(Season 5 spoilers) Boardwalk Empire: Farewell Daddy Blues

[Mark Antony]

To me it felt like Nucky was going to stay on in Atlantic City now?.

Yeah he said he was going with Willie to wherever Eli's family was at.

[gilby]

Any theories on why Harrow got shaky when trying to shoot Narcisse? Obviously it works to keep him in play as an enemy for Chalky for next season, but Harrow didn't know anyone in the club and is usually a great shot, so why the tremors then?

[Bridgeburners]

If Nucky didn't shoot Eli when he plotted to kill him, and actually called a hit out on him, I don't see Nucky killing him for this. I think Nucky pictured it going very differently, i.e. Eli being a sniveling worm begging for forgiveness (as was the case previously). Only this time Eli caught him off guard and he didn't know what the hell to do.

Any theories on why Harrow got shaky when trying to shoot Narcisse? Obviously it works to keep him in play as an enemy for Chalky for next season, but Harrow didn't know anyone in the club and is usually a great shot, so why the tremors then?

Basically Richard just couldn't kill anymore. It showed when he spared his last target earlier in the season, and when he was supposed to put his dog out of his misery. He even said out loud, "I don't want to do it anymore" (paraphrasing). He could no longer bear the weight of what he is, with respect to what would constitute a normal family man. I think that, at that point, the idea of killing him just really upset him and threw off his focus.

[gilby]

Must've been very traumatic for him to shoot that girl in the head then. Makes it an even sadder ending for him. RIP Harrow

reading that over it sounds very callous with respect to the girl but hey I care about richard more

[Stone-Made-Soft]

I'm excited to watch Season 5. The drama in Chicago will, obviously, be featured in the next season. Nucky, unmoored from Atlantic City, could spend time in different locales: Tampa and/or Havana come to mind. As AC seems too important to abandon for an entire season, who will rule in Nucky's absence? An alliance between Doyle, who has intimate knowledge of Nucky's operation, Chalky, who will be messed up, and Will, Nucky's eyes, could hold the Empire together for a spell, but it will crumble without strong leadership.In New York, there are a lot of characters that deserve, and will hopefully get, more screentime (Margaret is in this group).

[Ran]

Winter also cites the injury to Harrow's hand -- I think when the guy who hired him to kill his former business associates came after him? -- was a factor in his delay in the killing; it's why he clenched his hand.

But mostly, yes, he was struggling with what he was about to do.

[Lord Flashheart]

Any theories on why Harrow got shaky when trying to shoot Narcisse? Obviously it works to keep him in play as an enemy for Chalky for next season, but Harrow didn't know anyone in the club and is usually a great shot, so why the tremors then?

I think it just showed how much harrow had changed from the suicidal cold blooded killer. Into a man with a family and everything to lose. To me the ability to kill indiscriminately was softened by that. He still however was able to pull the trigger but only after reminding himself this is what he needed to do to ensure Gillian could never hurt Tommy.

[Lord Flashheart]

Also while doing doing a full re-watch recently, I have to ask. How fucking excellent was season threes Easter episode? One of my favorite holiday themed episodes of any show ever.

[Mark Antony]

Isn't that the episode where Richard goes to the beach with Julia? *cries*

[red snow]

So does anyone know if Harrow's death was purely story driven? It could have been that the actor has got something else lined up and they had to write him out. That or the showrunners who are cold bastards and like to torture their cast like GRRM. They may be even worse because GRRM can kill anyone whereas this show is obviously limited in who they can kill.

For once though I just wish some of them could get a happy ending. Maybe the show is trying to ensure all the bad people get bad endings. Harrow was a soldier at heart but he did commit illegal murders as a living.

My only worry now is that the show has no heart. I really like all the other characters but I can't think of any of them who are nice people deep down. I think that was a big part of Harrow's appeal in that he was someone we could empathise with. I think they'd need a new character to replace him and then we are back to wondering how long they'll survive (especially if they start working as Nucky's enforcer). Which is good as I like to be kept on the edge of my seat.

EDIT: This interview answers a lot of the questions I posed - sounds like the actor genuinely enjoyed the role and felt the character had been fully explored with good reasoning for why he had to die.

[Conquered Sun]

So does anyone know if Harrow's death was purely story driven? It could have been that the actor has got something else lined up and they had to write him out. That or the showrunners who are cold bastards and like to torture their cast like GRRM. They may be even worse because GRRM can kill anyone whereas this show is obviously limited in who they can kill.

For once though I just wish some of them could get a happy ending. Maybe the show is trying to ensure all the bad people get bad endings. Harrow was a soldier at heart but he did commit illegal murders as a living.

My only worry now is that the show has no heart. I really like all the other characters but I can't think of any of them who are nice people deep down. I think that was a big part of Harrow's appeal in that he was someone we could empathise with. I think they'd need a new character to replace him and then we are back to wondering how long they'll survive (especially if they start working as Nucky's enforcer). Which is good as I like to be kept on the edge of my seat.

EDIT: This interview answers a lot of the questions I posed - sounds like the actor genuinely enjoyed the role and felt the character had been fully explored with good reasoning for why he had to die.

Maybe Willy?

[red snow]

Maybe Willy?

Which one's Willy? If that's Eli's son we're already dealing with someone who killed a schoolmate for teasing him. Given his new job I think there's more chance of him turning out to be like his uncle. Maybe he'll resist though.

[Blisscraft]

I think it just showed how much harrow had changed from the suicidal cold blooded killer. Into a man with a family and everything to lose. To me the ability to kill indiscriminately was softened by that. He still however was able to pull the trigger but only after reminding himself this is what he needed to do to ensure Gillian could never hurt Tommy.

I agree. I would add that there is a suggestion of this emotional change in Richard earlier in the season when he cannot "put the dog down".

[Mark Antony]

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

[flinn]

Did anyone else think it seemed that Nucky had very little screen time in this entire season?

I kept thinking how it reminded me of a series when an actor dies so they have to use CGI and then try to keep that character out of the picture most of the time.

[Born Sinner]

Wouldn't it be awesome if either Richard or Jimmy do get a funeral next season. They deserve one.

[Relic]

Richard Harrow: In Memorium

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

fuck =(

[Talleyrand]

Richard Harrow: In Memoriam

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

well done, now i'm sad

[Paladin of Ice]

How about this one to hit everyone right in the feels?

[Khal-a-bunga]

Yeah he said he was going with Willie to wherever Eli's family was at.

I assume that Nucky was still planning on leaving Atlantic City (for the time being), but that he had given June and the rest of Eli's children his 'home' at the hotel. I can't imagine they would want to stay in the house where Knox had been murdered.