Billions: Season 5 So Far and Denise Shull’s Wardrobe

After 7 episodes in Season 5, “Billions”, starring Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades, Jr. and Damian Lewis as Bobby Axelrod, is now on hiatus due to the Co-Vid 19 pandemic that affected so many shows. I have been watching Season 5 all along over here but not recapping because, well… it’s kind of boring.

Throughout the first four episodes, as far as the main characters go, it seemed like it was about leopards trying to change their spots, with the exception of Bobby Axelrod. As always, Axe revels in his self-perception as a lion who was put on the earth to tear apart and subjugate the weaklings of the world. Who are the weaklings? Everybody but him, of course. Bobby’s latest quest was to own a bank. Consequently, Chuck Rhoades, Jr.’s quest was to make sure Bobby doesn’t get a bank.

Chuck, Jr. is working with Kate Sacker again, after assuring her that he is going to be a better man and promising to keep her in the loop and not pull any fast ones behind her back. As if!

Chuck, Sr. married Roxanne, his baby’s mama, and was trying to be a good father to his baby daughter, Willow, but Chuck, Jr. is still able to call on the old codger when he needs his help. Chuck Sr. is my favorite character so I was upset in Episode 5 when he was playing with little Willow and put an orange quarter in his mouth. Shades of “The Godfather”! Sure enough, as soon as he started to make faces at the baby with the orange peel in his mouth, he collapsed. Unlike Vito Corleone, he didn’t die. However, he needs a kidney transplant. The hospital can’t put him on the transplant list because of his advanced age, love of cigars and alcohol. So Chuck also has to find a kidney for his dad. He’s fine with buying it, only not the one he was offered from an undocumented little girl.

Wendy chose to go ahead and divorce Chuck. She took up with a new character, Nico Tanner, an artist Axe more or less bought. When Axe found out about their liaison, he immediately set about to destroy it. (Seriously, he’s a sick dude.) Meantime, don’t miss this article about the real people that the Billions characters are based on. In it, real life hedge fund performance coach Denise Shull complains that Wendy is so transparently modeled after her, they even copy the way she dresses. Because of Billions, people have actually asked her if she is a dominatrix!

And what about Taylor Mason? Well, they are relegated to various subplots which they either mess up or save the day. They did both in Episode 7, saving Bobby from financial disaster when he got reeled in by some stupid idea. Then she and Wendy made some kind of deal with Mike Prince, another new character, a rival Bobby naturally feels the need to dominate. That’s where we left off: Bobby was infuriated, believing Taylor got played. Bobby told Wags to find out what is near and dear to Mike Prince. He is going to destroy it and Mike Prince right along with it.

Big deal! We all know those things are subordinate to the main Bobby/Chuck story. Can you imagine if Bobby turns out to be a match for Chuck, Sr.? We wouldn’t be surprised.