Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Billions: Season Two Blu-ray Movie Review

"What have I done wrong? Really? Except make money and succeed?"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 3, 2024

Billions is a break-neck, dialogue-driven game of cat and mouse between two actors at the height of their game. The rest of the cast is no slouch either, though in its second season, the series had yet to find its true center or its really meaty supporting characters. So let's get down to brass tacks. Is it worth ponying up twenty bucks a piece to nab the first and second season of a seven-season show? Especially when Paramount is unlikely to release further seasons on Blu-ray (save an unlikely Complete Series set in the unforeseen future)? Both Chuck and Axe would avoid the risk, I can tell you that much. But if you want to dive into Billions with the best possible AV presentation money can get ya, or are a major fan who'll take anything labeled Billions that can be added to your physical media collection, then the Blu-ray release of Season Two is a sure thing worthy of your investment.

Synopsis: In the series' second season, ambitious billionaire and corrupt Axe Capital hedge fund manager Bobby 'Axe' Axelrod (Damian Lewis) uses his considerable resources to exact revenge on Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti, proving he should be winning far, far more awards each year in TV and film). Axe's moves send Chuck reeling as he finds himself under investigation, forced to scramble to hang on to his office and his family. Billions' second season also stars Maggie Siff as Chuck's wife and Axe Cap's performance coach Wendy, Malin Akerman as Bobby's wife Lara, Toby Leonard Moore as the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force lead Bryan Connerty, David Constabile as Bobby's scene-stealing right-hand man Mike "Wags" Wagner, Condola Rashad as Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Sacker, Jeffrey DeMunn as Chuck's father Charles, Kelly AuCoin as foul-mouthed portfolio manager "Dollar" Bill Stern, Dan Soder as portfolio manager Mafee, Terry Kinney and Glenn Fleshler as Bobby's fixer and lawyer respectively, and Asia Kate Dillon as upstart analyst Taylor Mason, along with Malachi Weir, Jerry O'Connell, Arthur J. Nascarella, Nathan Darrow, Dennis Boutsikaris, Christopher Paul Richards, Sam Gilroy, Danny Strong, Clara Wong, Gia Crovatin, David Strathairn, Chris Carfizzi, Eric Bogosian, and Mary-Louise Parker.

While Season One focused on Chuck's pursuit of Axe, Season Two boils down to Axe Strikes Back. Lewis and Giamatti are having far too good a time with dialogue that no real human could spit this quick and with such acidic arrogance. They're generals on opposing fields of battle, and even though it's just an attorney vs. hedge fund tale, it feels much bigger, as if the stakes will move the planet. Armies align, captains fall and soldiers are eternally affected for better or worse, as marriages quake, friendships are tested and rivalries intensify. Sound melodramatic? Oh, it is. But Billions is best kind of premium cable melodrama. You'll never believe any of it could happen in real life, at least not with such flair and moxie. You won't even believe people like this exist. Evil tends to be stupid. Good tends to always lose. And everything in between is too busy surviving to go for the jugular with such gusto.

That doesn't make what transpires any less gripping or entertaining. Billions is built to entertain, from the rat-a-tat scripts to the one-note side characters to all the sexy, sleazy, snarky, snippy and satisfying conflicts in between. Wendy alone -- who, come on, let's face it, wouldn't exist in our universe; the sultry vixen wife married to the shlubby U.S. Attorney who just so happens to be working for the head of the company the husband is itching to bring down -- shouldn't work on screen, and yet totally does. She not only bridges two worlds, she puts the series' adversaries in a far more personal d--- measuring contest. If Billions stumbles, actually, it's with its aforementioned dialogue, which is so snappy it plays like a screenwriter's most self-congratulatory screenplay. References bombard the audience -- movie, TV, music, sports and other pop culture nods and similes -- that make every character sound as if they share the same whiplash wit, Google-wired brain and voice. Wags stands apart, as does Chuck and Axe, maybe Wendy, but the rest start to blend together into a hedge fund manager soup, where everyone is vying to win the same "smartest comeback" trophy. Episode in and episode out. It gets a bit old, honestly, especially on a binge.

Otherwise it's all a lot of fun, given you don't think too much. And set in New York, it sorta, kinda, almost tracks. Everything moves a hundred miles a second, with Billions capturing the speed of the city with aplomb. Forty- five minutes disappear in a blink, and suddenly the credits on an episode are rolling. The series does get better in future seasons (Lara and the kids still take up too much time this early in the show), so this is all still an appetizer, but it hardly matters. This is sharply penned popcorn TV that does a fine job filling in the gaps while waiting for the next big gotta-see-it cable show.

Billions: Season Two features twelve episodes spread across four discs:

1. Risk Management - In the aftermath of their Season One confrontation, U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades and hedge fund king Bobby Axelrod are digging out of the wreckage. Chuck faces scrutiny from within his office and from the Attorney General. Axe refortifies Axe Capital, and weighs his options for retaliation. The fund wrestles with a precarious economic landscape that threatens the very existence of Axe Cap. Wendy entertains an offer from a rival hedge fund manager. Lara intervenes in an emergency at her children’s school.

2. Dead Cat Bounce - Axe publicly spars with a rival hedge fund manager and with the help of a talented intern initiates a new financial play. Chuck deploys his team to quickly find a high-profile case that might save his sinking status. Wendy navigates a minefield of questioning that could result in disaster for Chuck.

