by Jeff Alan, Contributing Writer
At long last, the hit Showtime series Billions comes to a definite conclusion, and leaves with the biggest bang of them all. The seven-season series that started in 2016, comprised of all-star talent of Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis, David Costabile, Corey Stoll, Maggie Siff, Asia Kate Dillon, and Jeffrey DeMunn – just to name a few – had some of the best and most well-written moments of any TV series in the past decade, and this final season brings its intense story of hedge funds and law-bending to a close.
The seventh season of Billions starts right were the previous left off, with Chuck Rhoades (Giamatti) in legal trouble after being outwitted by Mike Prince (Stoll) in a major way. After attempting to bring down Prince one last time – and devising a very shady plan to do so – Season Six ends with Prince getting away crime-free, and leaves Rhoades holding the bag and being arrested for his less-than-legal tactics in his last-ditch effort to expose Prince before he starts his presidential campaign. However, Prince — realizing that in this effort, he had to sacrifice over three billion dollars to campaign – has a moment of weakness that is caught on camera by Daevisha ‘Dave’ Mahar (Sakina Jaffrey), who starts to believe Chuck was telling the truth about Prince. Mahar eventually goes to Chuck in his holding cell, and they make a deal to bring Prince down the right way in return for his release.
Using Mahar’s indictment of Rhoades to gain access to the employees of Prince, Mahar attempts to build a case against him, but Rhoades is kept in the dark about her plans, and tries to change his public perception to win their respect, and make himself look like a hero. And after convincing Jock Jeffcoat (Clancy Brown) to make a video stating he wrongly fired Chuck from the U.S. Attorney’s office, Prince is able to use that and a recommendation from the current president of the United States to get reinstated at his previous position as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Meanwhile at Michael Prince Capital, as his campaign plans start to heat up, Prince puts Taylor (Dillon) and Philip (Toney Goins) in charge of the company, but in talking to Wags (Costabile) and Wendy (Siff), Taylor believes that – if elected – Prince will become ruthless in his quest for power. They then turn to the one person who has the means and knowledge to bring Prince down in a way the law can’t: none other than Bobby Axelrod (Lewis), living a life in London since he cannot come back to the States. Axe initially refuses to bring Prince down, but offers Wendy, Taylor, and Wags a place at a new firm he is starting in London. But they refuse and return to New York to continue their efforts to bring Prince down for good. But don’t be let down, this is not the last time we see Axe grace the screen.
I will say no more about the initial set up of the final season, and proceed by saying that Billions is back and as good as it ever was. With Axe returning to the show, and unlikely partnerships happening left and right, it’s great to dive back into this world once again, and man, does it bring even bigger surprises and unlikely alliances. We see the team of MPC employees fighting for their greed as usual, but with the bigger players working with Prince, and gaining his trust so that it is easier to stab him in the back when the time is right.
What stands out so profoundly in this final season is the writing, in which co-creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien’s style and knowledge of the subject matter shines brightest! These two have been collaborators in writing for years, writing such films as Solitary Man, Walking Tall, Ocean’s Thirteen, and most notably, Rounders. Koppelman especially being one of the most talented writers of modern time beams through this whole final season due to his uncanny ability to learn the ins and outs of a subject, and to write a compelling story that is as accurate as it is interesting to watch.
The performances from all the actors are as good as they’ve always been. Giamatti is law-abiding and shady side in equal parts. Stoll as Prince attempting to run for president and keep up the “good boy” act is conniving and fun to watch. And with the return of Axelrod, it brings the series back to what we remember from the early seasons before his departure, and brings that opposing force to Prince’s plans that comes together wonderfully.
The best part about this final season is that it ends in the most satisfying way we have seen since Breaking Bad ended its run a decade ago. Every storyline wraps up perfectly, there are no loose ends, you feel at peace with the place everyone leaves off, and the way the writing of the ending works out is immensely fun and satisfying. It’s hard to say goodbye to a fun series like this, but I know the future is bright for the continued partnership between Koppelman and Levien, and I am looking forward to their next outing on the small screen!
Rating: Low Side of Loved It
Billions is currently streaming on Paramount+
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