Ouroboros Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Early impression I got is more that he's just after equal rights, but goes about it by extreme means. He is not upset that Chalky is self-made, but that he compromises his own position is society as a Libyan to achieve it. Letting that fat dude rub his head, only having white customers, etc.I'm not sure. His statement on the dangers of 'diluting the colour' is pretty eugenically motivated, and the idea that colour = good, and lack of colour = bad would suggest he harbours feelings of racial superiority over the 'colourless' people. Certainly these kinds of statements are similar to statements made by future black supremacist groups like the Nation of Islam. The fact that the black entertainers make reference to being 'owned' by him is also an interesting choice of phrase and not to be dismissed. That doesn't really sound like a guy who just wants to be/thinks of himself as equal. He even refers to himself as a king.His name, Narcisse, being similar to the word Narcissist is also an easy leap to make but that might be a bit on the nose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumHam Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Yeah, my bad. Somehow I'd just completely missed his name.Does anyone know if the Narcisse character is based on any historic figure?Jeffrey Wright said in an interview that the character was based on Casper Holstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Marcus Garvey is another contemporary figure from which elements could be taken for Dr. Narcisse's character (though Garvey was not a gangster). When Chalky assumes Narcisse is from Jamaica, which is where Garvey was from, I took that as a kind of multi-level joke. Just as white folks usually don't / can't differentiate among the many origins, accents and so among the varieties of people of color, sometimes we can't tell either. In this post- WWI period, before Jamaican independence, when Jamaicans, like Puerto Ricans (though Puerto Ricans were / are U.S. citizens), began arriving in NYC. Until he said he was I had thought, with that name, he was from Haiti, which was currently occupied (1915 - 1934) by U.S. marines. But this was a period of high immigration out of the Caribbean to New York, particularly by the aspiring black middle class. Due to the drop in sugar prices, colonialism and so on, economic conditions and in the islands were dire, there was little if any scope for opportunity, while in the U.S., as we know, things were booming.There's a lot of Rastafarian belief in what Narcisse says too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanerys Snow Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 I'm not sure. His statement on the dangers of 'diluting the colour' is pretty eugenically motivated, and the idea that colour = good, and lack of colour = bad would suggest he harbours feelings of racial superiority over the 'colourless' people. Certainly these kinds of statements are similar to statements made by future black supremacist groups like the Nation of Islam. The fact that the black entertainers make reference to being 'owned' by him is also an interesting choice of phrase and not to be dismissed. That doesn't really sound like a guy who just wants to be/thinks of himself as equal. He even refers to himself as a king.His name, Narcisse, being similar to the word Narcissist is also an easy leap to make but that might be a bit on the nose.I thought that about his name as well, and I believe that other viewers may have drawn the same parallel. He may not believe that his race is superior, but he definitely believes that mixing of the races is an abomination and that his people should not be subservient to other races. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Antony Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 Haven't watched the episode yet but congrats to Bobby Cannavale for winning the best supporting actor in a drama emmy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Antony Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 Another solid episode, I didnt really care for the Willie Thompson super bad scenes but everything else was on point, Narcisse scenes especially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Soprano Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Haven't seen the episode yet, just wanted to say congrats to Bobby Cannavale on his Emmy win, he really deserved it. Rosetti is probably one of my favorite characters on the show, and Cannavale did a great job bringing him to life, especially towards the end of Season 3. I'm tired of this show getting snubbed at the Emmys every year, though. Season 3 was the best season yet, and it was clearly better than Homeleand's second seasons, which wasn't all that special compared to their first. Boardwalk, on the other hand, has been improving and upping it's game year after year, and it doesn't get any recognition for it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 I'm kind of annoyed with Narcisse if only because the person who actually was in control of the Harlem underworld at the time was a much more interesting person.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_St._ClairNarcisse is still an interesting character who serves a purpose in the plot, but Stephanie St Clair is a very unique historical figure from the period who should really be shown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaseBornBastard Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 I'm kind of annoyed with Narcisse if only because the person who actually was in control of the Harlem underworld at the time was a much more interesting person.http://en.wikipedia....hanie_St._ClairNarcisse is still an interesting character who serves a purpose in the plot, but Stephanie St Clair is a very unique historical figure from the period who should really be shown.Hopefully they'll bring her in next season after Narcisse is inevitably killed off. Then they can bring in Bumpy Johnson too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Antony Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 My favorite scene of the episode was definitely Rothstein and Narcisse, I could listen to those two have a conversation about pretty much anything. Who knew a heroine deal could sound so classy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaseBornBastard Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 This has probably been asked up-thread, but what's with Narcisse referring to black people as Libyans? Was this term used in the '20s or is it just fictitious? It's particularly weird, considering that Libya is an Arab country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Olenna Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 I really enjoyed the chemistry between Nucky and Sarah - they seemed well suited for each other, on a few levels. I can't remember why Gillian has an issue with Huntsville Indiana. Why did the mention of it make her squirm? I love that someone is out there that remembers the guy she murdered in the bath tub. Should keep her on her toes. And dang, that hillbilly got his head cracked. Some crazy stuff right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Iceman of the North Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 This has probably been asked up-thread, but what's with Narcisse referring to black people as Libyans? Was this term used in the '20s or is it just fictitious? It's particularly weird, considering that Libya is an Arab country.Libya was the name for all of Africa in classical antiquity. His use of the term might be to signify his level of education. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumHam Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 I can't remember why Gillian has an issue with Huntsville Indiana. Why did the mention of it make her squirm? I love that someone is out there that remembers the guy she murdered in the bath tub. Should keep her on her toes.It was Evansville, and that's where Fake Jimmy was from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Antony Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 Preview for next week looks really good. I might need a day to digest the Breaking Bad finale before I watch it next week though lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flinn Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 So far this season only the Narcisse scenes have been enjoyable to me. Everything else has just been flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The BlackBear Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Wow, those 'outdoors' Florida scenes... really? Could it have looked anymore studio-ey?And as we're on camera work, The Narcisse > Heroin > Purnsley > Narcisse shot was unbelievable. Who knew I could get so excited over a piece of TV camera work?I was kind of enjoying Eli's sons scene, until the fucking ending :dunno:The Florida thing might be interesting, but I'm worried they might have overstretched themselves.And for some reason in that last scene I was expecting to pan down to show he'd been castrated, no idea why I just was expecting that, so the dead (Thought he was Texan) Georgian was a surprise, but should spice things up nicely.No Chicago, shame but I'll deal, there was just enough to keep me from pining for it too bad.Anyone who knows their history, when does Rothstein die in relation to where the series is? 'Cos they've already pretty much shifted Lucuiano to Masseria (I was under the impression he moved after Rothstein died.)In general: OK.What I want right now, is a Harlem centred story. Seriously, fuck the white guys, they're shit. The Black supremacist movement has a weird kind of charisma, I'd love to see that explored in a totally un-biased way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEvilKing Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Pls no IRL spoilers. I refuse to Wikipedia this stuff to prevent myself getting spoiled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The BlackBear Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Pls no IRL spoilers. I refuse to Wikipedia this stuff to prevent myself getting spoiled.Sorry I've put it in a spoiler tag now, didn't think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEvilKing Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Sorry I've put it in a spoiler tag now, didn't think about it.That's alright man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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