“If we only elected good men, we’d never have leaders.” (Nucky)
What an episode. Slowly but surely, the plot’s picking up pace, steering away from leaning on metaphors and towards some sort of a narrative climax. Bridges are burnt, others are built and we once again saw Nucky is right about at laest one thing: the roads leading to Atlantic City are absolute garbage.
Obviously, the metaphors haven’t died out – a good thing, too, in my opinion. Margaret’s dress narrative was well handled – the final step (it getting bloodsplattered on the boardwalk) might have been a bit too much, but I enjoyed in a horror-movie-if-I’m-not-back-in-ten-minutes kind of deal. We all knew it was going to happen the minute the gun was fired – but it was a fitting ending. But I have to admit: Margaret keeping the dress for herself was the bigger shock. That wench!
This episode also marked the moment Jimmy finally returned home – an arrival which caused some stir-up with both Angela and Nucky. I love how even without a backstory it’s obvious Jimmy used to be a different guy. Before the war, he was as bohemian as Angela – nose in the books, too. But everything changed – now he wants to move forward in life. Be like Nucky. Or better.
Things and stuff
- It’s hard to pick a Twenties-award this week. But I think I’ll go with Eli smoking a cigarette in the hospital. Even though Mad Men has completely desensitized me on that behalf.
- Jimmy and his mother standing in front of Lucky was awesome in a film-noir kind of way. Guess Gillian’ the perfect lady in red after all.
- Van Alden’s assistent has fallen to he demonic call of Atlantic City! …Or at least, that’s what Van Alden would say. I noticed he had a picture of Lucy in his book, too. Ouch!
- I wonder how Eli will respond to getting sacked. That blond deputy guy annoys me already.
- Eddie is my hero. First he seduces Babbette, then he shoots that annoying kid in the leg. Sweet!
In all…
Many things happened in this episode, most of which closed doors, some of which opened new ones. If Boardwalk Empire were a house, it wouldn’t be anything like the house Nucky grew up in. It’d be the fucking Ritz. I can’t wait to see what the attempted assassination of Nucky Thompson will cause.
