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Review: “Billions” Season 6 Ends Tonight With A Feature Film-Like Thriller That Should Yield Emmys

Roger Friedman
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Review: “Billions” Season 6 Ends Tonight With A Feature Film-Like Thriller That Should Yield Emmys

Before there was the rapid fire talk and financial machinations of “Succession,” there was “Billions.”

Don’t get me wrong, I love “Succession.” But if “Billions” had been on HBO, Paul Giamatti, David Levien and Brian Koppelman, Damian Lewis when he was there, and everyone else involved with it would have been having trouble finding shelf space for Emmy Awards.

Last season, based on personal issues and maybe frustration, Damian Lewis left the show after making antagonist Bobby Axelrod iconic. But that still left Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades, the extremely compromised protagonist, anti-hero, sometime villain, and brilliantly verbal star of the show.

In came Corey Stoll as Mike Prince, Axe’s successor, who’s turned out to be more manipulative and evil than Axe, just less of a street fighter. Prince offers his venom in apple sauce, which makes his conniving and plotting so much worse down the line. Just when you think he may be better than you hoped, Prince comes in for the kill.

Season 6 has been the usual cat and mouse game as Chuck has played his game of mental chess with Prince, Pieces have moved like crazy all over the board. Movie references have been dropped without discretion. There’s been a lot of sniping. Prince thought he could bring the Olympics to New York. Them he planned to run for President. And there was Chuck at every turn. It was hilarious and exhausting.

Added to the mix this season was the great Sakina Jaffrey as Daevisha ‘Dave’ Mahar, who joins Chuck’s team at the Attorney General’s office. This because the inscrutable Kate Sackler (the amazing Condola Rashad) has jumped to Prince’s team where Wags (David Costabile) and Scooter (Daniel Breaker, best newcomer) are working overtime to make the world a worse place. There are already so many great actors on “Billions” (Jeffrey DeMunn, Maggie Siff) you wouldn’t think there was any more room. But Jaffrey was the missing flavor, and finally gives Chuck the support he always needed.

Anyway, “Cold Storage,” tonight’s finale, plays a feature film even at 59 minutes. For Koppelman and Levien, it’s a show stopper on the level of their own “Ocean’s 13.” You must pay attention to “Billions.” There’s a lot of talking and information. You can’t be looking at your phone or exchanging texts. Even though the writers are good at simple, quick recaps within the dialogue, you’ll want give this episode all your attention. The tension is palpable. But the outcome is worth it.

I will say that it seems like Koppelman and Levien are setting up a series finale with season 7. I would miss all these characters but you do wonder, how long can this go on for? First it was Chuck vs. Axe, now it’s Chuck vs. Axe’s ghost. There’s got to be a reckoning soon. The only regret is that Showtime has been unable to get any Emmys love for this show. Maybe this will be the season, Hope springs eternal. Giamatti is so good he makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. The writing is actually exciting, and so is the direction.

So tune in tonight at 9pm, Showtime, give this season ender the numbers it deserves. “Billions” is more than we deserve.

 

Box Office: “Hedgehog” Breaks Sound Barrier with $71 Mil, Bay’s “Ambulance” Screeches to All Time Low

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Hedgehog” Breaks Sound Barrier with $71 Mil, Bay’s “Ambulance” Screeches to All Time Low

Who saw this coming?

The “Sonic the Hedgehog” sequel was a blockbuster that no one predicted. The animaed film broke the sound barrier. Three day total was a whopping $71 million. The original only did $58 mil on its opening weekend. What’s going on? Parents are dying for someplace to take kids. They went to the movie theaters. Paramount scored a huge winner.

“Sonic” has now made more money than Paramount’s “Lost City” in one week, compared to the latter’s three weeks. “Lost City” started strong but has petered out to $68 mil. This weekend was $9 million. Next weekend should be half of that, and so on down the line. “Lost City” will have to find some fans internationally although so far the release hasn’t really launched.

