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Billions
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I'm Still Trying to Figure Out Why Everyone Loves This Show
summarizeEditor's Summary
I was expecting a gripping show with complex characters, but Billions failed to deliver. The plot is slow-burning, with illogical actions and weird character issues. The show tries to be realistic, but it's just too over-the-top and absurd. The characters are all pretty weird, with no clear distinction between good and bad. The show's attempts at being intellectual and mature come across as snobby and pretentious. Overall, Billions didn't work for me, but it might appeal to fans of slow-burning plots and complex characters.
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Dizayn6/10
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Kalite4/10
Oyuncular7/10
I stumbled upon this show in a review on Yandex.Dzen, and they were raving about it. I checked out the reviews on Kinopoisk and other sites, and I was convinced I had to watch it.
The plot is pretty unconventional for a show like this - you've got a billionaire and a prosecutor. It seemed simple at first: a honest prosecutor wants to put away a corrupt billionaire, but it's not that straightforward. The billionaire, Bobbie, made his fortune by analyzing data and buying and selling stocks based on his findings. Meanwhile, the prosecutor, Chuck, isn't exactly from the wrong side of the tracks - he's a wealthy heir to a massive fortune. (And his family? Total scammers, just like many wealthy people.) The typical good cop/bad billionaire roles got mixed up, which piqued my interest. But that was just the summary.
Bobbie's FamilyI figured out that Chuck wasn't the good guy from the first scene. Later on, I realized that only Bobbie had decent sex scenes in this show. That opinion changed after episode 5. But that's not what I'm talking about right now.
The first episode didn't impress me. But that's often the case - you just need to get hooked. I forced myself to watch six episodes, but I couldn't continue after that. I just didn't care what would happen in the next episode and I stopped watching altogether.
The plot development is extremely slow, with entire episodes spent on Bobbie deciding whether to buy a house or not, and the next episode focused on Chuck deciding whether to go after Bobbie or not (to put him behind bars).
The events are kind of grotesque and over-the-top. In episode one, Bobbie wants to buy a house and everyone freaks out. Chuck thinks Bobbie isn't 'that bold', while others speculate about how much media attention it'll get. Is it really a big deal that a billionaire wants to buy a house? Can't they just do it without government approval?
Or take the situation where a woman was forced to delete some posts about Bobbie. To 'convince' her, they cut off her access to entertainment: canceled her gym reservations, cafe bookings, and other events. The woman looked ridiculous in front of her friends, and it worked - she deleted the posts. Seriously? I get that there's something important going on, but using something that ridiculous? Original, but not serious.
By episode 5, it had reached absurdity levels. Both Chuck and Bobbie were talking about a war starting, with no one getting mercy. It was complete nonsense. And then something happened that made me lose track of what was going on and I stopped watching altogether.
Chuck's wife, Wendy, is a psychologist working for Bobbie's company. They're not romantically involved, but it's unclear what their relationship is. Are they friends? Kind of not. Just colleagues? Kind of yes, but where's the significance and intimacy in that? When Bobbie and Wendy were naked in the hot tub (colleagues, yeah), she said:
"Your team of complex egotists will lose a billion dollars a year if I don't get them to their senses"
Bobby and Wendy in the poolOne thing that's been nagging at me throughout the six episodes I've watched is whether they're being serious or not. I mean, Bobby's success is all thanks to Wendy, right? Are there no top-notch psychologists left in America? But then again, Bobby's the one making the big decisions for his company, not these self-absorbed egos who let a shrink tell them what to do.What I don't like about this show is that they just throw facts at you and expect you to take them at face value without any explanation. If Bobby buys a house, he's going to go to war with the government. Why, how, and from where - who cares, just take note. If Wendy quits her job, Bobby's company will probably go bankrupt - got it?
The characters are all pretty weird. On the one hand, it seems like they're trying to be realistic: nobody's all good or all bad, everyone's got their own flaws. On the other hand, are there really that many psychos out there? The prosecutor's just chillin' in a BDSM club, and it seems like everyone's got a cigarette habit and a secret life.
Chuck, who's about to get his cigarette put outSome people are into dwarf women, others are just chillin' naked in the pool with their coworkers. Essentially, all the characters are a little off.While Chuck and Bobby are still somewhat interesting as characters, their significant others are a total snooze fest. Bobby's wife, Lila. At first, I wasn't even sure if she was his wife or just a one-night stand.
LilaLila's a total mystery: I have no idea what she does for a living, and she's always paranoid about something. At first, it seemed like she was Bobby's right-hand woman, handling the smaller problems that could potentially blow up into bigger issues. But that was just the first couple of episodes, and then she just kind of faded into the background.Wendy, Chuck's wife, is weird because she's just so obsessed with her job and can't seem to turn it off. She's always listening to people's problems at work, her husband's problems at home, and she's always the understanding girlfriend. But when does she ever get to relax and be herself? It's no wonder she's always looking so tense and stressed out.
