Television Billions - new Showtime series

wr8_utd

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Same. In the fourth season I think. Incredibly repetitive. First couple of seasons where decent, but these producers need to know how to make a contained story.
The Chuck going after the mega rich got extremely boring after a while. They didn't know what else to do with the character.
 

calodo2003

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Axe appears in six episodes out of twelve in the final season.

I might just do some research on what happened last year & tune into the final season. Hopefully some of their early magic can be redoubled.
 

Rado_N

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I sacked this off at the end of season 5 which was already shite but the guy from House of Cards taking over from Axe seemed like time to stop watching.

How bad was season 6?
 

Berbaclass

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I sacked this off at the end of season 5 which was already shite but the guy from House of Cards taking over from Axe seemed like time to stop watching.

How bad was season 6?
Presumably the majority of people stopped watching when Axe left :lol:

Probably begged him to come back
 

Brophs

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If I was on a promise from Wendy, I'd drop back in for 6 episodes, too.
 

Tyrion

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My brother and Dad watched it but they haven't mentioned it in years. I'm surprised it's still going tbh. When I saw this thread pop back up, I thought maybe some spin off had been announced because I assumed the show was over.

Same. In the fourth season I think. Incredibly repetitive. First couple of seasons where decent, but these producers need to know how to make a contained story.
I think the same thing happened with the Walking Dead. Their show was more successful than they expected so they tried to capitalise but stretched their premise so thinly no-one cared.
 

Mike Smalling

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I think the same thing happened with the Walking Dead. Their show was more successful than they expected so they tried to capitalise but stretched their premise so thinly no-one cared.
It happens to most shows for exactly that reason. They start out good but overstay their welcome.

Billions, House of Cards, Vikings, Prison Break, Homeland, etc. etc. If you throw in sitcoms the list becomes endless.

A series like Breaking Bad is so rare. It kept building and had a satisfying end with good character arcs, because the writers had an idea of where to go and knew how to conclude it.
 

Amir

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When I saw this thread pop back up, I thought maybe some spin off had been announced because I assumed the show was over.

I think the same thing happened with the Walking Dead. Their show was more successful than they expected so they tried to capitalise but stretched their premise so thinly no-one cared.
A spin off wasn't the reason the thread popped back up this time around... But as for the resemblence to the Walking Dead, it's more uncanny than you think. Yes, Billions are also looking to create a Billion spin offs.

https://robbreport.com/lifestyle/news/showtime-confirms-billions-spinoffs-1234804831/
 

wr8_utd

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It's nice to see Axe back but everything about Chuck just irritates me now. I think they just completely overdid his obsession.
 

AbusementPark

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I haven’t seen a whiff of promo about it. Didn’t even know it was coming back, figured it was toast.
It’s toast now, I thought with Axe returning things would be a lot less boring, but this season has taken it to an all time low. Full of pointless references, which come one after another. Script writing must be done by interns it’s that poor, each episode in the new season just gets worse and worse. Guest appearances as well don’t make any sense, until the guest explains in detail why they are there. I loved the first 4/5 seasons but the last 2 have been awful, almost at a point where I won’t even watch the rest of the season, I’ll check the IMDB ratings each week and decide from that, not wasting my time on it anymore it’s that poor.
 

UnrelatedPsuedo

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It’s toast now, I thought with Axe returning things would be a lot less boring, but this season has taken it to an all time low. Full of pointless references, which come one after another. Script writing must be done by interns it’s that poor, each episode in the new season just gets worse and worse. Guest appearances as well don’t make any sense, until the guest explains in detail why they are there. I loved the first 4/5 seasons but the last 2 have been awful, almost at a point where I won’t even watch the rest of the season, I’ll check the IMDB ratings each week and decide from that, not wasting my time on it anymore it’s that poor.
Aye. I popped it on last night. Absolute car crash. Nobody reading the room in that writers crew. Cant even be arsed to criticise all of the spaces that are shit.

