Monday, November 28, 2011

BOARDWALK EMPIRE: Georgia Peaches

"Momma, I'm in love with a gangsta' and I know he's a killer, but I love that . . . Jew?"

What Nucky wants, Nucky gets and, now, the Atlantic City merchants of pleasure have their whiskey. I like Purnsley as a sort of second-in-command to Chalky.  Owen has gone from smarmy to creepy.

As much of a ridiculous spectacle that True Blood is, at least that show has some strong female characters, unlike Boardwalk Empire or The Walking Dead. At this juncture, Mrs. Van Alden is the only broad with any balls in either show. DIVORCE! I like Van Alden being slightly diminished. He’s like Nixon. Too much power and too much black and white thinking was his undoing. Once he was undone, people liked him more and could appreciate his strengths.

Margaret worked and schemed so hard for her gilded cage, but there isn’t anything she or Nucky’s money can do for Emily. What a burn.  She does get a new doll, though.  A doll that would give Freddy Krueger nightmares. Yeesh. Margaret shouldn’t have been so stricken with shame after slapping Teddy when he faked having polio symptoms. That was obscenely cruel. I think this kid is beyond even Nucky’s guidance.

After the umpteenth “I’ll take care of it,” Jimmy is finally in the presence of whiskey.  Unfortunately, Jimmy is confronted with the strike situation. Time to start the “I’ll take care of it” for this situation. You can’t take care of something without a plan.  Great lesson in becoming the head of organized crime: cultivate loyalties during your ascension and secure your position with a mix of that and slight violence against those above you.  Jimmy wants to skip every step and go straight to being a superstar. Reminds me of a lot of boxers these days.

Nucky’s new (rekindled?) badass attitude is growing and it’s such a joy to watch, though I don’t like it directed at Kessler. I really enjoy the historical references in this show. Great reference to the Sacco-Vanzetti case and the greatest baseball player of all time: Ty Cobb.* Nucky fires his attorney and goes to New York to hire Rothstein’s. Nucky doesn’t have any money for bribes (really?) and he asks Rothstein if he can rely on the attorney’s trial skills. Rothstein responds, “No one likes a long shot more than a gambler.” Nucky’s not a gambler.

Jimmy has a meeting to determine how to deal with the strikers. He doesn’t come up with anything then disparages everyone else’s ideas.  It’s decided that beating the strikers is the way to go. The beating of was intense.

Eli choses this time to send a message to Halloran and it’s ugly. However, beating up a stupid person for doing something stupid is stupid. At least Eli is consistently violent in a stupid way. Stupid people are not prone to learning or understanding consequences. They do make excellent tattle tales, though. Eli is the Shane of Boardwalk Empire. All brute force and developing sociopath.  

Eli eventually gets dragged to prison for contempt, I’m guessing. The ADA’s suggestion is what Eli should’ve done in the first place. If you’re going to greenlight the killing of your brother, you can testify against him in court. Geez.

Jimmy and Chalky having a tête-à-tête. Jimmy, the character, and Michael Pitt, the actor, are outgunned. Since when does Jimmy know the governor? Where is he going to get the money? “That’s not gonna happen, Chalky.” Chalky’s amused smile is a good indication of when might have been the last time someone said that to him. Oh, man, Jimmy. If Eli is the brains of your operation, you are in big, big trouble. Lucky Luciano and Al Capone losing their tempers and starting to see through Jiimmy isn’t good at all. Not for Jimmy, at least. I think the audience would appreciate it if Jimmy suffered the consequences of his (lack of) actions. I’m guessing it’ll be at the hands of Manny Horovitz. [I am not happy that I was right about that.]

Steve Buscemi is so great at making a scene with anyone seem legit. Child actors are more character than method, but he has enough gravitas for a scene with a room full of children.

Donation = Devotion? I guess if you’re a gold digger . . . When someone is so vulnerable, religion can help, but it can also be dangerous. Margaret decides that her penance should be handing over jewelry to the Church. (I don’t understand how nobody says anything about Margaret and Nucky not being married. Yes, it’s the roaring twenties, but still.)

Michael Pitt looks pretty good in his undershirt. Jimmy and Angela have a bittersweet exchange. I like the softness between them that’s developed. “I’m going to make it up to you.” The personal version of “I’ll take care of it.” Poor Angela. But Jimmy gets to tell the truth for the first time this season: “I’m not sure of anything.” But, seriously, poor Angela.  Aaaaaaaaand, that’s how you kill somebody.

*Also, by most accounts, a terrible human being. 

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