During season one of Boardwalk Empire, I watched the series premiere, then didn't think about the show until two months later, when I binged and finished the season in one long sitting right after the finale aired. Season two, ditto. Season three...nearly the same thing, except this time, based on recommendations from fawning reviewers, I caught up in time for last Sunday's episode. Maybe it's just because the show is best viewed in marathon chunks, and therefore I'm biased, but Boardwalk Empire is the best drama on TV right now.
I say "right now" because Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and Game of Thrones are still superior, but in season three, HBO's Boardwalk has taken the leap from a pretty show with impressive actors that didn't seem to know what it was trying to say, to a still-visually lush series that's confident, immaculately plotted, and daring, and the writers have finally found a way to effectively utilize its stuffed-to-the-brim-of-Gyp's-hat-with-talent cast. Boardwalk has become what we've wanted it to be since the day it premiered. Plus, Richard Harrow = The Man.
In time for its season three finale on Sunday, here are 20 reasons supporting the "Boardwalk is the best drama right now" claim. Spoilers, obviously.
1. Because future rapist FINN WALDEN didn't hit anyone with his car on Boardwalk.
2. Because in seasons one and two, Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt) was the show's best character — and I've completely forgotten about him.
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3. Because with Nucky on the run, and battling his internal fear with external weary pose, Steve Buscemi has proved that he belongs with TV's big boys, like Jon Hamm and Bryan Cranston. Which is to say: I'd only be slightly furious if he won Outstanding Actor at the Emmys, not apocalyptic.
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4. Because no matter what happens, Gyp Rosetti is one of the best Big Bads of all-time, right up there with Trinity from Dexter, Mayor Wilkins from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Mags Bennett from Justified.
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9. Because Margaret's hatred of her husband-in-name-only is beginning to show, finally allowing her to display some real emotion.
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11. Because Gillian Darmody is one crazy bitch. I want a spinoff with her and Cersei from Game of Thrones in a Hatfields vs. McCoys situation — but with more incest — SO MUCH.
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13. Because Richard Harrow's on the verge of snapping. Also, he's the best character on the show.
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16. Because after drifting in a post-Paz De la Huerta haze for a season and a half, Michael Shannon's Nelson Van Alden has finally found his place on the show: as a cronie for Capone & Co. (But has he joined them in New Jersey?) ((Also, his wife looks like a Norwegian Amy Adams.)) (((Also also, this scene was great.)))
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17. Because the show already had a ridiculously stacked cast, and then it brought in Stephen Root, who only speaks in riddles, and James Cromwell, and they're two of the most fascinating characters.
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18. Because Eli Thompson is much better as a second-hand man than a sheriff, and like Johnny Sack on The Sopranos, who also went to prison, he's the only man on the show who adores his wife.
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Bobby Canavale plays Gyp so well, I actually feel uncomfortable when he is on the screen. I always expect him to explode and murder someone who is so undeserving of it.
No doubt about it! You never know if he is going to blow a gasket when someone says good morning to him or if he’ll come up with some tidbit about his past and insult you and laugh.
Seconded. He’s one of the most unsettling characters I’ve ever loved watching.
…and because of his cool hats
I seen Goodfellas too…good movie….
I like that bonus!
Also, completely agree about this show. While I love what the walking dead has become this season, I’d much rather have weekly discussions about this show. Or why not both (like wednesday with Sons and Happy Endings)?
Boardwalk has just been fantastic this season, and Margaret is definitely Lori. Why is she so surprised about Nucky? She knew what he was like from the beginning when he had her husband killed.
Lastly, and I going to get pelted with rocks for this, I don’t have Game of Thrones in best drama category. Never got into the show, with all its fantasy elements. Couldn’t do it…Justified is my replacement on best current drama with BB, MM and BE.
You know nothing crowder commando.
I like GoT but I find it so hard to follow who’s who and wtf is going on that I wouldn’t place it up there either.
Game of Thrones is entertaining, but extreme nerd love is what really drives it. The show has some problems and gets a pass because of boobs/Magic the Gathering.
whatever the hell Richard is about to do and Capone’s last line have me so fucking pumped for the finale. I thought this season was dragging and then the last 2-3 episodes have been so amazing and I don’t want it to end.
Also, I think it’s pretty clear Nucky ain’t half a gangster anymore!
I have to agree, I’m really enjoying this season. Homeland is still pretty good, but the villains aren’t anywhere near as good as on Empire. Richard’s arc this season has been amazing – it will break my heart if he goes out in a blaze of glory.
Homeland is in serious danger of falling into “24″ territory. But I have faith.
or dexter/weeds territory to use other showtime examples of shows that started out fantastic and then declined.
