Boardwalk Empire: S01 Ep04 – Anastasia

What happened?

Jimmy has hooked up with Al Capone in Chicago. Although claiming to be just passing through, Jimmy is embroiled in the gangster goings on to the extent that the prostitute he has taken a shine too is mutilated as a retaliatory act to Al Capone’s brute force attempt to take over the area.

In Atlantic City it’s Nucky’s birthday. He invites powerful movers and shakers to his party to discuss terms about building better roads into Atlantic City but his eye is momentarily taken off politics, and his girlfriend, by Margaret’s appearance (there to provide a dress from the boutique).

Margaret is evidently swept up in the heady world of Nucky’s, too, dancing with him and impressing with her intelligent responses. Yet by the next day she is brought back to Earth, to work, seeing Nucky strolling with his girlfriend Miss Danzinger, and on a whim she steals an item of clothing.

Chalky is allowed a personal audience with the leader of the local Klu Klux Klan, hauled in as chief suspect to the hanging of Chalky’s man. After unseen torture, and the removal of a finger, Chalky determines that this is not the culprit after all.

Thoughts

An extremely strong episode. I thought the multi-strand story approach worked well, with each of the main characters having their own nearly self-contained stories playing out alongside each other. It was probably my favourite episode so far and if the rest of the season plays to these kinds of strengths then I can see it really catching hold.

I think Jimmy and Capone’s relationship and story is my most enjoyable part; whilst Jimmy’s reserve and near-dreamer qualities didn’t ring quite true with the guy that was cold and immune after his war experiences from the first episode, he is a terrific foil for Capone’s mercurial character. It’s just strange that Jimmy could seem so at ease given the illusions of Nucky have been shattered and he’s just left his wife and kid behind! And his mother, too!

Jimmy’s mother having a dalliance with one of Rothstein’s men might just be a subplot too far in a show that is still finding its feet, but maybe its planting a seed for now that will grow into something crucial later. I did warm to Jimmy’s mother’s spark and guts in standing up the gangster at her door, and clearly he did, too! But beyond that there’s not really anything about the pair of them getting together that interests me since it seems too out of the sphere of the main events.

Far better and meatier was the introduction of the Klu Klux Klan. It’s in stuff like this where Boardwalk Empire has fertile ground to grow new and interesting things that are fresh to the genre. A collection of racists that are not breaking any laws is a stain on American history, but it’s right that it be included and addressed in this period piece. This is a show, to me at least, about America finding its criminal identity (and with the healthy political investments here, perhaps making intriguing statements about how government and the criminal world were tight bedfellows at the turn of the century). This in turn extends to the characters, struggling to find their place in Prohibition-era America; a period of change both for better and for worse, where only the best able to adapt will survive.

Like Margaret being taken on to the dancefloor by Nucky. It would have been all too clichéd for it to have been a scene all about her having a taste of the ‘good life’, the money and the fine-living, before being dumped back out into her real life like Cinderella making a run from the ball. But it was just as much a flight of fancy for Nucky, who gazed longingly past his crazy hot girlfriend to the prim, above-it-all figure of Margaret behind her.

Chalky almost took the honours for best scene, with his menacing dialogue to the KKK leader about his father that was tricked into a rendezvous with a waiting lynch mob. It was good, injected some cool for sure, but it wasn’t anything you hadn’t seen done before. I do like that Chalky has been invested with some grit and wit, walking out of the room with a finger and the sure knowledge that he hadn’t got his man; it wasn’t quite Omar swinging a shotgun, whistling a tune, but he’s laid down his card as a man not be trifled with.

So four episodes in and Boardwalk Empire is collecting quite an array of characters – Nucky, Jimmy, Capone, Chalky, Van Alden, Margaret – that are filling out and presenting fascinating revelations about who they are and, more importantly, what they do when they encounter one another and whoever gets in their way. The only struggle the show may have is in servicing them all fully and still maintaining a unified momentum.

What was the best part?

