Billions (2016–…): Season 3, Episode 8 - All the Wilburys - full transcript

Axe tries for a fresh start at Axe Capital. Chuck wrestles with whether to honor his word to a friend. Taylor asks for more independence. Lara and Axe negotiate a new arrangement regarding Lara's money.

Previously on Billions...

Your son. The gay one.

You sent him to that
religious boot camp

to pray the gay away.

Sweeney quit.

Out of the race
before it even began,

on the heels of your visit.

Jack.

Will you make me governor?

His unwillingness to lie...

His great, big, sweet heart.



I can use them.

- Ahh.
- Ahh.

Oldest trick in the book.

And if I grant this request...

There is nothing you can ask
me that I'll refuse you

for the rest of our days.

We're dismissing the indictment.

Are you out of danger, too.

That I am.

Now, Mr. Connerty, as the
Axelrod matter is done,

you are free to go
back to the barn.

Go back to Southern?

Be good to have you back, Bryan.

I really wanted to put on
a show for you tonight.



It felt like we should...

♪ dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

I felt like I was
actually floating...

This morning when
I went running.

Who the hell am I to actually
even go for a morning run?

While I was sleeping in!

You were sleeping like a
bear cub when I left.

I was.

Well, the sleep of the free.

Now, prepare yourself.

I have something...

very special planned.

And you have earned it.
In every way.

Mm.

I have, indeed.

I was very good at being bad.

And you are about to
pay for all of it.

I hope that's a promise.

And now address me as mistress,

if you address me at all.

Yes, Mistress.

They left me no choice.

Said they were going to
destroy my business, my life.

I don't think we used
those words, exactly.

Fuck it, Jack. She got the
message, as we intended.

People usually do.

It's like we have a gift.

Enough.

Enough. Get to it.

Whatever the fuck it is.

I'm sorry.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

I'm leaving, too.

No. Stay a while.

Get comfortable. "Mistress."

Why don't you take
that coat off, 'ey?

It's hot in here...

Don't you dare talk
to her like that.

Just trying to lighten
the mood, sonny.

No. You're not. You're gloating.

It's nothing so arch as that.

This is, um... this
is an object lesson.

And as you know,

people learn much better

when heightened emotions
accompany the instruction.

♪♪♪

It's time to put away
childish enthusiasms.

Now, what you do at home,
it's your business.

But this, with a third party,

who we just showed could
be compromised...

A candidate for governor
simply cannot do it.

You didn't do this so we
would have cellular memory.

No. No.

You did it 'cause
it's your kink.

Oh, you think we give
into our appetites

as easily as you do yours?

Careful, Black Jack.

She might give ya a
crack across the ass.

Get to it.

Time is now, Chuck.

You need to start raising money.
Staffing up.

So we have arranged for you
to meet with Joe Scolari,

our man in Albany.

He will be running
your organization.

♪♪♪

All of this will make
our plans quite public.

And a sitting United
States Attorney

cannot be seen to be coveting
higher public office.

That's why you need to resign

as United States Attorney.

Hmm?

Right away.

To announce your
intention to run.

♪♪♪

I'm not saying you can't run.

I've been listening
for three hours.

And that's an awful lot
what it sounds like.

I'm saying you can't
run like this.

If you want to be governor,
that's what I want, too.

But only if you could
do it as you want.

Not as those two old men want.

And right now they're
setting this thing up

to operate you like a puppet.

Mm-hmm.

That's what's bothering you?

What else?

Guilt, Wendy.

We had a narrow escape.

Or we seemed to for
a fleeting moment.

And seeing those two
'old men' shook you.

Made you feel exposed again.

It might've.

- The things we did...
- Had to do.

Had to do.

But yes, of course.

Blood will have blood.

Maybe this is the time to
step back and deal with that

instead of charging ahead...

No, ma'am.

The only way is to swallow
that guilt and move forward.

Otherwise that guilt
will swallow us.

And with the governorship,

we can do enough good,
for enough people...

Not if you're enacting
Jack Foley's agenda

of favor trading and patronage.

He's setting you up
to be his lapdog.

He just showed us he
will snap that leash

whenever he feels like it.

I won't live that way.

I got to get the kids going.

But hear this: If
you're moving forward,

you gotta reverse
the power dynamic.

Not easy.

No.

But Foley's hurt
a lot of people.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

Find one.

Use one.

