Boardwalk Empire

[FailSafe]

I've loved the entire season, but these last four episodes have really pushed this show to the forefront of my favorite shows on the air. I knew what to expect when Nucky received that package, but Margaret's reaction and the fact that we don't know what exactly happened to Owen made the reveal just as effective as if I had been caught off guard. More and more this show reminds me of Charles Dickens, with all of these often disparate - but almost cosmically related - characters and the flashes into their private lives and interactions. There isn't a bad actor in the bunch, and they deliver their lines and act so naturally that I'm never taken out of the show as I sometimes have been with other favorites of mine. Really great stuff. I still think "Sunday Best" is my favorite episode of the season, but the preview for next weeks episode (which was both written and directed by the same people as the aforementioned episode) looks intense.

On a side-note, this leaves Nucky without a right-hand-man... Enter Richard ma'fucking Harrow...?

[MovieMaster]

Originally Posted by FailSafe

On a side-note, this leaves Nucky without a right-hand-man... Enter Richard ma'fucking Harrow...?

Would be good but I have a feeling Richard won't have anything to do with Nucky since he killed Jimmy.

[FailSafe]

There didn't seem to be any hard feelings between them when they met last. And if anyone could help Richard gain legal custody of Tommy, I'd imagine it would be Nucky, so... Yeah. Despite how twistedly interesting she is, I don't think Gillian is long for this world.

Contrast what Richard said to Nucky ("Jimmy was a soldier - he fought, he lost." & "You and Mrs. Thompson were good to me. You have nothing to fear.") with his line to Gillian regarding Jimmy ("Jimmy deserved better than this."), and I think it makes the scenario very plausible, to say nothing of the fact that it would bring Richard firmly into the main narrative of the show.

[MovieMaster]

Originally Posted by FailSafe

Contrast what Richard said to Nucky ("Jimmy was a soldier - he fought, he lost." & "You and Mrs. Thompson were good to me. You have nothing to fear.")

Yea I forgot that line, you have a good point.

[Buck Turgidson]

I had the same thought about Harrow. He'll do it for Margaret and the kids as much as anything.

The key to all of this looks like it'll be Chalky. I can't imagine him not grasping what an unreliable psycho Rosetti is, even though he's going to be (justifiably) mad at Nucky for that little meeting they just had.

[outsyder]

With Slater gone, Harrow is the only guy who could possibly fill that role. The walls are closing in on Nucky, and a guy like Richard is one of the few trustworthy and reliable options he has left, especially if he's going to try and take out his competition.

Considering Richard has drifted away from Gillian, it's the only way to bring him back into a relevant plotline.


I can't help but wonder if Gyp's cruelty will eventually lead to one of his own men stabbing him in the back. It's certainly reaching a fever pitch.

[Darth Kenshin]

I don't see Harrow getting involved here.

I feel Harrow is the opposite of Jimmy. When Jimmy came back from the war, he had everything and wasn't happy. He even went so far as to say he "died in the war" right before Nucky killed him, implying that his entire family and status with Nucky was pretty much worthless. He didn't appreciate what he had.

Harrow is the opposite. He came back to nothing, but he's trying to find some happiness and finally managed to get to a good place. I don't think he has a void in him the way Jimmy did. He'll be content to hang out with his new girl and raise Jimmy's son. The only way this changes is if his girl (drawing a blank on her name for some reason) leaves him or dies. But for now, why risk a good thing, something he always wanted (evident by his envy of Jimmy's family when he said that Jimmy had "everything") to go HAM on people who didn't do anything to him?

I will say this, though. If Richard tried to kill Masseria, that dude would have an exit wound the side of a hockey puck in the back of his head.

EDIT: My biggest problem with this show is that the characters are real. That means we kind of know if/when they die. Especially if you watched other mob movies or read any books about the New York Mafia, the 5 Families, or Cosa Nostra.

[Bourne101]

Spoiler:

Is it possible that Torrio could team up with Nucky? With Van Alden owing a debt to Capone, could that mean that Van Alden and Nucky would be on the same side.

Maybe unlikely, but just a thought that ran through my head.

Sunday can't come soon enough.

[Hucksta G]

Originally Posted by Darth Kenshin

I

EDIT: My biggest problem with this show is that the characters are real. That means we kind of know if/when they die. Especially if you watched other mob movies or read any books about the New York Mafia, the 5 Families, or Cosa Nostra.

