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TheBlackSwarm t1_jabflu2 wrote

How the hell did this show get 7 seasons.

In my opinion the max a show could go on for without running stale is 6 seasons depending on how good and engaging the story is.

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impeccabletim OP t1_jabfx8f wrote

Confirmed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert! Lewis will appear as Axe for 6 out of the 12 episodes of Billions season 7, which will premiere later this year.

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PetyrDayne t1_jabh2rn wrote

Replying to ghostcider (#2,092,821)

I didn't know that. What a bunch of muppets. Knowing showtime they are gonna keep this running for 5 more seasons till they eventually cancel it when the writing gets even more god awful

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RusevReigns t1_jabhy29 wrote

I think Showtime should give its stars a few seasons off in the middle to load manage, we know it's going 9-11, it keeps their legs fresh

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DisturbedNocturne t1_jabkncq wrote

I suppose this isn't entirely surprising. The way they wrote Axe out was open-ended enough for his return, and I imagine that was intentional since he left due to his wife dying. Presumably, the writers were always hoping he'd come back, and now he's at a point where he wants to act again.

As someone who watched the show up until his departure, I'm glad to see he's wanting to work again as Damian Lewis is a fantastic actor, but I think my interest in the show ended when he left as the show was already on a steep decline and spinning its wheels anyways. I don't think I'll be returning when he does. Axe repeatedly outsmarting Chuck's legal maneuvers was already getting old a few seasons back.

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ghostcider t1_jabo41r wrote

Replying to Captain_-H (#2,093,508)

The writer's room also went from a complex understanding of the worlds they were writing about to just using generic tropes about the rich. Tropes are awesome, but not when used as a replacement for knowing what you are doing.

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Chuckw44 t1_jac8azk wrote

The show was over when Paul Giamatti lost all that weight, lol.

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dangil t1_jac8go1 wrote

and yet season 6 is nowhere available in Brazil

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TheOtherUprising t1_jacdokv wrote

Even having him back this show is well past it’s best before date.

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Loki1947 t1_jacf8s1 wrote

Replying to zombiejeebus (#2,092,981)

Showtime is the worst network outside of CBS when it comes to never letting their shows end gracefully. And they never do. They always keep going and going until Showtime just cancels them unceremoniously.

Dexter was the closest, but that was shot in the foot because they were planning for the inevitable reboot and then the reboot was shot in the foot because they were planning for a spin-off (that now isn't going to happen.)

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Inspiredrationalism t1_jacfren wrote

For me he was the main reason that i watched. Guess i need to catch up on that latest season without him.

Just really enjoy Giamatti and him playing off eachother.

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Common-Web-3347 t1_jacfuhi wrote

Yes. This might just save the show. Prince might be a subtle megalomaniac but he's not a protagonist and couldn't actually play a villain role.

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mrj9 t1_jacielm wrote

Whose Damian Lewis this is a picture of captain winters

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sooperkool t1_jacnb8d wrote

And now, I'll come back to watch Billions again.

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cote112 t1_jacp111 wrote

Probably because Soder quit The Bonfire. Damien was inspired by his dedication to Billions

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anasui1 t1_jacpm1k wrote

meh, show rapidly went to arse after season 4

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zombiejeebus t1_jacqxrv wrote

Replying to zombiejeebus (#2,092,981)

I can think of at least three showtime shows where they forced me the viewer to make the call and decide to stop watching a former favorite show of mine because it needed to be put out to pasture.

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NaRaGaMo t1_jad47lj wrote

Replying to PetyrDayne (#2,092,962)

>more seasons till they eventually cancel it when the writing gets even more god awful

you mean when viewership decreases below profitable levels, it's pretty clear at this point they don't care for quality at all

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jabb422 t1_jadhha9 wrote

Oh man I thought Damian Lewis legally couldn't exist in a series past Season 2

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zombie_gas t1_jadqjez wrote

Replying to MoistFox5230 (#2,101,578)

I think they’re saying “we know Showtime will run the show too long, 9-11 seasons, so why not give the actors a break in the middle of that?”

I enjoyed the first few seasons of Billions but it lost its mojo and I dropped Showtime

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tomc_23 t1_jaegxb1 wrote

Replying to DisturbedNocturne (#2,093,899)

Losing Axe was inevitable eventually, albeit the timing and how it eventually came about were infinitely more tragic with the death of Helen McCrory. Even though (much like another Damian Lewis series) I think Billions should've ended long ago, I'm glad he's coming back towards what will (hopefully) be its end.

The introduction of Corey Stoll's Mike Prince was a solid enough remedy to losing Axe, although I think the season's overarching story and somewhat too-late criticism of billionaires left the series without a very clear sense of purpose or place; it spent too long painting its characters as flawed themselves, but doing nothing to criticize or otherwise caricature their ridiculously wealthy lives like, say, Succession does. More than that, it went the opposite direction, painting the Axe Capital cast of characters as universally "cool" (excepting 1-2 Big Bang Theory-style "nerd" caricatures written in later); they like "cool" things, drive "cool" cars, and the entire cast speaks fluently in that Billions-patented shorthand of "cool" references (to make you feel "cool" too whenever you recognize the reference), even though sometimes the dialogue feels like Sorkin's zippy West Wing walk-and-talk writing--but if Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, and Bradley Whitford were constantly trying to work references to Steve McQueen and Paul Newman movies into literally every exchange about foreign and domestic policy.

I really enjoyed the Mike Prince arc of the most recent seasons, especially early on when we're as skeptical and in the dark about his goals and motives as everybody else in the cast; I wasn't a fan of the outcome, but I think at the beginning the idea of basically an anti-Axe who appears genuinely preoccupied with using his wealth and resources to improve the lives of others and his community was inspired. He couldn't replicate Lewis'/Axe's presence, so they didn't even bother trying, and somehow managed a delicate balance between slowly winning the cast (and audience, by extension) over to his character's seemingly utopian "vision," while still acknowledging his god complex and major flaws as a person/husband/etc.

That said, I think bringing Damian Lewis back has a lot of potential, but could just as easily topple things just as this new version of Billions had found its footing. At the very least, it will be good to see Wags' reaction. I still think the series should've ended with like, the second/third season (honestly, maybe even the first, if they'd left it a little less open-ended). Like with Lewis' time on Homeland, I think it could've been a phenomenal character study as a limited or even anthology series, but it's still been solidly entertaining and certainly doesn't wast such a talented cast.

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tomc_23 t1_jaeijbr wrote

Replying to SynthD (#2,095,162)

I enjoyed him in Wolf Hall, and had totally forgotten about Life until your comment (I think for a couple years I would either conflate or confuse Life with that David Duchovny series Aquarius, even though the premises are totally different).

I'd also recommend The Escapist (plus you get Brian Cox planning a prison breakout).

Band of Brothers, however, will always be peak Damian Lewis. Between that and Billions, I feel like he's even better when his character has a sort of partner or best friend-type to play off of.

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tomc_23 t1_jaej9am wrote

Replying to MoistFox5230 (#2,101,578)

It might be something a casual fan wouldn't understand, but clearly u/RusevReigns is referring to the role 9/11 plays in Bobby Axelrod's backstory and the rich lore of the Billions universe. Understandable that this might go over your head, as to be fair, you have to have a pretty high IQ (or just a lot of spare time) to get all the references in such an intelligently written show as Billions.

/s

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