The theme of this Showtime show is wealth means war. I don’t know about that being the truth in this capitalistically based society we live in, but what it does mean in this instance for television viewers is quality. Quality brought about in the form of intriguing storylines and a stellar cast – Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis, Maggie Siff, Corey Stoll, David Costabile, Samantha Mathis, Asia Kate Dillon, Jeffrey DeMunn, Harry Lennix, Frank Grillo, Terry Kinney, Ben Shenkman, Janeane Garofalo, and Saul Rabinek. It is an impressive lineup and they come through in spades!
Props also have to go to the people behind the camera in this one as a large part of the season was filmed during the pandemic. I am sure the logistics were mind-boggling with cast members being presumably all over the globe in various states of lockdown. Yet none of this affects the quality of the series this season. Season five. Sometimes, even with the best series, the calibre goes down as the series goes on. Such is not the case with Billions. Its quality has remained high throughout. This is despite the fact that it has essentially been a head-to-head battle of two giants in lawyer Chuck Rhoades and businessman Bobby Axelrod.
No letting up of the battle here in this season. Chuck and Bobby continue trying to outsmart each other throughout. It has become an all-out brawl with supporters changing allegiances. The future of Axe Capital hangs in the balance.
Elaborate storylines are the calling card of the series. We really have to buy in for the long game here. Patience is a virtue which will be rewarded. That along with the elevated production values, top-notch acting and screen time devoted to character development keep fans coming back.
In the end we get a cliffhanger. A question as to the future of a major character. The last few episodes of the 12 episode season really save the bacon here. The first half is really not up to snuff then it kicks into gear over the last half dozen and really gives us a big payoff in the end.