Giving up ESG investing principles and calling in a billionaire in order to save the world… It’s beyond parody. Won’t watch anymore of it.
 

wr8_utd

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It’s toast now, I thought with Axe returning things would be a lot less boring, but this season has taken it to an all time low. Full of pointless references, which come one after another. Script writing must be done by interns it’s that poor, each episode in the new season just gets worse and worse. Guest appearances as well don’t make any sense, until the guest explains in detail why they are there. I loved the first 4/5 seasons but the last 2 have been awful, almost at a point where I won’t even watch the rest of the season, I’ll check the IMDB ratings each week and decide from that, not wasting my time on it anymore it’s that poor.
They've been doing this for years now and I've never quite understood their strange obsession with shoving as many as them as possible in a single episode. I'm not quite what sort of people have regular conversations with those sort of references all the time.

The last few seasons have been rubbish but I'm watching this one while Axe is still making appearances. Billions got lazy in its writing much like Suits had gotten. Chuck's crazy obsession year after year after year has gotten tiring now.
 

Amir

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It’s toast now, I thought with Axe returning things would be a lot less boring, but this season has taken it to an all time low. Full of pointless references, which come one after another. Script writing must be done by interns
I reckon ChatGPT wrote the scripts. Since it based its info on the previous seasons, it's not a surprised it picked this up as a a major point.
 

AbusementPark

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They've been doing this for years now and I've never quite understood their strange obsession with shoving as many as them as possible in a single episode. I'm not quite what sort of people have regular conversations with those sort of references all the time.

The last few seasons have been rubbish but I'm watching this one while Axe is still making appearances. Billions got lazy in its writing much like Suits had gotten. Chuck's crazy obsession year after year after year has gotten tiring now.
I will finish it, I’ve started it and invested this long into watching it but it won’t be a show I would rewatch if it continues on down this path. At least with Game of Thrones having lazy writing and being rushed it still managed to produce a decent ending and season. I’m a big fan of Axe as well, he’s a fantastic character in the show, but after Damian Lewis sang the national anthem at the F1 it’s put him in a different light for me and I can’t unsee/hear that performance, ruined his ruthless image.
 

AbusementPark

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I reckon ChatGPT wrote the scripts. Since it based its info on the previous seasons, it's not a surprised it picked this up as a a major point.
Actually not a bad suggestion, could actually have been scripted from that it is that poorly put together. I’m hoping it can still be salvaged and this is just the filler episodes before the chaos.
 

wr8_utd

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I will finish it, I’ve started it and invested this long into watching it but it won’t be a show I would rewatch if it continues on down this path. At least with Game of Thrones having lazy writing and being rushed it still managed to produce a decent ending and season. I’m a big fan of Axe as well, he’s a fantastic character in the show, but after Damian Lewis sang the national anthem at the F1 it’s put him in a different light for me and I can’t unsee/hear that performance, ruined his ruthless image.
Oh, that is absolutely not happening. The show has considerably fallen off its first 3-4 seasons peak.
 

Salt Bailly

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I will finish it, I’ve started it and invested this long into watching it but it won’t be a show I would rewatch if it continues on down this path. At least with Game of Thrones having lazy writing and being rushed it still managed to produce a decent ending and season. I’m a big fan of Axe as well, he’s a fantastic character in the show, but after Damian Lewis sang the national anthem at the F1 it’s put him in a different light for me and I can’t unsee/hear that performance, ruined his ruthless image.
Hmmmmm...
 

UnrelatedPsuedo

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Aye. I popped it on last night. Absolute car crash. Nobody reading the room in that writers crew. Cant even be arsed to criticise all of the spaces that are shit.

Giving up ESG investing principles and calling in a billionaire in order to save the world… It’s beyond parody. Won’t watch anymore of it.
Yeah I’m full of shit. Somehow put it back on. Didn’t think there was a shark left to jump, but Killer Mike endorsing Mike Prince is Meglodon somersaulting.
 

AbusementPark

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Yeah I’m full of shit. Somehow put it back on. Didn’t think there was a shark left to jump, but Killer Mike endorsing Mike Prince is Meglodon somersaulting.
It gets even worse after that, I’ll not spoil it but it seems everyone in this season cannot make a decision themselves and are always asking for advice and help from random celebs. The latest episode takes the biscuit in random celeb advice and encounters

Previously strong characters who never needed advice when taking on an opponent are now seeking it, it just doesn’t make sense. I’m genuinely perplexed how this season made it through the edits and the cast didn’t throw up any concerns about the depth of the storyline.

