HBO's Boardwalk Empire
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Thundercrack85
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I have to say that was a bit anti-climatic.
Well, the scene with Richard was awesome. Though it seemed like he killed way more people than nine.
But Gyp's death... Well, there's still Arnold Rothstein.
Well, the scene with Richard was awesome. Though it seemed like he killed way more people than nine.
But Gyp's death... Well, there's still Arnold Rothstein.
James
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"Ani-climatic"??? 
That was a great episode, perhaps my favorite yet purely for the fact that we got to see Richard unleashed. I really liked the scene between Harrow and his girlfriend's dad, although the implication that she and Richard have no future together was sad.
I was delightfully surprised by Nucky's cunning plan coming together, I thought this was going to be a straight up gangster war. Foolish of me, but I never even considered that Nucky might have some behind the scenes scheme. Great to see him one upping everyone through brains rather than brawn.
That was a great episode, perhaps my favorite yet purely for the fact that we got to see Richard unleashed. I really liked the scene between Harrow and his girlfriend's dad, although the implication that she and Richard have no future together was sad.
I was delightfully surprised by Nucky's cunning plan coming together, I thought this was going to be a straight up gangster war. Foolish of me, but I never even considered that Nucky might have some behind the scenes scheme. Great to see him one upping everyone through brains rather than brawn.
CrypticOne
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Richard ripped that place APART!
DACrowe
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I think they're setting the seeds that it will be Lucky Luciano who takes Rothstein out of the game (if the show ever makes it that far into history). Albeit, that seems less likely in actual history, as I thought Luciano held Rothstein in regard even after AR's death. Then again, I don't really know my gangster history that well.
But I think the show is in a weird place. At this point Nucky is completely shut off from the world and an isolated man (or monster). How do you keep that interesting without it feeling like a rerun of this season with a new "villain of the season" coming in?
Also, Nucky's supporting cast has shrunk considerably. It will be interesting to see how they continue.
GREEN =w= DAY
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Harrow going into the ****e house guns blazing was EPIC!! so nice to see Nucky screw over Rothstein in the end. "oh yeah Rothstein, 99% of go f*** youself!"
what i had speculated actually happened, Gyp's right hand man did him in
overall, it was a great season! looking forward to next season. things are really gonna pick up and the status quo has definitely changed.
what i had speculated actually happened, Gyp's right hand man did him in
overall, it was a great season! looking forward to next season. things are really gonna pick up and the status quo has definitely changed.
Matt
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Gyp's death was brilliant. What is the underlying theme of Gyp? Why did he start a war with Nucky? What was he saying right up until the end as he made fun of Nucky? That Nucky didn't respect him. Gyp had such major inadequacy issues (as displayed by the sex scene with Gillian). That inferiority complex is ultimately what led him to starting the war (because of some perceived slight and Nucky "not respecting him,"). In the end, Nucky didn't even respect him enough to kill him personally. He just let some nameless goon stab Gyp in the back as he took a piss. It was the ultimate show of disrespect. It was subtle writing, but brilliant.
Matt
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I think they're setting the seeds that it will be Lucky Luciano who takes Rothstein out of the game (if the show ever makes it that far into history). Albeit, that seems less likely in actual history, as I thought Luciano held Rothstein in regard even after AR's death. Then again, I don't really know my gangster history that well.
But I think the show is in a weird place. At this point Nucky is completely shut off from the world and an isolated man (or monster). How do you keep that interesting without it feeling like a rerun of this season with a new "villain of the season" coming in?
Also, Nucky's supporting cast has shrunk considerably. It will be interesting to see how they continue.
Yeah, Rothstein was Luciano's mentor right up until his death. Luciano killing him would feel a bit off. I think Luciano is ultimately going to take the way that Rothstein screwed him over as a learning experience (kind of like Capone did when Torrio yelled at him in season one) and stop being the impotent **** up that he is on the show and start acting like someone who could conceivably found the Five Families, the Commission and live up to his title of the father of organized crime. I'm not really sure where they go next....but I wasn't sure last year either. Van Alden is still out there and he is actually getting in the organized crime game. I'm sure that will be explored deeper. If he is the season villain (I'd imagine a couple might be devoted to him), he would be something entirely new. He is nothing like Jimmy or Gyp. It would be interesting to see him try to grab some power.