Homeland’s plot holes are killing me. Love the show, but saying it’s about to fall into “24″ territory hits the nail on the head (although I’d say it’s already there…kinda like Strike Back, another show I love but hate how they always “receive intelligence” to fill in the gaps).
If you’re mad about plot holes in Strike Back, you’re doing it wrong.
I was waiting for Harrow to turn to someone and say: “I”LL BE BACK.”
no no, it goes; “I’ll be [pause to swallow excess saliva] back
Loving that Richard is getting some ass. Good for him.
And Gyp “auto-erotica asphyxiation” Rosetti is the best villain ever not named Gus Fring.
Man, I bailed at the absolute worst time apparently. Time to binge.
You really did, this season has been fuckin amazing.
Well, the last three episodes anyway. Took half the season to pick a direction.
Just thinking about this show (and remembering sex scenes involving Paz in the past {uh, Spoiler?}) makes my heart race right now.
Nothing is hotter than Gyp beating off with a hooker strangling him
Infinity
I can’t wait to see what Jack go straight up Columbine in that whorehouse.
I’m not sure there’s an argument to the contrary. Sons of Anarchy never quite got its footing back, and pretty much everything else is off right now. I love Richard Harrow, and the day they kill him off will be very sad for me.
But hey, we’ll still have Guinness Black Lager commercials!
II had to look that up. Holy crap. Funny thing is, if I’d seen the commercial on TV I would have said, “Damn that guy looks familiar” and NEVER gotten who it was.
I have said it before, but never has this been more true. My mind is blown.
Why the hell is he using an American accent in the Guinness commercials? It’s weird.
“Plus, Richard Harrow = The Man”
So true, easily the best character on the show. I know it won’t happen, but it would be great if he just kills a bunch of bad guys and Jimmy’s mom and then takes Tommy and Julia far way from A.C. and they live happily ever after.
You are probably right about that not being the way that it plays out, but I would be completely fine with that!
Oh Billie Kent, you adorable flapper, why did you have to be blown up?
Gyp Rosetti is one of the best Big Bads of all-time, right up there with …..and Mags Bennett from Justified.
lolno. I think he’s been a great bad guy, and Bobby Canavale is excellent but not even close to the character, or portrayal of Mags. Mob boss + wild temper + weird affectation (ie tiny dog) is a pretty standard bad-guy trope. Mags Bennett was a transcendent character and deserves better than to be included in this comparison.
damn it forgot to close the italics, I’m benching myself from the internet for the rest of the day. For shame.
Yeah, Canavale has been really good and scary/creepy, but not up there with Mags, Trinity (Lithgow was too good and has made anything Dexter pale in comparison to him; see: [www.youtube.com]). Also, Quarles.
I love this site, but for the love of god, can you guys stop using the phrase “big bad”? This isn’t fucking buffy, or some other shit show that would justify using idiot language like that. I’ve noticed Kurp is especially guilty of it. We’re all adults here, would it be so hard to say antagonist? Or rival, or villain? No more, I’m begging you.
GUS FRING??
Caption for the Van Alden iron scene, “IN THE FACE, IN THE FACE!”
for reals, that scene was hilarious.
So amped for this finale.
Bobby Canavale is fantastic, and Gyp is one crazy scary dog lovin’ motherfucker. There are so many great characters portrayed actors in this show anyway.
But Josh is right that it’s probably the season were the plot is the more focused and the vast number of characters the more smartly involved (even if I had trouble understanding why Richard and Gillian where still “partners” like three episodes ago).
Oh, and in the immortal words of Bart Scott, CAN’T WAIT! for the finale!
The final five minutes of Sunday’s episode might be my favorite five minutes of television all year.
I enjoyed this exchange on last Sunday’s episode:
Gyp: “How do I address you?”
Chalky: “You doin it.”
If Michael K White looked at me like that I’d just wilt.
I’m a bigger fan of “…just one of us been left in the sun longer.” Followed by, “you just ain’t done yet.” Or something to that effect.
I like the possible foreshadowing of Gyps demise:
1) Nucky kills him
2) His right hand man kills him for killing his cousin
3) Gillian strangles him while having kinky sex
4) Nuckys stepson kills “The Gypsy” that was freaking him out
5) The Dog rips his throat out.
please 5 please 5 please 5 please 5
Finally some love for this show! Now I don’t have to bring it up in the SoA thread where the responses are “it’s a rip-off of the sopranos, and boring”
Wow, glad I don’t watch SoA.
In other awesome Boardwalk news, I just read that Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos of The Wire fame signed on as writers/creative consultants for the 4th season.
Lots of great comments so far. When I watched the last episode I thought that Gyp was a character that “The Sopranos’” writers must be jealous of. He is definitely one of the best. His craziness rivals anything I’ve seen on TV, far beyond Trinity, and though I haven’t seen Buffy I can’t believe it’s mentioned in the same sentence.
