But it does so in a winking, fairly transparent way.

Save for the opening BioLance conference call*, the entirety of Magical Thinking is set after hours.

For the most part,Billionsuses the after-hours setting to great effect.

There is something undeniably poetic even for the metaphorical illiterate about private spaces after dark.

Its a smart choice for the show and lends a real air of importance to the characters interactions throughout.

The answer, as often seems to be the case forBillionsis … kind of, kind of not.

Lara and Lus journey to rediscover the magic of their youth is essentially a dud.

Theres no consistency to the character of Lu and moments like those are part of the reason why.

Connerty and Kates adventure in the office is the other after-hours vignette that is pretty much dead on arrival.

Im hesitant to criticize actors for much of anything as acting is such a vulnerable artistic pursuit.

Axe and Wendys night-long therapy session is at first quite specious.

They talk in pseudo-intellectual alpha male/female terms and reminisce about the good old days.

But once things get done to brass tacks,Billionsactually has some interesting character observations to make.

People who have the capacity to feel nothing.

They call them sociopaths.

Is that what I am?

Wendy then theorizes that he lost money on the BioLance deal to absolve himself of his guilt.

Subconsciously, its what his mind does to punish himself.

A normal person wouldnt engage in this behavior, she tells him.

But a sociopath wouldnt give a shit.

Thats a pretty apt and fascinating breakdown of Axes personality.

The same goes for Chuck.

Chuck seems to have the same ability to self-diagnose as Axe does.

Hes not happy because his marriage has become unsettled.

The realization takes him to Axe Capital where he witnesses Axe and Wendy bonding on the balcony.

It drives Chuck to a seedy BDSM club where he finds out hes been being followed all day.

A man died in the previous episode but Chuck opening a laptop in this one is far more traumatic.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5