This is a show that has unbelievable control over its tone.
That kind of control is evident as Kompenso kicks off withSalt Bae.
No, you didnt read that wrong.
Credit: Mark Schafer/SHOWTIME
As the episode gets underway, Kate and Chuck are dining at Salt Baes restaurant in New York.
Essentially, the whistleblower Cutler isnt enough to build a case on because of his propensity to lie.
Hes hardly a credible witness, which means the search is on for another one.
Still in the restaurant, Chuck spots Ira having dinner.
He wanders over and attempts to make nice, and sees that his old friend is married now.
As you’re able to imagine, its a day Axe isnt fond of.
Thats especially true these days, as hes playing with his own money since Chucks investigation.
Its a big ol middle finger to the man who didnt think hed make anything of himself.
Axe has never gone above $20 million, however, and immediately refuses.
Theres no compromise to be made, so Axe says theyll finish their conversation later.
Well, itlookslike hes helping Ira, but there has to be something Chuck wants in return.
He offers him a scrubbed criminal record in exchange for some work looking into a money trail.
Ira had his suspicions, but the news is still devastating.
That move is bringing in the state attorney general of New York, Mr. Epstein.
Chuck and Kate present him with Cutlers confessions.
Thats a play for down the road, though.
In the now, Taylor and Axe are making their own plays, and they might be at odds.
Yes, Taylor wants $50 million, but more than anything they want forward momentum.
Its a line everybody keeps returning to.
For a moment theres a connection there, as they return to their old rapport.
They kiss, but Lara stops short when Axe asks her to stay.
She refuses to get sloppy with him.
But no, Taylor wants more.
Theyre still feeling undervalued, and the sting of Axe killing the quant project still lingers.
Its a perfect creation, and one that removes the fallibility of human-made projections.
Thats not the plan, however.
As Taylor walks out of the room, we see Grigors right-hand man.
On a board behind him is a mock-up of a logo for Taylor Mason Capital.
It wasnt all that long ago that Axe thought he could return to Axe Capital free of restrictions.
But in the process, he forgot about the people he relied on to keep his company afloat.