I really loved the scene with Jimmy and Capone talking with the gangsters. Jimmy trying to temper Capone’s hot-headed, brute force approach worked for about three seconds before he shot his mouth off and started making outrageous demands. It was a nice touch at the end of the scene with Capone thinking it had all worked out well whilst Jimmy had taken the precise opposite view. It was a good scene for entertainment value, but also highlighted how Capone, at least, will find Jimmy a useful advisor and how the pair of them could make a formidable duo – brains and brawn.

What do I think will happen next?

I envisage Jimmy and Capone being, shall we say, ‘inspired’ by the attack and be looking to turn the tables back in their favour and regain total control over their territory. Violence will ensue. I also suspect Margaret and Nucky’s burgeoning relationship will continue to gather pace (though quite what Margaret will make of Nucky and his world is interesting). And I also imagine that Chalky is going to continue looking for the lynch murderer, but quite where his allegiances will fall should Rothstein and his men go on the offensive again I can’t quite say. Van Alden was absent for this episode, so I suspect to see him again next episode though he’s such a wildcard at the moment it’s hard to predict what his involvement will provoke.

Boardwalk Empire: S01 Ep03 – Broadway Limited

Despite attempts by Nucky’s brother to kill the surviving witness of the robbery, prohibition agent Van Alden steps in and tries to deliver him to Rothstein in New York. En route the witness takes a turn for the worse so Van Alden is forced to stop at a dentist’s, ply him with drugs, and then apply torture techniques to extract the information that one of the robbers was Jimmy.

Rothstein learns that Jimmy was one of the men responsible for the robbery and murders and sends one of his men to go and find out who else was involved before killing him. Pre-empting this, however, Nucky has already told Jimmy to leave. And so Jimmy boards a train and leaves Atlantic City, and his wife and child, behind.

Nuckly meanwhile brokers an arrangement with bootlegger Chalky, but their operation is evidently not without resistance when one of the gang is found hung. Nucky, with his brother, decides to make it appear like he was shot in an argument to keep the peace and prevent a race war breaking out.

Thoughts

It’s curious that when recapping what happened in the episode it transpires that so much ‘big’ event occurred when, whilst viewing, it seemed sedate and pedestrian and rather more of a ‘ticking over’ instalment. That’s definitely the nature of events, things slowly coming to the boil, but it’s tricky to explain why even major activity on this show can feel muted and detached.

Van Alden marked himself out as the standout here. His ribbon-stealing antics of the previous episode gave way for a whole new lease of crazy. It’s tricky to know what his original plan was by delivering the witness to Rothstein; I can only assume he figured the witness would be more likely to tell what he knew before he died to his own people. As it was, Van Alden had to take more drastic measures in the dentist chair using cocaine and a well-placed couple of fingers in an open wound.

Van Alden was then seen reciting damning Bible verse at the witness once he was dead, apparently unfazed by the room full of people watching him. And furthermore we were given one small scene as he sat eating with his wife at dinner; a picture of uncomfortable sterility. There are clearly layers to his puritanical yet twisted mindset to be peeled back that make him highly interesting and a far richer character than your usual do-gooder lawman.

The history between Nucky and Jimmy was revealed a little, with it transpiring that Nucky knew Jimmy as a small boy and appears to have been watching over him his whole life. Indeed, I am wondering whether Nucky is actually Jimmy’s father. There were some clues tucked away to suggest as much.

There was the exchange between Nucky and Jimmy’s mother, where she felt she could come to Nucky to make sure her boy was OK.

There was Nucky and his girlfriend, and her saying that she would bear a child for him if that’s what he wanted, and him skittishly deferring the matter until after the election.

There was Nucky reminiscing about Jimmy as a boy, and how he thought he held so much potential and would go on to do great things – before it somehow all went wrong.

There was Nucky’s brother remarking about how he wonders if Nucky would have been as lenient with him as he was being with Jimmy – clearly Nucky has a soft spot.

All little pointers, yes, but furthermore there was Jimmy himself having doubts over whether he was really the father to his son, or whether it was the photographer his wife and boy seemed so familiar with. Thematically it could be something resonating through both Nucky and Jimmy. The episode played it so that it was impossible to know the truth of what, if anything, had gone on with the photographer. Once Jimmy left his wife seemed to effortlessly get on with the business of getting on quickly enough – to the extent that she was even using the vacuum cleaner!

