Boardwalk Empire Season One

A few years ago, before I got sick, some friends of mine at work and I would have lunch each day. One of the subjects that would often come up, especially on Mondays, would be rehash of whatever show we might be watching. Sunday nights being the night for Mad Men, and earlier The Sopranos, there was often much to talk about.

In the interim since becoming sick, I have missed those daily conversations. Recently my wife and I finished Season One of Boardwalk Empire and it is safe to say that were we all still working and having lunch together this show would top our Monday lunchtime conversations.

It is quite frequent that when watching a great new show we think it might be the best thing we have seen. Certainly for those of us that watch a few of the Cable Series that have become such an omnipresent part of television our first love will always be The Sopranos. I myself have become a little more discerning, recently rebuffing The Wire, never embracing True Blood, ditching HBO for the summer to the chagrin of The Newsroom but we have embraced Game of Thrones, and now might be ready to call Boardwalk Empire the best of the lot.

As a history buff there is a lot to love in this show. Historical figures met in season one include Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, and at least on the outskirts of the plot, Presidential candidate Warren G Harding. His young mistress and baby's mother has a much more prominent role. The show belongs however to Steve Buscemi. Buscemi has had some memorable rolls, from being shot by his Cousin Tony on the porch of the hideout in The Sopranos, to the classic movie Fargo but in Boardwalk Empire he has landed his role.

Buscemi's Nucky Thompson runs Atlantic City in 1920 just as prohibition becomes law. There are too many great performances in this show to mention. For me perhaps one of the most unique characters is a relatively small role played Jack Huston as Richard Harrow. Harrow is a badly disfigured World War One Veteran, half his face and an eye are gone, this is covered up by a set of glasses that feature a fake eye as well as a piece of skin that sets over the hole. He was a marksman and soon finds a home on the payroll.

As the season progresses Nucky finds himself squeezed by New York and then by the rising chance of " his mayor" and his sheriff ( his brother) might be ousted by reform minded Democrats.

The plots are multi faceted as well. The show is shot beautifully, feels authentic, and the cast is superb.

As Season One ends we see that the betrayals to Nucky and the threats to his power base are just beginning. Season Two is set to be available on Netflix on August 28 and we are anxiously awaiting it's arrival in hopes of finishing Season Two before we shut of Netflix during the school year.

If you have not seen this show you are missing the best show on television. It is time to catch up.