Boardwalk Empire

I quess the 1929 Atlantic City meeting also takes place in the serie?

The soundtrack drove me nuts. Is Buscemi's character historical or a fiction?

I don't know how far ahead the series goes in time. It does have Capone in it so it must go to at least 1925. I think it starts in 1920...

I thought it was very good,looking forward to the next episode.
Just like HBO's other production,ROME,the focus seems to be less on historical accuracy and more on recreating the feeling of the respective era,which isn't a bad thing as long as the finished product is good.
***
Now for a question:
There's a scene where Capone and Jimmy Darmody(sp?) were outside talking about Rothstein and Luciano's fortunes,and Capone mentions that Luciano "did 6 months for pushing heroin a couple o'years back".There's a short moment of awkwardness when Darmody asks "only 6 months?" before Capone answers that "he bought a judge" and suspiciously looks at Darmody.
The implication here is that Luciano ratted to get a shorter sentence.I've heard about his before.Was it actually proven that he ratted or is it just a rumor?

The implication here is that Luciano ratted to get a shorter sentence.I've heard about his before.Was it actually proven that he ratted or is it just a rumor?

I don't think it was ever proven. I'm not sure about the timeline and don't have the texts in front of me now to look it up.

The show has already been renewed for a second season -- after one airing!

Lilo,

Isn't the guy who plays Capone quite short??? Was Capone a short guy?? I don't know who the actor is, and like you say we are just now seeing more of him. He seems like a good Capone, but to me he comes across as very short.

TIS

Good catch!

Capone was 5-10, which is average height now, but was considered tall back in the 1920's. He was also beefy which is probably why he was also called the Big Fellow.

The actor playing Capone, Stephen Graham , is 5-5, which is notably short and was probably short even back in the 1920's. So (pun intended) it's a bit of a stretch, but I think he captures the character's pugnacity and relative fearlessness pretty well.

Pretty upset I haven't watched this yet, what channel is it on?

That federal agent is annoying as hell. And what was the exact matter with Lucky Luciano at the hospital?

I'm getting the feeling that Jimmy is Nucky's son.

Great show, my wife loves it too.

Seeing the low birth weight baby thing in episode 1 was tough for me.

Although it IS getting suspicious, and sounds like the child may not be Jimmy's, I'm not seeing (yet) a convincing connection between Nucky and Jimmy's wife (sorry, I don't remember all the characters names yet).

On a side note, I am still enjoying the 20's backdrop. It seems there is great effort put into detail...right down to Eddie Cantor's performance.


TIS

I never heard the story about the guy swallowing pool balls and being tricked into swallowing the cue ball in reference to Rothstein. I did see that story on "1000 ways to Die".

So, how is it that Rothstein can threaten with seeming impunity a made guy like Yale right in front of another made guy - Luciano?

Btw, is it true that Luciano was really such a hot tempered guy? He always seemed to me as the more sophisticated and tolerant one.

The actress playing Jimmy's mother , Gretchen Moll?, is a bit too young for the part I think. I wonder what the writers will do with the storyline between her and Luciano.

The actor playing Capone was also in Public Enemies ( Baby Face Nelson), Snatch and This is England.

Graham Interview

Btw, that actor who plays Capone does a very good job, although he's actually english,

Did you notice the actor playing Nucky's dad was the same fella who played Carmella's father on The Sopranos?

It appeared to me that she shot herself in the head...sorry for the spoiler!

The FBI prohibition agent is growing stranger. In episode 3, he barely wants to go home, and when he is, all he can tell his wife is the roast is good. What is it about his character that makes him that rigid? In episode 2 once he's finished writing a letter he wraps some kind of rope around his hand. What was that? At first I thought it was a rosary.

Yeah, the agent doesn't like cursing or using the Lord's name in vain, but he had not problem roughing up the shooting victim to get the name of his attacker out of him. I'm thinking down the road some time he may find himself wanting to turn gangster.

I just watched the latest episode. It was sad to see Pearl go. Maybe it was better that way than to be ridculed like she would have.

Call me twisted but when Van Alden punched that guy in the face I cracked up.

