[Spoilers] Boardwalk Empire - Season 3 discussion thread

[The Dude]

Wow so much to watch tonight between this, Walking Dead, Homeland, and Dexter...sheesh

I think I need a second DVR. I'm also a big fan of Mythbusters and the NFL....

[Mark Antony]

I think I need a second DVR. I'm also a big fan of Mythbusters and the NFL....

Lol yeah Packers and Texans will be a goodie too.

[Francis Buck]

Holy crap, I was so pissed that Gyp didn't get killed. That was a crazy (and fucked up) scene. Great episode.

[Mark Antony]

im dying @ Margaret handing Billie that flyer lollllll

[NestorMakhnosLovechild]

A meh episode for me, coming off last week's which was, for me, the best of the season so far. This is the mid-point of the season and the individual storylines are just not coming together.

Jillian and the brothel? Where are they even going with this? Six episodes in and I have no idea.

Van Alden and his crazy comic hijinks? We all know the general direction the plot is headed in (Van Alden improbably gets himself hooked up with organized crime in Chicago), but they're going about it in a pretty bizarre and plodding way (that guy must have really been pissed off about that iron).

Margaret and the women's health class. I get it, sisters are doing it for themselves. Do we need to have another scene of her handing out flyers or Sister Prudie scowling at her?

Chalky White - since he doesn't really have a plotline this season (I assume we're done with the engagement story?), I guess he can guest star in Nucky's.

But all that is really just nitpicking, because what I really don't like is the handling of the main plot. The whole Rosetti storyline is starting to lose me. HBO, I get it. This is not network television. You can show lots of breasts, sex, and oblique shots of Rosetti's peen. Making Rosetti an erotic asphyxiation devotee does nothing for his character. It's not shocking. It's not even surprising. For HBO, it's almost rote. And Rosetti's plan... I don't get it. He's basically just living in Tabor Heights now? This is the 1920s. He can't run his NYC-based criminal empire from some isolated Jersey shore town. There's no reason, other than narrative convenience, for Rosetti to still be in Tabor Heights himself.

And I'm annoyed that the show was dishonest with the audience in setting up the attempted Rosetti hit by Rothstein's gang. I don't always expect a show like this to play with all the cards on the table, that would be boring and would kill any surprise. But if they're going to surprise US with something, it should be because we're following the perspective of a character that has information withheld from them. That's why Jimmy walking into a trap at the end of Season 2 works but the last scene of this episode doesn't. Rothstein told Nucky he wasn't taking out a hit on Rosetti because it was too dangerous for him and bad for business. Nothing we were presented in the episode contradicted those facts as presented. We were even presented with the scene of Rothstein and Rosetti sitting down and making a deal that, in the context of what we've been presented, makes total sense. Rothstein just said he's a business man and Nucky only matters to him insofar as he can fulfill his end of the business obligation; now he can't, and it makes sense that Rothstein would go with the guy who can. But at the end of the day, Rothstein had his fingers crossed, and it's a complete mystery as to why. I hope it will be made clear next episode, but I consider it a disingenuous bit of narrative sleight of hand when we aren't even presented with the pieces that allow the character's actions to make sense.

[Crazydog7]

Van Alden and his crazy comic hijinks

That was actually the best part. I've wondered ever since we met her what the comitment of his "wife" to the lie would be. I guess when you kill someone together that demonstrates a deep level of commitment

[Wun Drop]

I love, love, love the direction the plot has taken with Mr. and Mrs. Mueller/Van Alden.

And Bobby Cannavale, WOW!!!

[Crown]

One complaint, Chalky and Purnsley felt a little bit out of place if you ask me. Other than that, great episode. I really liked the final scene. Finding out that Rothstein ordered the hit on Gyp made it all a lot more interesting. I'm expecting an all out war in New York between Rothstein and Masseria, and Nucky versus Gyp in Atlantic City. Can't wait to see how that plays out. The dog's been unleashed, that's for sure!

[Crown]

Who was the guy w/ the Southern accent who was talking to the corrupt official who was freaking out?

Was the attempted hit on Rosetti all Nucky's or did Rothstein have knowledge too? I couldn't tell if Rothstein's meeting w/ Rosetti was legit or a ploy. But my first take was that it's actually legit and that Rothstein was ultimately OK with it because Rosetti was going to give him an equally agreeable deal to whatever he had w/ Nucky and because he had stressed to Nucky earlier that drama with Rosetti was potentially a huge problem for him because of other business in New York.

So based on the final scene w/ Nucky getting the news, I'm guessing that it was all Nucky's move.

1. Smith (forgot his first name). He's been around since season 1 (I think). He's a politican, working with Daugherty

2. The hit was done by the Bugsy (Luciano and Lansky's guy), so I assume Rothstein was in on the hit. Or Nucky was going behind Rothstein's back, contacting Luciano and Lansky to fuck with Masseria.

