Billions tenth episode is needlessly complicated but hits all the right emotional notes nonetheless.
Unfortunately, there is no such spoiler warning included on episode tens official synopsis from Showtime.
Here were my guesses prior to even watching the episode.
Who cares what Axe and Wendys soul-searching were about?
2.Chuck suffers a setback.Ok, at least this is vague enough.
Probably something to do with the Axelrod case.
Outcome: Um…still not clear on what this setback is.
Outcome: Wtf,Billions?
This level of telegraphing the plot is undoubtedly annoying.
Lets talk about that exception up front.
Its a little harder to admit, however, when Im completely and irrevocably confused.
Unfortunately, I must admit to being intellectually helpless at some points in Quality of Life.
For one, I cannot make heads or fucking tails of what Axes plot with Donnie was.
Chuck begins the episode addressing his troops, some still literally blood-splattered from Donnies little episode.
That somehow transitions into Here I am again beaten.
Though it has yet to be confirmed, there is no doubt Donnie Caan is going to die.
Like…how are they able to suss it out so quickly?
Was the Eastern District attorney like Rhoades had a guy die in an interrogation cell.
We see dozens of these a week.
How could Rhoades be so clueless??
Beyond that, I also cant figure out what the plan exactly was.
But wait…what was I talking about earlier?
I actually somehow, despite a litany of grievances enjoyed this episode.
There are some real moments of both creativity and legitimate emotional payoff in Quality of Life.
The creativity comes to play in both Axe and Chucks respective revenge plots.
After Dollar Bill is released by Judge Wilcox he returns to Axe Capital to a heros welcome.
Stern gets in with Ionosphere effortlessly and then immediately ruins them on a bogus stock tip.
Then Axe steps in to offer them a deal.
Hell assume all their debt if they agree to his terms.
They are now a subsidiary of Axe Capital and they must do whatever he says.
In effect, they are his servants.
The Ionosphere folks have no choice but to comply.
Thats cold, but what might be even colder is the reveal at episodes end.
Axe opts out of telling Donnie that, citing a quality of life issue.
Its a perfect, devastating moment.
Did Axes haste to make a buck rob someone of precious time?
Or does it even matter as Donnies family now has all the money they need thanks to Axe.
Not entirely unlike the surviving family members of Bobbys colleagues killed in 9/11.
Quality of Life has many of the same logical and structural issues that have plaguedBillionsall season.
It also has well-earned moments of both emotional catharsis.
In the grand scheme of TV-making, the latter is far more important.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5
