Boardwalk Empire...

[coachcap]

So, J. Edgar is finally introduced to the story line. Knuckie is off to Tampa on business (a preamble to either retirement or possible further expansion into the Caribbean?). The "Doctor" from Trinidad is creeping into Knuckie's dealings (& offs the bimbo). The war vet hitman goes home to sis & wants to turn over a new leaf. Capone is being Capone.
At least it's not dull.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Lot a lot of shows on cable, Boardwalk Empire wrapped up too many story lines too early, and had to start over in season 3, and now again in season 4. The core story line of the first two seasons was the emotional struggle between Nucky and his surrogate son Darmody. When they killed off Darmody, it killed the main thread holding the first two seasons together. Now each season feels more like a sequel to the last than an ongoing show. I still like the show, but it is dependent on body count rather than story line now. The Sopranos and Big Love were able to stretch that father figure/son plot line out better. Junior/Tony was not resolved until the second to last season, and Big Love fell off a cliff as a show when Roman was killed.

I have a similar problem with Homeland and Newsroom. Way too many plotlines were wrapped up early in the series.

 

[huskysupporter]

I have enjoyed the first two episodes. I am happy to see Richard Harrow with a strong storyline. Any episode without Margaret is a good episode.

 

[Husky25]

Lot a lot of shows on cable, Boardwalk Empire wrapped up too many story lines too early, and had to start over in season 3, and now again in season 4. The core story line of the first two seasons was the emotional struggle between Nucky and his surrogate son Darmody. When they killed off Darmody, it killed the main thread holding the first two seasons together. Now each season feels more like a sequel to the last than an ongoing show. I still like the show, but it is dependent on body count rather than story line now. The Sopranos and Big Love were able to stretch that father figure/son plot line out better. Junior/Tony was not resolved until the second to last season, and Big Love fell off a cliff as a show when Roman was killed.

I have a similar problem with Homeland and Newsroom. Way too many plotlines were wrapped up early in the series.

The problem with Boardwalk Empire is that elements of the first seasons were based on real historical event. Enoch Thompson was a real person. Chalky White and Jimmy Darmody are based on real people with the same primary name, if not loose similarities. It's not just a period piece like Mad Men. While The Sopranos was also based on a real New Jersey OC family (DeCavalcantes), every single name was changed and there is no direct association with the real people.

Never really got into Big Love and I'm stalled at the start of the second season of Homeland. I'm too wrapped up in the early seasons of Breaking Bad at the moment.

 

[mauconnfan]

Good start to Boardwalk........

Waiting on Homeland myself..........

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This week's episode was fantastic. I really like J. Edgar.

Capone and Mueller or whatever he was called before is by far the least interesting story line. I don't know why the show still has a plotline in Chicago. There is not likely to be a credible way to tie it back to Atlantic City, and there is so much interesting stuff happening between AC and New York that Chicago seems like a distraction. At the least make the action in a place like Philadelphia where the organized crime history hasn't been covered in a 100 TV shows and movies before like Chicago has.

The show misses the Darmody character so much that they are trying to replace him with Eli's son. This week was a good first step in his corruption.

Gretchen Mol's character finally got interesting this week. I didn't see any use for her in the show at all for the first 4 episodes this season, and there is not much new to say about drug addiction in a show like this, but this week it got interesting.

The Doctor is an excellent character, and not as silly as Bobby Canavale's character from last year. Much more credible as a threat to Nucky, and the interaction between the Doctor and Chalky is really good. I also think Jeffrey Wright is playing it better than Canavale played Gip Rosetti.

 

[mauconnfan]

Agreed, should have kept the Darmody character but I think he's too much theatre driven for now and wanted out, not sure........not bad so far this season!! Gretchen plays a strange part but she's really good at it!!

Cappone is a little out of control, even more so than the man himself and that's a bit ridiculous!

 

[Yonick]

The show has been renewed for next year too. Capone, as we all know, ruled Chicago's underworld in the 20's. I'm sure the Irish florist will get knocked off shortly.
Rothstein was shot in killed in 1927, by an unknown. Luciano & Meyer Lansky were responsible for knocking off Joe (the boss)Massarea & Salvatore Marinzano to take over NYC's underworld. Should be interesting over the next 2 seasons.

 

[huskysupporter]

Loved last week's episode.

Favorite storyline: Eli's son. Nucky is looking to right the wrongs he made with Jimmy, and Eli's son looks ready to step up. Loved the interaction between the two last episode.

They have really screwed up the Van Alden storyline. He could have become a hardcore hitman for Chicago (and I suspect he still might), but the depiction of his as a bumbling fool is just horrible.

I really want to see Richard Harrow back as well, because I want to learn more about his past.

I have seen a lot of criticism of this season, but I am really enjoying it.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't hate the Chicago storyline, but it muddles the show and seems like a sideline that will never be tied back to the main Nucky vs. New York mob story line.

Rothstein is one of my favorite characters in the show, and I like the way he is being portrayed. This season has been a foreshadowing of what will eventually happen to him in the future.

J. Edgar shaking down Kessler was a fantastic scene. It actually provides insight into the way J. Edgar became one of the most powerful men in the world in a way that other shows and movies never could.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Season is great. The build up of the eventual showdown between Chalky and the Doctor is awesome. The Doctor is a much more interesting adversary than Gyp Rosetti. Van Alden executing those three iron salesmen in cold blood was an awesome scene too. He is crossing over.

I have two quibbles:

I recognize that Nucky is supposed to be a weaselly guy, but he is so incredibly disloyal to his men that it is hard to believe anyone would follow him.

Eli should have been a lot harder to turn back then. Convictions of someone as connected and powerful as Eli's son would have been very difficult at that time since there was essentially no hard evidence. Prosecuting his son should not have been a credible threat to turn Eli. Prior to the Treasury Department prosecuting mobsters for unpaid taxes, it was incredibly difficult to successfully prosecute a senior member of organized crime. The only reason the taxes were able to stick was because there is hard evidence in a tax prosecution.

 

[huskysupporter]

I love this season. I currently like every storyline. Even Gillians.

The writing has been excellent.

 

[mauconnfan]

The good "Dr" has added intrigue now........Eli and the feds also.........it's been a good season!

Homeland starting to move along a bit better too and The Good Wife's story line is at a high level.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

SPOILER




It was time to Gretchen Mol's character to go. There was nothing left to say about her.

Eli and Chalky have crossed a line that is not easy to cross back over. It sure feels like a show near the end of its run, but it is returning for another season. Based on the number of characters that seem to have been permanently resolved, it will almost be like the show is starting over next season.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The season ender was both sad and very well done. As much as I rooted for Harrow, realistically I did not ever see a happy ending for that character.

I am a little disappointed with how it ended with the Doctor. The police could have done that at any time, why wait to the incident at the club?

 

[mauconnfan]

The season ender was both sad and very well done. As much as I rooted for Harrow, realistically I did not ever see a happy ending for that character.

I am a little disappointed with how it ended with the Doctor. The police could have done that at any time, why wait to the incident at the club?

I agree on the ending for the Dr, expectations were for something very different. I thought Jack Houston played a great character in Harrow and that was a tough one to swallow........funny this is the first I saw of his acting and I was watching that Guinness Black commercial a couple time trying to figure out where I had seen this guy before, then I tried to picture half a face when I realized it was him LOL