Get back on top.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Good news people,

thanks to our strategy
coming into focus

over the past few weeks,
the main fund is up.

As our friend Wags might say:
Up like his morning wood.

Yes!

Up like his blood
pressure on Cialis...

Amen! Up like the...

Bo-bby! Bo-bby! Bo-bby!

[Black Sabbath's Never Say Die]

♪ People going nowhere,
taken for a ride ♪

♪ Searching for a reason,
looking for a rhyme ♪

Axe! Axe! Axe! Axe! Axe!

♪ Snow White's mirror said
"partners in crime!" ♪

♪ Don't they ever have to worry? ♪

Yeah!

♪ Don't you ever wonder why? ♪

♪ It's a part of me
that tells you ♪

♪ Oh, don't you ever ♪

Yeah!

♪ Don't ever say die ♪

♪ Never, never ♪

Welcome back.

Thanks, buddy.

♪ Never say die again ♪

♪♪♪

O Captain! My Captain! Our
fearful trip is done...

Get down from there.

First.

Let's all tip our
hats to Taylor,

who outperformed the benchmarks
by a half point in my absence.

No mean feat...

But, I'm not gonna waste time
now that I got the con back.

I have been thinking
about this moment

since the second I
gave up trading:

Clear the board.

Unwind all current positions.

We will rebuild a new book.

All new positions will
be run through me.

Oww!

Taylor, frag the quant
experiment too.

But, Axe, we've made
some good plays lately

and some of them are
ready to pay out.

This is true.

Guys, I hear you.

All the same: Fresh start.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

And all is right with
the world again...

You know what The Beatles did

when they got back to England

after their first whirlwind
tour of America?

I imagine they all
went to their doctor

and got a shot of
penicillin in their dicks.

Yeah. Sure. But after that...

They recorded their next album.

That they did. One every
six months, in fact.

So instead of basking
in their victory,

they consolidated it.

They were young. And
there was only upside

in pressing their advantage.

There is always only upside
in pressing your advantage.

That's the whole point of
having an advantage to press.

Which we finally do.

So we're getting out
our selling shoes?

Going on a raise.

We're doing a massive cap raise.

And quickly. Twenty
bill within six months.

But we position
ourselves as the buyer.

We make them beg us
to take their money.

Just like we did back in 2015.

This isn't then.

That's not a very
Wendy thing to say...

- But accurate.
- Look.

This will be good for all of us.
Especially you, Taylor.

You've never been on a raise.

This is the other
half of the job.

And the results that we've
generated are the seeds.

And the horseshit we will
spew is the fertilizer.

Horseshit works.

But it doesn't get
rid of the weeds.

By which you mean
our recent history.

Our legal troubles. All
of which are in the past.

I'm saying if I were on the
other side of the table,

I'd have questions.
And reservations.

Where's the rah rah
shit to counter this?

I'm not sure that's
what's required.

Taylor, when you come with us,

you will see that this man
parries those questions

like Charles Van Doren.

Van Doren was fed the answers.

But he got the money.
As will we.

And that's all that matters.

I'll get you the
old pitch books.

You can work from
there on new stuff.

♪ Tense music ♪

You okay?

Mostly.

Not really.

I think I need to use your
guys to deal with something.

- If you need me to, I will.

But I'd prefer to
keep it to myself.

It involves family.

Yes. Absolutely.

I'll get them to
give what you need.

But it's not 'them' anymore.
Hall's back.

♪♪♪

♪ Dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

Hi.

Have to go.

♪ Tense music ♪

You're in here now.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

So, you don't have
server access yet.

Your authorization's underway.

What am I supposed to do?

Await instructions.

Chuck will be with you shortly.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

I love owning the
Flemish school,

but it is tough to hang
in a PoMo townhouse.

My wife says the Dutch Masters

don't go with the De Sede couch.

She's young.

She is indeed...

Look, Bobby, now
that we're together,

let me congratulate
you in person.

I hope you got the bottle
of Armand de Brignac.

I did. Thanks.

I always knew you
were falsely charged.

I hope you know I was
doing everything I could

from the inside.

Of course. I felt you.

Score one for the good guys.

Yeah.

Well.

- Hmm.
- So, get to it.

Well, you know I'm committed
to my government post.

The sense of service.

The good I'm doing
for the country

as the Secretary
of the Treasury...

We're all sleeping a lot better

knowing you're watching
over the markets...

