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Boardwalk Empire official discussion thread

post #1 of 146
9/19/10 at 12:43pm
Thread Starter 

The show premiers Sunday September 19th on HBO

 

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post #2 of 146
9/19/10 at 1:09pm
I've got the TiVo set to record it.
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post #3 of 146
9/19/10 at 1:19pm

Added HBO back to my programming package this week strictly for this show. Hope it's as good as I'm expecting it to be.

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post #4 of 146
9/19/10 at 3:24pm

I don't know if I'll be around to catch it tonight but I'll be watching it as soon as I can because I think it looks really good.

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post #5 of 146
9/20/10 at 2:05am

I will say this: the production values are incredible.  From cinematography to sound, this show has an insane polish.  It will take me a bit to warm up to the characters, a lot was introduced tonight.  But I like the setting and the actors, so a great start in general.

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post #6 of 146
9/20/10 at 5:56am

It's on the DVR will try to catch it tonight, I Like Buscemi but it will be interesting to see a show built around him, he's usually more of a supporter. Anyone know if this will be the standard 12 to 13 ep season or less?

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post #7 of 146
9/20/10 at 6:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Scarpa View Post

 

Anyone know if this will be the standard 12 to 13 ep season or less?



Yeah, it's 12 episodes.

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post #8 of 146
9/20/10 at 8:19am

I expected to really like Boardwalk Empire, but I was not impressed.  I can't describe it, but something seemed to be off.  Part of it might be that Buscemi, who I like, isn't a strong enough presence.  The heavy Italian mobster (sorry, I don't remember the name) was a cartoonish character.

 

But maybe it was the usual first episode, trying to include too much (including a young Al Capone).  I will give it another episode.

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post #9 of 146
9/20/10 at 8:27am
Holy shit. I'm hooked. THAT  was a fucking TV show. After that first freeze-frame, I knew we were in Scorsese's playground. Perfectly executed, there.
 
I'm almost sad I won't be first seeing this on Blu-Ray, as I could watch another episode right now.
 
Technology is doing some great things with headshots. Can't wait to see what The Walking Dead brings us.
 

 

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
Also, it appears that the guy in Chicago was killed by his underlings because he was holding them back from getting involved in bootlegging. Rothstein hasn't learned about the robbery yet, if the "next-week-on" thing is to be believed. Arnold Rothstein is a very interesting figure, and Stuhlbarg is great playing him

 

-- I hope the series lets him shine. So far, so good.
 
Thelma Schoonmaker edited this episode, BTW. I wonder if every episode will feel as ingrained in the "Scorsese/Schoomaker" feel as this episode is. With most series, the style of editing and photography of the pilot is kept constant throughout the series, but I can't imagine it'll be easy filling the shoes of Marty and Thelma every week.
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post #10 of 146
9/20/10 at 9:07am

A reminder to posters to make sure you are utilizing spoiler tags when talking about specific plot points as some us haven't watched the episodes yet or are using their DVRs for later viewing.  Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crawdaddy

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post #11 of 146
9/20/10 at 9:25am
Thread Starter 

Really enjoyed the premier episode last night.

 

Have to give credit to the set designers.  Visually, 

the show really wraps you into the period -- beautifully

unwrapped in High Definition.  Also have to give a nod

to the cinematography.  Scorcese used some really

interesting angles to tell his story.  

 

From what I have read, the initial 4 episodes are

weak compared to what follows.  However, I was not

disappointed in anything that I saw.  Very nice start

to the series.  I love anything Buscemi is in and he

seems like he'll work well in this role.  Those looking

for a Tony Soprano mob guy will probably be disappointed.

 

One thing I feel kind of silly to talk about -- I was

very confused about the ending...

 

 

 

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

The corrupt police captain was looking for Jimmy 

following the heist in the woods.   It looked like it

was Jimmy that was picked up in the streets, thrown

in the truck, on the boat, and into the ocean.  However,

the final scene reveals Jimmy still alive playing with his

kids.

 

Was the person picked up off the street the wife-battering

husband?

Looking forward to the next installment.

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post #12 of 146
9/20/10 at 9:26am

I thought once a show aired it was fair game.

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post #13 of 146
9/20/10 at 9:31am

I was totally happy with Buscemi in the lead role.  I also have to admit that I lost track of who was doing what to whom about 2/3 of the way through, and plan to watch it again before next week.

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post #14 of 146
9/20/10 at 9:32am

Ron-

 

Yes, that was the wife-beating husband.   They tried to make that very clear in the end when they said his name and the fishermen found the 'part time baker' which was his occupation.   Since this was clearly said in the show, not a spoiler ;)

 

But, it helps build the myth of the character

 

 

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

 In real life, Eloch was very, very popular with the people in large part because he gave away huge amounts of money and was seen as a defender of the "little guy" which is why even to his death he was brought in to rally up votes, as he had that kind of reputation.