I will finish it as I’m committed but anyone else watching, then appreciate the first 4 seasons and then just stop at that would be my advice, make up an ending in your head no matter how bizarre you make it, it will come out better than what these script writers have thought up.
 

UnrelatedPsuedo

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It gets even worse after that, I’ll not spoil it but it seems everyone in this season cannot make a decision themselves and are always asking for advice and help from random celebs. The latest episode takes the biscuit in random celeb advice and encounters

Previously strong characters who never needed advice when taking on an opponent are now seeking it, it just doesn’t make sense. I’m genuinely perplexed how this season made it through the edits and the cast didn’t throw up any concerns about the depth of the storyline.

I will finish it as I’m committed but anyone else watching, then appreciate the first 4 seasons and then just stop at that would be my advice, make up an ending in your head no matter how bizarre you make it, it will come out better than what these script writers have thought up.
Fuuuuuuuuck. That was… Raw.

It’s almost more enjoyable now by way of just how bad it is.
 

The Urban Goose

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Fuuuuuuuuck. That was… Raw.

It’s almost more enjoyable now by way of just how bad it is.
It has become a parody...
The pop culture references are now so obscure that they leave my wife and I baffled. Then the week's token cameo(s) with their god-awful acting will make an appearance. It's becoming 'so bad it's good'.

However the premise of this season is annoying me. How arrogant are the writers that they think a storyline in which a group of people get together to stop someone running for president as they have decided he isn't good enough will have viewers rooting for them to succeed?! Are the writers suffering from long-TDS? It might be Prince would make a good president, even if doing it for the wrong reasons? Shouldn't the voters decide rather than Wendy, Wags and the android? I bet the democrat candidate isn't exact a humble, balanced person either...
 

AbusementPark

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It has become a parody...
The pop culture references are now so obscure that they leave my wife and I baffled. Then the week's token cameo(s) with their god-awful acting will make an appearance. It's becoming 'so bad it's good'.

However the premise of this season is annoying me. How arrogant are the writers that they think a storyline in which a group of people get together to stop someone running for president as they have decided he isn't good enough will have viewers rooting for them to succeed?! Are the writers suffering from long-TDS? It might be Prince would make a good president, even if doing it for the wrong reasons? Shouldn't the voters decide rather than Wendy, Wags and the android? I bet the democrat candidate isn't exact a humble, balanced person either...
includes spoilers from the latest episode, although even if you read what happened you wouldn’t believe it. I’ll leave out the special guests name for this week so as not to spoil it, bizarre.

myself and my wife have the same issues with the references, we barely understand what each of them are. Who would have even dreamed of the latest celeb recruit to pop in to offer advice. Chuck always seeks his dads counsel if in a jam and not some random.

The missus also brought up about why these 3 would take down Prince and how could they have the power to do it.
Considering there is probably much more influential people that would know they couldn’t control Prince as president and would stop it in its tracks itself. Plus the inclusion of Axe hasn’t made any sense or been realistic. Shows up the first episode and then every episode up until this one there is no mention of him being involved in plans to take out Prince. It’s a shambles.

Then Gregor Andolov returning made no sense either, the whole skit in front of the Ukrainian President was just a pathetic attempt to make it real life relevant. Why would Chuck agree to even letting him into the country or trusting Axe after the way Axe side stepped being arrested. I’m ver y passionate about the show, due to how good it was and the mockery they’ve made of it. Even the episode in one of the previous seasons when all the writers/producers appeared in the board room with Axe to offer advice, narcissistic behaviour, be happy your name is attached to the show.
 

Amir

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Considering there is probably much more influential people that would know they couldn’t control Prince as president and would stop it in its tracks itself. Plus the inclusion of Axe hasn’t made any sense or been realistic. Shows up the first episode and then every episode up until this one there is no mention of him being involved in plans to take out Prince. It’s a shambles.
He refused, didn't he? I sure he'll join up eventually, probably with the favour he now owes Chuck, but at the moment he's not involved with the silly trio[./spoiler]

As for the celeb appeareances, it's like the writers got so excited with the idea that they can get so many famous people to be on the show, at the expense of the show.
 

wr8_utd

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It gets even worse after that, I’ll not spoil it but it seems everyone in this season cannot make a decision themselves and are always asking for advice and help from random celebs. The latest episode takes the biscuit in random celeb advice and encounters

Previously strong characters who never needed advice when taking on an opponent are now seeking it, it just doesn’t make sense. I’m genuinely perplexed how this season made it through the edits and the cast didn’t throw up any concerns about the depth of the storyline.

