TV and Movies

[Annabellethecat66]

I just finished watching the last episode (Season 4, Episode 8).

This show brings me back (somewhat) to when I was a teenager and lived with my big sister and her 4 children.  We were 2 females raising 4  young children back in the early 60's.  I was still in high school.  My sister was 11 years older than me but she looked way young.

Anyway, she was a switchboard operator in her primary day job.  I don't know how many of you remember the 'old days' with the actual plug in switchboard operators?  That's what she did.  It was very easy to listen in on conversations.  It was difficult NOT to hear sometimes.

So, this was during the John Kennedy White House years.  I was still in high school so (like most teenagers) I didn't pay a lot of attention to what was going on.

I remember she'd come home and tell a few of the things she'd heard (rumor, etc).  I knew enough to know that what I'd read about (The Washington Post) and hear on TV was sometimes very different than what my sister would tell me.

Even back then I figured the wheeling and dealing behind the scenes were 'the money-makers'.

This show is (of course) maybe/not maybe exaggerated on much of that' but it does give one pause....I have to admit.

My favorite character on the show is Taylor, always has been.  Taylor is non-binary on the show and in real life.

A non-binary is a person who does not consider themselves male or female.  When you refer to them they prefer to be referred to as they or us or we (both inclusive).

I just finished reading in my magazine an interview by the person who plays Taylor on the show.  Their real name is 

Asia Kate Dillon.  Here is their explanation of what Asia describes being non-binary:

"Non-binary is a term used by some people, myself included, who feel that their gender identity falls outside the tradition boxes of man or woman," they told ABC News. "When I got to the script for 'Billions' and the character breakdown for Taylor Mason, the character that I play, said female and non-binary, a little light bulb went off in my head. ... I did a little bit of research and discovered that female is an assigned sex and non-binary is in reference to gender identity and those are two different things. It finally helped me put language to a feeling that I'd had my entire life."

This was from an interview:https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/billions-actor-asia-kate-dillon-explains-means-binary/story?id=...

I find it fascinating.  I don't necessarily agree or disagree.  I do think it becomes problematic though because it boggles my mind when trying to put them in one box (check male or female) or another.

But then the other side of my brain, the one that often drives me crazy, says, 'Why do any of us have to be put in one box or another?  Aren't we all supposed to be 'different''?

Here's a picture of Asia Kate Dillon as they've been interviewed and on the TV show:

This is a fascinating show.  Very exaggerated, but it does keep me thinking long after I've watched it.

Does anyone else here watch this show and if they do, who's your favorite character?

[Tique]

@Annabellethecat66, you, @Mz iMac, and I discussed Taylor when he they first appeared on the Billions - Season 2 thread. We've seen quite the evolution in Taylor's character. They have gone from working at Axe Capital to running Axe to leaving and running their own shop. I admit I had to go back and change some pronouns. It's still a bit tricky for me.

I didn't enjoy this season as much as the previous ones. I miss seeing Lara and the family interaction although she was on recently. I don't have a favorite character but the couple who intrigues me the most is Wendy and Chuck. I was floored when he stood at that podium and admitted his sexual proclivities. How Wendy managed to get herself out of the house and back to work I don't know. Also don't know how she kept herself from doing bodily harm to Chuck. I would have wanted to cause him intense pain. Of course with him being who/what he is, he would have loved it.

[Annabellethecat66]

@Tique, I know about the previous thread.  When I looked the one I saw dated way back.

That's why I started this new thread.  Recently, several people complained about old threads popping up so I thought I'd start a new one.

Taylor is not a he.  I've said before in my family we have quite a few Gay people (married with children and unmarried).  But I don't have any non-binary.

I'm meeting my sister this week for lunch.  Her side of the family (she's my 1/2 sister), keeps up with who's who.

I would love to have a sit down with a group non-binary people.  I don't judge people.  I just accept them the way they want me to accept them.

I find it fascinating (the way people perceive themselves).  I kept coming back to the fact that it sounds Bi-Sexual to me and I'd like to talk to a group and find out what the difference is.  Non-binary obviously consider themselves neither male nor female and I'd like to find out more about them.

I also liked his wife.  I did (as you said) get to see her for a minute.  I also enjoyed last season better than this one.