[The BlackBear]

I thought it was a good episode personally. I seem to be one of the only people who actually like Rosetti. I was glad he survived the hit, he injects a bit of drive to the series. And also was glad HBO have finally faced up to the dipolarity of nudity.

And it was Rothstein who arranged the attack. He even used Bugsy, who was in real life a hit man at least later on. But Nuck knew about it, they mention it earlier as well, Owen doesn't like it being out of their hands. The meeting was to soothe Rosetti so he wouldn't expect an attack. He never explicitly says he won't attack him, just that he's pissed Nucky can't take care of it himself, he was obviously hoping for a clean job with no ties to himself, giving Massaria no reason to hit back.

I also loved the Rothstein Nucky scene.

The Chalky scene was very well acted but I feel that Chalky wouldn't have been personally involved.

[Crown]

The Chalky scene was very well acted but I feel that Chalky wouldn't have been personally involved.

'Oh, guys, we still have Michael K. Williams on our payrole, ehm, fuck, wait, let's just add him to this scene.'

[BaseBornBastard]

Good episode.

I really liked the attempted hit on Rosetti. Seigel was priceless, he seemed giddy with blood-lust. I look forward to seeing more scenes like this from him in future episodes as we know Bugsy was supposed to be a bit of a trigger happy maniac in real life.

[Wun Drop]

I agree the Chalky/Eddie scene felt a little far-fetched, but wow... way to bring together two (three if you count Purnsley) of the show's finest supporting actors in an unexpected interaction. How far Nucky has come that he's threatening the basically lovable and harmless Eddie. And Chalky and Dunn all dressed up like gangsters LOL!

[Wun Drop]

A stretch perhaps but when Eddie Cantor made his "ever hear of Lucy Danziger?" crack, my first thought was an inside gag from the writers to the audience about dropping this unpopular character from the show without explanation!

[The BlackBear]

Another thing I was wondering... was Nuck so heavy handed with Eddie, just because he's a cold (pussy-whipped) bastard, or because he's taking out some of his post-Rothstein-rant rage.

[Wun Drop]

Eddie is just such an easy target to bully. He knows it too. That scene was so tense to watch.

[Crown]

Before I forget, why the hell does Billie call Nucky 'Gus'? Am I missing something obvious?

[Mark Antony]

Who was the guy w/ the Southern accent who was talking to the corrupt official who was freaking out?

Was the attempted hit on Rosetti all Nucky's or did Rothstein have knowledge too? I couldn't tell if Rothstein's meeting w/ Rosetti was legit or a ploy. But my first take was that it's actually legit and that Rothstein was ultimately OK with it because Rosetti was going to give him an equally agreeable deal to whatever he had w/ Nucky and because he had stressed to Nucky earlier that drama with Rosetti was potentially a huge problem for him because of other business in New York.

So based on the final scene w/ Nucky getting the news, I'm guessing that it was all Nucky's move.

It was definitely Rothstein with Nuckys knowledge, I knew it right when Gyp mentioned his room number in front of A.R it was on.

[7V3N]

Complaints first: Anybody else really tired of the botched assassinations in this show? Can Margarette be in a room with a man and NOT have sexual tension? Why is Chalky's role being minimized?

Now, for the real critique:

I really loved this episode. I love how they are focusing on Nucky's psyche a lot more. The way he handled Margarette and Billy bumping into each other told a lot. He apologized to her for putting her in that spot, not for cheating. He was sorry that Margarette saw it--not that she knew it or that he was cheating. Eddie bringing up Lucy really hit the nail on the head. "The next one won't remember you either."

Then Van Alden. Great episode with him. I dislike the slow pace they are using for his plot, but it is enjoyable nonetheless. That murder scene gave us so much for his plot: 1) He has his feet wet in crime as "George Mueller"; 2) He has connected his criminal life with O'Banion; 3) O'Banion now knows him capable of murder; 4) O'Banion has dirt on Nelson, so Nelson is basically tied to his wishes.

Overall, just another "set-up" episode for us. We keep waiting for the Capone vs. O'Banion/Van Alden conflict. We still are left dumbfounded as to how Rosetti is not dead yet. There is no real plot going on yet--just rising action and a lot of tension. Having said that, I think we are finally on the verge of a breakthrough episode because of a few things: 1) The emphasis on the failure of prohibition and its focus on arrests, not behavior change; 2) Rosetti will be very thirsty for revenge; 3) Van Alden finally has his "in".

[Wun Drop]

Before I forget, why the hell does Billie call Nucky 'Gus'? Am I missing something obvious?

short for "gloomy gus" meaning a person who is a sourpuss.