Billions – Victory Lap

By: Jay Smith

Bobby (Damian Lewis) is outside with Hall (Terry Kinney) asking how and what happened with the deal. Hall suggests they go talk to Marco and the two silently break into Bruno’s home. Not knowing who it is, Bruno (Arthur J. Nascarella) has a bat but puts it down once he sees its Bobby. Hall tells them why they’re there and Bobby asks to speak with Marco. Bobby wants to know what happened on Marco’s (Tony Yazbeck) end and Bruno hopes his nephew didn’t do anything sketchy. Marco insists he did nothing wrong and these things just happen. Not happy, Bobby warns him about what could happen in order for him to get his money back. Chuck (Paul Giamatti) and Kevin (Zachary Unger) are enjoying an outing when a journalist friend, Mike Dimonda (Sam Gilroy). The two discuss the rumor on Chuck running for an elected official position since he took down Larry. Chuck assures him he isn’t running for anything while in office, he’ll tell Mike if something changes and Mike takes their photo for a piece.

Chef Ryan (Timothy Davis) is outside entertaining when Dean (Christopher Paul Richards) and Gordie (Jack Gore) see what’s happening. Lara (Malin Akerman) immediately shields their eyes. Lara and Bobby reprimand him and he promises he’s never taken guests inside the house. Bobby informs him that he’s setting up a lunch meeting and needs food for eighg. Before Ryan goes to prepare, Bobby tells him to wash his hands. Kevin and Chuck return and Kevin tells Wendy (Maggie Siff) they played and Chuck had an interview. Wendy is upset that Chuck used Kevin as a prop and the discussion then turns to Wendy not being up front about going back to work. She tells Chuck she doesn’t want to know about anything in his life and Chuck makes her realize she only said that so she can have complete freedom to see other people. She agrees and we can see in Chuck’s face that he doesn’t want to see other people.

In the lunch meeting Bobby has asked Bill (Kelly AuCoin), Mafee (Dan Soder), Everett (Keith Eric Campbell), Taylor (Asia Kate Dillion), Mick (Nathan Darrow), Wags (David Costabile) and Ben (Daniel K. Isaacs) to come up with ideas to save him his money. Everett suggests “austerity,” which is the town owes Bobby before everyone else. Mafee shows off his art history skills, surprising everyone, when Bill wants to know about an expensive painting the town has that they could also use to get their money. Taylor also gives their input on more damages to the town and we can see that Mick isn’t okay with this. Bobby doesn’t like the option of destroying the town and asks for more options. Sr. (Jeffrey DeMunn) and Chuck are having a drink and Sr. tells Chuck he withdrew his country club membership because they don’t allow women and was thinking about Chuck’s political future with the move. A friend did an independent poll but before he can divulge the results Chuck doesn’t want to know. Sr. shows him the article with Kevin and he knows Chuck isn’t just dreaming about it but that he really wants to do it. Sr. advises him to mend the relationship with Wendy not just for photo ops, but because she has the tools to help him win.

Lara and the boys are around a bonfire and she looks over to a distant Bobby. He’s been waiting for Hall and he informs him Marco wasn’t sketchy and Joe Scolari made the switch last minute. That type of move doesn’t just happen without input and Bobby wants more info. Bobby has a meeting with Joe (Sean Patrick Reilly) and Joe informs him the decision was made based on the greatest benefit for the most people and Kingsford won. Bobby thinks it’s odd and wants a specific reason on why the switch when he was basically guaranteed Sandicot was it. Joe keeps repeating “the greatest benefit” phrase to Bobby and he eventually leaves. Bobby meets Hall in a stairwell and tells him the Senator is a puppet and Hall offers to dig into the Governor’s life next.