I like the way Wendy's character is (what I consider) more than one dimensional.  She's (I think) the most interesting character on the show.  By that I mean, the character who interacts with more than just a few people.

Taylor actually mostly interacts with a few people.  She doesn't have to deal with children, a husband and a boss (Axe).

This show sits right on the fringes of being a comedy sometimes.  The comedy seems more 'high-brow' to me.  I admit sometimes it takes me a re-visit more than once to get the point of it all.

I've been trying to get my daughter to watch it but she's lost interest in it.

I did see where the actress who plays Taylor is going to be in the new movie with Kenau Reeves.  It's called John Wick, Chapter 3.  I love the John Wick movies and I also enjoy watching Kenau Reeves in anything.  So,  you can bet I'll be seeing this movie.

I enjoyed reading what you liked about the show.  It doesn't seem like that many people here watch it.

[Tique]

I wasn't saying the old thread should be bumped. It's from 2017 so that would be against forum standards or whatever it's called. Thought it was interesting to read how the show "grew" this character from when they started and seemed so naive to where they are now. Thanks for the correction. I thought I had changed all the pronouns in my earlier post. I have now.

[Tique]

@Annabellethecat66   one last thing.  As you stated about Wendy, she is definitely not one dimensional. I think what first appealed to me about this show was that many of the character are multi-dimensional. Many of them were doing the wrong things for the right reasons and then there were others who were doing the opposite. There are also the supposedly law abiding citizens who are trying so hard to bring someone down that they lie, cheat, steal, plant evidence, whatever, to get their man. They don't even realize their actions make them as guilty as the so-called criminal. No one is all one thing so this portrayal is more realistic to me.

You know who I don't like - Bobby's new lady. Something about her doesn't click for me.

[Annabellethecat66]

@Tique  I agree with you (about Bobby's latest girlfriend).  Watching this last episode, I kept thinking...'the shoe's going to fall now'.  What I meant was she's going to show another side (whatever she seems to be hiding).

It's interesting.  I think she show is really well written.  My late husband invested a lot in the stock market.  We had an actual large satellite dish in our back yard that showed 'real time' from the stock market.

We'd have brokers calling here all of the time.  Even the woman who was Dr. Laura would call our house to talk to him.  I found it boring so I never listened or cared.  This was back a long time ago and she wasn't as well known as now.

His favorite form of investing was IPO's.  He loved IPO's.  But...he'd get very upset at the Broker (he had a few favorites) when they didn't produce.  That was back when it was easier to get IPO's.

Even after he died.  I took over his cell phone number.  I remember a year after he died, I'd still have stock brokers calling for him.  I always knew when it was a business call because he only went by his first name with business people.  To friends and family he was called by his last name.  

I started that when I met him.  I married him within 3 months, so it was a quick 'get to know you'.  He introduced himself by his last name, so that's what I called him.  He was in the Army and they all went by their last names.

OK, that's way beyond the movie.  I'm going to go to bed and watch TV.  Take care sweet lady.  Thanks for your insight into the TV show.  This show interests me and I always learn from hearing other people's side on things.  Take care and have a good evening.  Annabellethecat.

[Grammycakes]

I've been waiting for everyone to post about their reaction to the season finale last nigh!  I have really enjoyed this season and the finale kept me on my toes.  It was great to see how Chuck and his dad worked behind the scenes to bring down Bryan.  I feel sorry for Wendy.  She is not a priority in Chuck's life.

[Mj12]

Well, I just read this thread and I don't see any Spoilers.

We haven't watched the season finale of Billions yet - will probably watch tonight.  I love this show, though I think the first and second seasons were better.

[Grammycakes]

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@Mj12 wrote:

I didn't start the thread, but it's probably there just in case.  I did have a "mini" spoiler in my post. 

Be sure to let me know what you think of the finale!

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[Mz iMac]

Fantastic finale!

Chuck & his daddy are 1 of a kind.  You cannot BS the BS*itter.  What a great long con they pulled on Bryan.

Now Chuck's BS skills will be put to the test

Spoiler

next season  against Axil (who has BS skills too) w/Taylor's help now that "they" along w/backup are back working for the enemy.

Speaking of Axil, he's a  for what he did to Rebecca.  Glad she kicked him to the curve.