(Spoilers) Boardwalk Empire: Why must it always be pandemonium?!

[red snow]

I know, I was starting to hope that Doyle would be the one to make it to the end.

Also a bit annoyed at the Cuban's death - I think he's one of the people who might have suffered because of the shorter series, as it is he was basically a new Owen with less personality and a little quirk.

I didn't even notice he died! Can't say I'm that bothered. He was like a characterless version of Gus Fring.

I imagine there will be a scene next episode that explicitly shows Nucky bringing Gillian to The Commodore. They've put too much effort into building this up as a plot-point and the crux of Nucky's moral downfall/potential redemption (frankly, Nucky is beyond redemption as far as I, and I think the show itself, is concerned).

I hope so too. It does seem as though Nucky's last act (in the show at least) may be helping an enemy who was his first evil act.

[Nictarion]

Benny Siegel MVP of the ep last night. Under utilized throughout the series. Guy had me in stitches.

Not 100% on that kid being Tommy Darmody now.

Agree on both. Great episode. Loved the beginning montage of the war.

I had a feeling Mickey was going this episode. The guy he was loosely based off was gunned down too.

That letter from Gillian was chilling.

[RumHam]

I didn't even notice he died! Can't say I'm that bothered. He was like a characterless version of Gus Fring.

I actually think they did a good job giving him a little personality considering the limited episode count and the fact that he doesn't really speak english. Little things like when he was talking to Margret and eating the snow cone. He wasn't a humorless killing machine, at least.

[Relic]

I actually think they did a good job giving him a little personality considering the limited episode count and the fact that he doesn't really speak english. Little things like when he was talking to Margret and eating the snow cone. He wasn't a humorless killing machine, at least.

I love this season but I have to admit it feels rushed. The mucked up hostage exchange was just dumb. However I like that the penultimate episode with the mob was and that the final episode will be a character driven one.

[Winterfell is Burning]

I've enjoyed it for the most part, but the whole hostage situation was ridiculous. Sorry, but no.

Benny was hilarious through the entire episode. Yet another wasted potential with the series being cut short is that we saw so little of him.

[Nictarion]

Seeing as how they touched on Benny, Lucky, and Meyer were childhood friends in this episode, it reminded me that the show cut out the role of Frank Costello in that group. At least I don't think he's ever been in the show, or even mentioned.

[Francis Buck]

I agree with most of Nestor's comments so far in this thread. At best, I'm split on this season. I actually like the flashbacks, and think they've been done quite well (especially casting-wise)...but at what cost? Because the other stuff feels rushed as all hell, especially these last two episodes. There are still plenty of great moments and stuff, but a lot of it is just...not nearly as great as it clearly could have been. I personally thought that both Van Alden and Chalky's deaths were lame, if not downright stupid. Van Alden, in particular, seemed like they genuinely just had no fucking clue what to do with his character. And the choices with Chalky's story...why in the hell would they spend that ENTIRE episode with Chalky and the crazy guy holding the two women hostage, if all of this was only ever going to end up where it did? What the hell was the point?

And then killing off Mickey and the Cuban guy (Archimedes, apparently)...it felt forced. The whole "showdown" felt forced, actually. It was like the showrunners felt as though they needed SOMEBODY to die in this episode, so they said fuck it and killed those two. I mean I could care less about Archimedes, so killing him off just felt kind of pointless (and again, makes me wonder why he even existed this season at all, along with all of his scenes). And it almost felt like a cheap shot killing off Mickey. The show spent many scenes detailing the absurdity of this guy still being alive through everything that has happened, and even rising in power to some extent, that having him just get popped out of nowhere felt hollow instead of shocking or interesting. I've always thought this show straddled a fine line between killing off characters because it made sense and fit their arc (Harrow being a good example), and killing them simply because they didn't know what the hell else to do with the character and thought it would be shocking (Jimmy, in my opinion, was a case of this, although I know many people disagree). At this point, I also fail to see how the time-jump of 8 years really added anything. They had to gloss over a shitload of interesting history for...what? The end of Prohibition and the formation of the Commission? They didn't even really capitalize on this stuff in my opinion.

I don't know, I'm still enjoying it, but it's far from being anything like what I'd hoped for from the final season of this show. The series as always been just shy of greatness in my opinion, for a variety of reasons, but this season is definitely the weakest for me by a long shot.

ETA: I did like Bugsy's scenes a lot, as well as Maranzano's death.

[Mark Antony]

I thought Doyles death was kinda fitting. Died being a sleezy rat trying to talk his way onto the winning team as he always does and then Lucky just shoots him in the throat :lol:

There's one pet I like to pet and in the evening we get wet

[Pecan]

I personally thought that both Van Alden and Chalky's deaths were lame, if not downright stupid. Van Alden, in particular, seemed like they genuinely just had no fucking clue what to do with his character. And the choices with Chalky's story...why in the hell would they spend that ENTIRE episode with Chalky and the crazy guy holding the two women hostage, if all of this was only ever going to end up where it did? What the hell was the point?

I couldn't agree more. Especially when they killed off Van Alden, my first thought was "huh"? Excuse me but why exactly have we been following this guy for the last 5 years? That was it? And then with Chalky, his entire S5 arc seemed artificial.

With both characters, I think the writers simply didn't know what to do with them in this scenario where they all of a sudden are moving the story ahead 8 years and wrapping it up in 8 episodes.

[The Monkey]

Benny Siegel MVP of the ep last night. Under utilized throughout the series. Guy had me in stitches.

