MovieChat Forums > Billions (2016) Discussion > Unrealistic [spoilers!]

Unrealistic [spoilers!]

posted 9 years ago by AutistSpeaks
10 replies | jump to latest

I thought shows like that were supposed to be pseudo-realism. But it really disgusted me when the AIDS guy died on cue, to save Axe. The timing was fantastical, considering that Axe bet all his stake on this to happen.

[–] adresher-1 9 years ago

He did not die of AIDS, it was cancer. When Bobby first noticed he was sick he told him exactly how long doctors expected him to live.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] elderlollis 9 years ago

I'm sure you received your medical license from the most upstanding of institutions, but your assertion that Donnie had AIDS is based off of assumptions not backed up by facts from the show. AIDS has links to certain kinds of cancers that derive most efficiently from a weakened immune system, but the show never says what form of cancer Donnie has.

http://cancer.northwestern.edu/cancertypes/cancer_type.cfm?category=1

The statement that Donnie died of an AIDS related complication is obsurd and playing off of a stereotype that hasn't been founded in decades. Saying Donnie was had AIDS because he was gay is dumb. From what the writers put into the script, Donnie was married to a woman, had kids and eventually admitted his homosexuality to himself late in life. Then he found his husband afterward and they made a life together. Could Donnie have bounced around seedy night-clubs banging every guy he could find before he met his husband, sure, he could have. BUT from what we know of Donnie's personality, that wouldn't have been his style. Making secret Santa presents for poor families doesn't sound like the MO of a flagrant AIDS contracting sex fiend.

[–] tprokopenko 9 years ago

They specifically say he has pancreatic cancer.

[–] TheOnlyVindicator 9 years ago

Usually by the time it's diagnosed, it's too late. I knew a guy at work that died from it and I think Patrick Swazye died from it too.

[–] aldown 8 years ago

He died from pancreatic cancer. It's never implied he had AIDS. Not all (and not only) gay people get HIV. It's not the 80s

[–] lubin-freddy 9 years ago

Yes, he bet all his stake, but he was cornered, and had, really, nothing to lose at that point.

It wasn't a long-shot, as he had, as always, the relevant information about the disease, and Donny's status. And, when threatened with an unwanted change in the outcome, he intervened, and stacked the deck, so to speak.

And, not to give in to the lure of a straw-man argument, it's interesting that the OP gives 37% of his ratings a "1".

"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] PicoFemtoAtto 8 years ago

God, this forums are becoming so horrendous and trolls are multiplying at such a rate that coming here to discuss something you just watched (which was a great thing to do) has become pointless...

[–] Sra56 (10) 3 years ago

That was corruption right there. Axe convinced the dr not to put Donny on the experimental treatment. It would have bought Donny a few more months - time enough for Donny to flip on Axe.