The Good Life

**The Good Life** is the name of the fifth episode of the Season 1 of Billions. The episode was written by Heidi Schreck and directed by Neil LaBute.

## Plot Summary

Axe orders his traders to unload their positions, and he unceremoniously disappears from Axe Capital. As Axe questions his life choices and plans a trip on his new yacht, Wags and Wendy struggle to maintain morale and order amid the chaos. Meanwhile, Chuck intensifies his investigation in response to Axe's disappearance and is led to a farm in Iowa, where he discovers a key witness to a questionable trade. Armed with the damning evidence, Chuck sends the FBI into Axe Capital to make a surprising arrest.

## Plot

Bobby is seen riding his bicycle through the farm property he owns called Axe Hills. Tito manages the property and helps Axe select organic eggs to bring to his family. When it's time to leave though, Axe eyes go to Tito's bike, which has a basket perfect for carrying the egg basket. Axe offers to trade his expensive top model bike for Tito's and the trade is readily accepted. While riding away, Wags calls Axe and requests to know what he should tell their clients in his absence. Axe replies he should them he is shutting down. Wags questions if Axe will feel the same way next week, and Bobby says he's focused on today only and hangs up.

With Decker's information providing no other lead but "Dollar Bill" Stearn, Chuck and his team decide to focus in on him. Their intel thus far hasn't revealed much but Bryan defends their efforts as they've only been investigating the man for a week. Kate shares with Chuck the teams working theory that Stearn bribed an official at Pepsum Pharmaceuticals for information regarding an experimental product called "Vaccarazine", an enzyme they have been testing in Iowa which is suppose to genetically modify corn in a way that cows can actually digest more easily. Chuck is upset his team hasn't found a thread yet and storms off to leave the team to conjure for him something more substantial.

At home, Axe provides breakfast to the family, claiming it's his own grandma's famous recipe. Ryan enters with groceries and Axe gives him the morning off as he's taken care of it. As Ryan leaves, Axe suggest a family boat trip. Lara wants to go to the Mediterranean later down the road, but Axe decides to go for the Galapagos next week, per his children's suggestions. Lara is surprised with how quickly Axe wants to make the trip, and questions if it's something they really have to do as the restaurant she runs with her sister will enter their busy season at the same time. Chuck tells her it's fine if she can't come and will make sure he and the kids stay in contact with her, but that only puzzles Lara more. She asks Bobby if this isn't something they shouldn't rush into and talk about more, but Bobby waves it off saying what's the point of having all this money "if we can't do what we want, when we want".

Kate learns Bryan is having some money problems when she overhears him on a call about putting a down payment on a place to live. Since he is short, she offers him a loan and to be his guarantor, but Bryan says it'd be against the rules and could cause trouble down the road. Kate says they'll get a waiver and so long as Bryan doesn't default, there shouldn't be any issues.

With the kids away at school, Lara and Bobby have some fun in the pool, then lay on their lawn to talk. Lara decides she has warmed up to the idea of the Galapagos trip but tells Bobby it's best she go into the restaurant now and help them prepare for her absence, and so declines Bobby's offer to play hooky with him. Axe decides he will spend the day watching Citizen Kane for the first time ever, projected, "the way it was intended to be viewed".

Chuck's team continue to investigate Stearn and brainstorm why they can't find a money trail for the guy. Meanwhile Wags confirms with the senior traders that they will not be making any buys right now, the company is only focused on liquidating at the moment. Donnie asks why they should do this now when they are on top of the world, and Stearn's makes clear he is not a fan of this strategy, but Wags tells them they have their orders and their feelings are not a factor in this decision.

Chuck speaks to Dale to run a side assignment privately for him. Dale agrees to look into a Martina Slovis who dropped out of Brooklyn Law and use to live in Cobble Hill. After that meeting, Bryan celebrates with Chuck and claims he found their way in. While Stearn is very cautious and frugal with his money, he cannot pass up a good deal. Apparently on April 25th, Stearn used his Silver Elite card in a downtown Marriott Hotel in Des Moines, Iowa. Despite paying cash for the room, a habit he frequently exercises for discretion, he couldn't resist the opportunity for reward points. This places Stearn in the vicinity of the Pepsum Pharmaceutical facility developing Vaccarazine around the time of the insider trades. Chuck is happy to hear this, and Bryan shares there focus now will be to head to Iowa and snatch up Clayton Grunwald, Pepsum's researcher and the man they believe was in contact with Stearn.

Mike Dimonda asks Chuck to confirm if he is indeed investigating Axe and what he thinks about Axe Capital supposedly shuttering its doors. Chuck dodges the questions, and instead asks Dimonda to focus his next story for *The Financial Journal* on the corrupt mayor they just helped convict, the 17 people they caught in a heroin conspiracy, or the serial killer they just apprehended. Chuck leaves smugly, but quickly reveals that this information is distressing to him. He asks Bryan to work with Kate and to look into it to confirm if the rumors are true. Chuck calls Wendy to learn more but ultimately decides not to ask her. At the end of the call, Wags talks to Wendy in her office and shares his concern that Axe is self destructing. He pushes Wendy to talk to him and set him right again, but Wendy says it's only been a few days and he should have more time to evaluate things before she picks his brain. Wags doesn't believe they have time and the traders and investors are getting nervous. Wendy tells Wags to push Axe to talk to the investors himself next time it comes up. She tells him it will "make it real for him" and help Axe become clearer about what he wants and Wags agrees.

