Boardwalk Empire

[SIKKS66]

Couldn't find a topic on this so here it goes...

 

Anyone else looking forward to the start of this series?

 

Official Website

 

From Terence Winter, Emmy Award-winning writer of The Sopranos and Academy Award Winning Director Martin Scorcese, 'Boardwalk Empire' is set in Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition, when the sale of alcohol became illegal throughout the United States.

 

America in 1920. The Great War is over, Wall Street is about to boom and everything is for sale, even the World Series. It is a time of change when women are getting the vote, broadcast radio is introduced and young people rule the world.

 

On the beach in southern New Jersey sits Atlantic City, a spectacular resort town known as "The World's Playground," a place where rules don't apply. Massive hotels line it's famous boardwalk, along with nightclubs, amusement piers and entertainment to rival Broadway. For a few dollars, a working man can get away and live like a king -- legally or illegally.

 

The undisputed ruler of Atlantic City is the town's Treasurer, Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (Steve Buscemi), a political fixer and backroom dealer who is equal parts politician and gangster and equally comfortable in either role. Because of its strategic location on the seaboard, the town is a hub of activity for rum-runners, minutes from Philadelphia, hours from New York City and less than a day's drive from Chicago. And Nucky Thompson takes full advantage.

 

Along with his brother Elias (Shea Whigam), the town's Sheriff, and a crew of Ward Bosses and local thugs, Nucky carves out a niche for himself as the man to see for any illegal alcohol. He is an equal opportunity gangster, doing business with Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg), Big Jim Colosimo (Frank Crudele) Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza) and Al Capone (Stephen Graham).

 

As the series begins, Nucky's former protégé and driver Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt) returns home from the Great War, eager to get ahead and reclaim his rightful place in Nucky's organization. But when Jimmy feels things aren't moving quickly enough, he takes matters into his own hands, forming a deadly alliance with some associates of Nucky's that set the Feds, led by Agent Van Alden (Michael Shannon) on his mentor's tail. Complicating matters futher is Nucky's burgeoning relationship with Margaret Schroeder (Kelly MacDonald), a local woman in an abusive marriage whom he tries to help out.

 

The show also stars Michael Kenneth Williams ('The Wire') as Chalky White, the leader of the city's African-American community; Gretchen  Mol as showgirl Gilliam; Dabney Coleman as Nucky's mentor The Commodore; and Paz de la Huerta as Nucky's girlfriend Lucy.

 

Created by Terence Winter, 'Boardwalk Empire' is executive produced by Terence Winter, Martin Scorcese, Tim Van Patten, Stephen Levison and Mark Wahlberg. Gene Kelly is co-executive producer; Rudd Simmons is producer. Directed by Martin Scorcese, Tim Van Patten, Jeremy Podeswa, Alan Taylor and Allen Coulter. The series is written by Terence Winter, Lawrence Konner, Howard Korder, Tim Van Patten, Paul Simms, Margaret Nagle, Steve Kornacki and Meg Jackson.

 

'Boardwalk Empire' is inspired by portions of the non-fiction book "Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and Corruption of Atlantic City" by Nelson Johnson.

 

 

Trailer

 

 

 

Ever since I finished off my The Sopranos and The Wire boxsets over a year ago (perhaps more...) I've been looking for a new crime show written, directed and acted in a similarly amazing style. Terence Winter wrote some f*cking amazing episodes of The Sopranos ('Pine Barrens' and 'Long Term Parking' anyone?) so with him at the helm and Steve Buscemi leading the cast this has the potential to fill that void. The cast will also include Michael K. Williams (the best character in The Wire?') and Stephen Graham (a very good British actor of Snatch, This is England and Public Enemies fame). Awesomeness.

 

It may not be arriving 'til later in the year but feck I'm excited for it now. Thought I'd post this up to get the excitement building now.

[Fnorg]

I remember the old thread (at least I think we had one), I didn't give it much though then. But after reading up on it, all I have to say is...

 

Why does it have to be so far away? God, this is going to be great. Buscemi, MKW and Scorsese himself directing the first episode. This'll have to fill my The Wire void once I finish that one up. Lookin' forward to it.

[Don Garcia]

 

 

Doesn't look bad at all...

[Typhus]

I can't wait to see how Stephen Graham portrays Al Capone.

