The hit legal drama Billions was one of the worst-hit by the COVID lockdown for the past few months. While the show was in the middle of filming episode 7 of season 5, all productions were halted around the world. We are now left with a premature mid-season finale in its episode 7, releasing June 14.
Speculations are rife about the plot set for this season finale especially after the thrilling surprises of episode 6. Here is a quick recap.
Quick Recap
Titled ‘The Nordic Model’, the episode is centered around the ruthless US attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) plotting against his arch nemesis Bobby ‘Axe’ Axelrod (Damien Lewis) and failing miserably.
The Nordic Model itself refers to Chuck’s hand twisting of DA Mary Ann Gramm (Roma Maffia) into getting what he wants – a warrant to raid Axe’s premises.
Chuck, along with his sociologist lady love, Cat, hit Mary Ann where it hurts the most – her struggle to decriminalize sex workers – an issue in which she has been heavily invested.
However, Chuck probably fails to take the bump as a sign of an ill-fated plan. He has basically figured out Axe’s master plan of saving taxes on original artworks by storing their fakes in a free-port tax haven while keeping the originals at his place of residence.
An original Van Gogh at the residence of Axe’s ex-girlfriend Wendy, who has been living off of Axe’s dimes, gives away his secret.
Chuck plans a law enforcement raid on Axe’s house and deals a heavy hand when arranging for the warrant. But he soon manages it and the raiding team arrives at Axe’s home only to find it transformed into a private museum, literally overnight.
There is no longer a fish business to unearth and Chuck is left redfaced by Axe’s snarky comments. (“I would say you were wasting my taxes,” Bobby says of Chuck’s attempted raid, “if I didn’t have such giant deductions.”)
Meanwhile, Axe also convinces Treasury Secretary Todd Krakow to assist him in the charter bank issue. He bribes Krakow with a portrait he commissioned for the latter by artist Nico Tanner.
Other characters are also on rides of their own with Taylor winning against their ex-boyfriend, Oscar Langstraat, and landing a lucrative deal.
While Wendy and Nico’s secret affair is out in Axe’s knowledge after he spots Wendy leave Nico’s house in the surveillance footage.
As for Stephen Kunken’s Ari Spyros, there is a surprise in store after he manages to win the High IQ Mensa badge for real.
Although he doesn’t know his friends set it up for him to answer all the questions right, even the ones he marked wrong.
What could happen in Episode 7?
Axe may have won this chess game against Chuck but the story ends with a personal failure for him. He finds out Wendy’s secret affair, and especially since he considers her his own property in a way he could see this as a betrayal.
Meanwhile, after cracking the checkmate he got, Chuck would be planning a comeback. However, there are other urgent issues, like his father’s kidney treatment.
Things were good for Chuck in his love life with Cat helping him out with the trap, even though she had to forego her own morals. (Cat has long been an advocate for sex workers’ rights. To reward Chuck not causing harm to the cause with the services of another sex worker was disturbing.)
Their relationship will be one to look out for in the next episode.
Where to Watch?
You can watch ‘Billions’ season 5 episode 7 by tuning to Showtime at the above-mentioned time. You can also catch the show on Showtime’s official website and the Showtime app.
If you don’t have a cable subscription, you can watch the show on Hulu, DirecTV, and Fubo TV. ‘Billions’ is also available as a VOD service on YouTube TV.You can also purchase the episodes on Amazon Prime. Another way you can stream the show is by heading over to Sling TV.
Source: The Cinemaholic, NY Times
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