Kate confirms everyone she has reached out to says Axe is shutting down. Bryan shares how impressed he is with Kate and makes it super awkward, so she mentions she will speak to the FBI, who are on standby currently, about setting up surveillance on Axelrod, then leaves the room. Chuck is confused and wonders what Axe's strategy is. Bryan suggests he is quitting while he is ahead, but Chuck laughs it off saying people like Bobby have no idea how to quit. Chuck decides to join Bryan in Iowa to micromanage the case. Bryan shares his concern that given his wife is employed by Axe, it may be best that he begin separating himself from the day to day minutiae of the operation. Chuck takes offense and tells Bryan to get him an aisle seat on his plane ticket.

While Axe is setting up for his private viewing of Citizen Kane, Wags interrupts with a briefcase full of documents for Axe to sign. Axe is initially annoyed, but Wags provides a trip down memory lane of their earliest triumphs and provides contact info for clients that he needs to speak to regarding the end of their services. While Bobby enjoys reliving the old war stories, he decides to send Wags away and says he will call the investors tomorrow morning.

When he takes kids out to a carnival, Axe speaks to Hall privately and Hall confirms that the FBI is indeed watching his every move now. Axe shares with Hall that he will be disappearing with his family for a while, and Hall agrees that its good timing to make such a trip. Down in Iowa, Chuck meets up with Clayton at his farm. Clayton recognizing he's been ambushed, confesses to meeting Bill. He shared they both had similar upbringings and sharing stories with one another brought them pretty close together. Chuck coldly explains that Stearn lied to him, his father was a shoe salesman in Philadelphia, not a farmer. Clayton is upset to hear this as he considers Stearn a friend. He tells Chuck and his team that his daughter, Christina, needed surgeries and Stearn offered to pay, and so he told Stearn everything he wanted to know about Pepsum Pharmaceuticals. Clayton acknowledges that he had a duty to maintain his organizations trade secrets, but he figured there was no harm in talking casually about it to a friend. Chuck explains that the information actually did $89 million in harm, and Clayton's daughter wonders if they should have a lawyer present. Chuck tells them he is not interested in Clayton doing hard time, but rather he wants their assistance to get Stearn, but he will be willing to prosecute them if they don't help. If they do agree to help, Chuck says he will do everything to help Clayton. Clayton signs a document Bryan prepared confirming that 24 hours before Vaccarazine was made public, he shared information regarding the product to "Dollar Bill" Stearn. Bryan confirms that he will pickup Clayton when its time for his arraignment but this upsets Christina who believed they should have gotten a lawyer and that her dad should not do any jail time. Chuck says that was not the deal, that he will still follow through on doing everything he can, but her husband will indeed be taken to New York.

Axe interrupts his own viewing of Citizen Kane to speak to Wags who confirms that they will be 100% out of all positions involving telecommunications tomorrow morning. Wags says everyone will think he is crazy as its about to be day three of his firm not making any trades, but Bobby says they can think whatever they want. Dimonda speaks to Lonnie during his lunch break and begins to question him about Chuck. Lonnie says he has nothing but utmost respect for Chuck, but Dimonda interrupts that its surprising to hear that considering he stole Lonnie's big case from him and there is a rumor that Lonnie is job hunting now. Before Lonnie can leave, Dimonda says the topic of his story is about people working at the Attorney Generals offices leaving for the private sector due to job dissatisfaction. Lonnie threatens Dimonda for trying to ruin his career, but Dimonda says he is actually interested in a story focused more on Chuck Rhoades and that Lonnie can be just the anonymous background source of that story instead. Lonnie is interested and agrees to speak further on it with Dimonda.

Kate and Bryan have drinks and Kate decides to bring up his relationship with Terri. Bryan, lacking a poker face and having no warning of this topic, admits that he and Terri have a "casual" relationship. Just then Terri turns up at the bar and mentions that she is gonna call it a night. Bryan, lacking subtlety, decides to call it a night right at that moment too and heads up with Terri, leaving Kate to drink alone. She stays at the bar for a long time and it isn't till much later in the day when Bryan rejoins her to discuss the loan offer. Kate says it won't be a problem but Bryan doesn't like to mix money and friendships. He again compliments Kate and says the skies the limits for her because of how hardworking and brilliant she is. Kate confesses that she is already planning her step to become POTUS. Bryan and Kate laugh at this but the two have another awkward moment and Kate decides to call it a night and heads up to her room, leaving Bryan with the bill at the bar.