But, I do like to keep an eye
peeled for opportunities.

In this case?

Natural gas.

You know regulation has
been strangling the sector.

You know something different?

I know many, many things

thanks to my proximity
to the FERC.

But what I need

is someone who can act
on the information.

Todd, I would never trade

on privileged,
non-public information.

And I hope whatever audio
or video recording devices

running in here right now

have me saying that
loud and clear.

You've got it wrong.

Do I?

Look, I just got out of the
government's fucking web.

I'm not walking back
into it thanks to you.

I knew you'd be
reluctant to trust me.

That you would need some
sort of proof of my intent.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

Security Bank of Grand Cayman.

This is the bank...
one of them...

Where I still have my
offshore accounts.

DC doesn't know about
it, of course.

Nor do they know
that I'm telling you

that the EPA is about to
rescind a certain regulation

that will prop up the
entire natural gas space.

♪♪♪

Hmm?

I'll give you the details.

Take the account information and
give me my piece in crypto.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

I'll see you soon, Bobby.

♪♪♪

Kate, can you at least tell
me when Chuck's gonna see me?

♪ Funky music ♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

[indistinct conversations,
horns honk]

The success of your campaign

is of the utmost
importance to us...

We will steer personnel.

The hiring of: A
campaign manager,

a head of comms,
a body person...

Do I have any say in this?

The success of your campaign

is of the utmost importance...

I can see how effective
that must be.

But before you go on, let me say

that I'm ready to follow
your collective lead.

I'm willing not merely
to stoop to conquer,

I will breaststroke
through offal to do it.

Good.

So to get things started,

you'll announce from
an event at your home

in the next few days.

Trot the wife and kids out
in front of the cameras.

And time it with
your resignation.

So, you say I'm looking
good downstate.

- Mm-hmm.

Well, Bob Sweeney, in Buffalo.

I know you two have
had your problems...

Capped off by that wicked
J-Block you put on him.

That a political term?

Roller derby.

I was a fan growing up.

Big, strong women in
fishnets, you know?

Oh, I do. Yeah.

Anyway... you need Buffalo now,

which means you
need Bob Sweeney.

You need to make it right,
bring him into the fold.

You think Foley could help
grease the skids with him.

- Nah.

Foley tossed Sweeney aside
when you became favorite son

and he feels burned.

That's gonna be on you...

For you.

You'll look good in it up
in Hudson on weekends.

It's not for sale.

Oh, everything's for sale.

- I'm not that easy to buy off.
- I'm not trying to.

I just thought you could
use a little love.

You did a lot of good work
under tough conditions.

This is not about ego.

It's about acting rationally.
Logically.

Like my quant project,
for instance.

I'd really like to
keep them on until...

Broom them, like I told you.

You cleared the entirety
of our positions...

Our successful,
money-making positions...

Right before asking people to
trust you with outside money.

Won't that look like
erratic behavior?

No, it'll look like we're
putting our best foot forward.

And you're getting paid, so
you shouldn't worry about it.

Forget the car.

I want my own book.

A billion dollars. To
manage, unencumbered.

You took your ball back.
Give me something of my own.

♪ Mid-tempo music ♪

Fine. Done...

So you don't want the car?
Let's go.

No.

♪♪♪

I'll take that, too.

♪♪♪

Thank you for seeing
me, Mayor Sweeney.

What now, Chuck?

You already turned me
into political roadkill.

You here to back over me now?

Not like that. I'm
here to move forward.

To salve the wounds of the past.

You want my support now.

Of course.

Timing makes sense.

Well, know this: Since
Foley turned away from me,

my future has... dimmed.

I'm a crippled mayor
with no route upward.

Let me do for you then.
All right?

First: This.

Your son's confessional, about
how you mistreated him.

It's my only copy.

It was wrong of me to have
played it in the first place.

Good.

As they say on the game
shows: But that's not all.

I will revive your fortunes.

Your opponent in
the next election?

He's about to find himself
under indictment.

By my office.

You'd do that for me?

In exchange for some
help with Jack Foley.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

Really?

His thumb pressing down on me

like I'm an insect...
I don't like it.

♪♪♪

It's a ballsy move, Chuck.

Well, there is no move unless
you have something for me.

You know him better than I do.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

You have to keep me out of this.

I may not have his
friendship anymore,

but I definitely don't
need him as an enemy.

Nothing will stick to you.

♪♪♪

On the square?

