Ephemeris of the Mind (Show Review) Billions - Season 6
Time to read: 2 min read
Show Cover
My victories are our victories. My wins are your wins.
Past Billions reviews:
Review
This is the first season without Axe; Mike Prince (Corey Stoll) takes the stage in Axe’s place. Chuck comes out of retirement to go after Prince. Unlike Axe, who is vicious and vindictive, Prince is collected and calculating; the character of Chuck (Paul Giamatti) develops into a calm and mature force to counter Prince. Due to the dominance of Axe’s character, without him, the show turns into an ensemble drama and sometimes there are too many plots, which obfuscates the main storyline.
The game of cat-and-mouse is still there, but it feels like watching a game of chess instead of watching a battle. There are also some new characters who are introduced or brought into the spotlight, such as Scooter (Daniel Breaker) and his nephew Philip (Toney Goins). Scooter’s conflict with Wags (David Costabile) and Philip’s conflict with Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon) are entertaining but are insignificant to the greater plot.
Some of the themes of the season were interesting and timely, though, such as the weaponization of social justice mob mentality and the crusade against personal wealth accumulation. Prince’s own character is also interesting; while overtly he presents an image of benevolence, he displays moments of ruthlessness and egotism just like Axe.
Conclusion
While this show still has its moments, this season felt bloated and not as exciting without Axe.