I will finish it as I’m committed but anyone else watching, then appreciate the first 4 seasons and then just stop at that would be my advice, make up an ending in your head no matter how bizarre you make it, it will come out better than what these script writers have thought up.
This nonsense has been a recurring feature on this show and just makes no sense. I get bringing in these celebrities if it made much sense in the context of the show but it never is anything like that at all. The overload of celebs and random dialogues from movies from the past really needed to be eased out long ago.
 

wr8_utd

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Also, the pop culture references strewn through the nature. Maybe I'm 32 and too young for this, but is there anyone who gets even 80% of their random references?
 

justsomebloke

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I was only a few days ago posting on another thread about how much I loved this. We were then at the beginning of season 4. Now we're at the end of that season, and man is it falling apart. Now very doubtful we'll bother with the following seasons, especially after reading this thread.

It's one thing for people in the legal system, politics and finance to be preoccupied with vendettas, power plays and intrigue, but I think they probably still have to devote at least some time to their actual purpose; ie prosecuting people, running the country and making money without necessarily hurting their enemies. Here, they're not even pretending to, and that lack of context devalues the characters and the interest it's possible to take in their intrigues. And huge character-altering things just...happen. Like Wendy suddenly going all-in on the dark side for really no plausible reason.
 

Amir

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Maybe it's the endgame that's doing the show wonders, but I really enjoyed episodes 9 and 10. Just two to go now...
 

wr8_utd

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Maybe it's the endgame that's doing the show wonders, but I really enjoyed episodes 9 and 10. Just two to go now...
Pretty much the same for me. The last few episodes are among the most I've enjoyed in a while.
 

justsomebloke

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Pretty much the same for me. The last few episodes are among the most I've enjoyed in a while.
Same here - I ended up continuing to watch despite what I wrote above (though the missus went off it), and it sort of picked up again from the low point of end of season 4. They've managed to make Mike Prince really, really unlikeable without doing it too garishly. I'm totally invested in that putsch now.
 

wr8_utd

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Same here - I ended up continuing to watch despite what I wrote above (though the missus went off it), and it sort of picked up again from the low point of end of season 4. They've managed to make Mike Prince really, really unlikeable without doing it too garishly. I'm totally invested in that putsch now.
The fact that Chuck isn't completely unbearable now has also made this a lot more watchable. I actually look forward to these episodes every Monday now.
 

baskinginthesun

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Same here - I ended up continuing to watch despite what I wrote above (though the missus went off it), and it sort of picked up again from the low point of end of season 4. They've managed to make Mike Prince really, really unlikeable without doing it too garishly. I'm totally invested in that putsch now.
Just watched 10. Agreed, it's picked up again (to a certain extent) and now we can see the end of the line a little bit.

I think Damien Lewis coming back and bringing some acting energy as Axe has made it more enjoyable. The other characters went a bit stale and rigid.
 

wr8_utd

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Just watched 10. Agreed, it's picked up again (to a certain extent) and now we can see the end of the line a little bit.

I think Damien Lewis coming back and bringing some acting energy as Axe has made it more enjoyable. The other characters went a bit stale and rigid.
Definitely agree. While the show had already gone downhill even when Axe was still around, it has been far more tragic since. However, with Chuck being a bit calmer this season and Axe making a comeback and with the writers having an endgame in mind now, its definitely been a lot better.
 

UnrelatedPsuedo

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Also, the pop culture references strewn through the nature. Maybe I'm 32 and too young for this, but is there anyone who gets even 80% of their random references?
I reckon they saw The Bear do it well, and their writers just aren’t as good.

I actively google whether folks in The Bear are Hospo stalwarts or generic actors. It all feels authentic and light touch homage.

Entourage and Billions were always more overt and somewhat valid. This season of Billions has been horrific.