Boardwalk Empire

[Raskolnikov]

Don't really care about Scorsese, but oi! Steve Buscemi! Hope it's good, but I'm sticking until at least the 2nd episode in the event that the Scorsese pilot turns out to be awful.

[The Iceman of the North]

There were a review of the first episode of Boardwalk Empire yesterday NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting), and I was surprised to find out that it's going to be shown on a public channel here in Norway. Of course, they are not going to show it until next summer...

[Ran]

Really? That's fascinating. I would have thought that Canal+ had it locked up with the deal they announced. Unless the public channel is second run?

[Ran]

Oh, yes. The Canal+ deal is for first-run airing of HBO shows. I suppose this means that Game of Thrones could show up on a public channel the year after airing, too. Cool.

[The Iceman of the North]

Yeah, Canal+ have the first run, but NRK signed a deal with HBO last year which means far greater distribution, and usually at prime time. For me they usually offer a good opportunity for a re-watch.

ETA: And unless GoT turns out to be a gigantic flop, I expect to see it on NRK within a year of the first release.

[delete this account pls]

I'm really looking forward to this, and everything I've heard about it so far is good. Mr Pink, Kelly McDonald and Omar? Fuggedaboutit.

[Trebla]

I thought it was outstanding. Great story and exceptional acting.

[SwordoftheMorning]

At best, initially underwhelming. Maybe it's more from all the hype, than a truly bad premiere. But the story simply never came together for me. The hijacking made less than any kind of sense. I'm not saying it doesn't have potential, it does. But there's nothing worse than wasted potential (any one know that quote ? lol ) The "cameo" of Michael K. Williams was an almost unforgivable tease, the lead up to him and then the simple dropping of it from the episode shows a Scorcese flaw in continuity. Hope for more of story from him in the future.

I still maintain belief in the Buscemi rule ( Nothing that Steve Buscemi acts in can by rule be truly bad ) But this one has quite a bit of work to do, in my opinion, to live up to the accolades already being heaped upon it.

[Anya, Vengeance Demon]

Yeah, I really enjoyed it as well. The seventy-some years from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of World War II is probably my favorite period of American history, so I was primed to like this from the beginning. And naturally I loved the period music, the cars, the fashion, the references to things like Henry Ford's anti-Semitic pamphlet--it occurs to me, though, that Princeton didn't have the reputation in 1920 that it does today, and while I can't think of a specific line I got the impression that they were implying otherwise. (At the same time, going to college was a much rarer thing than it is today.) I'm curious to see how they work in the election storyline that Terence Winter referred to; the real Nucky Johnson was a major force for the GOP in New Jersey, and presumably Nucky Thompson is much the same, but I'm curious how they tie that in with the mob storyline.

Getting back to the episode itself, I thought the story was really well put together; I watched it with a couple of friends, and I think we all assumed that Nucky turned against Rothstein (or was blackmailing him from the beginning), and finding out that the real driving force was Jimmy all along was a pleasant surprise. From the previews, I got the impression that Jimmy was another surrogate son figure who isn't as capable as the main character; now I think the opposite is true, that Jimmy understands the rules of the game going forward much more than Nucky does, because Nucky's still thinking in the terms of corrupt deals made behind closed doors.

SOTM:

What doesn't make sense to you about the hijacking? I think it makes perfect sense from what they've established about the characters.

Also, it's not a flaw in continuity to introduce a character briefly that's going to become more important later on in the season. (And from critics who have seen the first half of the season, we know that Chalky White is important in episode three and has a standout moment in episode four.) The Wire did that with a lot of major characters,

[SwordoftheMorning]

Yeah, I really enjoyed it as well. The seventy-some years from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of World War II is probably my favorite period of American history, so I was primed to like this from the beginning. And naturally I loved the period music, the cars, the fashion, the references to things like Henry Ford's anti-Semitic pamphlet--it occurs to me, though, that Princeton didn't have the reputation in 1920 that it does today, and while I can't think of a specific line I got the impression that they were implying otherwise. (At the same time, going to college was a much rarer thing than it is today.) I'm curious to see how they work in the election storyline that Terence Winter referred to; the real Nucky Johnson was a major force for the GOP in New Jersey, and presumably Nucky Thompson is much the same, but I'm curious how they tie that in with the mob storyline.

