As far back as I can remember, the Home Box Office TV channel in the U.S. has always been the go-to place for some gripping TV drama, given its lack of restrictions versus its more moderated network cousins, known as the Big Four (that's ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, to the uninitiated).
After having gone to mafia-ruled New Jersey, back in time and space to the mythical world of Westeros, down to the marshes of Bon Temps, Louisiana and back to 19th Century America, it wouldn't have been too long before the boys at HBO decided to revisit some of the criminal elements of 20th Century America.
Hence, the excellently produced Boardwalk Empire, executive produced by crime movie connoisseur Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed, also directed this series' pilot) and starring seasoned crime film veteran Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Fargo) as Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, a real-life figure who in 1920s Atlantic City acted as county treasurer, but who also had a finger in anything deemed illegal, all for a neat profit.
What is Boardwalk Empire About?
The year is 1920, and American Congress has opted to instill their "Noble Experiment", that of prohibition, thus ridding its populace of the threat and nuisance of alcohol. Unwilling to accept this latest edict, most patrons in Atlantic City, New Jersey start finding new ways to obtain hooch, most of which is imported from Canada via boat delivery, all controlled by men under the guidance of Nucky Thompson (Buscemi), a no-nonsense elected official.
As he tries to bring innovation and progress to his city as an elected official, Nucky also hopes to use prohibition as a veritable cash cow to make money off the resale of diluted product, if only to increase his profit margin. With the help of his Sheriff brother Elias Thompson (Shea Wigham) and a few other well placed officials (all corrupt, naturally), Nucky works hard to keep business going, income flowing and booze pouring.
Nucky's operation starts hitting snags upon the arrival of dedicated Prohibition Federal Agent Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon), a stoic but gifted man of deep faith, who seeks to bring down any and all bootleggers within his jurisdiction.
As the series progresses, we the viewers get to experience the events which eventually led to the rise in rank of so many historically known figures, such as Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and several others. All of it, of course, told with humor. panache and dedication to the finer details.
Boardwalk Empire as Gripping, Addictive Drama
Very much like its genre predecessor The Sopranos, the success of Boardwalk Empire lies in its incredibly faithful attention to historical accuracy, making the characters all the more enticing and fun to watch. As filmmaker Martin Scorsese establishes a framework in the show's pilot, it only got easier for the handful of directors who helmed the following 11 episodes to follow in his footsteps, giving the series more authenticity and consistency.
Having Steve Buscemi play a central character so different from his usually neurotic or eccentric past roles, is both refreshing and impressive. Which isn't to say that he was never expected to be able to pull off a lead role. Let's just say we're used to him as a supporting player.
Michael Shannon offers great contrast as Agent Van Alden. The cold, calculating nature of his portrayal kept reminding me of a latter-day Agent Cooper on Twin Peaks. Both men share traits in their impassiveness, extreme dedication to their work as well as their difficulty in relating normally to their fellow human beings. Shannon's inner emotional turmoil offers great promise for an anti-hero.
More credit must be given to the rest of the supporting cast, namely Michael Pitt was scarred young war vet Jimmy Darmody, Gretchen Mol as his vain ambitious showgirl mother, Michael Stuhlbarg as New York mob math wiz Arnold Rothstein and Stephen Graham as an unpolished up-and-coming thug named Al Capone.
Bonus Features?
Oh, you betcha. Look for features such as the creation of the show's titular set, built on a large sound stage, a half-hour documentary on the real Atlantic City of old, a tour of former Chicago speakeasies with help from cast members, and insightful audio commentaries which will make you watch the same episodes twice, if only to want to learn more. I promise you that a second viewing of these great stories will be totally worth your time.
The Final Word on Boardwalk Empire Season One Blu-Ray
If you find yourself watching all twelve hours of this first season in TV marathon fashion, don't despair. While HBO took its time in releasing this series to Blu-Ray (the second season has already aired), more goodness is on the way. Production on Season Three starts in a few weeks, meaning I'll be back to discuss later years in the show's history.
In the meantime, grab yourself a tasty beverage, some snacks, and sit thee down for some good TV viewing. Also, take notes: there's a lot of real-life history here, don't be surprised if you end up on Wikipedia or Google after each episode, in order to learn more about this fascinating time in American history.
Boardwalk Empire Season One: 4 out of 5
Dominic Messier - Dominic Messier is a Toronto-based Film & TV writer, Sci-Fi TV and Film Dramas Topic Editor, and creator of PopCultureLandscape.com
