There’s always been a fascination in the US with money and power; the epitome of the American dream. Whilst it’s not a unique phenomenon to one country, chasing the big bucks is part of their national psyche. At its peak in the 1980s, it was captured on TV through shows such as Dallas and Dynasty. Today, power and money lie in different spheres. Shows such as House of Cards and Billions pull back the curtain to a more secretive world, the latter looking at the murky world of hedge funds.
Bobby ‘Axe’ Axelrod (Damian Lewis) is one of the most successful hedge fund managers in New York City. Along with his wife Lara (Malin Akerman), he comes from a humble background, taking over the business after September 11. Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) is a US attorney who’s driven to uncover the nefarious actions of wealthy criminals. He’s got a 100% success rate with prosecuting crime, and when the chance arises to nail Axelrod he’s determined to take it. The slight complication is that his wife Wendy (Maggie Siff) works for the billionaire.
Created by Brian Koppelman, David Levien, and Andrew Ross Sorkin, Billions is a classic tale of a titanic battle between two men hell-bent on destroying each other. It plays out like a combination of a game of Chess and Go, both players manoeuvring their pieces around the board. It’s a fine balance, with each combatant taking turns at getting the upper hand. Billions is a compelling drama which enjoys blurring the lines between good and evil.
Billions is released on DVD by Universal Pictures on Monday.