Getting back to the episode itself, I thought the story was really well put together; I watched it with a couple of friends, and I think we all assumed that Nucky turned against Rothstein (or was blackmailing him from the beginning), and finding out that the real driving force was Jimmy all along was a pleasant surprise. From the previews, I got the impression that Jimmy was another surrogate son figure who isn't as capable as the main character; now I think the opposite is true, that Jimmy understands the rules of the game going forward much more than Nucky does, because Nucky's still thinking in the terms of corrupt deals made behind closed doors.

SOTM:

What doesn't make sense to you about the hijacking? I think it makes perfect sense from what they've established about the characters.

Also, it's not a flaw in continuity to introduce a character briefly that's going to become more important later on in the season. (And from critics who have seen the first half of the season, we know that Chalky White is important in episode three and has a standout moment in episode four.) The Wire did that with a lot of major characters,

How about Jimmy and Al Capone all masked up, but the kid they used as a decoy being able to be id'd clearly ? The fact that Jimmy approached Al with the job, but the inference that Johnny Torrio and by implication Lucky Luciano were the ones behind the hijacking of the booze from THEIR partner, Rothstein. Even tho Nucky and Lucky ( lol ) had a clear run-in in the casino. I could go on with errors, but lets return to the Chalky one. He is clearly and impatiently waiting the anteroom for an audience with Nucky, but after the setup of the pregnant Irish woman story, Nucky then clearly leaves thru the front of the hotel with no further mention of Chalky, whom he would have had to walk past. That my friend is a continuity error. Nothing fatal, but like I said intially, it was an underwhelming debut.

[Anya, Vengeance Demon]

How about Jimmy and Al Capone all masked up, but the kid they used as a decoy being able to be id'd clearly?

So what? If the kid's a few degrees separated from Jimmy and Al, who cares if Rothstein's man says later that he thinks maybe this kid was the decoy? He's a nobody. At best, Rothstein could conclude that this is an inside job because one of the Atlantic City guys is involved; but Rothstein thinks that anyway, so what's the harm?

The fact that Jimmy approached Al with the job, but the inference that Johnny Torrio and by implication Lucky Luciano were the ones behind the hijacking of the booze from THEIR partner, Rothstein. Even tho Nucky and Lucky ( lol ) had a clear run-in in the casino.

Here's a simple solution to this "error": Lucky's not in on the heist. By all appearances, he's close to Rothstein and not that close to Torrio, so Torrio never brings him in on it.

And Torrio's not Rothstein's partner; he sees an advantage in bringing Nucky and Rothstein together, and then he sees another advantage in screwing over Colosimo and Rothstein together. He's apparently not big on loyalty.

He is clearly and impatiently waiting the anteroom for an audience with Nucky, but after the setup of the pregnant Irish woman story, Nucky then clearly leaves thru the front of the hotel with no further mention of Chalky, whom he would have had to walk past. That my friend is a continuity error.

Oh, man, you are picking some serious nits right now. Who gives a fuck?

[delete this account pls]

Sword, haven't seen it yet but according to reviewers who have seen screeners, Chalky White becomes much more prominent as the season progresses, beginning with the 3rd episode or so.

[Crazydog7]

I thought it was excellent (and they say the pilot is the weak episode? hot damn)

The only problem this show is probably going to face are the same problems that Rome and Deadwood faced.

We know Ceasar has to die

Ditto for Wild Bill.

Excellent stuff but there is something of a predestination problem.

[Anya, Vengeance Demon]

The only problem this show is probably going to face are the same problems that Rome and Deadwood faced.

We know Ceasar has to die

Ditto for Wild Bill.

Excellent stuff but there is something of a predestination problem.

This is actually why most of the main characters are fictional (Jimmy, the Treasury agent, the Irish woman with an abusive husband, etc.). They even changed Nucky's last name to Thompson because Terence Winter didn't want to be beholden to the real Nucky's biography.

[SwordoftheMorning]

So what? If the kid's a few degrees separated from Jimmy and Al, who cares if Rothstein's man says later that he thinks maybe this kid was the decoy? He's a nobody. At best, Rothstein could conclude that this is an inside job because one of the Atlantic City guys is involved; but Rothstein thinks that anyway, so what's the harm?