Who knew having Margaret turn a guy in would turn Nucky on. Nucky got some nookie.

this has to be one of my favorite shows, and i can't wait to see what happens to every character in the end of season 1. o yea is it true about rothstein helping to pay the white sox to throw the world series or was that just added in?

Rothstein didn't fix the 1919 World Series. The perception came about because he was widely regarded as America's premier gambling operator, therefore only he could have had the wherewithal to have "fixed" something as big as a World Series. The perception was fanned by Henry Ford, America's leading anti-Semite of the era, who used it to launch another tirade against Jews. The falsehood also was perpetuated by F. Scott Fitzgerald, who introduced a Rothstein-like character called Meyer Wolfsheim, "the man who fixed the 1919 World Series," in his famous novel, "The Great Gatsby."
Here is an account from Jenna Weissman Joselit's book on Jewish crime in NY, "Our Gang":
"Rothstein's expertise and fame as a gambler were so great that the mere mention of his name was enough to convince eight disgruntled members of the Chicago White Sox tp throw the 1919 World Series in return for a bonus of $100,000. Rothstein had been approached initially by agents of the ballplayers and asked to participate in the swindle, yet he refused; why we do not know. Undeterred, the professional gamblers masterminding the 'Black Sox' scandal pretended they were working on Rothstein's behalf and therefore succeeded in convincing the ballplayers to proceed with the scheme. Despite Rothstein's repeated and heated denials, the press charged him with 'fixing the World Series...' " Somewhat the same account appears in Albert Fried's "The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Gangster in America."
(Thanks for your vote of confidence! )

I'm with Bam - I very much enjoy this show. BTW - It's great to see Don Cardi back in the saddle and checking in! Pesronally, I am hoping for an HBO spin off about Capone as a result of Boardwalk Empire. The Chicago Outfit has always been my main interest in the world of organized crime. I agree with DC, it's not on the level on Sopranos but it sure has potential to be the next big thing for us like minded fans!

I thought Jimmy's wife walked into the photographer's studio because he is her lover.

Oh. I had forgotten about that.

Was Capone's son, Albert (Sonny) deaf in real life? I never heard that before.

I noticed a small error: Luciano calls himself by his nickname "Lucky", yet he only got that nickname years later.

How he got the name Lucky is disputed.

Based on how and where they first greeted each other I didn't think that was his mother.

Can't wait to see Jimmy revenge Pearl...you know it's coming.

Based on how and where they first greeted each other I didn't think that was his mother.

I wonder if there's potential for it to turn into a long term anthology that would portray the underworld all the way up through today maybe.

Highly doubt they'll go farther than prohibition, since that's pretty much what the show is about.

Absolutely, Oli. HBO got us "hooked" on mob stories with The Sopranos. Now it is their responsibility as our "supplier" to keep our "fix" coming! LOL!

Do new episodes of BE premier on Sundays?

I do like this show, but still, for me anyway, so far, it no way compares to The Sopranos. With the Sopranos there was a Sunday night excitement (so to speak), with most of the time myself AND fans here on the BB anticipating the next show. I use to love how jam packed the comments thread was during that hour. We'd be posting as the show was running sometimes. That's entertainment!

Nothing against this show, I DO like it so far, but I don't feel that same enthusiasm. That's just me though.

TIS

Was Doyle running that bootleg operation in AC that got busted?

Nice misdirection as to what was really going on with Jimmy's "wife", But didn't his mother say something about her "bohemian" lifestyle? Maybe she picked up on it.

It's always good to have a sharpshooter watching your back. Jimmy will be able to use Richard in the future. It reminds me a little of the Don and Luca. Jimmy was the only person to understand Richard and show him a little kindness and in return he gets a devoted killer.

The storyline between Margaret and Nucky was a little boring this week. So Nucky had a rough childhood. Who didn't in those days?

I like the introduction of Lanksy. It's exactly how I would have imagined him-short, logical, good with numbers and extremely sure of himself.

If Luciano and the brothers from Philly (d'Allesio???) go into business together why does anyone still need that Doyle guy around? If I were him I think I'd have been gone.