Wait, Benny Siegel has been on the show before? I don't remember him at all, I though this was his first appearance. Anyway, he was great in this episode.

One thing I wonder is if they will tie up Narcisse's story arc. Last season ended with him being made an informer to the Bureau by Hoover, will that come into play in the final episode or was it just a smokescreen?

[Mark Antony]

Yeah he's been sprinkled throughout since season 2. You not remembering him at all just proves the point.

[Martini Sigil]

Van Alden was such a great character that none of us would be satisfied with his death scene... I kind of liked that ultimately it was the "law" who killed him... although his wife would have been kind of amusing.

Chalky died giving his life for a daughter he never knew because of the guilt he felt about his role in Maybell's death... so I like the nobility in that.

... and Doyle's mouth and ignominiousness finally caught up with him... an undramatic end for a schlep... he died like an extra. IMO, perfect.

[red snow]

Van Alden was such a great character that none of us would be satisfied with his death scene... I kind of liked that ultimately it was the "law" who killed him... although his wife would have been kind of amusing.

Chalky died giving his life for a daughter he never knew because of the guilt he felt about his role in Maybell's death... so I like the nobility in that.

... and Doyle's mouth and ignominiousness finally caught up with him... an undramatic end for a schlep... he died like an extra. IMO, perfect.

I mostly agree besides Chalky's. That was probably their intention but I'd have rather he'd just died off screen to be honest. It worked for Rothstein.

I agree with most of Nestor's comments so far in this thread. At best, I'm split on this season. I actually like the flashbacks, and think they've been done quite well (especially casting-wise)...but at what cost? Because the other stuff feels rushed as all hell, especially these last two episodes. There are still plenty of great moments and stuff, but a lot of it is just...not nearly as great as it clearly could have been. I personally thought that both Van Alden and Chalky's deaths were lame, if not downright stupid. Van Alden, in particular, seemed like they genuinely just had no fucking clue what to do with his character. And the choices with Chalky's story...why in the hell would they spend that ENTIRE episode with Chalky and the crazy guy holding the two women hostage, if all of this was only ever going to end up where it did? What the hell was the point?

And then killing off Mickey and the Cuban guy (Archimedes, apparently)...it felt forced. The whole "showdown" felt forced, actually. It was like the showrunners felt as though they needed SOMEBODY to die in this episode, so they said fuck it and killed those two. I mean I could care less about Archimedes, so killing him off just felt kind of pointless (and again, makes me wonder why he even existed this season at all, along with all of his scenes). And it almost felt like a cheap shot killing off Mickey. The show spent many scenes detailing the absurdity of this guy still being alive through everything that has happened, and even rising in power to some extent, that having him just get popped out of nowhere felt hollow instead of shocking or interesting. I've always thought this show straddled a fine line between killing off characters because it made sense and fit their arc (Harrow being a good example), and killing them simply because they didn't know what the hell else to do with the character and thought it would be shocking (Jimmy, in my opinion, was a case of this, although I know many people disagree).

A major fault of the show is that EVERYONE dies once there's no story for them. It must be a rule of the show (it's the tagline for the season almost) and while most of the deaths are well handled it's less dramatic as that's the assumption for the entire cast.

[Talleyrand]

Wait, Benny Siegel has been on the show before? I don't remember him at all, I though this was his first appearance. Anyway, he was great in this episode.

He was the one who did the attempted hit on Gyp in the third series - which IMO is the best shootout in the series

[Pecan]

Does anyone know why HBO is wrapping it up this year? I know Boardwalk Empire hasn't been The Sopranos but it's a quality show and I don't think they have anything ready to replace it.

[Nictarion]

Does anyone know why HBO is wrapping it up this year? I know Boardwalk Empire hasn't been The Sopranos but it's a quality show and I don't think they have anything ready to replace it.

I believe Terence Winter (showrunner) wants to move on.

They have a couple hugely popular shows with Game of Thrones, and True Detective. The Leftovers is coming back for another season too. I think they'll be fine.

[Cold Crashing Waves]

They're doing to Boardwalk what they did to Rome. Cramming a ton of content and years into a few episodes and the result is a lot of head scratching with some great stuff popping up here and there. I'm enjoying it but, like Rome, there were so many wasted opportunities.

[Nictarion]

They're doing to Boardwalk what they did to Rome. Cramming a ton of content and years into a few episodes and the result is a lot of head scratching with some great stuff popping up here and there. I'm enjoying it but, like Rome, there were so many wasted opportunities.

Not really comparable. BE has had 5 seasons to tell their story. That's about average for a shows length these days. It was also the creators choice to stop. As opposed to Rome, where they got royally screwed.

[Cold Crashing Waves]

Well, yeah. The circumstances are very different. But I'm really just talking about how the final leg of both shows feel/felt like such a rush job.

- I also loved Doyle's death.. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" *bang*

- The actor that plays Bugsy Siegel is terrific but I can't stand his face, he just looks so slimy. I'm pretty sure Shane smashed his head in on The Walking Dead.

- I liked Van Alden's death, but like a few others it left me thinking "What was the point?" You'd think his story would culminate into something bigger than just scaring Capone for a few seconds.

[Mark Antony]

Well it was said before but if D'Angelo doesn't kill Nelson then he doesn't get the Ledgers and Capone doesn't go to jail. Personally I loved Van Alden putting the fear of god into Capone before taking one to the head.

"Justice will reign down upon you if it is my last"