Here's a simple solution to this "error": Lucky's not in on the heist. By all appearances, he's close to Rothstein and not that close to Torrio, so Torrio never brings him in on it.

And Torrio's not Rothstein's partner; he sees an advantage in bringing Nucky and Rothstein together, and then he sees another advantage in screwing over Colosimo and Rothstein together. He's apparently not big on loyalty.

Oh, man, you are picking some serious nits right now. Who gives a fuck?

ok, so u are willing to put supposition and blind faith ahead of critical evaluation of the product. If that works for you, fine. But I happen to give a fuck. If it's a quality product, I don't complain. But when it's shot the fuck fulla holes, like this premiere was, I'm gonna call it like I see it. You want more ?

Nucky's brother is aware that Jimmy is a snitch to the feds, and turned in the "factory" at the funeral home, which is PART of Nucky's operation. But when Nucky see's Jimmy, after the hijack, he gives him a pass. Not only on the rip-off, which he gets paid for, but his driver snitching out his booze making operation to the feds. Nucky is so stupid he wont suspect Jimmy is informing on him too ? Apparently in Scorcese's world, right ? Total bullshit. Jimmy would have been on that boat right next to the Irish immigrant prick.

Brady.

I don't read reviews of shows I'm interested in because I hate spoilers. So I don't take the chance. So regardless of what is promised, the scene as shown makes no physical sense. We can go back to The Wire and how Bunny Colvin was introduced in season 2, long before he became a major character in season 3 as the RIGHT way to preview a character, not this ham-handed silliness.

ETA. Sorry for any spoilers. I'm covering them now.

Mods - sorry, I forgot how to do the spoiler thing, corrected on this post now

[Anya, Vengeance Demon]

ok, so u are willing to put supposition and blind faith ahead of critical evaluation of the product. If that works for you, fine.

Damn, found out again. I'll have to take my loads of HBO cash to another message board with less discerning residents.

You want more ? Nucky's brother is aware that Jimmy is a snitch to the feds, and turned in the "factory" at the funeral home, which is PART of Nucky's operation. But when Nucky see's Jimmy, after the hijack, he gives him a pass. Not only on the rip-off, which he gets paid for, but his driver snitching out his booze making operation to the feds. Nucky is so stupid he wont suspect Jimmy is informing on him too ? Apparently in Scorcese's world, right ? Total bullshit. Jimmy would have been on that boat right next to the Irish immigrant prick.

Who says Nucky is too stupid? Nucky knows full well what Jimmy did, but he doesn't have the full gangster mentality yet--you may recall Jimmy telling Nucky that he can't be half a gangster any more--so he's not willing to be ruthless with a kid that he otherwise likes. One might call this characterization, if one didn't happen to give a fuck about Art.

Also, this is a spoiler thread. You don't need spoiler tags on top of that.

[H von T]

I'm with Sword on the pilot. It was pretty underwhelming. It wasn't terrible by any stretch, but it did not grab my attention. I've read a couple of reviews which said it picks up after the pilot. I'll keep watching, but I'm looking forward to Eastbound & Down more.

[Brude]

Loved the pilot. There were more classic Scorsese flourishes in the direction than I've seen in his last several movies. Maybe it's because he's returned to the gangster genre. Still, they were more subtle than in the past, but they were there. Quick, under-cranked camera movements, simply the way he moves the camera. I wonder if those things will carry over with future directors on the show.

The stick-up made perfect sense to me and I did assume it was Jimmy making a move. When he said to Nucky that he wanted an opportunity, Nucky told him, "it's America, make it," (or something like that). So, he made his own opportunity.

I thought the opening credit music was a strange choice - certainly not of the period. Not bad, but it struck me as odd and a bit off.

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

This sounds awesome. Can't wait to catch it.

Pissed of I watched the 'making of' thing though, feel like I've spoiled myself.

[Anya, Vengeance Demon]

Ser Not Appearing Yet:

I watched the making of too, and I didn't feel spoiled watching the pilot. If anything, it made the characters relationships clearer (particularly w/r/t Luciano and Rothstein), which made later plot developments easier to understand.

I thought the opening credit music was a strange choice - certainly not of the period. Not bad, but it struck me as odd and a bit off.

It's not my favorite HBO title sequence, although I did like the shot of all the liquor bottles in the ocean.