Probably there was something symbolic to interpret out of that. Maybe that the boy wasn’t scared of the vacuum cleaner, rather Jimmy’s presence, so once he was gone it was fine to be used? Or perhaps more simply it was because the cleaner was more efficient, like Jimmy said, and his wife now using it merely demonstrated her taking a more pragmatic approach to life.

Where is Jimmy headed? If the episode did state this information I didn’t catch it. My best guess would be to figure he’s headed for Chicago, to Al Capone. But the truth is he could be headed anywhere; I don’t even know if he’s going to disappear from events for a while or if we’re going to keep following him. I hope for the latter.

Margaret’s sideline subplot continues, as Nucky got her a job in a French clothing boutique. Gratuitous nudity abound when Nucky’s wife showed up (certainly not something I didn’t enjoy – she’s a fine specimen) but I don’t really know what that scene was about. I figure that Margaret and Nucky will have more involvement with one another and that this scene offered juxtaposition between the two women who will be in his life.

Chalky White looks to be a character with his head screwed on. He was quick to up the terms of the deal with Nucky in return for keeping the murder of one of his men from instigating larger problems. Whether that larger problem is one that will continue to remain suppressed remains to be seen. I am not actually sure if we’re supposed to know who was responsible for the murder. Given the meeting Rothstein’s men had with the former bootlegger, the implication is they did it.

I was also slightly confused about how it was Rothstein found out about Jimmy being the person the witness named. Does this not suggest that Rothstein has an inside man, either with the prohibition agents or with the Atlantic City police? Could it even be Nucky’s brother? Again, I didn’t quite pick up on whether this was a purposefully hidden conceit to create mystery or I just wasn’t following things accurately.

Strange then, for what felt like a low-key episode, there was so much incident and intrigue! I did actually enjoy it, to be fair – perhaps it was even the most enjoyable episode so far. I still feel like it’s keeping a lot of characters and plot threads in the mix without quite the level of definition and sense of belonging that would make the show more compelling but I do feel more drawn in to Boardwalk Empire than I previously did.

What was the best part?

Van Alden’s interrogation and torture scene was absolutely the highlight. The shift in tones during such a short sequence was adroitly handled; the comedy of the dentist only knowing one place to administer drugs (the mouth, obviously!), to the witness’ initially foul retort, before Van Alden turned medieval on him to get the information and then outdid his otherworldly intensity with that Biblical eulogy.

What do I think will happen next?

If Jimmy is going to Chicago then I expect he will hook up with Capone and really roll his sleeves up and become ingratiated into the world of organised crime. I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t follow Jimmy for a few episodes and then perhaps his return will be marked with an extended flashback of what he got up – that would be cool.

Otherwise it’s all about Rothstein and his gang exerting pressure on Nucky and his organised crime infrastructure. At some stage you feel that things are going to come to the boil and a showdown of sorts is on the cards.

Boardwalk Empire: S01 Ep02 – The Ivory Tower

What happened?

Following the robbery, Nucky has now become the focus of interest for the authorities. He detaches himself from dealings with Jimmy, who in turn has to find the money he owes Nucky for what he did. Jimmy is rebuffed by Al Capone and so ends up pawning the jewellery he bought for his mother, only to watch Nucky squander the lot. Meanwhile Rothstein in New York wants the money he feels he is owed, but Nucky plays tough and sets up a line over Atlantic City that he dares him to cross. The episode ends with a stumbling appearance of a wounded member of the gang that were robbed, that Jimmy thought was dead. . .

Thoughts

Boardwalk Empire is proving difficult to warm to. From a plot point of view it doesn’t really put a foot wrong. It’s clearly got the visuals and production values to make it look the part. And yet there’s something about it – something aloof, perhaps, or something in the pacing – that really makes it difficult to get enthusiastic about. Indeed, it’s only on reflecting on the episode afterwards do I appreciate what was going on of interest; whilst it was happening I basically watched with an expectancy that something more would occur, but it didn’t seem to.