I learned early on from the original Best Show on TV, The Sopranos that a truly great show intentionally kills off the best characters and still gets better (RIP Pussy). I wasn’t sure Boardwalk could survive the death of Jimmy. I’m glad to see that it did.
Same with the GOAT show, The Wire, with Barksdales and Stringer all dying
Don’t forget Gus Fring.
It started picking up last couple episodes the middle of the season was boring as shit. Gyp is a great bad that scene where he pretty much beheads the dude in the sand I was cringing. Richard is probably gonna storm the commodores/brothel and try to get jimmy’s kid out.
I agree. The show seemed to be drifting until it got super-serious tight in the last three episodes. I think the death of Jimmy last season took a lot more reconstruction of the series than the showrunners may have admitted.
Ehh, not a huge fan of Gyp. Canavale is completely over the top in his best Joe Pesci impersonation and the writers pretty much just use him as a crutch to shed virtually every other character in some sort of positive light.
But beyond that, last week’s episode was an absolutely fantastic hour of television.
Boardwalk Empire has been great this season. SOA is still good but has stumbled this season.
I hope Richard survives for next season. He is one of the most interesting characters on the show.
I concur, the season was kinda chugging along, but these last 3 have been amazing.
Could Boardwalk survive if Nucky was killed off? (No, imho.) Wouldn’t your/my answer have been the same if asked the same question about Jimmy?
Kill off the Nuck, focus on Al Capone. I could get down with that all day
I’m with String on this one. Ever since that episode way back where Capone went to the Bar Mitzva, and learned to stop being an idiot, I was sold on the character.
I think it could survive, but I’d be really surprised if they kill off Nucky simply because he’s played by Steve Buscemi and he’s been the star draw since the beginning.
I don’t know what screws with me more: the making-of feature where Capone wears a baseball cap or where Harrow wants me to drink Guiness
Capone with the cockney accent gets me (as does Sheriff Rick Grimes’s and Nicholas Brody’s).
The way this is a better show that Homeland is; there’s no Claire Danes in it.
Would still do Paz.
*looks down at feet*
Yeh, me too…
Her being a total trainwreck makes me all the more attracted to her.
I also have a huge thing for Lindsey Lohan….. so go figure.
The last two episodes of Season 2 were about as good as TV gets. Next Sunday should be bad ass though
I’m torn right now. I’ve been anti nucky all season (Jimmy was my favorite character) but i like Capone too.
Gyp is a great villain though. The hat scene, the sex/massacre scene. Thus guy is just pure greatness.
Man….. Owen’s death was so unexpected and fucked up.
But necessary. He was stuck.
It’s times like these that I regret that I can’t find a video of the Lemonheads song 6ix online because my sister got it stuck in my head after that scene.
It was rough as far as TV deaths go, but I thought it was foreshadowed nicely.
@ Andrew +1
It’s been like some Sting-level tantra the way they’ve been building up Capone. It’s hard to imagine a show where arguably the most intriguing and well-known character has been relegated to second-class for almost 3 seasons (and they’re likely doing the same with Luciano). Shit is about to get real.
I stopped watching this season about halfway through. I’ll probably catch up at some point On Demand, so I haven’t given up on it completely. Just can’t get in to Gyp’s character. He doesn’t creep me out in the slightest.
If you think he’s the worst villain on TV, just wait for the 3rd season of Game of Thrones. We’ll meet a certain dog lover who will put him to shame.
Just to confirm, you do acknowledge that Breaking Bad, Mad Men and Game of Thrones are all better, right? And that by “right now” you mean the fall season, right?
Yeah, the car crash storyline really screwed up every episode of Homeland it was in.
Michael K. was looking like he was on the verge of crying last episode
Well I guess I should catch up on Season 2 of Homeland now that I know the kid hits someone with a car.
it should be no shock that the first episode without Margaret is arguably the best of the series.
For the longest time I was getting frustrated with Al. Knowing the real history, I just couldn’t see how the writer’s were keeping him as a cronie in Chicago.
So seeing Capone step out from the crowd to align himself with Nucky made me ridiculously happy. I actually yelled out “Finally!”
I will personally consider the season finale to be a failure if Richard doesn’t shoot Gillian Darmody between the goddamn eyes.
I get married, get back in the office today and see this GEM of a post? Thanks for the Wedding Gift Josh! (I love Boardwalk Empire so much uguyz)
You can stop at #14….season was ok until then. Now, it’s waaaaayyyy more interesting.
Game of Thrones? What, is winter finally going to get here?
I haven’t been watching this show, but good call on Finn Walden — SUCH a future rapist.
The crazy thing is that’s all the guns that Harrow told Jimmy that he has when they were at the bar after they had first met. That is fantastic continuity, all the way down to the little details.