And “Ambulance”? The $50 million misfire is looking at $8.7 million tops, maybe less, took fourth place after “Lost City.” For Michael Bay, the “Transformers” director and producer of commercial hits, this wasn’t his brightest moment.  As I noted yesterday, it’s an all time low for Michael Bay, champ of the meaningless blockbusters.

 

Oscar Wrap Up: National Board of Review Had No Effect on Academy Awards, Ignored “CODA”

Roger Friedman
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Oscar Wrap Up: National Board of Review Had No Effect on Academy Awards, Ignored “CODA”

Here’s how the ridiculous National Board of Review stacked up to the eventual Academy Awards. They bore little resemblance to the real awards as they were based on the subjective considerations of the group’s chairman, and the fact that one of their board members works for A24.

So why do the studios pander to this group? In the end, the NBR got them nowhere. The whole thing is a big waste of time.

Best Film: Licorice Pizza — the Oscar went to “CODA”

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson — Licorice Pizza — the Oscar went to Jane Campion

Best Actor: Will Smith — King Richard — this was their only correct choice in acting

Best Actress: Rachel Zegler — West Side Story — Zegler wasn’t nominated. Jessica Chastain won for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Best Supporting Actor: Ciarán Hinds — Belfast — the Oscar went to Troy Kotsur, for “CODA”

Best Supporting Actress: Aunjanue Ellis — King Richard — the Oscar went to Ariana DeBose for “West Side Story”

Best Original Screenplay: Asghar Farhadi — A Hero — the Oscar went to “Belfast”

Best Adapted Screenplay: Joel Coen — The Tragedy of Macbeth — the Oscar went to “CODA”

Best Animated Feature: Encanto — this was the group’s choice

Best Foreign Language Film: A Hero — the Oscar went to “Drive My Car”

Best Documentary: Summer of Soul — this was the group’s choice

Best Ensemble: The Harder They Fall — SAG Best Ensemble went to “Belfast”

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel — The Tragedy of Macbeth — the Oscar went to “Dune

Watch Julian Lennon Perform “Imagine” for the First Time Ever to Support Ukrainian Refugees

Roger Friedman
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Watch Julian Lennon Perform “Imagine” for the First Time Ever to Support Ukrainian Refugees

Julian has a new single out this weekend of his own.

But he’s also recorded his first ever version of dad John Lennon’s “Imagine.” He says in the message below he would only sing “Imagine” “if it was the end of the world.” He’s never traded on his father’s name. he changed his mind and made this effort is to support Ukrainian refugees. It’s a beautiful version.

Not for comparison, but the new single is below. Called “Every Little Moment.” It’s really great. It’s been far too long since Julian has released new music. A new album is coming on May 20th. His new stuff is on BMG which likes to keep their releases a secret until they’re completely dead. Let’s try and overcome that this time around.

Imagine 2022

Every Little Moment

PS The Imagine track was instigated by some Global Citizen event today. Do not give them money. Give money to the Red Cross or other sanctioned humanitarian relief groups. Global Citizen spends its money on rock concerts and salaries.

Ronald Reagan’s Would Be Assassin John Hinckley, Jr. Plans Concert in Brooklyn (See Video)

Roger Friedman
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Ronald Reagan’s Would Be Assassin John Hinckley, Jr. Plans Concert in Brooklyn (See Video)

In March 1981, John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. He was convicted and went to prison. He successfully ruined the life of James Brady, who was critically wounded in the attack. Hinckley also wounded police officer Thomas Delahanty, and Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy.

Now Hinckley, recently released from prison, will perform a concert in Brooklyn at the Market Hotel on July 8th. Tickets are $20. The show is billed as “and special guests.” One of them will not be actress Jodie Foster, with whom Hinckley said he was obsessed.

It’s not funny at all even if you want to make jokes. Brady’s life was basically ruined, even though he and his wife, Sarah, became gun control standard bearers and he was admired greatly for his courage. Brady died in 2014. His death was ruled a homicide, but because Hinckley had gotten off on the insanity plea he couldn’t be prosecuted.