I think one of the major problems is in not quite being able to grasp precisely what is going on. I mean, 1920s Atlantic City is practically another world to here and now, and so I feel like I could do with more explanation about how things fit together and operate. Two episodes in, for example, and I still don’t really understand what Nucky is: what is his job, both in public and in the criminal fraternity. He is said to have his fingers in every pie and be the central figure to all that happens, but it’s not really clear how or why.

Another more specific example came during the scene when Jimmy went to visit a woman who was in a raunchy show. Backstage she greets him by wrapping her legs around him, and with kisses. He then gives her an expensive gift (from the robbery swag). It’s at the end of the scene did it appear to transpire that this woman was not his lover, but his mother. Rather than be a slap in the mouth surprise, instead I just frowned and wondered if I’d understood things correctly.

If it was supposed to be a surprising reveal, it got muddled. If I’ve got the wrong end of the stick, then why make it so confusing?

The main federal agent guy, Van Alden, remains a fairly obtuse fellow. He betrayed little sense of humour when he met with Nucky, and the eventual reveal that he had stolen Margaret’s ribbon showed a rather seedy, creepy element to his character. Not quite the straight, clean-cut G-man then and he definitely appears to have taken a personal dislike in Nucky to turn his full attention in nominating as the number one target.

It also seems Nucky is determined to cut Jimmy loose, but something about the relationship between the two of them tells me they are not going to stop having dealings with one another. The scene where Nucky got the money he had demanded and then blew it all on a whim at the roulette table in front of Jimmy was clearly a power display. . . Maybe, just maybe, there’s the potential that Jimmy might not align himself with Nucky at all – rather he’ll become an antagonist.

That would actually be a really good dynamic; seeing Jimmy rise to power to become a force for Nucky to concern himself about. However, for now, it seems he’s got the likes of Rothstein in New York to worry about. And Rothstein certainly seems menacing and petty enough to not allow Nucky’s unsettled debt to him go unpaid.

The last scene of the episode set up the ‘surprise’ that had been subtly signposted earlier with a dialogue exchange between Nucky and Jimmy over how many bodies had been recovered from the robbery. It has turned out that one of the men that Jimmy believed had been killed had survived, and is now set to surely get to the authorities or his gang and report what he knows.

What was the best part?

Two scenes stood out for me. The Rothstein scene, where he delivered the tale about the guy who could swallow a billiard ball. It was a nice speech, but a better performance. Rothstein has an eerie, above-it-all quality about him and is probably the most enigmatic character in the show so far. I did also like the scene where Nucky gambled away the money Jimmy had brought him; it said so much without saying a lot about who these men are to each other at this point in time. If Jimmy ever needed motivation to take Nucky down a peg then that’s the kind of spur it would take.

What do I think will happen next?

I expect that the survivor of the robbery and what he does next will have direct repercussions in the events of the next episode. If he goes to the authorities then he ought to be able to tell them something that will hasten their investigations or give them lines of enquiry that ought to see them breathing down Nucky’s neck.

Otherwise, if he goes to Rothstein, then it might be all that he needed to hear to set in motion a serious strike against Nucky. Either way, this survivor doesn’t bring good tidings for Nucky!

Boardwalk Empire: S01 Ep01 – Pilot

What happened?

It’s 1920 and Prohibition-era America is about to fall. Alcohol – the sale and consumption of – has been outlawed. Revelling in this news is businessman, Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, who is set to profit by running a smuggling operation that will import booze and then sell it at a high cost.

Nucky sets up links with counterparts in Chicago to arrange a deal but, when lower-ranking muscle from both sides decide to thwart the transaction, it becomes apparent that power and control of this new era is going to come at a ruthless cost.

Thoughts

Boardwalk Empire certainly came with a large entourage. I’d read about it long before it was released due to the trumpeted buzz of major production values, Martin Scorcese directing, and a reasonably high profile cast (all of the key players have been leads and co-stars in movies). It was also the flagship show to launch (in the UK) the Sky Atlantic channel. It can’t complain that it didn’t have hype or pre-release publicity – for a brand new show I can’t think of one that’s had more expectation dumped upon it.

