Billions The Conversation (2016– ) Online

If you check the episode reviews, some members were disappointed. This one was not. Every story since Genesis has a beginning, a middle and an end. The end is always the hardest part. This one was fine.

More interesting (to this reviewer) is that while watching Billions I could not help thinking of the larger issues:

1. Lewis keeps evolving as an actor. If you can, try to find a DVD of his early series LIFE where it is entirely his personal charm that moved the cop series along for its two season run. With Homeland, he took his career and his craft up a notch. By the time Billions rolls around, we take for granted his ability to take over a scene and mesmerize the viewer. But he worked at it. And worked hard.

2. Maggie Siff with hindsight now seemed lost in Sons of Anarchy, now that we know (from this show) what she is really capable of. I look forward to her next project, whatever it may be. Serious acting chops.

3. Critics have said that the hit series Deadwood can be considered in two ways -- either as pure entertainment, or as a metaphor for the formation of America, from chaos to order. I think that Billions in many ways is the natural sequel to Deadwood, showing us how the America we know has gone from chaos to order .... to outright greed. Just like the dialog Siff delivers in her final scene, we can kid ourselves all we want. But at the end of the day, this society is not exactly what we were hoping to grow up in.

I just read my initial review. I pretty much understood from the beginning what "Billions" is all about. Or better what is and what isn't.

I wrote back then that the show is basically a Soap opera because of the strong relation between the characters. More specifically the confidant of the billionaire Bobby Axelrod (Wendy Rhoades) being ...married to the D.A. and sworn enemy of Axe, Chuck Rhoades.

In this finale and in the episode before that, it is explored (and exploited) something totally unrealistic. Wendy took incriminating notes (like it was sooo difficult to remember the session with her more important client) in the form of single words like "bribery" (!!!).

IMO always, it is bad writing to base a major plot arc and the seasons finale to something like that.

Anyway. After seeing all 12 episodes, this series is all about an unnecessary pissing contest between 2 ruthless people.

You see, there is no actual hero in this. D.A. Chuck is not a noble person either. He might force an unknown man to pick up his dog's poo, but he is not an honest or lawful man. And how could he be? A guy who's so deep in his passion of BDSM. Who can't hold himself. Who blackmails people. Who tries to enforce the law by continuously breaking it.

Overall: As I wrote in my initial review, this is undoubtedly a Soap opera. That means it has a totally unbelievable setting and tries to impress you with cheap tricks like big numbers and expensive gifts and expensive talk, which in the end, they don't cost a dime.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! You have been warned.

In terms of how much 'The Conversation' meant to me, it would be enough to say that this is the first ever review I post here. Furthermore, IMDb is a website I use on a regular basis since probably around ten years.

First off, I have to congratulate both Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti for the exceptionally skillful and tense acting at the end of the episode. Their performance empowers the message behind the final scene in an unforgettable way, underlining the importance of what is being said. The eternal battle between capitalists and government has been a social issue for decades, especially in the US, where in our times that conflict has been taken to a whole new level. (The current 2016 presidential election campaign represents just that.)

The exchange between Chuck and Bobby reveals the hatred between the two pillars of modern society. Yes, Bobby is right, without him the world cannot function. It is capital that produces any need people (the consumers) may have and capital satisfies it accordingly. It is a vicious circle into which the government does not hold any place, since it does not produce anything material of value. Still, this does not mean that the people who are in the business of governing will prefer to stay idle while the capitalists fill their banks, safes and bellies. The difference is simple – the capitalists offer trinkets, the government – 'security and justice'. The similarities are way too many to count.

Later on, Bobby states that he 'does nothing except make money, (and) succeed'. Again, true, because in a world which encourages competition, 'there will always be a place' for the likes of Axelrod. Chuck responds predictably that capitalists are no better than Wild West criminals and are capable of even more destruction if left to their own devices to 'make money, (and) succeed'. Mr. Rhoades is right from a moral point of view, but we all know morality always tends to bend at those heights. The problem is that the government is not an efficient way at dealing with the capitalists/criminals as rules and regulations are nothing more but a politicians' move and obviously cannot stop corruption, erosion of principles and the destruction of lives. The fines don't go to feed the hungry, they merely help the expansion of government branches, like an octopus which needs its tentacles in order to survive. Governments always tend to create more and more 'tentacles' until there is no capital left to feed off.

The torn apart office of 'Axe Capital' has been obviously selected for this scene quite intentionally to show how in the end the power of the government and that of capital collide to do nothing good, but leave only ruin behind. Both of those forces are destined to destroy each other, but the ones who wage that war will still drive away in expensive vehicles and simply abandon the battlefield, while the people will pay dearly with their lives for the damage.

'The Conversation' is an episode I was waiting for ever since I watched the Pilot. I knew it was coming and oh, did I enjoy the clash! Thank you!

Big Bang Theory went downhill when it became about the women and not the geeks. This series has made the same mistake. The only actress I cared about in the series was the Book authoress. She was nice, human, really fascinating in her plight. The others are a token icy blonde, a big-headed, sweary clone of Dexter's sister and a charisma-free psychologist with no brains and no sex appeal who did nothing to warrant the admiration the main characters had for her, nor our sympathy or even antipathy. And the climax was a joke. The two main characters basically bitch at one another pathetically. That's it? Towards the end I didn't care what happened, who won or what happened to the relationships. The trading plots and Axe's scheming were great, but the personal relationships tedium killed the show towards the end. The law guy became a villain but not an interesting one. Deadening political correctness was at play too, the show was preachy and sterile, it didn't have to play it safe.

Paul Giamatti at his Absolute best. The lead roles excelled beyond in this episode. The supporting roles put out their utmost effort, and proved why they got casted for this show- and didn't let up for one second. The Ultimate battle for Good v Evil is at the very hands of this series. So many themes and life's biggest (Real-world) questions are delved deep within countless times.

Overall: Great script, impressive acting, "Wunderbar!" finale. Strange post-ending scene song choice.