Chuck finds himself struggling to curb his sexual appetite with Wendy so far away in New York while he is in Iowa, so he calls her to ask her permission to enter a BDSM club. Wendy tells him to stay on call with him as he enters, and he obliges. He describes in detail everything happening around him, and Wendy demands he get on his hands in knees right there. Chuck immediately does so and a passerby steps on his palm with her high heel. Chuck moans and asks if he can touch himself, but Wendy says he must wait for her to give him permission. She then begins to masturbate while listening to the music and Chuck.

Back at Axe Capital, everyone is embracing the time off and goofing off, but underneath the surface, its clear everyone wants to get back to work asap. Wendy tries to maintain morale of the troops, but fails to reach them in a meaningful way. Trading is their life, and right now they feel lost without it. As everyone huddles around and places bets on an employee having a YumTime eating competition, Wags tells Wendy that they are this close to it being "Lord of the Flies around here". He keeps his game face on though and tells everyone that body sushi strip joint is on him and the crowd cheers and goes with Wags.

The surveillance team watches as Wendy enters the Axe residence. Wendy makes small talk with Lara who has bags packed for their boat trip. As Wendy leaves to speak with Axe, Lara is visibly worried about the state of things. Chuck gets a call confirming his wife is there, and when he asks if Wendy is alone with Axe, they confirm that Lara has just left the residence, so the two of them are indeed alone. Wendy sits with Axe watching Citizen Kane, but they stop watching the film to talk. Bryan stresses again that Chuck should recuse himself, but he refuses to separate and grows upset with the current situation. Axe reveals to Wendy that on his Metallica trip, he realized that there was a different life he could be living and that he is trying to reconcile those feelings. He asks Wendy if she ever thinks the same way, and she admits she's thought about it. Wendy tells Bobby he has to make a decision, it's his every right to make it, whatever it may be, but he has to make the decision. He owes his team that, the investors that, and himself that.

Chuck receives word that there is a story just printed by Dimonda that a "senior official" at the Attorney General's office confirms Chuck is hesitant to proceed on his case with Axelrod due to a potential family conflict. Chuck tries to call Wendy, but when it goes straight to voicemail, he angrily starts throwing things around.

Bobby sits down with the head of the police fund to discuss both of their futures. The man is upset that Bobby is about to give him a $1.5 Billion problem by ending things but Axe assures him that he will find a suitable fund to takeover their investment. He decides to grill Axe and throws various financial questions to him. Axe answers them all and asks how he did, but he doesn't know the answers to any of them. He just knows that Axe's eyes lit up the same way that they did the first time he met him and tried to quiz him. Chuck meanwhile, is finally able to reach Wendy, who tells him that she is about to sneak into a theatre during intermission to see *On the Town*. Chuck confirms that she will not be returning to the office, and Wendy does so, though she notes how strange it is Chuck is asking this. When the call ends, Chuck requests an arrest warrant and tells his team that they can execute it today.

Bobby is about to board his ship when he receives a news alert that "Mundia-Telecommunication Executives have been indicted". This is the same company that Constantine talked to Axe about during his Metallica trip. While the Feds prepare to storm Axe Capital, Wags reads up on how Mundia-Tel stock is crashing after news of the indictments and bankruptcy, and a sudden realization dawns on him. As Wags regroups with his team, they address how fortunate they are they got out. With Mundia-Tel down 89%, the entire telecommunication market is crashing with them as arrests and scandals are stretching across various countries. Axe suddenly reappears at the office and Wags congratulates him on his brilliance. Axe admits that he had to do it this way to avoid everyone racing to the exits like him. If they thought he was having a mid-life crisis, all the other hedge funds would ignore Axe and slow liquidation of telecommunication positions.

Wags is happy and tells Axe for second there, he believed Axe was being for real about leaving it all behind, but Axe remains silent for a moment and then admits to Wags that he did consider it. He said he was very close to just going on that boat and leaving for the Galapagos for God knows how long. Wags asks Bobby what made him change his mind ultimately, and Bobby just says that it's because he "fucking loves this place". Just then though, Bryan, Terri, and a team of Feds enter Axe Capital and publicly arrest Stearn in front of Axelrod and company.

## Cast

### Starring

* Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades
* Damian Lewis as Bobby Axelrod
* Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades
* Malin Åkerman as Lara Axelrod
* Toby Leonard Moore as Bryan Connerty
* David Costabile as Mike Wagner
* Condola Rashad as Kate Sacker

### Guest Starring

* Terry Kinney as Hall
* Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Raul Gomez
* Susan Misner as Terri McCue
* Nathan Darrow as Mick Danzig
* David Cromer as Donnie Caan
* Frank Harts as Dale Christo
* Hamilton Clancy as Clayton Grunwald
* Eva Kaminsky as Kelly Grunwald
* Liza J. Bennett as Assistant
* Malachi Weir as Lonnie Watley
* Christopher Paul Richards as Dean Axelrod
* Jack Gore as Gordie Axelrod