I wonder where the producers found so many actresses still with their natural attributes. That must have been a fun job casting for those scenes..

Also, did anyone question why oh why Nucky's dad was living in such squalor? I get that he hates his dad and all but you'd think at least brother would give him money.

You would think that shooting a cop would have caused a bit more stir.

We're talking about a dishonest cop. A crooked cop who got mixed up in the rackets and got what was coming to him. Makes a terrific story, huh?

What was the source of the money Alden was pulling from the envelopes?

Who was it that he sent it to and why?

Why did Alden's wife (?) tear up the letter?

Here's the guy who plays Al Capone:

It's not Stephen Graham in Boardwalk Empire, but he does look even more like Capone.

BTW - Does anyone else love the way Margaret Schroeder says; "the children"? Gotta love that Irish "twang"!

The picture is of our very own Don Cardi.

Here's the guy who plays Al Capone:

While watching last night's episode, it dawned on me that Thompson doesn't have any troops except the Sheriff's Department and Jimmy. So, how does he expect to counter what we all know is coming down the track - the Mafia?

Don't forget that this was set in 1920 ... LONG before the heyday of the Mafia. Nucky had some semblance of the "law" on his side and that negated a lot of guns that the Mob could put up.

I can't believe there are only 3 episodes left!

In the last episode, the women who was performing near the end of the episode: wasn't she also in the last entry in the Rocky series?

The woman telling the jokes and singing was supposed to be Sophie Tucker, a wonderful performer of the the times. Bette Midler does a great imitation of her (and often speaks about how funny Tucker was). I don't know the actress who portrayed her.

That actress used to pay Marcie on "One life to live". I think she would be too young to have been in the last Rocky.

And lmao at Nelson Van Alden, what's he up to this time?

Anyone else think Van Alden may be setting himself up to switch sides? It seems he is getting nothing but grief and I think he DESPERATELY wants to be recognized for something. It started with a few drinks and then whoring around.... what's next?

Anyone else think Van Alden may be setting himself up to switch sides? It seems he is getting nothing but grief and I think he DESPERATELY wants to be recognized for something. It started with a few drinks and then whoring around.... what's next?

The brother who shot at Nucky, whom Jimmy blew is face off this week, did't he play one of C's friends on "Bronx Tale"?

http://exhibitions.library.temple.edu/prohibition/duffy.jsp

This is supposed to be the guy that Mickey Doyle is based on.

The woman telling the jokes and singing was supposed to be Sophie Tucker, a wonderful performer of the the times. Bette Midler does a great imitation of her (and often speaks about how funny Tucker was). I don't know the actress who portrayed her.

To be honest, I am kind of losing interest in the series. I don't know, but aside from the beautiful background of the 20's, I find too many stories and too many characters.

Bitch and moan, bitch and moan... that's all you ever do.

On the bright side, it looks like a lot of the loose ends and side stories will be tied up soon.

The "big connection" for me was finding out that the commodore is Jimmy's father.

FWIW- I find it funny that Van Alden, through his misguided fervor, did away with one of Nucky's sources when he drowned his assistant.

Interesting SC. Do you really think Van Alden was completely misguided? Maybe I'm misreading your point...
I read his actions as quite purposeful. I think he saw an opportunity to both save a "heathen" soul and get a confession at the same time. Either that fellow was going to confess to being in cahoots with Nucky or he was going to die. I think Van Alden's a real sort of Knight Templar sort of character. He's creepy and cunning.

And Richard really is quite broken inside. His suggestion of murdering a number of innocent relatives to bring out the D'Allessios was brutally logical and completely evil.

Richard has become one of the more interesting characters in a series that I've seen in a long time.

He is so full of self-controlled rage. He can be gentle and quite charming and quite sensitive yet a minute later he can be totally deadly.

We know it's not the commodore's dog - he's already gone.

did they poison the dog or did it die of natural causes...or did it piss off the wrong person?

Did Nucky pay the maid to poison the Commodore?

I've not read any posts as i don't want to spoil it when i see it,but does anyone know when this is coming to the uk?