If anything it’s the hype that has perhaps most dampened my enjoyment. If Boardwalk Empire had been a little more unassuming then I would have enjoyed it more – instead I expected to be blown away, and I wasn’t. The wow factor wasn’t present. Fair enough, it didn’t need to have it, it’s just the hype about budget and big stars and Scorcese directing made me expect more than I received.

Setting aside the disappointment, however, this pilot episode seems to have positioned various key characters in a turning point of American history that is rife with cops ‘n’ robbers, gangster action potential. Steve Buscemi as Nucky is clearly the central figure, but he’s got some way to go before he makes a compelling force that everything gravitates around. He’s no Tony Soprano. Weedy, ugly, and in various scenes he’s played for laughs – such as with the hotel assistant interrupting him during sex and him banging on the door when his squeeze has locked him out of the bathroom. Whilst he does warn that he shouldn’t be messed with his ruthlessness has a question mark over it for me.

Far more interesting were the two underling characters, Jimmy and Capone. Jimmy was the main focus. Not only does he have a dangerously cold view of life and death due to his experiences in the war (his remarks about how he was considered a hero for all his forays going into enemy territory spell out he is a man that cares little for his life and is efficient at taking other people’s). That he now appears to be also straddling both sides of the law mark him as a character mired in all manner of interesting circumstances – it’s unclear whether he really will be a rogue agent for the government as well as maintaining his criminal interests but I kind of hope he does.

The introduction of a young runt Al Capone was also good. I hope his is a character that is kept in the mix. When he went back to Chicago I kind of wished the show was actually about him; the story of how a young Capone worked his way up to the figurehead he became. If he remains a part of the show’s tapestry then great, it’ll be a strong plotline and character arc for the show to lean on.

There were other elements introduced but sidelined. Kelly MacDonald’s character, Margaret, the battered wife who had her unborn child beaten into stillbirth, was horrific. If anything this show let the tension drop and the viewers turmoil eased by having her husband beaten and killed early on; it would have been bold and provocative to allow his terrible deed to go unpunished, at least for now. I suspect the newly-widowed woman’s future now lies with Nucky who clearly has a soft spot for her.

Otherwise there was also the government’s police agents circling the criminal operation. Whilst the majority of them were portrayed as bumbling and idiotic, the one main guy (name forgotten) maintained a brooding, focused intensity that mark him out as a formidable antagonist for Nucky.

So, for a show that had over an hour running time it didn’t really bring the wow factor, and if anything it was somewhat talk-heavy. Even the much-touted recreation of prohibition Atlantic City didn’t particularly impress me, although I concede the show certainly looks like nothing else I’ve seen on TV and the attention to detail is sharp.

I think the point being made is that Nucky is unwittingly on the verge of a new era in what we consider gang-related crime. The old ways of conducting illegal activity have been blown apart by the new wave of hoodlum – Jimmy and Capone ushering in violence and double-cross that will become common practice. Prohibition-era America is about to experience relaxed inhibitions from those that have the stomach to take what they want however which way they can get it.

In a soundbite, Boardwalk Empire was billed as a 1920s-set The Sopranos. Well, it’s got a long, long way to go before it can hope to reach that kind of benchmark but, outside of all the hype, it’s laid down a solid start and it’s bristling with potential.

What was the best part?

The double-cross gunfight was nicely handled, with the close-up shotgun blast to the head being brutal and bloody. I don’t know why, but those old guns just always seem nastier and more damaging than 21st century weapons! Seeing Jimmy and Capone get trigger-happy and totally blow open the ‘cicvilised agreement’ both literally and metaphorically is the spark the show needs and will surely propel all manner of dramatic tangles and thrills.

What do I think will happen next?

At this stage I can’t really predict any kind of specific events I think will occur. I think this pilot episode has set up the situation and the general tone for the course of events. I envisage Nucky will have to balance controlling Jimmy’s violent activity with the new-found power he will gain. The lawmen will attempt to tighten the noose, and other gangsters will vie for dominance over the ‘boardwalk empire’ now emerging.