WendyI guess she was supposed to be the femme fatale who's got everyone wrapped around her finger, but after six episodes, it's clear that the actress just can't pull it off.Her conversations with her husband are just cringeworthy:
-How's it going at work?
-It's going well. *I'm not going to tell you about the problems at the company, Bobby* And you?
-It's going well. *I'm not going to tell you about the problems with Bobby, Chuck*
I think their marriage is built on the fact that he complains about his problems, and she just listens and acts like a shrink to help him figure things out. Of course, that's only if Chuck's willing to talk about his problems, which is unlikely given his job as a prosecutor.
The craziest thing is that the reviews for this show are mostly positive. I mean, on irecommend, out of 28 reviews, there are only 2 negative ones. And on Kinopoisk, there are 3 negative reviews out of 23, but all 3 have a ton of caveats. What's even funnier is that the positive reviews all sound like they're copy-pasted: "for thinking people" / "for the intellectual elite" / "for mature and detail-oriented viewers". Sorry, I guess I'm just a plebeian. I've never seen so much snobbery in reviews as I have for Billions.
I guess the thinking and mature people got what the show was about? Their reviews had some comparisons to world wars, some fact-checking, mentions of the beautiful actors, but nothing that made me think. What's there to think about if the intellectual elite can't even articulate it?
Now I'll be wary of shows with mostly positive reviews with the same old thoughts. It's like people didn't get it, but don't want to admit it and just join the crowd.
Maybe someone will get hooked: if you like slow-burning plots, characters with weird issues, illogical actions, and all that. But it didn't do it for me.
live_helpFeatured FAQ
Is Billions a good show for fans of complex characters?
Billions tries to be realistic, with complex characters and no clear distinction between good and bad. However, the show's execution falls flat, making it hard to connect with the characters.
Is Billions a slow-burning show?
Yes, Billions is a slow-burning show that takes its time to develop the plot. This might appeal to fans of shows that take their time to unfold, but it can be frustrating for viewers who prefer faster-paced shows.
What are the themes of Billions?
Billions explores themes such as the corrupting influence of wealth and power, the complexities of relationships, and the blurred lines between good and bad.
Is Billions a good show for fans of intellectual and mature content?
Billions tries to be intellectual and mature, but its execution comes across as snobby and pretentious. The show's use of complex language and abstract concepts can be off-putting for viewers who prefer more straightforward storytelling.
Is Billions a good show for fans of absurdity and over-the-top moments?
Billions uses absurdity and over-the-top moments to try and be entertaining, but it can be off-putting for viewers who prefer more grounded storytelling.
Is Billions a good show for fans of character-driven storytelling?
Billions tries to be character-driven, but its execution falls flat, making it hard to connect with the characters.
Is Billions a good show for fans of fast-paced shows?
No, Billions is a slow-burning show that takes its time to develop the plot. This might not appeal to viewers who prefer faster-paced shows.
Is Billions a good show for fans of realistic storytelling?
Billions tries to be realistic, but its execution falls flat, making it hard to connect with the characters and the plot.
What's the deal with the show's characters being so weird?
The show's characters are all pretty weird, with no clear motivation or development. It's like the show is trying to be realistic, but it's just too over-the-top and absurd.
Why does the show use so much absurdity and over-the-top moments?
The show uses absurdity and over-the-top moments to try and be entertaining, but it can be off-putting for viewers who prefer more grounded storytelling.
check_circlePros
- •The show tries to be realistic, with complex characters and no clear distinction between good and bad.
- •The plot is slow-burning, which might appeal to fans of shows that take their time to develop.
- •The show has some interesting themes, such as the corrupting influence of wealth and power.
- •The characters are all pretty weird, which can be entertaining to watch.
- •The show's attempts at being intellectual and mature are admirable, even if they don't quite work.
- •The show's use of absurdity and over-the-top moments can be off-putting, but it's also kind of fascinating.
- •The show's pacing is uneven, but it's not always a bad thing.
- •The show's characters are all flawed in their own ways, which makes them more relatable.
- •The show's themes are thought-provoking, even if they're not always well-executed.
- •The show's use of complex language and abstract concepts can be off-putting, but it's also kind of impressive.
cancelCons
- •The plot is slow-burning and illogical, with events unfolding in a way that's hard to follow.
- •The characters are all pretty weird, with no clear motivation or development.
- •The show's attempts at being intellectual and mature come across as snobby and pretentious.
- •The show's use of absurdity and over-the-top moments can be off-putting.
- •The show's pacing is uneven, with some episodes feeling like filler material.
- •The show's characters are all flawed in their own ways, but it's hard to care about them.
- •The show's themes are thought-provoking, but they're not always well-executed.
- •The show's use of complex language and abstract concepts can be overwhelming.
- •The show's lack of clear direction and purpose can be frustrating.
- •The show's reliance on absurdity and over-the-top moments can get old quickly.