And Angela cutting her hair after Jimmy had told her how much she liked it was just mean.

I think I missed something. How much she liked what, cutting her hair? Why would it be mean?

Ooops that was a typo on my part.. one little letter.. it should have read "how much he liked it".

Remember in their heart to heart he was telling her about how when he was overseas he thought about her long hair. While he was telling her all this he was stroking her hair.

Then she goes and chops it off. Seems like a bit of a rejection.

Ooops that was a typo on my part.. one little letter.. it should have read "how much he liked it".

Remember in their heart to heart he was telling her about how when he was overseas he thought about her long hair. While he was telling her all this he was stroking her hair.

Then she goes and chops it off. Seems like a bit of a rejection.

I have not watched it yet is it old school.

Thanks for the heads-up, BAM.

William Forsythe is a good actor. After seeing him in "Gotti", though, I can't see him in any other role (he even looks a lot like Sammy Gravano).

I'm looking forward to watching the new episodes.

Supposedly Chianese will be hard to recognize

Nucky Johnson was the undisputed boss of AC. But he was a big fish in a little pond. AC never had more than 60k residents, and while it was a "pleasure dome," with plenty of money to be made from booze, whores and gambling, it was no Chicago or New York.

There was no big meeting of Johnson with Luciano, Colosimo, Torrio, Capone and Rothstein in 1920. Never happened. Colosimo was whacked in 1920 in part because he didn't see the profit potential of Prohibition. Capone's latest biographer, Laurence Bergreen, says Capone wasn't even with Torrio in 1920. Luciano was a freelance drug dealer and gambling game operator in 1920. In any event, the Chicago Outfit didn't need to get its booze from AC--it got booze via local distillers and rumrunning over the Great Lakes.

There was a big gangster convention in AC in 1929, hosted by Johnson. But he was the host, not the arbiter. Torrio and Capone were there. Rothstein wasn't there--he was dead by that time. Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Moe Dalitz, Charlien Luciano, Joe Adonis and Frank Costello formed the "Big Six," controlling all booze in the East through Ohio. Since the meeting followed the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, onee of the major outcomes was that the attendees strongly advised Capone to lower his profile, lest the heat he generated via the massacre fall out on them. Capone arranged to have himself arrested for carrying a gun in Philadelphia after the convention, and spent a year in a PA prison while things cooled down in Chicago.

Ok, refresh my memory, who is that creepy guy staying with Jimmy and his wife? What happened to his face? And what were the newspaper clippings he was saving?

I remember last season a guy sleeping on the couch and the little boy get scared not knowing he's there but I forgot his story. Is that the same guy?



TIS

he's pretty much jimmy's 'luca brasi' with being an enforcer. he was a sniper in WWI, and i don't remember if they ever explained what happened to his face. and, no clue on the clippings part.

anyways though i enjoyed the episode, and i can't wait for the next episode.

Nucky has two guys and his brother to defend him and two of them are preparing his demise. How in the world could he ever hope to stand up to the Mafia or any group of organized thugs?

i believe that jimmy will turn on his father, and jimmy will have to kill nucky's brother.

Oh, and the music adds the perfect touch. Like the song by the woman asking more or less "what do you want" from the man. I can't tell if it was or wasn't a song from that era, or made for the show, but it fit right in the atmosphere. Many tunes I do recognize.

TIS

IIRC Van Alden's wife was pestering him to allow her to move down to live with him while he was on assignment. That he could not allow, not least b/c of the business with Lucy. So he may have wanted to show her first hand all of the "sin" in the city so that she would be disgusted and unwilling to live there.

Nucky has two guys and his brother to defend him and two of them are preparing his demise. How in the world could he ever hope to stand up to the Mafia or any group of organized thugs?

The second episode is better than the first one. I hope they'll continue this line.

It's a great serie, but it has its vulnerabilities. Its greatnest is the magnificant setting, good acting, interesting characters. Its weakness is that it feels more of the same and the storyline is not solid. At times it's slow paced and close to boring. But somehow I'm still looking forward to each new episode. But I'm not sure if this serie will survive a third season. Let's hope that it will as it has great potential.

