What I’m Watching: Billions

Billions: Season 5, Episode 10 “Liberty” (B-)

While it seemed like this show might eventually address and feature the coronavirus pandemic, I didn’t expect it to play out like this, though I guess it makes some sense given how someone like Axe would handle it if he really existed. Ordering everyone to take off their masks because they had been vaccinated ahead of the line thanks to his having pulled strings tracked with his typical behavior, and firing everyone so that he could reestablish two separate companies was yet another workaround for him to get ever closer to world domination. It was obvious from the start that Chuck and Prince were engineering a lavish deception that they knew Wendy would call Axe and that he would send Chuck Sr. and Dr. Swerdlow to report back, and I’m not even sure exactly what trap they were trying to set for him. Taylor sabotaged a personal and professional relationship with Lauren in order to maintain control, choosing someone like Rian as a loyal follower who still asks tough questions instead. Watching Chuck cook breakfast for his daughter and for Prince felt a bit tedious, and I’m not really sure what the point of it was. Axe and Wendy confessing their feelings for each other is sure to shake things up in a big way, and I’m curious to see if that’s going to be a power move or a volatile step. Wags couldn’t focus during his date with Chelz, but going off on Tuk was apparently a real turn-on, which should give the hard-working Wags some much-needed relief.

What I’m Watching: Person of Interest

Person of Interest: Season 3, Episode 1 “Liberty” (B+)

I was so thrilled about the direction that this procedural went in second two, and I’m excited to see that season three is off to a similarly creative and terrific start. Adding Sarah Shahi’s Shaw and Amy Acker’s Root to the main cast is the best decision that this show has made since it started, and both enhanced this episode considerably. I like that Shaw is always on call to help out with a number, but that she isn’t quite keen to the idea of non-lethal force, and when she does agree to it, she requires a steak as compensation. Root, on the other hand, is still locked up, but this episode provided a marvelous look at how she’s really waiting to play her hand, telling her doctor everything she knows about him before threatening to kill him. With Carter demoted to the rank of officer, she’s actually even more helpful to Reese and Finch, though she’s also playing her own game by working with Elias without telling them, which could prove dangerous. This show was always interesting, but I’m so glad to see that it’s now found its groove, and this installment about a sailor on shore leave in trouble was a fantastic one. Watching Finch listening and helping from his home, Reese going on to do negotiations, Carter helping out with logistics, and Fusco playing the part of the bearded horse carriage driver was so much fun, and especially with Root lurking in her temporary home, I can imagine that this season is going to be spectacular.