♪♪♪

From one traveling
man to another.

♪♪♪

I got The Beatles
on my mind again.

Because he's about
to become Pete Best?

I was thinking more
of another one.

Phew.

I felt so charged
with Axe Cap-thusiasm

after yesterday's meeting

that I wrote a check to
the foundation for 4k.

I trust that Ayles will put
that thing to good use.

He will. Though, in truth,

you might've saved
it for gas money.

Hah. If I stressed
about gas money,

I'd've never gotten the
car in the first place...

Uh,

I sense a disturbance
in the force.

Do you know whose life has
always amazed me, Spyros?

George Harrison's.

Ah, that Beatle.

Yes.

Because Harrison
wasn't only a Beatle.

He was also a Traveling Wilbury.

And it was no mean
feat to be a Wilbury.

Legends only need apply.

Dylan and Petty used to
make a game of it, in fact.

They used to throw a name
out there, and decide,

in an instant, if that person
was or was not a Wilbury.

It required some
ineffable combination

of wit, cool, and credibility.

Like Jack Nicholson,
for example.

Wilbury.

Richard Dreyfuss...

- Great actor...
- But not a Wilbury.

And you Spyros. It
has become clear.

Are not a Wilbury.

But I am!

I am a Wilbury.

I can prove it to you. I...

You're fired.

You're firing me?

I just did. It happened.
I said the words.

Long time coming.

But that Wendy thing worked out.

- So there's no reason...
- Nothing you can say or do.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

You might have done your
job, but you have failed

to provide additional value.

And you've ostracized
the entire company.

I'll prove it to you.
I-I-I do have value.

I-I am a Wilbury.

I'm all the Wilburys.
Put together.

♪♪♪

I feel five years younger.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Oh, I've been having wet
dreams about this moment.

- Bill.

- We've had our issues...
- Mm...

But I have a play, virgin intel.

Your kind of thing.

Nah. Real shame.

I only talk ideas

with current employees
of Axe Capital.

This is the Clarence Beeks shit,

but I guess you don't
want to hear about it.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

The coffee gear
is company-owned.

Make sure he leaves that behind.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Whoo!

Buh-bye!

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

I'll take it from here.

You have thirty seconds.

I can still access a list
of all the public companies

being investigated by the SEC,

but have not disclosed
the investigation

to their shareholders.

With your... special
brand of knowledge,

you can determine which of
these inquiries have teeth

and which are bullshit.

You can short the companies
that you think will go down

when the investigations
come to light...

And go long on those that
get dinged by the bad press

from being looked
into, and shoot up

when they're ultimately cleared.

Right Said Fred.

Okay.

I like what I hear.

Other than that Right
Said Fred bullshit.

Hey, team.

Tough news.

Gonna need you to back
it up and shut it down.

Take down the paper on the
windows before you go...

Lara.

- Hi, Dad.

I'm taking him to the dentist,

but I had to come by to
straighten something out.

Oh.

This 2 and 20 fee charge

has got to be some sort
of clerical error, Bobby.

No error. It's no
longer my money.

The fees go to Axe Cap's
hard-working employees

who ensure your returns.

Seriously?

If I'm paying retail

I may as well yank it out
and spread it around...

Calm down.

Gord, hang here a sec.
Lara, with me...

Look, you can move your
money if you want.

But if you want me to manage
it, this is the cost.

Didn't you read the agreement?
Didn't Birch read it?

Gordie!

Hi, Aunt Wendy.

Hey.

What's going on?

Mom and Dad are
having a smackdown.

Smackdown?

What Mom calls a fight.

Hmm.

Sit, sweetie.

After all the nice talk,

this is the truth of
it: You're pissed

and you're being vindictive,
that I got half your money.

I may be vindictive, but
it's not over that.

You threatened to take my
kids across the country

while I rotted in jail...

I was trying to
look out for them.

This is something we
don't come back from.

Instead of focusing on
what fees you're paying,

I suggest you focus on
the money you're making.

How you'll spend it.

What your life will be
like going forward.

Because that's what I'm doing.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

[indistinct conversations
in distance]

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

So they say to us:
It's not your fault,

it's something that happened
between Mommy and Daddy.

- That's right.
- I know.

But Dean and I didn't even
think it was our fault...

Until they started
saying that...

Hmm.

The thing you need to understand
is: You are not your parents.

- You are...
- Who the hell gave you

permission to talk to my son.

