Boardwalk Empire-HBO-Season One

[steve williams]

In a previous thread in this forum I had suggested that my favorite TV show was The Big C on Showtime however leave it to HBO to raise the ante and present once again an absolutely incredible bit of film making spreading out over 12 episodes in the first season. Executive Producers are Martin Scorcese and Mark Wahlberg. The era is onset of Prohibition in the United States along with women's Sufferance and corrupt politics in Atlantic City. The city is ruled by the most corrupt individual of all, Nucky Thomson played flawlessly by Steve Buscemi who IMO is one of the best character actors in the business. This is a time when money and booze was flowing and gangsters and mobs were ruling the cities. Murders and crime ran rampant at that time and the series starts in the early days of mob activity where we meet a very young Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Rothstein who ran New York and was accused of fixing the World Series and a very young Meyer Lansky. Along comes Nucky's back up accomplice Jimmy Dorrity for "go-to" crimes and murders, played admirably by Michael Pitt. Then there is Nelson Van Alden a Prohibition Agent who is a complete whack job played by Michael Shannon.

Without giving too much away, this is a series which is an absolute "must see". It is acting, staging, sets, costumes, characters and dialog at its absolute best. It is not for the weak at heart as the graphic violence will leave many on the edge of their seats craving more.Each episode runs between 50-60 minutes although the opening episode was 72 minutes. This is obviously fiction based around historic fact but every actor is played flawlessly. Finally the Atlantic City Boardwalk set that was created is a sight to behold. It is as authentic looking as the real thing and IIRC was built for the show along a sandy beach in Connecticut.

For those interested, the series can be seen On Demand.

A huge "thumbs up"

 

[jazdoc]

This one took a while to get into, but it's worth it. As Steve has noted, the costumes and set design are spectacular. I really like the opening theme music...

Another one we like this year was 'Luther' on BBC America (http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/413/index.jsp). Stars Idris Elba who memorably played Stringer Bell on 'The Wire'

 

[steve williams]

The theme song of the show keeps going through my head. Very addicting.

 

[steve williams]

As predicted Steve Buscemi won the Golden Globe last night for Best Actor in a dramatic series as did Boardwalk Empire for Best Dramatic Series. Most deservedly so IMO.


This is a series that has lasting power and holds the viewer from start to finish. Best series on TV IMO (although I must admit that close followups for BEST series are The Big "C" and Dexter)

 

[cjfrbw]

Recorded Boardwalk Empire over the holidays and watched all but the last episode.

I like the series, and enjoy a slice of cynicism in my programs, but everybody in the show is whoremonger, lush, psychopath, child rapist, criminal, murderer, opportunist or some variation of the above.

There is also the Sopranos-like thing where the characters magically transform from vicious sociopath into sweet, puppy dog sentimental fools, with standard loyalties and concerns of the "conscience" bound, something that I can't see happening with real sociopaths.

The Sopranos show seemed to get guilt pangs toward the end over making mobsters sympathetic while overlooking the extreme suffering of their victims. They never showed what happened to the Russian guy who got away in the snow, and the killers would often drop their weapons at the scene of the crime, full of fingerprints, but seldom get caught.

The only "virtuous" characters in BE are deluded female temperance workers or the bizarre federal agent, who whips himself to overcome temptation, but then succumbs to the dark side.

BE also makes it seem that the only men capable of leadership and getting things done are thugs or corrupt whorehouse politicians and judges, a tad on the "too cynical" side. It does show the extremely limited opportunities for women, and how they were bound to men whether they like it or not, in ways that aren't always uplifting.

BE has loads of gratuitous sex and violence, though.

The ultimate sociopathic soap opera from HBO was 'OZ", but they were all incarcerated, they weren't running things.

 

[steve williams]

So Carl, report back to us after you watch the last episode. Maybe that is my sort of show as I still maintain it was the best of the best last year with The Big C and Dexter as worthy runners up

 

[cjfrbw]

I really like Dexter. Last series I saw was the one with Jimmy Smits as the DA, a really great performance by him.

 

[steve williams]

You are two seasons behind then in Dexter because you haven't seen the season with John Lithgow. It will have you glued to the edge of your seat. One of my daughters turned me on to Dexter. I haven't regretted it.