[meta187]

I've been meaning to get in here to post this topic for a while but you totally beat me to it on this one.

 

I'm really hoping this is as good as I think it's going to be.

[meta187]

Wow. Can't believe there hasn't been a post in here since March.

 

I really liked the opening episode of this. It was something like 90 minutes long, I think. All the acting, set design and writing was up to par and well researched. The characters were cool, the violence, surprisingly graphic and seeing all the younger versions of these famous gangsters was definitely spot on as well.

 

Nucky is an easy favorite as the lead but I really like the guy they picked to play Arnold Rothstein , one of the smartest "gangsters" to come from that era, the actor playing him did a spot on portrayal of how I pictured him. Nucky Thompson's bumbleing man servant with the funny accent was cracking me up as well.

 

 

Episode Summary

 

 

Nice to have this and Dexter to watch on Sundays again.

[Fnorg]

Yeah, it'll be nice to have this to look forward to on a weekly basis. I hope it gets even better from here on. I expected more from the pilot, considering Marty Scorsese directed it. Don't get me wrong, I love the show so far - both The Wire and The Sopranos had weak pilots, this trumped both of them. I think I expected more, but I'm satisfied none the less. The pilot set this show up for great things and that's its purpose. I just hope MKW and Stuhlbarg get bigger roles. They had like two minutes and five seconds combined.

[Creed Bratton]

Could this be the new big thing from HBO? Cause I don't think anything after The Sopranos was really big. I liked the pilot a lot. I guess it can't fail with the collective genius of people involved.

[Fnorg]

Could this be the new big thing from HBO? Cause I don't think anything after The Sopranos was really big. I liked the pilot a lot. I guess it can't fail with the collective genius of people involved.

Yeah, with the actors, writers, producers and (so far) directors involved, this just can't be bad.

[SIKKS66]

Didn't even realise this was out yet and I made the thread Can't wait to watch episode 1.

[3minty3]

Just watched the first episode and it was better than I expected for a pilot. In comparison to the the pilot of 'The Wire', it definetely got me more excited about future episodes whereas 'The Wire' didn't get me hooked right away.

 

Also, I loved seeing Michael K. Williams again. He sounded alot like Omar.

[meta187]

The 2nd episode this evening was off the chain.

 

That f*cking goofball butler still cracks me up.

 

"Do you want me to wear a drivers cap? I'll have to borrow one."

 

And Capones scene were two favorites.

 

Totally f*cked how Nucky did that guy on his three thousand but I know it was to teach him a hard lesson.

[M. H. Hunter III]

Okay I've watched the second episode and I've come to a realization that firstly I shouldn't be thinking of this series as a TV show in the conventional sense in part to the length of each episode so far. Instead with the second episode I starting thinking of the series as miniature movies, that is week by week we get shown more of the movie as it were.

In this way I can better wait for large events in the season like a movie while watching the less entertaining parts of the episodes.

 

But I do have to agree we see so far the nucky is a sly and shady man, coming off all proper in front of the womens equal rights meetings and the publicly condemning alcohol, only to have a little action in everything around the AC.

I also like they introduced Capone way earlier in the series then I thought they would, and Nuckys butler/servant with his unusual humor and bad timing with nucky.

[Mister Pink]

Okay I've watched the second episode and I've come to a realization that firstly I shouldn't be thinking of this series as a TV show in the conventional sense in part to the length of each episode so far. Instead with the second episode I starting thinking of the series as miniature movies, that is week by week we get shown more of the movie as it were.

In this way I can better wait for large events in the season like a movie while watching the less entertaining parts of the episodes.

I never watched/followed much T.V. series before The Sopranos so I learned to do something similar in your quote while watch The Sopranos. The it all became clear.

 

The g/f and I are gonna give this show a watch.

 

 

[Rucke]

Terrence Winter wrote many of my favorite Sopranos episodes, and Martin Scorsese is one of the best directors ever. I'm really looking forward to this!

[Attorney General]

The 2nd episode this evening was off the chain.

Just got caught up on DVR, myself. I'm sold on this series already. Buscemi has always been a favorite of mine and he's been outstanding in this so far.

 

I really hope that this show becomes a staple on HBO for years.

