Having just recently watched The Big Short, an excellent yet somewhat convoluted look into the world of finance, I decided to give Billions a go. I was hoping for a slightly more accessible take on the subject of banking, billionaires and those intent on taking them to task.
Briefly put, the U.S Attorney General has had just about enough of wannabe philanthropist billionaire Bobby Axelrod and his shifty shenanigans and is intent on exposing the illicit methods he employs.
Enticed by the prospect of seeing the oft outstanding Paul Giamatti, not to mention a raft of familiar faces from some of TV's finest shows, I quickly realised that Billions was going to be a lot less nuanced than the aforementioned Big Short.
To say that this show telegraphs it's punches is an understatement. Set ups are painfully deliberate and the characters may as well break the fourth wall and expound themselves.
That said, there are some positives. It's a typically well shot show and the pace moves along nicely. The premise is familiar enough, good man seeks to unhinge not so good man and it's this plot thread that kept me watching. Plus, the incestuous tangled web of characters with conflicting interests is always appealing.
The big problem for me was the hackneyed way it's characters are written. Many of them are borderline caricatures and lack any subtlety which is a shame because I think the actors are capable of inferring ample information without the trite dialogue.
Overall, a very flawed show that is just slick enough to keep me tuning in...maybe.
Briefly put, the U.S Attorney General has had just about enough of wannabe philanthropist billionaire Bobby Axelrod and his shifty shenanigans and is intent on exposing the illicit methods he employs.
Enticed by the prospect of seeing the oft outstanding Paul Giamatti, not to mention a raft of familiar faces from some of TV's finest shows, I quickly realised that Billions was going to be a lot less nuanced than the aforementioned Big Short.
To say that this show telegraphs it's punches is an understatement. Set ups are painfully deliberate and the characters may as well break the fourth wall and expound themselves.
That said, there are some positives. It's a typically well shot show and the pace moves along nicely. The premise is familiar enough, good man seeks to unhinge not so good man and it's this plot thread that kept me watching. Plus, the incestuous tangled web of characters with conflicting interests is always appealing.
The big problem for me was the hackneyed way it's characters are written. Many of them are borderline caricatures and lack any subtlety which is a shame because I think the actors are capable of inferring ample information without the trite dialogue.
Overall, a very flawed show that is just slick enough to keep me tuning in...maybe.