The Most Unrealistic Things in the Show ‘Billions’

Five Unrealistic Plot Points in the High-Stakes Drama.

“Billions” is full of power plays, betrayals, and those sneaky moves that make you go “whoa”. But let’s be real, some stuff on the show is way off the mark when it comes to how things work in the real world. So, let’s talk about what’s probably the most unrealistic thing on the show.

Swiss citizenship

Remember when Bobby Axelrod, the billionaire hedge fund kingpin, just up and gets Swiss citizenship like it’s no big deal? Dude just basically snaps his fingers and boom, he’s Swiss. I mean, come on!

Switzerland isn’t some kind of candy store where you can just walk in and buy citizenship. It’s actually one of the hardest countries to become a citizen of, even if you’re loaded. They’ve got this super strict naturalization program where you have to live in the country for years and really prove you’re worthy of being Swiss.

I mean, think about it. Even mega-rich folks can’t just waltz in, throw down a bunch of cash, and walk out with a Swiss passport. They gotta wait their turn just like everybody else and, even then, there’s a chance they might get a big fat “nope” from the Swiss authorities.

So, yeah, Bobby getting his Swiss citizenship like he’s ordering a burger at a drive-thru? That’s just Hollywood make-believe, folks. The real world doesn’t work that way.

MORE: Paul Giamatti Weight Loss During “Billions”: The Truth Behind It

Therapist and performance coach

And then, there’s the whole deal with Wendy Rhoades, the in-house performance coach and therapist. Now, don’t get me wrong, therapists are vital and do incredible work. But the show makes it seem like she’s cashing in checks that would make a lottery winner blush.

Now, Wendy is portrayed as a top-tier therapist who works exclusively for Axe Capital, helping the traders perform at their peak. The show would have you believe she’s raking in millions upon millions, plus getting a sweet 1% of the firm’s profits. But let’s get real here.

Sure, there are performance coaches and therapists in high finance, and yes, they can make a good living. But the kind of money the show suggests Wendy is making is just ludicrous. Even in the high-stakes world of hedge funds, it’s not like therapists are banking the kind of dough that could buy a small country.

Rian character

She’s this hipster genius that, despite supposedly being so buried in her work that she has barely any time for social interaction, still manages to spout off TV references like she’s a walking, talking IMDb.

Honestly, it’s as if she’s somehow absorbed thousands of hours of TV shows, even the obscure ones, and can recall a fitting quote or scene for any given situation at Axe Capital. Seriously, how does she manage that?

We all know that one person who always has the perfect movie quote for any situation, but Rian takes it to a whole new level. It’s as if she’s never missed an episode of anything. Ever. If she spent as much time trading as she did watching TV, she’d probably own the stock market by now.

I mean, come on, Billions. We get it, she’s supposed to be this quirky, eccentric genius. But even geniuses need sleep, and last time I checked, watching TV didn’t count as resting.

Spyros

This dude graduated from Yale Law, one of the most prestigious law schools in the world, and he’s supposed to be this SEC hotshot, right? Yet, the way they depict him on the show is enough to make anyone’s blood boil.

They constantly make him out to be a total buffoon. Seriously, they make it seem like he’s incapable of doing the simplest things without messing up somehow. It’s like they’re trying to play him for laughs, but it just falls flat because it’s so unrealistic.

Like, come on! The guy went to Yale, for crying out loud. He had to have some kind of brains to get in there, let alone graduate. And then he supposedly managed to land a job at the SEC and prove himself enough to get noticed by Axe? That’s no small feat, trust me. But then we’re supposed to believe that he can’t do anything right? It just doesn’t add up.

It’s incredibly frustrating to see this character turned into a running joke. It’s as if they’re saying, “Yeah, he’s accomplished all these things, but he’s still a total idiot.” It’s just not fair to the character, and it’s definitely one of the most unrealistic aspects of the show.

The dude who paints

You’d think the kind of problems he’s dealing with would be resolved back in your early twenties, not now when you’re a grown man! It’s kind of like, hey man, do you want to paint for a living, or not? Sure, he eventually makes a decision, but it takes him forever to get there.

Here’s the thing: you can’t be a full-grown adult, especially with his level of talent and fame, and still be so clueless about what you want in life and your career. It’s one thing to be unsure when you’re just starting out, but this guy is supposedly at the top of his game. He should at least have some idea of what he wants his future to look like.

And yet, we see him wrestling with these questions as if he’s still a college kid trying to decide on a major. It’s totally unrealistic and it honestly just feels like a way to create unnecessary drama. In real life, someone at his level of success would likely have these kinds of existential questions sorted out by now. It’s a huge eye-roller, for sure.