Yeah I was reading my Gangster Encylopedia, the other day and was a little disappointed as I now know who will die in the show, if they cover all the 20s and who will live past it.

[outsyder]

Originally Posted by Darth Kenshin

I don't see Harrow getting involved here.

I feel Harrow is the opposite of Jimmy. When Jimmy came back from the war, he had everything and wasn't happy. He even went so far as to say he "died in the war" right before Nucky killed him, implying that his entire family and status with Nucky was pretty much worthless. He didn't appreciate what he had.

Harrow is the opposite. He came back to nothing, but he's trying to find some happiness and finally managed to get to a good place. I don't think he has a void in him the way Jimmy did. He'll be content to hang out with his new girl and raise Jimmy's son. The only way this changes is if his girl (drawing a blank on her name for some reason) leaves him or dies. But for now, why risk a good thing, something he always wanted (evident by his envy of Jimmy's family when he said that Jimmy had "everything") to go HAM on people who didn't do anything to him?

He naturally has no incentive to do so, but I don't think the show is above building up Gillian as a potential foil to him, and thus he might need to do things he isn't so naturally inclined to do.

Who knows? Tragedy might befall those he has come to love. Would fit right in with what's been happening lately.

[Darth Kenshin]

Originally Posted by outsyder

He naturally has no incentive to do so, but I don't think the show is above building up Gillian as a potential foil to him, and thus he might need to do things he isn't so naturally inclined to do.

Who knows? Tragedy might befall those he has come to love. Would fit right in with what's been happening lately.

True, but I think more likely we'll see Eli step into the void left by Owen's death.

[DuncanIdaho]

Originally Posted by Darth Kenshin

True, but I think more likely we'll see Eli step into the void left by Owen's death.

That does seem to fit with the direction they have been going. I would like to see Richard have a larger role working with Nucky but Eli filling the void does make more sense.

[Bourne101]

Ohhhhhhh shiiiitttt

[xseanymacx]

For me, Boardwalk is now in tier 1.

The Wire
Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire

Tier 2

[Darth Kenshin]

This show has wonderful payoffs, but awful pacing and awkward choices of storylines.

I didn't like this season overall. Rosetti's character grew on me (still a little over-the-top, but whatever), mainly because he's fictional. I've mentioned before that there is very little suspense with the big guys in this show because, having read a lot of mafia books and watched a lot of mafia movies, I kind of know what ultimately becomes of them. Rosetti is a wild card, and although his character bothers me, he brings a lot more to the show than I initially gave him credit for.

However, I didn't like how many subplots were introduced and not given the proper attention. Meanwhile, the ones that were (like Margaret's women's liberation or Nucky's obsession with Billie) just didn't interest me very much.

But the big moments are huge. Last week and this week were absolute, top notch episodes. Can't wait for next week.

When this show is good, it's REALLY good. But those times are just too few and far between in my eyes. It's like a basketball player who might go off for 30 points every now and then, but the rest of the time gets you 12 points and 5 boards.

[Hucksta G]

Originally Posted by xseanymacx

For me, Boardwalk is now in tier 1.

The Wire
Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire

Tier 2

Its in my top five

1. The Sopranos
2. The Wire
3. Six Feet Under
4. Boardwalk Empire
5. Breaking Bad

[xseanymacx]

Originally Posted by Hucksta G

Its in my top five

1. The Sopranos
2. The Wire
3. Six Feet Under
4. Boardwalk Empire
5. Breaking Bad

Sopranos, Six Feet Under are in my tier 2. Sopranos because I got burnt out on it by the end and SFU because it is so god damn heavy, I just don't see it being a series a revisit often.

[xseanymacx]

Originally Posted by Darth Kenshin

This show has wonderful payoffs, but awful pacing and awkward choices of storylines.

I humbly have to disagree. I think Boardwalk is one of the tightest shows on television currently. At times, they do stick to their structure too rigidly (you can tell when it's 9:15 PM, :30, or :45 based off the payoffs) but overall I think it's very sound in its pacing. I, earlier in this thread, also made the mention of my biggest complaint about the show being they introduce storylines, then leave them stagnant, and at times there does seem to be no rhyme or reason.

