Starring: Paul Giamatti, Corey Stoll, Asia Kate Dillon, Maggie Siff, David Costabile, Jeffrey DeMunn, Dan Soder, Kelly AuCoin, Condola Rashad, Daniel K. Isaac, Daniel Breaker
Season six of Billions features a new boss at the old Axe Capital, Mike Prince (Stoll), who bought Bobby Axelrod's firm at the end of season five. Bobby fled to Switzerland and this accounts for Damian Lewis' decision to leave the show. Prince places his own stamp on Axe Capital, molding his money-thirsty brokers into more moralistic versions of himself. He wants to make money, but wants it done the right way. Is this even possible anymore? Prince thinks it is, but no matter what, Chuck Rhoads (Giamatti) wants revenge on Prince for denying him his moment of glory and handcuffing Bobby Axelrod.
Rhoads still thinks of himself as a moral crusader whose mission is to rid the world of billionaires like Prince and Axelrod. That morality ship sailed a long time ago, but he justifies his underhanded tactics as being in service of a greater good. Prince isn't exactly a kinder, gentler version of Axelrod. He channels his energies differently and at least deludes himself into thinking he has a conscience. Things are unsettled and shaken up, not just with Prince and Axe Capital, but with Rhoads as well.
A huge subplot involves Prince's attempts to bring the 2028 Olympics to New York and Rhoads' attempts to thwart Prince simply as a way of gaining revenge. Prince may be more merciful than his predecessor, but he isn't above getting his hands dirty when the time is right. He's just less of a bulldog about it. The upheaval caused by Prince's arrival actually makes Billions a bit more unpredictable, which is a good thing for a show in its sixth season. We are on shaky ground with wild cards at play and it keeps us watching. They may go a bit overboard on the pop culture references, especially since it seems they are dropped in so the writers can show off their knowledge, but that is a trend the show has taken the last few years.
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