Mick is in a session with Wendy and the thought of Russian hackers taking everything from him has him up at night. He mentions the meeting with Bobby to Wendy when she asks when did the nightmares start. Wendy breaks down the similarities between the company and the hackers and his emotional response to the potential future of the town to Mick to get him to make a decision on what he should do next. A sad commercial is played for the group to depict the company as a savior for the town. Mick finally speaks up and offers helpful suggestions to save the town because they’re the real victims not the company, but Taylor disagrees and suggests the town has it coming.

Kate (Condola Rashad) and Lonnie (Malachi Weir) are having lunch and it soon turns sour once Lonnie mentions Chuck taking Bryan to Keens where he could possibly be promoted to Chief of Crim. Chuck suggests the mutton and after an awkward food naming history lesson, he and Bryan (Toby Leonard Moore) speak on the investigation. Bryan owns up to it and thanks to a flashback to the conversation with Bobby, we see Bobby got in Bryan’s head on him being a hypocrite just like Chuck. Bryan thinks Lonnie will get the position now but Chuck tells him the seat will remain vacant, but he has to prove his loyalty or he can quit. The waitress returns for their orders and they both choose mutton. Wendy sits in her office thinking and then travels to Bobby’s office. She gives her input to him and thinks they shouldn’t foreclose the town. Bobby uses this dilemma to try to get a session from Wendy, but she refuses and sticks to the agreement. Chuck opens the poll results and they are in his favor making him consider his next move. Bryan finds Bach (Glenn Fleshler) and he expresses his frustration with the meeting and what it has done to him career wise. Bach reiterates the job opportunity that was presented to him at the meeting but Bryan is through with he and Bobby and wants nothing to do with them.

Wendy is in her office late and the sight of Deb (Ilfenesh Hadera) and Mafee being affectionate makes her smile. Sr. mentions the poll results at dinner and Chuck opens up about exploring the option of running. Sr. gives the run down on the steps to achieving this goal and the deal he has to make. Wendy is dressed up waiting for someone and when she answers the door and it’s Craig (James Wolk) on the other side. The next morning the two wake up in bed and Craig expresses that he thinks last night was more but Wendy tells him it wasn’t. Chuck arrives at the house early in the morning and after an update on an old favorite of theirs, he apologizes for the way he’s been acting towards Wendy going back to work for Bobby. Wendy tells him she appreciates it and leaves to get the kids. We can see her response isn’t the type he was looking for. Wags walks into Bobby’s office and informs him Mick just quit. Wendy is in a session with Mafee, who is expressing his feelings on the relationship with Deb, when Bobby barges in and makes him leave. Bobby is pissed especially since Mick was a top earner and Wendy reminds him of her work, her obligation to the employees, and the contract he agreed to.

Chuck is having lunch with DeGiulio (Rob Morrow) trying to get the clerkship deal to help with his political future. Adam tells him he’s gone straight and wants to properly vet the girl for the position. Chuck tries his hardest to get the deal by wheeling and dealing, but Adam isn’t having it and threatens Chuck if he brings up his past again it’ll be their last lunch together before finally giving his input on Chuck potentially running for office. Hall updates Bobby and tells him Foley is the top guy and that Marco may be right about the whole thing being random. Bobby sees Larry (Eric Bogosian) and asks for his advice and info on Foley. Larry tells him Foley is important and he tries his hardest to stay invisible. Larry advises Bobby to do the right thing because the wrong move, even though everything he’s doing is legal, could land him in jail. Bobby calls Hall to get a plan together for if and when he talks to Foley face to face. Bobby gets a call on the house phone and it’s to inform him about a visitor. It’s Bruno and he’s pleading his case to Bobby not to punish the town. Lara has been watching the conversation. Bobby goes back into the house and sees the boys playing. He finally gets to the bedroom and sees Lara trying on clothes. He asks for her input and after gathering the information mixing in their personal struggle tells him to sack the town and basically gentrify it to collect what he’s owed. She asks for dinner options for the boys and he offers to go get it. Bobby gets in his car and tells the other person on the line to go head and start the austerity process.