3. Optimal Play - Axe considers buying an NFL franchise and develops a new ally. Chuck begins a last-ditch case against a banking titan by developing a low-level informant. Axe Cappers attend the annual Alpha Cup Charity Poker Tournament. Wendy makes a controversial appearance at the tournament by accompanying Axe's competitor as his performance coach. Lara launches her new business.

4. The Oath - Chuck develops a new strategy when his case stalls. Wendy helps a tech billionaire assess a candidate for a special project. Axe considers pledging half his net worth to charity. Lara's business faces a rival. Axe and Chuck find themselves in a room together for the first time since their face-off.

5. Currency - Chuck, Connerty and Sacker must rely on an anxious insider who's willing to wear a wire. Meanwhile, Axe's numbers take a big hit, leaving him to scout ideas for a quick play with a huge payoff. Wendy rediscovers her passion for her former job at Axe Capital through an old colleague. The reality of Lara's business starts to affect her marriage.

6. Indian Four - Axe negotiates with a reluctant seller, who is key to the success of Axe’s municipal bond play. Wendy makes a professional decision that adds further conflict to her relationship with Chuck. As attempts to reach a deal with a high profile defendant fail, Chuck’s office faces the uncertainty of jury selection. Tensions between Lara and Axe escalate.

7. Victory Lap - Axe assembles a war room in the Hamptons following a disastrous setback in Sandicot for Axe Capital. The fate of the town hangs in the balance while Axe seeks counsel on how to best recoup his losses. Meanwhile, Chuck capitalizes on a high-profile victory, but alienates Wendy in the process, causing the couple to change the status of their separation.

8. The Kingmaker - Axe investigates who was behind the breakdown in his Sandicot dealings but faces formidable opposition. Chuck digs up dirt on a political rival. Lara makes a PR trip to Sandicot to ease tensions between the town and the Axelrods. Wendy helps Taylor solve a problem at Axe Capital. Chuck and Senior curry favor with a powerful ally.

9. Sic Transit Imperium - Axe is offered inside information from a former employee and considers whether to use it. Chuck faces external pressure to drop an ongoing investigation. Lara plans a lavish birthday celebration for Axe only to discover he's lied to her about his relationship with Wendy. Chuck is willing to support Ira and Senior's investment in a company about to go public.

10. With or Without You - Axe deals with a major family disturbance involving Lara and the kids. Chuck considers the potential pitfalls of his personal life while being vetted for political advancement. Wendy tries to right a wrong she committed against Axe. At an impromptu dinner Chuck and Wendy open up to each other.

11. Golden Frog Time - Chuck finds he has much at stake in the success of a new business venture; Senior, too, is heavily invested. Meanwhile, Axe takes out a massive short and takes steps to insure its failure. Wendy wrestles with a familiar and uncomfortable position: caught between Axe and Chuck.

12. Ball In Hand - Axe receives news from an unexpected source that he's in the crosshairs of law enforcement. While Axe moves quickly to safeguard his livelihood, Chuck arranges the last pieces of his long game in order to secure victory. Lara marshals her resources to protect what’s hers. Wendy and Chuck make a momentous decision about the state of their marriage.

Billions: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Like its Season One predecessor, the Blu-ray release of Billions: Season Two features an excellent 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation that doesn't falter in the slightest. Colors are warm and convincing, with vivid primaries, lifelike skintones, inky black levels and perfect contrast that makes every bright steely interior or cool nighttime exterior look the part. Detail is terrific, with exacting edge definition and precisely resolved fine textures. Close-ups are revealing and shots of the city showcase the life, liberty and chaos of New York City. Delineation is revealing too, and crush, noise, blocking and banding are nowhere to be found. Scratch that. The tiniest hint of artifacting can be spotted in the opening skyline shot of the city (the title card at the beginning of every episode), but goodness do you have to be staring intently to catch it. (Don't ask.) All told, I was more than pleased with the presentation.

Billions: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, Paramount's lossless audio delivers, in some ways better than it did with the Blu-ray release of Season One. Season Two seems to have earned a higher budget, and with it more trips out into New York, onto the streets, and with all the sonic busyness that comes with it. Dialogue remains intelligible at all times and dynamics never fail, even when traffic and passing crowds fill the side and rear channels. The mix is certainly immersive, though it makes it easier to notice that interior scenes are far less engaging, with front-heavy conversational stretches that aren't exactly involving from an aural perspective. Still, LFE output throws its weight around when called upon, directionality has dead-eye aim, channel pans are as slick as Axe's wit, and music makes its presence known when it pushes in. Bottom line? Billions' audio comes pretty close to matching its video presentation's prowess.

Billions: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No extras are included.

Billions: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I'm not sure leaping into Billions with Season One and Season Two will be worth it to most of you in 2024. It doesn't look like the series' will be seeing any future Blu-ray releases, unless Paramount decides to drop the whole show in a Complete Series box set. But I say vote with your heart, not your wallet. Billions isn't grand television but it is great fun. Divisive? Sure, it's definitely not for everyone. Those who enjoy its rapidfire dialogue, though, will also find themselves wrapped up in Axe and Chuck's battle to the... um, fines? Imprisonment? Exile? Not exactly sure. Paramount's Blu-ray edition is a solid 4-disc set with fantastic video and strong audio. Commentaries or other significant features would have been welcome but ah well.