And then

Spoiler:

The med student was brought in to take care of Eddie. It brought the Chalky story that I felt was extremely out of place, and I vented about it here, full circle.

And I will always have this Lansky line from tonight's episode to keep in consideration when I speculate about what stories are being underutilized or over, etc.: "Everything is connected. Even if you can't see it, Charlie. Everything."

[Gordon]

You can say whatever you want about the problems this season has had, but next week's episode has the potential to be as good as anything we've ever seen out of Scorsese, De Palma, Tarantino, Coppola, or Michael Mann. There aren't really many shows you can say that about.

[Darth Kenshin]

Originally Posted by Gordon

You can say whatever you want about the problems this season has had, but next week's episode has the potential to be as good as anything we've ever seen out of Scorsese, De Palma, Tarantino, Coppola, or Michael Mann. There aren't really many shows you can say that about.

Perhaps. And again, the payoffs for this show are huge. It reminds me of Game of Thrones, which kind of bored me this season, and then Blackwater came.

Originally Posted by xseanymacx

I humbly have to disagree. I think Boardwalk is one of the tightest shows on television currently. At times, they do stick to their structure too rigidly (you can tell when it's 9:15 PM, :30, or :45 based off the payoffs) but overall I think it's very sound in its pacing. I, earlier in this thread, also made the mention of my biggest complaint about the show being they introduce storylines, then leave them stagnant, and at times there does seem to be no rhyme or reason.

And then

Spoiler:

The med student was brought in to take care of Eddie. It brought the Chalky story that I felt was extremely out of place, and I vented about it here, full circle.

And I will always have this Lansky line from tonight's episode to keep in consideration when I speculate about what stories are being underutilized or over, etc.: "Everything is connected. Even if you can't see it, Charlie. Everything."

I still have a problem with Chalky's role this season, as there were deeper storylines revolving around him and his family that clearly are not going to get resolved this season (particularly with his daughter).

As for Lansky... I love his character. Loved him in the movie Bugsy, and love him here.

[xseanymacx]

Harrow is the man.

[Bourne101]

Flashback: "I won't forget this Arnold."

He sure as shit meant that, haha! Checkmate.

[xseanymacx]

I am still preparing my full thoughts on the finale but I will say, that had to be one of my favorite first hours of any episode of any show EVER. It can be easily argued that this show, much like The Wire utilized often, is a very slow burn until GOD DAMN. Well, the beginning of the finale, with regards to the build up of the previous episodes of this season, absolutely was a GOD DAMN.

I will say one thing though, and its been touched on with the scope and number of storylines:

Spoiler:

Van Alden gets NO air time? I, for one, and this is certainly not saying it won't happen, was hoping they'd develop--in at least one previous episode--the relationship between Van Alden and Capone to the point where Van Alden proved himself to be of use, and he get brought to AC with Capone to help out (not knowing they're going to help Nucky, just knowing they're getting involved in a war). It would have made for a greater dynamic in Nucky trying to figure out just how safe he really is with a Gyp Rosetti bounty on his head and the past he and Van Alden had shared.

How would Nucky react when Capone introduces Van Alden under his new name?

Does Van Alden, at all, consider trying to bring in Nucky and get back into the "good graces" of the law enforcement?

Does Van Alden's seeming obsession with Nucky in the past creep back in?

I just feel like it could have, and still could, add a great dynamic or I DO have to ask--unless season 4 switches some focus to Chicago--what's the point?

[syxxpac]

Harrow.

...

...

Huh. Now that I've said it, I find there's really nothing else I need to say, is there?

As you were...

[Darth Kenshin]

Too much going on all season.

I dunno. It's a show I WANT to love, but I just can't. I just like it. Season 2 was better.

Richard is a boss. Van Alden got shortchanged badly. It is what it is, though.

[echo_bravo]

Richard Harrow is my fuckin hero. Such a boss. The scene where he went on a killing spree was beautifully done.

Don't really have much else to add other than I can't wait for next season.

[outsyder]

So glad this season didn't go rampageless.

[Hucksta G]

Just caught up on the last two episodes of the season, fucking brilliant.

What excites me most is this series has gotten better each season, if it keeps going the way it has it could soon be in my top three TV shows of all time, currently sits at number four.