Gordie! Wait outside.

You should listen to your mother.
Go, sweetie.

Thanks, Aunt Wendy.

Don't call her that.
She is not family!

The men in my life don't need any
more of your fucking advice.

I think you might be in a place

where you can't even recognize
when someone is trying to help.

No. I can recognize
your intention.

But when I look at Bobby,

it's the results that
seem all fucked up to me.

♪ Tense music ♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

I bet you don't even
cheat at that, do you?

- Never saw the point.
- Sure.

Yeah, what do they say: You'd
only be cheating yourself.

Doesn't matter, boss.

If you show me a move or
two to gain advantage,

I'll try 'em.

Well, that's new!

Open to change.

Good.

Come on, let's get you
an office befitting.

- Thank you.
- Mm.

I-I thought you were
sending me to Siberia.

There's no need to worry
about any of that.

About hard feelings
or retribution.

No, you did everything exactly
the way I taught you.

Investigated the case fully,
followed where it led,

and refused to be
cowed by power.

That's more than admirable.

It's heroic.

- I had the best teacher. You.

Thanks for seeing it this way.

I worried maybe you'd
hold a grudge...

Grudge?

Nossir. No.

No, you said it yourself.

None of this is personal.

- Hm.
- Yeah, Bryan.

You learned every
lesson I had to teach.

Except the one
that matters most.

You didn't win.

Didn't finish me off.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

No, I'm still standing here
in the best job there is

because I can do what I want,
when I want, how I want.

Oh, I am bad, bad Leroy Brown.

Baddest man in the
whole damn town.

- Just wait a second...
- You breached my threshold

and threatened me,

threatened my wife, the
mother of my children.

♪♪♪

How could you think
there's a universe

where you would survive that?

Oh, Bryan.

You are many things.

♪♪♪

A man. A boy.

A lawyer. A fighter.

A student of the dark
side of humanity.

And a lover of jurisprudence.

But there's one thing
you're certainly not.

An Assistant United
States Attorney

for the Southern
District of New York.

Drop your credentials
at the guard's desk.

And GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!

Here endeth the lesson.

[telephone rings,
indistinct conversations]

♪ Dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

You told me to clear
the positions.

I didn't just clear
twenty-five percent of them.

You told me to broom the quants.

I didn't just get rid
of a quarter of them.

I told you you'd
get the billion.

I didn't tell you when.

You are CIO. It's
an advisory role.

So some oversight is necessary.

You're going to oversee
my investments?

Call them suggestions.

And I'd like yours
on buying a basket

of natural gas names and
pipeline companies.

Then my suggestion is: Don't.

Regulations are
too unpredictable

and are hampering the industry.

What do you know about
upcoming announcements

that might mitigate that?

I don't know anything.

Because I don't work
in the government.

But you know something.

About a coming ruling.
From inside?

Why don't you make the play,
jumpstart your new book.

Keep it. I'll come
up with my own.

Suit yourself.

You can lead a horse
to natural gas

but you can't make it invest.

I question why you're
making this kind of move.

Not based on analysis,

but rather on unsubstantiated
information.

Is it because of the raise?
Wanting to look prescient?

It's about the future
of Axe Capital,

making it what it's
supposed to be.

What's that?

Unassailable.

Untouchable. Unbreakable.

An institution that's TBTF-W...

Too big to fuck with.

♪ Tense music ♪

Do you know how you sound?

Yeah.

Certain.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

[Chuck Prophet's
"Ford Econoline"]

I would be looking
at Telemarket.

I met their chairman once,
and he was very sweaty.

There's something guilty there.

No. Guy who gets that sweaty

talking to the SEC
is not guilty.

He's neurotic. And a loser.

But not a cheat.

♪♪♪

It's like you have a seventh
sense for the dark side.

Sixth sense?

I try to avoid cliché.

Don't worry. I'll
manage the caterers.

I'll send them over when
you're at your "work."

You say work as
though it's a sin.

So tomorrow we are
gonna get this horse

into the goddamned race.

I'm so glad, you're back
from your trip, Ellen.

And will be able
to be here for it.

I told her that she'd
seen enough of the world

and I'd had enough nights alone.

It was time for her to be
back where she belongs.

Well, uh, Dad, why
don't you finalize

those invitations, yeah?

- Good.
- All right.

I got to be somewhere, so...