[Otter]

Pretty good, so far! Looking forward to seeing where they go with this.

[Slingaa]

This looks f*cking awesome.

 

Hopefully it'll be on Sky.

[meta187]

Ehhh it was an ok, episode.

 

7 minutes short though, kinda pissed me off a bit.

 

That fed is nuckin futz.

 

I am looking forward to Jimmy heading out to Chicago to hook up with Capone.

[Don Garcia]

Just got caught up, and I love where the show is heading. It's great to have a genuinely well-written, well-acted series. For that, I only have Breaking Bad and Mad Men; great to add a 3rd show to the short list.

 

Nucky's chick is a real f*cking bitch.

 

And how 'bout doing it the French way? Oh boy... And, "What's a motherf*cker?"

[meta187]

Oh boy... And, "What's a motherf*cker?"

Yea, I imagine that term was initially seen as redundant.

[meta187]

I really enjoyed this 3rd episode. Seeing more of Capone operate as a brash and thoughtless badass was a plus. They're doing a great job portraying him in his early days. Also the realistic way in which they portrayed the mick heavy jaggedly slicing Jimmy's girl across her face as opposed to the typical neat slice across the cheeks was a decidedly gruesome call. Chalky White's anecdote about his father leading into the torture of the Klan leader was easily one of the best monologues of the season so far.

 

 

 

"I ain't buildin' no bookcase."

 

A pretty decent plot summary can he found here.

[Creed Bratton]

Awesome episode. My favorite line of this week's episode is: "we have strudel."

[Don Garcia]

Can't wait to see Jimmy get revenge, with Capone's help. Really can't wait.

[M. H. Hunter III]

Not to beat the beat horse, but I as well am really hooked into the series already. I can't put my finger on what exactly is my favorite aspect of the series because there are just a lot of things that are making this a true masterpiece event here.

But storyline wise I too am looking forward to Jimmys revenge with help of Capone.

 

And Meta I do have to agree with the monologue that Chalky did, I really did feel like that was his actual memory word for word, a great sign of top casting and writing.

[meta187]

Glad to see people are actually watching this, I was starting to wonder as this thread hadn't been particularly active.

 

The buzz and the online reception for this series has been very favorable even just a few episodes in, they signed for another season so I'm all for it going forward and being a successful series.

[meta187]

I was initially put off by this episode being so transitional with not a lot happening on the action tip but it set up some things very nicely. The unexpected hook up with Nucky and the widow in the final scene and giving Jimmy and Capone a solid reason for going after the micks now that his love interest has killed herself he can really approach the situation with some "who gives a f*ck what others think" anger as Capone suggested.

[Creed Bratton]

I was initially put off by this episode being so transitional with not a lot happening on the action tip but it set up some things very nicely. The unexpected hook up with Nucky and the widow in the final scene and giving Jimmy and Capone a solid reason for going after the micks now that his love interest has killed herself he can really approach the situation with some "who gives a f*ck what others think" anger as Capone suggested.

That was very sad. She was too cute

[Don Garcia]

I thought it was a damn good episode. I really like Micheal Shannon in this role. So good.

 

I'm actually rooting for him, and Jimmy. f*ck Nucky.

[M. H. Hunter III]

I was initially put off by this episode being so transitional with not a lot happening on the action tip but it set up some things very nicely. The unexpected hook up with Nucky and the widow in the final scene and giving Jimmy and Capone a solid reason for going after the micks now that his love interest has killed herself he can really approach the situation with some "who gives a f*ck what others think" anger as Capone suggested.

That was very sad. She was too cute

I genuinely felt rather sad at for and at her for what had been done.

You know not of her own doing that got her cut from hairline to neck across the face like that, it was more of Jimmys and Capones doing with hassling a percent out with the local mobsters in the area.

 

As fas am I'm concerned the only solid good thing to come out of her suicide like that was that she was heavily doped up on that opiate syrup that made her pain almost if not completely gone......small favors that way.

In my opinion she may have rid herself from Jimmy to allow him to move on and not be compelled to be by her side 24/7 like he had been.

 

But like you guys said above Jimmy is now with Capones method of getting things done, no mater what.

This really will make more a emotionally driven Jimmy, in turn a possibly more vicious Capone type of person that he lost the one he loved there in Chicago.