I was hoping/expecting that they would include more characters of the New York underworld, like Masseria, Bugsy Siegel, and here they are. If this serie will hold on long enough they may cover the whole period from 1920 till Luciano's rise to underworld kingpin.

the episode was great with jimmy and white. yea it was great that they put bugsy in, but what's with him yelling in jimmy's face like that?

also too when was luciano's rise? along with that when was capone's rise?

I really like this show, but is there still much nudity? Like first season, i mean come on.. sometimes its good but like very 10 minutes goes a bit to far for me

Lilo, MUk has a point. Scenes of "apparent" nudity can be shot without nudity whether in a brothel or on the boardwalk. Many (probably most) directors today just don't care about any of the moral implications of what they film because "the human body is a thing of beauty".

So, Nucky's found his Luca, Jimmy's growing conflicted, and Peggy Rohen. What's up with that?

The MAIN this isn't nudity -- and there's hardly any in this show -- and if you think it is (the main thing), then you're looking/listening to the wrong thing, and not the actual plot/story. That's a bit immature and/or righteous, IMHO. Anyone who has a problem with a little teet here and there has a bigger problem, and shouldn't be watching anything beyond PG/TV-14 then. It's no big deal -- it's scenery, nothing more (usually). Yet the same people have no problem with human disembowelment... odd to me...

Anyway, has "Uncle Junior" appeared yet? Cuz if he has, it's remarkable. Has he been in the series yet?

I have no problem with nudity, especially if it involves attractive woman. It's the sex scenes that most of the time don't add anything to a serie or a film. If I want to see some porn, I use the internet.

When the Prohibition agent (what's his name?) went to see Cuzik or Doyle, what was that all about?

When the Prohibition agent (what's his name?) went to see Cuzik or Doyle, what was that all about?

Wasn't he looking for an informant?

I love the characters of Chalky White and Richard Harrow.

Is it just me, or are the best episodes the ones that have New York and Chicago more involved?

Great show last night!! It answered that Chalky really was illiterate (gotta feel for the guy; even his own family kind of makes fun of him for that, yet they're the ones who fail to remember from whence he came).

The Commodore got the shit beat out of him (by Gillian). We find out that he physically raped her and she was evidently down for some payback despite her earlier statement that she had forgiven him.

Nucky is taking a BIG gamble on allowing federal charges brought against him (so he can now reach for his connections in the White House to help him). A ballsy move, but it wil

Two things that disturbed me.... 1) Richard (Jimmy's disfigured "partner") posing for Jimmy's wife. That kind of emotional opening can only lead to trouble. 2) Margaret holding back some cash (from her staff). That's going to lead to trouble, too.

Also, the scene with Nucky with all the prostitutes? That was part of a "fixed election" plan no?

Was anyone else waiting to see how long Jimmy's mother could restrain herself from taking her emotions out on the Commodore? It will be interseting to see what she does to follow up.

What was the deal with Chalky and his surly attitude at dinner?

Was that the first time Chalky's family was shown? I was surprised at how "proper" they were.

A lot of pent up anger coming out. I think it is mostly frustration at not being able to avenge his four workers' death at the booze warehouse. He's losing face in the community and he was told (by Nucky) to "be patient".

Also, it doesn't help that his own family seems to make fun of his lack of education. Chalky has NOT forgotten from whence he came but his family apparently have (forgotten).

It's (IMO) one of the better story lines.

In the last episode, what was Richard doing when the guy in the woods walked up on him?

He was looking for Adriana La Cerva.

The Margaret Schroeder character is becoming very unlikable.

“Nucky, Rothstein…their time has passed.”

Sounds like Rothstein will soon be history.

Ironically, their time had only just began. When prohibition began Rothstein was at his height. I suspect Meyer only said it to please Darmondy and his ally.

Yes, but we know Rothstein will soon be dead ...

They're only up to the early part of 1921, so far. Rothstein died in late 1928.

