'Billions' Season 5 Episode 10 Review: Axe and Wendy finally take love story forward
Spoilers for 'Billions' Season 5 Episode 10 'Liberty'
It's not the Covid times setting of Axe Cap in 'Billions' that stands out. It isn't the fact that Wags gets a va-va-voom date all smitten by his chutzpah. It's not about Axe Cap employees now working for Axe Bank and finally, it's not even about one criminal plan that Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and Mike Prince (Corey Stoll) hatch to take down Axe and expect him to pull the move that he does. It's about Bobby Axelrod and Wendy Rhoades (Maggie Siff).
If there were any feelings the two had for each other and masked them, it was on full display in the final minutes and that is all but sure to change the dynamics of the show. This start of a potential relationship could be looked at in the lens of how 'Billions' just became a little more soap-opera-like, or it could be some long-asked fan wishes coming true. And from a character perspective, this could either make Axe vulnerable or make him ooze even more badassery than he usually does.
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Since the talking points of the episode are pretty much touched upon in the opening paragraph, there's not much to say other than the fact that Axe's enemies are sharpening their knives. However, what the episode does by bringing in a major shocker in the final minutes, it spoils by getting in a bunch of pop culture references that pretty much gets mundane. It's great from a script viewpoint — it lends more niche and quality, evokes humor and those who know the references will surely have an impressive smile, but perhaps toning that down a tad would work.
'Liberty' also has a scene between Chuck, his daughter, and Mike as the former makes breakfast for all three of them. It's nothing fancy, it's just bread and eggs. But the purposeful silence for that good one-odd minute shows how much in shambles Chuck's life is without Wendy, but also hints at the start of a friendship between Mike and Chuck as they break bread together.
The big story — Wendy and Axe hasn't still sunk in. Since season one, there was that inkling that some sparks that flew between the two would lead somewhere and it finally did. How the writers decide to explore it is anyone's guess. For now, this episode will be discussed until the next one drops, and we for one can't wait.
'Billions' season 5 airs Sundays 9 pm ET/PT on Showtime.