Unbelievably, Hinckley indicated on Twitter that this may be the beginning of a tour, he’s taking other bookings. We are really living in the Upside Down World.

Hinckley has also been posting videos to YouTube of himself singing and playing the guitar.

To recap: Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and spent the next 30 plus years in psychiatric care until his release in 2016. In 2020, it was ruled that he could release music and artwork under his own name.

Rehabilitation of prisoners is one thing. But this is macabre, distasteful, and highly inappropriate. I’m sure it will sell out in minutes.

keep refreshing for more info…

Someone Call 911: Box Office Champ Director Michael Bay Faces Lowest Opening Ever with “Ambulance”

Roger Friedman
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Someone Call 911: Box Office Champ Director Michael Bay Faces Lowest Opening Ever with “Ambulance”

Sirens are wailing all over Hollywood this morning.

Michael Bay, producer and director of blockbusters, is facing his worst opening weekend ever with “Ambulance.”

The Jake Gyllenhaal starring feature made just $2.5 million on Friday. Added to previews, “Ambulance” made $3.2 million for its opening “night.” Another five or six million for Saturday and Sunday means the Ambulance needs to call 911 itself and report a catastrophe.

Bay is known for producing or directing blockbusters, not critically acclaimed films. The biggest numbers in his portfolio are for “Transformers” movies. The last movie he directed, “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi,” opened to just $16.9 million, a persona low. “Ambulance” will now take its place  on his all time low list.

Granted, the budget for “Ambulance” was about $200 million less than his usual extravaganzas. “Ambulance” probably cost around $50 mil. It was also less poorly reviewed than most of his films, with critics saying basically, it wasn’t as bad as the others. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 69%, which for Bay is the equivalent of an A.

Meanwhile, you’ll be happy to know that “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” made $26 million for Paramount over Thurs-Fri. Hedgehogs never go out of style, especially the sonic kind!

Norah O’Donnell Triumphs Over Naysayers and Tabloids, Signs New Deal to Stay at CBS News

Roger Friedman
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Norah O’Donnell Triumphs Over Naysayers and Tabloids, Signs New Deal to Stay at CBS News

If I were the New York Post, I’d get a new media business reporter.

Three times since last October the Post’s Alexandra Steigrad produced features promising that CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell was on her way out. No one liked her, she had a bad attitude, she spent lots of money, and so on. And her ratings were terrible.

So guess what? O’Donnell — who I think is terrific — has just signed a new deal to keep anchoring the CBS Evening News through the 2024 elections. She’ll host most of CBS News’s other important specials as well. And she’ll keep doing it from Washington, DC, where she moved the show because that’s where she lives, as well.

The Post surmised that O’Donnell would be replaced by CBS Mornings co-host Tony Doukoupil, and that Gayle King would exit “CBS Mornings,” too and go…somewhere else. King signed her new deal to stay in place back in January.

It must be exhausting to be so knowledgeable!

“CBS Evening News” plays on CBS radio every night, and because of that, it’s usually tbe best written of the three nightly network newscasts. It’s my first choice followed by Lester Holt on NBC.

Ratings for all three shows including “ABC World News” with David Muir are less than they were during the tempestuous days of the Biden-Trump election and the early pandemic. But they’re still the go-to half hours when the world is in turmoil, as it is now, and for breaking news. Their demise is greatly exaggerated.

Will Smith’s Severe Punishment Shocks “Civilians,” But What He Did After Slap Was Almost Worse

Roger Friedman
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Will Smith’s Severe Punishment Shocks “Civilians,” But What He Did After Slap Was Almost Worse

The internet is buzzing with shock over the severity of Will Smith’s punishment by the Academy. Ten years suspension, no attending the Oscars for a decade. No participation in Academy activities.

Is it too much? It feels like it. I would have rather seen three years and a joint investigation into what happened, what caused a normally composed person to lose his mind on live TV, a discussion about anger, etc. But right now no one wants to hear that. They just want a pound of flesh.

