'Billions' Season 5 Episode 1 Review: It's the survival of the fittest for Axe and Chuck as new threats arise
Spoilers for 'Billions' Season 5 Episode 1 'The New Decas'
To call the season opener a stunner, is an understatement. Following the compelling finale of the previous season, the latest instalment has one of those openings where Chuck Rhoades' mother, Ellen (Deborah Rush) says "It's family...that's what families do. Stick together" to Wendy (Maggie Siff) when it is revealed that Rhoades Sr is gets married again to Roxanne (Lily Gladstone).
There is also the part where Chuck Rhoades is still lamenting over the fact that his life is in shambles.
In essence, the first few minutes is about Chuck. "That's the thing about family. It lives and breaths never contracts, only expands," he toasts during the nuptials. And all the while, it is evident that he is referring to Wendy. The couple is on the verge and divorce is all dependent on that one document that determines their fate. At the same time, he's also working with Kate Sacker (Condola Rashad) on a Cryptomine raid.
Elsewhere, the enigmatic Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and his confidant and pal, Mike Wagner (David Costabile) are somewhere in the mountains in Canada high on the psychedelic potion ayahuasca. Rugged and living the rough life after celebrating the win over Taylor Mason Capital in Season 4. They set back to the high-octane life back in the city breezing on their BMW R1250 RTs with Bad Company's 'Bad Company' playing in the background. It is a stellar intro, something that does justice to Axe's personality. Since we're talking about family, it is safe to assume at this point, Wags is the closest Axe has to family.
It is safe to say that Chuck and Axe are living through the consequences of their actions. The former has now lost the one thing he could come home to— Wendy. The man has lost his bearings and reconciliation is not an option. "The separation has convinced me, we need to be done," says Wendy that signals the final nail in the coffin for Chuck. Meanwhile, Cryptocurrency comes in as a new gambit on the show.
Soon after Sacker making the move and arresting two tech engineers for utility theft. The duo drain power from the city in multitudes to solve an abstract mathematical equation resulting in the mining of bitcoin. Rhoades grills them for having a connection to Wall Street Consortiums. He name drops Bobby Axelrod to be part of one of the many companies to scare the engineers into a confession and it is revealed it was the town supervisor.
As far as the situation at the other side of town goes, Taylor Mason (Asia Kate Dillon) & Co coming into to Axe Capital are not taken kindly by the folks there and this results in a total toxic work environment, something that Wendy attempts to sort out. Needless to say, the hate is real and the disrespect between the two parties, mutual. Team bonding comes in the form of Becky Lynch the WWE superstar who does a cameo to set the two teams straight.
'Billions' has never ceased to surprise us and Lynch's arrival is just one of those things that made the show successful. The timing and the addition of the character to the script were nailed to perfection making the mid-episode moment a jaw-dropper. Just so the audience knows, Axe is now one part of the ten-billion dollar club and a Vanity Fair cover photoshoot is on the cards.
Mike Prince (Corey Stoll) makes quite the impression as part of the New Decas— suave, downright arrogant, reeks of sarcasm. A social impact pioneer, it isn't hard to see which route the series takes as it firmly cements Prince as one of the adversaries Axe has to deal with in addition to Chuck who's bent on revenge at the other end. A double whammy comes when Axe realized the engineers were arrested.
'The New Decas' signals the start of a new mission for the two heavyweights and is clear both have enemies that need to be taken down. It is akin to Darwinian evolutionary theory, "Survival of the fittest" and the episode sets this up right from the beginning. There's enough drama thrown in by adding new characters and the events of the past.
'Billions' was always about power and money. Season 5 doesn't change that. It sticks to the classic template of rivalry, and the extreme steps taken to emerge the clear winner. And despite the setbacks, it sure looks like no one's backing down. The biggest challenge it faces is the need to be consistent. 'Billions' managed to retain a loyal fan base for four seasons, and with the fifth, it just looks to have the ratings and the base hit the stratosphere.
'Billions' airs Sundays 9 pm ET on Showtime.
