Billions pushes into its seventh and final season with as much quippy verve as ever, a fleet of existing grudges, new and interesting allyships, and the welcome return of Damian Lewis as Bobby “Axe” Axelrod. Let the demons run free.

It appears that much of the final season of “Billions” will focus on characters who will either rise to permanent exalted status or come crashing to the ground with a brutal thud. It’s a tribute to the writing and the performances that in most cases and with most of the main players, they’re equally deserving of triumph and tragedy.

The casting on “Billions” has always been a strength. .... But creatively, the show is tapped out.

Those who’ve stuck with Billions throughout will no doubt find more of the things they have enjoyed. But it heads towards the finish as a wan and diluted version of what it was.