in they decided to jump into the original mini-series business. So many of the parts reminded me of the filler, stilted "bro" downtime scenes that occur between the explosions and CGI of style-over-substance action films -- The show looked like it was pieced together from the parts of an action movie that featured no quick-cut explosive action.

    The characters and lack of realism are making it difficult to stay attentive.
     
  22. Daryl M

    Daryl M Senior Member

    Location:
    London, Ontario
    I think that the show is improving slightly every week. As a Canadian, I was stunned by
    the whole Metallica-in-Quebec scenes. That was certainly the new hockey arena there in
    Quebec City. Scenes seemed obviously to have been filmed there. And Damian Lewis
    threw Canadian bills down on the bar. But what was it all about?! Did Lewis demand
    to have his favourite band included in the show? Bizarre......oh, and I must say how
    absolutely terrific David Costable (sic?) is on `Billions'. He is amazing.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2016
  23. svoegtlin

    svoegtlin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milton, NH, USA
    My wife and I have watched the first two episodes.. I just can't seem to get into it. The whole thing feels so forced and contrived. I have no real interest in either of the lead characters, they are both very un likeable and come off as being very one dimensional. I have no idea what makes either of them tick.. but two hours into the series, I'm getting to a point where I don't really care..
     
    Hot Ptah likes this.
  24. Hot Ptah

    Hot Ptah Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    This is exactly how I feel about the show after two episodes. I came to the show thinking I would like it, but I really don't. The clash between the two main characters should be compelling, but it is not.
     
    svoegtlin likes this.
  25. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    In a way, it's like Mad Men, but every character is either a Pete Campbell or a Harry Crane...
     
    Hot Ptah likes this.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine