What I’m Watching: Billions

Billions: Season 5, Episode 9 “Implosion” (B)

So much for the balance of power, something that’s always unpredictable on this show, but I guess that’s what keeps things interesting. Prince going after Axe’s prized pizza business was a serious mistake, and who better to betray Chuck than his own father, who it turns out could be bought by a major chance at good health brought to him by none other than the very connected Axe. If it’s good for one person almost as much as it is for Axe, it’s Wags, who was worried that Axe was spending too much time targeting Prince and wanted to be able to talk to Axe like Axe talked to him. Prince’s efforts to appeal to those who no longer wanted to be in business with him were met with failure, but he was able to compel him not to jump ship by unsubtly warning him of how little he would think about him if he didn’t stick with him during this difficult time. His friend’s mother had the right impression of him, though Prince did want to be someone better, which just isn’t in the cards given his competition. After Chuck initially failed to get the Delaware AG to intervene, he came up with a perfect plan to put his father in there as a permanent roadblock, and Axe’s subversion of that notion didn’t seem to faze Prince at all. Taylor showing up at exactly that moment to affirm their intention to take down Axe after he dumped everything associated with Prince behind their back was an exciting moment, one that’s sure to lead to exciting drama. Tanner destroying his own paintings when he found out that Wendy and Axe had cut his commissions wasn’t terribly mature, and Wendy got the definitive last word with her undeniable confirmation of the end of their relationship.