There’s another element to the whole slap-Oscar ban. What Smith did after the Oscars was almost worse than his act of violence. Having won his Academy Award, Smith skipped the Governor’s Ball completely. That was the first thumbing of his nose. And then he went to Vanity Fair’s celebrity orgy and danced the night away, rapping his greatest hits and really sticking it to the Academy and to Chris Rock.

This part of the evening will haunt him forever, and it should also haunt Vanity Fair. Yes, the Vanity Fair philosophy is that they welcome whoever will get them publicity. It really doesn’t matter what you’ve done.

But by welcoming Smith after this live TV debacle, they affixed their stamp of approval. Smith felt at home in their big drafty tent to do whatever he wanted. They loved it because they were using him. Vanity Fair’s so called leadership has ruined their magazine by having no point of view. This point of view diminishes them in circulation and certainly now editorially.  It’s hard for the magazine to do much more harm to itself, but maybe the remaining readers should consider that Vanity Fair contributed as much to Will Smith’s downfall as he did.

Will Smith Gets 10 Year Suspension from Motion Picture Academy After Infamous Oscar “Slap,” Banned from Show

Roger Friedman
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Will Smith Gets 10 Year Suspension from Motion Picture Academy After Infamous Oscar “Slap,” Banned from Show

Will Smith has received his punishment from the Motion Picture Academy: 10 years suspension. He can’t vote or attend events or get swag.

He will not have to return his new Oscar, however. And he can still be nominated for one, although it’s unlikely. He’s banned from attending the Oscar ceremony for 10 years, too.

As I reported last week, Smith has been hanging out in Dubai with the crowned prince and not dealing with the consequences of his infamous Oscar “slap.”

His projects, however, are in limbo. And his business deals with his new financial partners are sketchy.

But Smith is wealthy beyond belief. He could take off two years and not notice it. Or more, really.

Here’s the Academy’s statement:


The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.

During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented.

Today, the Board of Governors convened a meeting to discuss how best to respond to Will Smith’s actions at the Oscars, in addition to accepting his resignation. The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards.

We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances. We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast.

This action we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s behavior is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy. We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.

Will Smith Exclusive: Fresh Prince Rescued By Crown Prince of Dubai Days After Oscar Slap Flap

RIP Kathryn Hays, Great Star of “As the World Turns,” Famous for “Star Trek” Episode, Dies at 87

Roger Friedman
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RIP Kathryn Hays, Great Star of “As the World Turns,” Famous for “Star Trek” Episode, Dies at 87

Very sad news: Kathryn Hays, who played Kim Hughes on “As the World Turns” from 1972 til the show’s last episode in 2010, has died at age 87. She was immensely popular first as a heroine and then as a matriarch. Hays played the character with wit and humor, and was legendary for calling her favorite people on the show “Toots” on screen.

When Hays came to “As the World Turns” she already had a long resume and was famous to “Star Trek” fans for an  episode called “The Empath.” Other credits included “Hawaiian Eye,” “Dr. Kildare,” “Route 66,” “Bonanza,”and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” Hays also appeared in three Broadway productions. She came to the soap opera in 1972 after famous Hollywood marriage, to movie star Glenn Ford, from 1966 to 1969. (Sadly, he suffered from alcoholism and depression.)

In a statement, ATWT co-star Don Hastings, who played her husband, Bob Hughes, from 1985 to 2010, said, “Our relationship as Bob and Kim was as close as Kathryn and my relationship, except we were not married. We were more like brother and sister and we were great friends. Our biggest squabble was that she always wanted to rehearse and I wanted to take a nap. This is a huge loss to all who knew her.”

In the 1980s, Meg Ryan played Hays’s stepdaughter and Julianne Moore played her daughter on the long running soap.

Hays had been living near her daughter and her family in Illinois during the pandemic, but died where she’d lived for decades in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Hays, Hastings, and Eileen Fulton and all the stars of the Procter & Gamble New York based soaps live on, on YouTube. Hays will always be remembered fondly.

Star Trek:

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