A former student recommended Billions to me back in Season 1, and though I have a rather strict policy of not watching shows until a second season is ordered and shooting (to avoid disappointment), I watched and was hooked. For what it's worth, I worked on Wall Street and then later in financial services and wrote my thesis on carried interest. That said, this is not a brain trust show - you needn't have any experience with the Street to watch, any more than you needed to have worked in the Executive branch to watch West Wing or been an attorney to enjoy Suits. The first season was the best written, as is often the case, but the twists and turns in the second, and especially the third seasons more than make up for a little editorial slackness. Giamatti is fantastic. Damian Lewis is very good - better than he was in Homeland but still his performance seems a little forced. The characters and their relationships are the cornerstone of the show - Wags and Axe, Axe and Wendy, Wendy and all of the quirky worker-bees at Axe, etc. It is an excellent binge watch, so wait until the season is over, watch all 12 eps, and then cancel Showtime (nothing else is worth the price). Billions is guilty-pleasure at its best.

Love this show! 2 main characters who come from 2 different worlds and are very powerful. Chuck- Us attonery, born and raised in a family with power. Bobby Axe- smart, hustled life and became rich. Not going to give too much. I find this show to be competitive, entertaining, funny, and keeps you wanting more. Cannot compare to other shows like GOT or Sopranos. Totally different context in all 3 shows. Not even sure why some comments even compare it!

Such a great series if you can handle the constant dirge of corrupt big money battling a corrupt legal system. The constant behind-the-scenes finagling and intrigue is fascinating while each and every character is portrayed as rich, self-motivated individuals. The cinematography at times is inspired but then also veers into "we have 20 minutes to shoot this scene" territory. One shortcoming I can think of is the casting of warbley cartoon-voiced, manlet David Costabile as bad-ass right hand man to billionaire shark Bobby Axelrod. How that decision made sense, I'll never know, but every time he opens his mouth and attempts an emotive, alpha-male exposition, it's like watching a bird trying to roar like a lion.

I've been watching Billions since the beginning, and I have nothing but praise for every aspect of the show-- the writing, the plot lines, the storytelling, the acting, the dialogue, casting, the shooting, the locations, and the set decoration. Like most average people, though, I have no idea what the lives of the filthy rich are really like, so anything that seems remotely plausible on this unreal planet would seem authentic to me.Being an average, working class person, I always believed that money allows you to be you what you are anyway, and MORE money permits you to be even more of what you are, whether angel or demon. I could not have known that, if this show is to be believed (and it does seem plausible), this kind of money all around makes EVERYONE by necessity corrupt and predatory.The show certainly makes it easy to believe that this sort of life is plausible and even necessary for characters involved in this kind of drama, and makes for great entertainment to boot. I learn something new on every show, like the scene where Axe, Wags, and a chef are indulging in forbidden ortolan with napkins placed over their heads. I had to Google that just to comprehend the scene, and I didn't mind doing so, to answer one reviewer who somehow found a way to ridicule smart dialogue in a television show.Watching a current season of Billions week by week is very difficult if you've binge-watched the initial seasons. Binge-watching Billions is addictive and allows you to completely immerse yourself in this foreign world. Other reviews have explained this much better than I can, how, for example, everyone in the show is RIGHT in their own view, and you can't know whose side you're on.I have only one major complaint that seems to be echoed in many other reviews: the character played by Maggie Siff is completely useless, unbelievable, unnecessary, unlikeable, and un-everything else, a weasely individual spouting corporate platitudes for whom I could feel no sympathy at all. Simultaneously married to the U.S. Attorney and loyal follower and supporter of someone he considers to be Public Enemy Number One, like matter and antimatter encountering one another. Really? Can we please kill her off?On the other hand, I love the character played by David Costabile, Mike "Wags" Wagner, appealing and cultured, although deeply depraved.Even if the world of high finance doesn't seem to be your cup of tea, I think you can still love Billions for all the reasons anyone loves a well-told story. Thanks to all the people involved in producing this show for this rich, savory experience.Update: S4, E8, the most recent episode was awesome, probably the best one I've seen so far. The Chuck-and-Wendy team have become full-on bad-ass on the level of his nemesis, Axe.