‘Billions’ Season 5: Why are fans offended with that Billie Eilish reference Chuck Rhoades made in Episode 7?
‘Billions’ Season 5 may be on hold but fans can't stop talking about it. They still can't wait to watch the new episode that was indefinitely put on hold after the seventh one was billed the midseason finale. The one question on everyone's minds is: When will ‘Billions’ Season 5 Episode 8 return after the Covid-19 break? Exhilarated by the fan response, showrunner Brian Koppelman recently tweeted: "I see all the tweets asking about when the show is coming back. It means so much that so many of you care."
Since there is no clarity on the release date, many Reddit fans are talking about old episodes, specifically one scene where Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) made a Billie Eilish reference. In Episode 7 titled 'The Limitless S**t', Chuck brought his students from Yale Law into his New York City office and handed over a task. He wanted them to dig up dirt on the Secretary of Treasury, Todd Krakow (Danny Strong) just so he could build a case against him along with Kate Sacker (Condola Rashad).
While telling them about the assignment, Chuck said, “Oh, when I look out at you all, I’m reminded of my younger self,” he says, adding, “and in the words of your Billie Eilish, “‘The best of me, the best of me, is you.'” The lyrics are from Eilish's track 'Fingers Crossed' which was the artist's second song released to her SoundCloud account.
However, it has offended many viewers and they feel that it is "really, really forced". "I don't even remember the lyric he quoted, but he basically said "just like YOUR Billie Ellish says 'blah blah blah'". To a bunch of college students in his office," one Reddit user posted and added, "All the characters constantly make comparisons to TV shows, movies and music, and they all use the exact same references. Just like Chuck referring to an 18-year-old pop star. Like any guy in his 50s is listening to Billie Ellish!! LOL. The only way this would resolve itself is if in the last episode we find out that this has all been a delusion of a single person. A bit like the movie IDENTITY (2003). The camera pulls back and a day trader is just looking out his window, ruminating. And in the background are a stack of CDS, DVDs and posters on the wall of Billie Ellish. Outside of this, it just seems like the show has one writer who loves to make up metaphors using pop culture. Which often seems really, really forced."
"I agree. That's a great observation and I have made it myself before. Other shows do this too but Billions is the biggest example," another fan said. One even went on to say, "You know I always thought the verbose gibberish is part of the whole atmosphere of their 'class"... it’s to show the pretentious attitudes that people of that status seem to have."
However, one fan felt the scene was funny. "I thought that scene was funny. I thought it was to show us -- the audience -- that these guys will stick their nose in anything modern and make money no matter how far away from their interests it is." Another comment said, "While I agree that there's a lot of pop culture references that don't fit certain characters, it's kinda funny that my mom is 63 and listens to Billie Eilish."
One fan thought it was not just the fault of writers but producers too. "Exactly what you're talking about makes zero sense if the writers had any awareness or even basic writing skills, but even the producers are too clueless to step back and see it," one comment read.
Several fans thought the matter shouldn't have enraged so many people. "I sort of agree, but at the same time I don't get how a random quote can get some many people mad on this sub, like, it was just a random moment of the episode, it's not like they put Billie Eilish in a personal Chuck revelation moment."
What's done is done and in the Gen Z world, almost everything is scrutinized, isn't it? While the series is not back anytime soon, if you're missing it, binge on older episodes from Season 1 to Season 4 on the Showtime App.