Commentary: On Its Tenth Anniversary, It Is Clear ‘Billions’ Inspired A Genre

The Showtime series Billions marks its tenth anniversary this year. Spanning seven seasons, it is clear the show found some success as a financial drama following the escapades of the uber-wealthy. In many ways, the program is a financial fantasy about what someone can accomplish with infinite money and an indulgence of excess. But it also had a lot to say about the influence of money. It could be viewed as a commentary on the 1% in a way few shows touched upon before, sparking an entire genre that has flourished since.

The main character is Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis). He runs a very competitive hedge fund that makes his clients millions of dollars by investing their money through legal, controversial, and illegal ways. The show chronicles Bobby’s journey as he evades regulators, prosecutors, and even the competition while using his massive fortune to settle old scores and flex his financial might. He also manages to protect his public image using philanthropy and highlighting his own personal rags-to-riches story.

There’s something optimistic about seeing an average joe achieve incredible success. At the same time, Billions puts a spotlight on the darker side of that journey by demonstrating how the rich can be narcissistic and even pathological in their quest for power and wealth. This is a theme that has exploded in recent years as the subject of wealth inequality has been driven to the forefront of public discourse. Programs like Your Friends And Neighbors, Succession, and even the film Mountainhead follow suit by featuring incredibly wealthy and powerful individuals treating the lives of everyday people as nothing more than pawns. Now that it has reached its tenth anniversary, it’s clear to see that Billions paved the way for other such stories of the genre.

Billions is now streaming on Paramount+.