Those are the certs on the 4140,

the high strength-low alloy,
and the nickel chromium.

And here is your
rightful compensation.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

Take him.

Let's talk about next
month's chromium vanadium.

Your stuff's not bad.

Well, it's gonna
look much better

after you're done with it.

NYPD.

Keep your hands where
I can see them.

Cuff him. Get him out of here.

- Wait, wait, wait.
- Keep your hands

- where I can see them!
- Hey! Quiet.

What the fuck is going on Jack!

Okay. You can stop recording.

Did you set this up, Jack?!

♪ Dramatic music ♪

- Sir.
- Give him the space, boys.

♪♪♪

Chuck.

No.

Yes, Jack.

Looks like you just
got your manhood

caught in a tiger trap...

I know that you have built a
good chunk of your fortune

on cheap steel deals.

It's a helluva scheme.

I admire its grift
and effectiveness.

You import the sub-par goods,

get your man at the
ratings agency

to mark it high grade,

sell it into state-run
projects at top dollar.

The problem is: It's
not only illegal,

it's fucking dangerous,

and someone is gonna get hurt.

Imagine what people would
say if they learned

that the new bridges
and rails they ride on

were built of inferior stuff.

And if they had
cause to look back

through your past
municipal works,

well the fallout from that
in terms of liability

could bankrupt an Astor.

What are you doing...

Hmm?

Just what are you doing?

You know, it's a good thing
that this is my operation,

and I alone have the discretion

to move forward in
processing and prosecuting

the felons involved...

or I can take a more
tempered approach.

Now's certainly not the
time for hasty decisions.

No. No, it's not.

♪♪♪

But now is the time
to set new terms.

Things will be different
moving forward.

I will take your counsel...
But that's all it will be.

I will make the decisions.

You and your people work for me.

Is that clear?

Clear as Catskills
spring water...

Damned impressive, Chuck.

It was frightening as
hell for a moment there.

But, uh, it was
damned impressive.

Downright gubernatorial...

Did it go well?

Well, as well as it
could've, operationally.

It never feels good
doing that to a man.

Even a man like Foley.

I need a Silkwood
shower right about now.

It'll have to wait.
You have a visitor.

Judge.

Wonderful to see you.

Last time I was here...
pretty momentous.

I thought we were
never to talk of it.

We're gonna talk
about everything.

Where are we starting?

With bracing honesty.

Because with all that's
passed between us.

I see no reason to
beat about the bush.

Begin.

Right here, in this house,

you put me on a path that
leads to the Supreme Court.

Well, it's not exactly a
straight and easy one.

There's turns and twists

and highwaymen
hiding in the bushes

who might jump you at any time.

I agree. The path
is treacherous.

Which is why I need
you to guide me.

As I have and will
continue to do.

From your current perch, yes.

But if you leave office,
to go after another,

my flank is unprotected.

I will give you all the support

and assistance you
need from Albany.

Not good enough, I'm afraid.

I see.

I'm here to ask you to
honor your promise to me:

That there was no
favor you'd refuse.

Well, you will have to
state the favor, directly.

I need you to stay U.S.
Attorney.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

Ah, man.

♪♪♪

I've set my sights on governor.

I have bled for this caper.

There must be another way
to help you get over.

There isn't.

If you're gone, AG Jeffcoat
will appoint someone new,

someone who won't
give a shit about me.

Or the kinds of cases I need.

Or worse, back another judge
and bury me in garbage.

I can't let you go.

♪♪♪

I understand it isn't
convenient for you,

but it wasn't convenient for
me to help you either...

♪♪♪

The shit I have done to
position myself for this...

Among those things:
Your oath to me.

I'm gonna need the night before
I can give you an answer.

I imagine you do.

♪♪♪

Each time I'm here, I'm
more and more impressed

with the warmth of your home

and the life you've built.

It speaks to your character.

You are considering it.

It seemed the least
that I could do.

But I'm gonna tell him no.

I mean, I've committed...
I've committed

too much thought and energy
to this governor thing.

♪ Tense music ♪

What about passion?

Excitement.

What about fire?

I see those things on your face

every day you go to
work at Southern.

I always have. It's one of
the things I love about you.

No matter how difficult
the situation,

how fucked it seems you
are, you relish the fight.

As long as there's
any game left,

you play it 'til the very end.

Full out.

♪♪♪

And why wouldn't that be the
case with the governorship?

Politics is a different
kind of fight.