Van Alden saying "I did it for you" has to be the best line of the night.
WHY in the world would Van Alden let ANYONE know where he was keeping Lucy? I guess he's really not a player...
I finally recognized Dominic Chianese.
There's so much attention placed on Dharmody's strange relationship with his mom (kissing on the lips, clingy). Something big is going to happen there.
The Margaret Schroeder character is becoming very unlikable.

Well, I doubt that the producers anticipate stretching this series out over another seven years to accomodate historical accuracy.

I wouldn't be suprised if I were you. And who says Rothstein needs to die in the first place?

Ha ha ha. Yes Lilo I shouted out at the tv when Van Alden said "I did it for you." What an asshole.

I agree with you on Margaret. She's becoming somewhat bitchy and maybe power hungry. The way she yelled at the sitter about her "inappropriate" behavior with the young suitor was uncalled for, even in those days IMHO.
TIS

I'm starting to like her more each episode.

I think she has the hots for the young Irish guy, which will give Nucky even more headaches.

The most recent episode spent too much time on the unassisted childbirth.

I still like Margaret, but not as much as before she had the affair with that guy.

By the way, what did Jimmy say to Nucky right before he was shot, who was the assassin,and where did that federal agent come from?

After all the negativity about women in this serie lately (me hating Lucy, Lilo hating Margaret) I feel like sharing some positive remarks.

I really like Jimmy's wife. She's very sympathetic and look's nice also. She also looks to be genuine Italian-American, am I right?

I didn't hear the whole thing but it was something along the lines of "I've learned as a leader it's not why you make the decisions but that you make a decision".

I think the federal agent was just someone who had been assigned to shadow Nucky, perhaps in light of new information that Van Alden had provided.

Jimmy clearly showed that he had trouble with killing his old friend. I think he still kind of liked him too much. So I don't think Jimmy was giving him a kiss of death, he was actually trying to save him by making him look in the direction of where the assassin would come from. This way, he wouldn't lose face by canceling the hit, but still trying to prevent it from succeeding.

Jimmy's quote just showed he is not yet ready to be a leader. He gave in to the demands/wishes of the others despite having his own personal idea on how Nucky should be handled.

Jimmy was basically rationalizing that he followed his mother's advice....be decisive .... if you LOOK strong, you will be strong.

I agree. But let's not forget that he's only 23 or something. Even Luciano was still a punk back then.

Is Nucky really stepping down? That's a surprise. Something's gotta give. Ahhh, but there's a reason. I just haven't figured it out and/or missed it.

Just remember Arnold Rothstein's advice to Nucky.

God, this show is fucking awesome!!!!

TIS, I'll bet he's going to link up with IRA; that will be his muscle.

Speaking of money it looks like Van Alden has fallen off the morality wagon for good-unless this is all a setup. Maybe Bugeyes is playing his own game.

TIS, I'll bet he's going to link up with IRA; that will be his muscle. Owen will be his Luca.

how can owen be nuckys luca? he is a force, but does he really have nucky's back?

He has Margaret's back...and her front....and her top...and her bottom...

It's ironic how they want to introduce every possible character, but I'm starting to like them more and more, even "Bugeyes". The character development is outstanding.

This serie is evolving from being just a mere cashcow into something special. These latest episodes were extremely good and I really like how the story is developing.

'bugeyes'? did i miss a character or something?

Van Alden..

That'll be Nucky's source of money. He's gonna sell the surplus machine guns to the IRA.

I watched the episode again. I think you're right. But will he use the IRA to fight his battles for him?

I don't see how Jimmy survives this season.

i still have no idea why the lawyer had signed balls from ty cobb...why not babe ruth?

Don't forget.... this was 1921. Ruth, although a star, was not the star he was by the end of the '20s. Ty Cobb was known as the game's greatest player in the early '20s.

Did you notice the name of last night's episode was "The Georgia Peaches"? (Geogia Peach was Ty Cobb's nickname).

Yeah, I don't see Jimmy going anywhere. Also, the Commodore still has his wits and he is still respected. But what's got me intrigued is what they'll do with the Sheriff and his deputy. Manny is a gonner.

Didn't Manny have some of his own people? Why did he try to murder Jimmy personally? And why was Doyle able to just walk up to his home?

they only showed one man that worked with manny, and he's sleeping with the fishes...or beef. i guess he takes getting shot really personal. were you expecting the corleone compound type security?