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post #15 of 146
9/20/10 at 10:30am
Thread Starter 

BTW, what a pleasant surprise to see Dabney Coleman.

 

Haven't seen the actor since the 80s.  Thought he was dead.

 

Age is a bitch.  He's hardly recognizable.

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post #16 of 146
9/20/10 at 5:40pm

Who was Dabney Colemans character?

 

edit - Was he the guy that gave Nucky the book about Jews?

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post #17 of 146
9/20/10 at 8:19pm

Well I thought that was incredible television.  Can't remember liking a pilot as much as this.  If it gets even better after 4 episodes then consider me on board for good.

 

Jeremiah, yes, that was Dabney.

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post #18 of 146
9/20/10 at 9:32pm

Really good pilot.  Everything worked, on both sides of the camera, and in the editing room and post.

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post #19 of 146
9/20/10 at 9:42pm

About the wife beater,

Also, if you listen to the radio when hes found in the net, it mentions him being suspected of being involved in the robbery.

 

 

 

It looked amazing. Television has come a long way.

 

I liked the pilot, but didnt love it, but also realize this is simply introduction. Looking foward to seeing some more.

 

Really strong cast. Anyone notice Molly Parker as Nuckys wife in the photos he had around his room? Too bad she wont be a regular, as shes a favorite of mine.But one of my other favorite actresses will be making a appearance later in the season.


Edited by JonZ - 9/20/10 at 9:56pm
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post #20 of 146
9/21/10 at 5:50am

I thought this was excellent. If they can keep up the quality, this show could end up standing with grade-A HBO shows like The Sopranos, The Wire and Deadwood.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by JonZ View Post

Anyone notice Molly Parker as Nuckys wife in the photos he had around his room?



That was actually her? I saw the picture and chuckled to myself because she looked so much like Alma Garret.

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post #21 of 146
9/21/10 at 8:44am

I was pretty sure it was her. I had said to my g/f when I saw the photo "I didnt know Molly Parker was in this".


Edited by JonZ - 9/21/10 at 5:29pm
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post #22 of 146
9/21/10 at 11:21am

I was watching with half an eye and caught most, but must've missed something.  What was the motive behind whacking the one gangster in the restaurant?  Great scene and buildup of tension.  I just forgot who he was among the other mustaches.

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post #23 of 146
9/21/10 at 12:16pm

AND Omar is BACK!

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post #24 of 146
9/21/10 at 2:07pm

HBO has already renewed for Season 2!

 

http://www.deadline.com/2010/09/hbo-renews-boardwalk-empire-after-one-episode/

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post #25 of 146
9/21/10 at 6:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Campisi View Post

I was watching with half an eye and caught most, but must've missed something.  What was the motive behind whacking the one gangster in the restaurant?  Great scene and buildup of tension.  I just forgot who he was among the other mustaches.

It was mentioned by Al Capone when taking to Jimmy, that he was against getting involved with alcohol, that it was too risky, and wanted to stick to things like gambling and girls.

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post #26 of 146
9/22/10 at 1:26pm

Loved this show!  I love the semi-impotence/semi-invincible quality of Enoch.  On the one hand, he is THE man about town and can get what he wants, when he wants...unless it is into his own bathroom.  or even to have free time to schtup his mistress.  What a hoot!  I loved his butler, too.  I see that role being a potentially great one througout the season.  I liked the lighter tone at times, too.  This wasn't heavy-handed melodrama moment to moment.  The fun watching the newly created FBI squad to fight the booze running was better than them being too earnest and well-oiled.  The scene at the hotel with the lead agent Shannon trying to teach one of his guys how to identify the baddies was great. 

 

I loved the fantasy look of the Boardwalk, too, and how various storefronts are just as enticing to Enoch and others more jaded to its appeal outside of the obvious alcohol and women.    I think this was a strong start that put a lot of balls in the air but the best part of HBO is the give the time and space to play these stories out. 

 

Oh and Yeah, hell yeah...glad to see Omar back on the screen again. :-) 

 

I think the line at the end by Jimmy was a great way to lay out the theme of the season:

 


 

 

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

Something to the effect of "Enoch, you can't be half a gangster any more."   I assume that will be the struggle for the season.   Can't wait and can't think of a better actor to inhabit that.
 

 

Can't wait for more.

 

On side note, Love what I am seeing with GAME OF THRONES, too.    That is the show I have been dreaming of since I read that novel.