It's about consensus building
and concession granting

and hand wringing
and ass kissing.

But in your job now,
you are a king.

You engage the
battles you choose.

In the manner you choose.

You decide what's right
and what's wrong.

With no one to appease.

Well, you're forgetting
Jock Jeffcoat.

He's a more powerful
king, for the moment.

You've deposed his kind before.

Look what you just did to Jack Foley.
And can do again.

You don't want to
be in politics,

you want to be beyond politics.

♪♪♪

I am all in for you, Chuck.

But I can't turn
off the part of me

that does the job I do.

And looking at you,

I see someone

who knows that one
of those things

makes them feel truly alive.

And that the other is gonna
feel like an obligation.

♪ Pensive music ♪

♪♪♪

I figured it'd last...

The feeling of exhilaration?

Of winning. Last
longer than a day.

Did you even get a full day?

The initial jolt when
it all worked out

and the judge gaveled it...
That was pretty good.

Felt like I was doing
220 miles an hour

on a dirt bike in Moab

and skidded to a stop
just before the cliff.

But then it ended and
there was nothing.

So no.

You know, I thought that
a battle of the kind

that we just fought
could truly be won.

I beat the case. I'm
back here trading.

I'll be around for my boys...

- We need to talk about Gordie...
- We do.

There's residual damage.
He's part of it.

Can that ever be undone?

No.

We're all scarred.

Yeah. I thought scar tissue
was supposed to be stronger.

That's actually medically
untrue, it's just rougher.

Well, I liked it
better the other way.

Yeah. Well. Sure. Me too.

Then what do you got for me?

I can't help but feel that
whatever advice I offer you,

or Chuck for that
matter, now, is colored

by what we've all been
through and done.

It's less pure. As am I.

Because of Mafee?

For one.

I set him up really good.

Got his loyalty going for
as long as I needed it.

Look, give yourself
a pass on that.

It barely registers as bad,
the world I come from.

I'm not sure I can.

♪ Pensive music ♪

Okay. Let me give you
some advice for a change.

Maybe I'll take it too:

You can sit here killing
yourself if you want,

but when you do something to
put yourself back in charge,

remind yourself that
you are not less,

but more powerful for what
you've come through...

That's when you'll feel better.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

What the fuck is he doing here?

We busted a cap in his ass,

we didn't just give
him the day off.

I know, I know.

And I can't believe I'm
fucking doing this,

but I may have been a bit hasty

in the personal insult and
car wrecking departments...

Ya think, Rickles?

You called him a pants shitter
on the trading floor.

Explain.

I have to tell you
that Spyros here

has... shared a unique...
investment strategy with me.

One that is proprietary.

Based on his prior...
work experience.

Are you understanding
this gibberish?

Yeah, I may be.

And this... strategy, you
believe it'll pay off?

I do.

If we carefully implement it,

it can remove certain...

doubt, endemic to the market.

Is this a renewable source?

As long as we don't 'open
our proverbial overcoats'

and 'flash our junk'

at a particular
three-lettered agency.

As long as we play it cool.

Right.

Alright, Spyros.

You may have provided
additional value.

I'm gonna give you a second
shot at Wilbury status.

"Handle me with care."

Pound it out.

No.

Still not a fucking Wilbury.

Not even close.

♪ Funky music ♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Kids are being driven
to the restaurant.

Good, I'll be leaving shortly
when I finish up here.

So...?

I've thought about it, and, uh,

I'm ready to give you a
discount on the fees.

Discount?

If you sign an agreement...
A seven year lock up.

- On the money.
- Mm-hmm.

1.5 and 15. It's not the
discount you wanted...

Which, by the way,
I give to nobody.

But it's the best discount
I give to anybody.

Oh. I'm so moved, Bobby.

Oh, and one more
thing: Uh, the boys.

They're not going
anywhere 'til college.

So a seven year lock
up on our kids, too?

Mm.

Fine.

I'll do it...

For one and ten.

Deal.

♪ Tense music ♪

But you got to
sign it right now.

In front of me.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Terms already drawn up, huh?

I figured where we'd end up.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

I'm sorry you had to see that.

I'm gonna need you to do
something else for me...

Smile.

Excuse me. Can I have your
attention, please, folks,

just for a moment or two?

And I, uh...

I promise not to talk too long.

What a feeling it
is when that doctor

steps out of the birthing room

to announce, "It's a boy!"