If Nucky wins there is no place for Jimmy.

The writers may be looking to isolate Jimmy so that his only option is Nucky.

There's so much attention placed on Dharmody's strange relationship with his mom (kissing on the lips, clingy). Something big is going to happen there.

I called it!!! Oedipus Rex indeed. But that was obvious.

I got dibs on the heroin "story".

"His mother was raped when she was what 12, 13? Often times people who are abused act that out with others."

Yes, it sometimes happen. But why in the hell do the writers have to portray it in this series? Oh, I know. It's a temporary diversion from all the blood and guts. I guess I now have a greater appreciation for the fact that Vinnie and Mary were only cousins.

I was a little surprised by Van Alden's "run for the border" move.

BugEyes bugged out.

Oh, and since Nucky now knows that Van Alden drowned that one detective, I'm sure he can use it against him.

I wonder if Jimmy automatically knows it was Horvitz. Probably. Richard did seem to take it really hard. Given that he thought Jimmy had a great family life how will he process the revelation that Angela was playing house with other women? Who does Richard think committed the murders?
Doyle found he was in over his head.

I was a little surprised by Van Alden's "run for the border" move.

What if it was all a dream?

Well, Jimmy's house does have a shower.

According to Luciano's most recent bigrapher, Tim Newark, Luciano did indeed make a deal with the law. He gave up the location of an apartment on the lower east side with a considerable amount of heroin in it, and this is part of public record. But he supposedly didn't give up any names, which really
Do you still have this book, I can't find it anywhere

can't ever be verified at this point. So that's why the rumors persist.

It should be pointed out that Luciano never hesitated to help himself later in life when it came to helping the government (namely the war effort, but there have been plenty of whispers about other things). He really hated jail.

FYI: I just finished the Tim Newark book, "Lucky Luciano: The Real and the Fake Gangster," and I highly recommend it, corny title and all .

It IS kind of confusing because there's so many stories it seems but specifically the story about Jimmy and his mom was disturbing as far as I'm concerned.



TIS

He did at that... ha-ha

Cue wah-wah 16th notes..
Rothstein: "Tell me about Jimmy."
Luciano: "They say this cat Jimmy is a bad muthaf-"
Nucky: "Shut your mouth!!!"
Luciano: "I'm just talking bout Jimmy!"
Lanksy: "I can dig it!"
Capone: "He's a complicated man and no one understands him but his mother."

BugEyes bugged out.

Does Jimmy Shower with his mom in this episode too, I can't remember?

If Nucky married Margaret she could not be compelled to testify against him, is that correct?

Well, we don't know NJ or federal law at the time, but it's probably true.

DO you still have this book, can't find it anywhere,

How, if necessary, is the Commodore's murder going to be explained?

Jimmy's incest with his mother was disgusting enough. But were ya'll creeped out as much as me when his mother carried Jimmy's son upstairs, stopped, and said something like "they all grow up someday"?

Yes, he needs to get his son and himself away from her. AND after that comment she told Jimmy as she's holding the baby, "I'll be upstairs." I took it as an invitation for him to join her. So disgusting!!


TIS

Sex is how she communicates and controls.

He reenlisted? How weak an explanation! Margaret knew immediately.

At first I thought Jimmy really wanted to make amends with Nucky, but I think in the end he did know he was gonna get killed. His last moments with his son seemed meaningful to him. And, I think he wanted to die, thanks to his sicko disgusting mom.

Oli,

Didn't Nucky tell Margaret last episode that he wanted to put the land in her name? Not quite sure what to make of that but she's acting suspicious.


TIS

Will Vanalden come back and if so how? and for what reason.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with van Alden. He and his "baby-sitter" moved to Cicero. Could that be Cicero, Illinois? That was later to become a stronghold for Al Capone.

i believe so. the woman who was renting it out said the midwest.

