Chuck’s an Axe to grind L

IKE two rival gorillas beating their chests, hedge fund billionaire Bobby Axelrod and US attorney Chuck Rhoades are back to see who can win supremacy.

It’s a battle of two supersized egos, with each regularly finding the time to give a monologue about how amazing they are, and how they will crush the other. It’s like watching an Attenborough documentary, if only the animals could talk.

Totally entertaining for us, although I can’t understand why the women in their lives didn’t bash their heads together ages ago.

Actually at the end of series one, performance coach Wendy (the mesmerising Maggie Siff ) at least had the dignity to walk out on both her boss Axe (Damian Lewis) and husband Chuck (Paul Giamatti).

Now Axe and Chuck are obviously blaming each other for her departure, and both are desperate to get her back. She’s busy doing her usual buildem-up talks for other clients.

As series two kicks off, Bobby files a lawsuit against Chuck, citing undue and unlawful harassment in the workplace. And before long, some suit from the Office of Professional Responsibility turns up to investigate Chuck’s conduct.

“As long as he’s in that job, Axe Capital isn’t safe,” booms Axe on one of his rants. “When an enemy is down on the field, you’ve got to finish him.”

Meanwhile Axe has become extremely paranoid, banging on a about trust and being a survivor.

He puts his company in lockdown, with all employees given a magnetic wristband to get in and out, and all electronic items to be left at the door.

“We are under siege,” says Axe. But he deserves everything that’s coming to him.