(CNN) "Billions" raced through so much story during its highly entertaining first season that the second, perhaps inevitably, yields diminishing returns. The Showtime series remains watchable thanks in large part to its central combatants, the aforementioned mogul Bobby "Axe" Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and U.S. attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). From that perspective, the subtext to "Billions" might be more interesting coming back, as it does, as the new Trump administration stocks its cabinet heavily with Goldman Sachs alumni. While the show explores a contentious environment where ambitious prosecutors see characters like Axelrod as ripe, inviting targets, the dance between financial firms and the levers of government suddenly appears considerably cozier. "Billions" was co-created by New York Times journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, who wanted to provide a deep dive into the world of hedge funds and New York finance.

Source: CNN February 17, 2017 14:53 UTC