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post #27 of 146
9/22/10 at 2:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Florian View Post

... I loved his butler, too.  I see that role being a potentially great one througout the season. ...


Knowing Scorsese, this character is almost certainly inspired by Vince Barnett's 'Angelo' in SCARFACE (1932), right? Anybody else see that?

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post #28 of 146
9/23/10 at 12:39am

I didn't watch this under the best circumstances.  With new shows starting up and old shows returning, I had a ton of material on my DVR I wanted to clear out before the next day's material began to pile up.  Boardwalk Empire was the last thing I watched after a blur of hour dramas and half hour game shows.  It was also late and I was kind of tired.  So, I kind of liked it but didn't love it (I did love the period details).  In my state of mind, I'm not sure I completely got the ambush.  Let me give it a try and see if I'm close:

 

Jimmy gave up the bootlegging operation for a variety of reasons: he hated the guy who ran it; he needed to give the feds some red meat; and he needed to take the feds off the board for when he pulled off the ambush.  See, I was distracted during the scene where the convoy set out, so I'm guessing it was Rothstein's men transporting alcohol they bought from Thompson back to their operation in New York.  Jimmy hit them to recoup the money Rothstein had won gambling.  Capone's motive was to take his part of the shipment to Chicago to start up his own operation there (I did get that the (relatively) nice older gentleman was killed because he didn't want to get into the alcohol game).  I'm pretty sure I'm right about Capone, but I'm not sure about Jimmy.  Even though the abusive husband was set up as the fall guy for the ambush, it seems like bad business for Thompson to allow the first shipment of liquor to be stolen on the roads out of Atlantic City.  Even if Rothstein could believe he had nothing to do with it, he'd have to think twice before buying from him again.

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post #29 of 146
9/23/10 at 2:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg_S_H View Post

I didn't watch this under the best circumstances.  With new shows starting up and old shows returning, I had a ton of material on my DVR I wanted to clear out before the next day's material began to pile up.  Boardwalk Empire was the last thing I watched after a blur of hour dramas and half hour game shows.  It was also late and I was kind of tired.  So, I kind of liked it but didn't love it (I did love the period details).  In my state of mind, I'm not sure I completely got the ambush.  Let me give it a try and see if I'm close:

 

Jimmy gave up the bootlegging operation for a variety of reasons: he hated the guy who ran it; he needed to give the feds some red meat; and he needed to take the feds off the board for when he pulled off the ambush.  See, I was distracted during the scene where the convoy set out, so I'm guessing it was Rothstein's men transporting alcohol they bought from Thompson back to their operation in New York.  Jimmy hit them to recoup the money Rothstein had won gambling.  Capone's motive was to take his part of the shipment to Chicago to start up his own operation there (I did get that the (relatively) nice older gentleman was killed because he didn't want to get into the alcohol game).  I'm pretty sure I'm right about Capone, but I'm not sure about Jimmy.  Even though the abusive husband was set up as the fall guy for the ambush, it seems like bad business for Thompson to allow the first shipment of liquor to be stolen on the roads out of Atlantic City.  Even if Rothstein could believe he had nothing to do with it, he'd have to think twice before buying from him again.


This is where fact gets mixed with fiction.  The fact is this, Big Jim Colosimo was the Chicago mob boss killed in his restaruant.  He was killed by his own people because of his reluctance to get into the bootlegging business.  The guy that gave to the order to kill him was John Torrio, he was Colosimo's underboss.  In this series, he was the other gentleman with Colosimo at the dinner table in Atlantic City and met Capone when he delivered the truck with the booze in Chicago.  Also, Torrio was the mentor of Al Capone and he was the New York gangster that brought Capone from Brooklyn to work with him in Chicago as well as Frankie Yale, another NY gangster who was the trigger man in Colosimo's killing.  Interesting that all of those NY gangsters got their start with the Five Points Gang including Lucky Luciano and that they would be intregal in the establishment of the national crime syndicate years later.  By the way, as alluded to in this series, Rothstein was a mentor to Luciano and I'm wondering how they are going to introduce Luciano's

 

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
close childhood friend, Meyer Lansky.

 

 

It's going to be interesting to see how they mix fact with fiction in the upcoming episodes as one of the big events regarding the national crime syndicate would take place in Atlantic City several years later after 1920 which is the current time for Broadwalk Empire.
 

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post #30 of 146
9/26/10 at 10:29am

Really enjoyed this.  A gangster show with none of the (what I saw as) flaws of the Sopranos: I liked the main character (Buscemi's), no annoying family and no therapy sessions! :-D

 

The comedy butler was excellent, as was the g/f.  Kelly Macdonald too.

 

Can't wait for the rest of the season.

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