Now, they had put you
to sleep, honey,

so I was the one who got to
tell you, once you woke up.

We had a son.

And that day, I said it to you.

He will do great things.

You did.

Right as usual, Charles.

Well, today my boy has
something pretty special

to tell all of us.

And it's an honor to
bring him up here.

Son, you tell the
folks the good news.

- Okay. All right.

All right, Dad. Thank you.
Thank you, Dad.

[laughter, camera
shutters clicking]

It is indeed a great honor
to be standing here tonight.

And for the past several years,
my mission has been justice.

And it is one that I
have embraced with zeal.

I-I-I will confess it.

Now, someone asked me
recently, why that was.

And the answer is:

Nothing makes me feel more
like the best of myself

than knowing that I have fought
for those less fortunate,

for those that have been
bullied or beaten or bruised.

And this is why it
is so crucial to me

that the next governor
of New York State

be a man for whom these
things take primacy,

a man who can't sleep unless
justice is always served,

who will work tirelessly,
day and night,

for the people of New York.

Which is why I am thrilled

and moved to announce...

♪ dramatic music ♪

That I will be throwing the
full weight of my person

behind the one man
who can do the job,

Buffalo Bob Sweeney!

Thank you.

[applause continues,
camera shutters clicking]

Thank you!

- Thank you, Chuck.
- Sure.

Folks, I am, uh,
determined to, uh,

to represent not the special
interests in this state,

but the interests of
every New Yorker.

[Sweeney continues
indistinctly in distance]

- Dad...
- I now know

the only way you could avoid
stepping on your dick

is if I'd made them cut it
off in that birthing room.

Okay. Jack...

You got the jump on me. Fine.

But if you imagine
this is the first time

I've ever had to wrestle with
my shoulders near the mat,

you're gonna learn
something very different.

♪♪♪

[Sweeney continues
indistinctly in distance]

We are the state of Eastman,
Cooper, the Roosevelts,

the state that still stands
as a beacon of hope,

of freedom, of equality
for the entire world.

And together, we can
bring prosperity

back to the state.

Which is why I cannot
wait to serve you

as the next governor of
the State of New York.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

You seeing this?

"Gas stocks pop on
EPA lift of regs"!

This play is gonna
be a wave we ride

all the way to the beach.

When we sell our position, we
got to cut Krakow his piece.

Big day... especially in
the natural gas space.

I guess your "hunch" came in.

It happens...

And you know what?

Even though you
didn't back my play,

I'm gonna release another
100 million to you.

Thanks, I guess.

You heading out for the night?

Soon. After I finish
up a few things.

You?

Same here...

I'm out. You coming?

Not quite yet.

You know when I get on the
treadmill at the gym,

I got to stay on until the
guy next to me gets off.

Go further, longer.

It's just the way I'm wired.

You go to a gym with
other people in it?

There was a time.

♪ Dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

I'm not gonna make dinner.

Buy the kids every
dessert in the place

and take them home.

Sure. Not a problem.

That was your dad, uh...

he got hung up at the office.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Would you like me to
wait, just in case?

No. I think I can handle it...

It's actually good
to see you back.

It's good to be back.

You shouldn't keep a
hungry man waiting...

Wendy!

She's not coming...

I'm sorry, that reservation's
been canceled.

But I was supposed to meet him.

I'm sorry. It's canceled.

♪ Tense music ♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Goddamnit.

Maybe take that robe off, 'ey?

It's hot in here.

Is that supposed to be funny?

If you're wondering how
Chuck made his decision,

how that final little feather

settled and tipped
the balance...

You...?!

The next time you want
to ambush, threaten,

humiliate, or otherwise
fuck with me,

you'd do well to remember
who you're fucking with.

[The Traveling Wilburys'
Handle With Care]

Enjoy your night alone.

♪ Been beat up and
battered around ♪

♪ Been sent up ♪

♪ And I've been shot down ♪

♪ You're the best thing ♪

♪ That I've ever found ♪

♪ Handle me with care ♪

♪ Reputations changeable ♪

♪ Situations tolerable ♪

♪ But, baby, you're adorable ♪

♪ Handle me with care ♪

♪ I'm so tired of being lonely ♪

♪ I still have some
love to give ♪

♪ Won't you show me ♪

♪ That you really care? ♪

♪♪♪

♪ Everybody's got somebody ♪

♪ To lean on ♪