There are other midwestern states (besides Illinois) that have towns named Cicero, but I'm betting it was Illinois. Cicero was to become one of the most crooked towns in the country (if not THE most crooked one) and that would leave it open for van Alden to go the dark side.

i believe so. the woman who was renting it out said the midwest. also too there is a rumor that season three will start in the year 1923. season two started and ended 1921.

There are other midwestern states (besides Illinois) that have towns named Cicero, but I'm betting it was Illinois. Cicero was to become one of the most crooked towns in the country (if not THE most crooked one) and that would leave it open for van Alden to go the dark side.

In the posted interview Terence Winter confirms that it is Cicero Illinois and that mob historians would pick up on the significance.

So what about 1922?

In the posted interview Terence Winter confirms that it is Cicero Illinois and that mob historians would pick up on the significance.

Turnbull nailed it, too many stories, with story lines crawling like a snail till the last two episodes, only to kill most of the characters off at the end ...

Oh, Turnbull bitches and moans about everything. Nobody pays any attention to what he says.

just asking did lanskey work with the luciano family or another family?

but, yea idk why others had a hard time with following the story lines. it was pretty easy for me to keep track of everything.

Lansky's initial business partnerships were with Luciano and Costello. But he had plenty of other relationships.

Lansky and Luciano were chums since boyhood. Lansky, Luciano, Costello and Siegel were all proteges of Rothstein. But, during the Twenties, Luciano was associated with the Masseria family, while Lansky and Siegel did most of their work together.

During the Castellemmarese War of 1930-31, Salvatore Maranzano cajoled and then tortured Luciano into betraying Masseria. Lansky put together the squad (Siegel, Adonis, Anastasia) that murdered Masseria. Maranzano then appointed Luciano head of Masseria's family. But he was plotting to whack Luciano. Lansky then put together the hit squad that whacked Maranzano.

The producers of "Boardwalk Empire" are entitled to take many liberties with history to keep the story interesting. But, for the record, there's no evidence that Luciano, Lansky or Capone were ever in AC until a big gangster convention in 1929, or that Rothstein had any business with Nucky Johnson.

Since, contrary to his usual habit Jimmy was unarmed do we think that he knew/accepted what was going to happen? As did Richard?

I believe that he knew and was ready to face what was coming to him. When the "Tin Man" says that he is going to come with him, Jimmy immediately tells him to stay put because this is something that he must do himself.

How GODFATHEResque was this episode?

I loved this season much more than the first.

And as our esteemed friend Turnbull has pointed out, the writers of this show have taken many liberties with the characters and what may or may not have really happened in real life. One thing that bothers me is the way that they portray Lucky Luciano on the show. At times they made him look like some kind of a dumb schmuck...which I do not believe that he was.

I also get the impression that the writers are slowly laying a foundation to eventually make it look as though Lansky and Luciano set up the murder of Arnold Rothstein. Little facial expressions as well as remarks made here and there almost make it look like they are not happy with Rothstein.

One thing that bothers me is the way that they portray Lucky Luciano on the show. At times they made him look like some kind of a dumb schmuck...which I do not believe that he was.

i doubt they will have rothstein killed off before 1928(?).

That bothers me too, DC. Luciano was anything but a schmuck. And he was never servile. One of his greatest strengths was to recognize that non-Sicilians--even non-Italians--could be helpful to him in organizing Organized Crime.

Refresh my memory. After Jimmy was murdered, what happened to Richard? Is he still a player?

He was left behind and didn't have anything else to do. But the show's creator says he will still be a player next season.

I think Richard will work for Gillian to help raise
And protect Jimmy's son. And it's possible at
some point he could try to take out revenge
on Nucky for Jimmy's death.

So I guess Gyp Rossetti is fictitious. I couldn't find anything about a real Gangster by this name. Anyone got any info?

I liked when AV Club wrote about Gyp and said:

"Cannavale will join the cast as the fictional Gyp Rosetti, described as “a charming but ruthless gangster who challenges Nucky”—which is pretty much the description of every other character on Boardwalk Empire, but okay. Look for Cannavale’s character to play a major role in the events of third season, endear himself to fans, and then maybe die."

Probably fairly accurate.

A new thread has been started for Season #3 of this show.

Where?