If these writers have taught me anything though, it is that we never know what to expect from them. For example, my favorite character this season was one whom I have hated for the past two....Eli. They've done a complete 180 where Eli has become one of the most likable and relatable characters on the show. You just never know where these writers will go.
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CrypticOne
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I can see Nucky wanting to take Rothstein out, but Lucky is reluctant but eventually gives his permission for Rothstein to be taken out, but not doing the deed himself. I can actually see Richard doing it.
El Bastardo
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It was an odd season finale to me - definitely final, certainly climactic, well-written, but lacking a lot of the gravitas one generally expects to see in these things. That isn't me saying it was bad, just unexpected. The best I can liken it to is eating this fine, full course meal, rich, fancy, and at the end, you find that you don't feel full in the slightest.
Overall though, I'm with Matt, above, especially when it comes to the character of Eli. In retrospect and with what happened to Owen, it was something they really had to do (else introduce a new character), but that doesn't make it any less unexpected/surprising as the season progressed.
You know, on that note, boy am I going to miss Owen. And I hope this doesn't have Harrow lingering in a bad, angsty place assumedly over Gillian's final words to him, and how he acted after delivering Tommy. And speaking of Gillian, are we assuming she died from an overdose like notJimmy? I wasn't sure there was enough evidence on screen to suggest she definitely did.
Overall though, I'm with Matt, above, especially when it comes to the character of Eli. In retrospect and with what happened to Owen, it was something they really had to do (else introduce a new character), but that doesn't make it any less unexpected/surprising as the season progressed.
You know, on that note, boy am I going to miss Owen. And I hope this doesn't have Harrow lingering in a bad, angsty place assumedly over Gillian's final words to him, and how he acted after delivering Tommy. And speaking of Gillian, are we assuming she died from an overdose like notJimmy? I wasn't sure there was enough evidence on screen to suggest she definitely did.
Longshot777
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Great episode
BUT I liked last week's better.
Anyways, i know this is Nucky's show but in real life he would have never outmaneuvered Rothstein like that.
Oh well. it's just a show.
BUT I liked last week's better.
Anyways, i know this is Nucky's show but in real life he would have never outmaneuvered Rothstein like that.
Oh well. it's just a show.
Matt
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Why not? Arnold Rothstein was no doubt smart, but he isn't infallible. He was probably the first person to look at prohibition as a business opportunity and understood better than anyone of the time that crime could be a viable economic enterprise if treated as such, but he wasn't a god. Hell, he wasn't this ultra-zen, criminal monk/genius that the show portrays him as either. He was a smart criminal, nothing more.
Nucky THOMPSON (the fictional character based very loosely on the real one), is also very smart and unlike Rothstein, Nucky has political connections. No reason Nucky couldn't out-maneuver him.
MessiahDecoy123
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BE started off slow but I'm soooo glad I stuck around.
This finale was damn good television. They know what the fans want and they delivered.
My only complaint is that the Gyp didn't have a more powerful death scene since he made so many enemies. Something akin to Joe Pesci in Casino.
This finale was damn good television. They know what the fans want and they delivered.
My only complaint is that the Gyp didn't have a more powerful death scene since he made so many enemies. Something akin to Joe Pesci in Casino.
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Yeah, I was disappointed that he didn't stay. I mean can you just like "have" someone's kid and no one question where said child came from?"Ani-climatic"???
That was a great episode, perhaps my favorite yet purely for the fact that we got to see Richard unleashed. I really liked the scene between Harrow and his girlfriend's dad, although the implication that she and Richard have no future together was sad.
I was delightfully surprised by Nucky's cunning plan coming together, I thought this was going to be a straight up gangster war. Foolish of me, but I never even considered that Nucky might have some behind the scenes scheme. Great to see him one upping everyone through brains rather than brawn.
I liked the finale, but it didn't provide all the resolution I was hoping for. I thought Richard going solo into the brothel was awesome, but was disappointed that he decided to back away from Julia after delivering Tommy to her. I also wish that Gillian had bought it. Right now both stories are a little too unresolved for my taste.
I am fine with how things ended with Margaret and Nucky and thought it would be a good jumping off point for her character.
I enjoyed Chalky v. Capone and how they came to respect each other at the end.
And Gyp's death was as over the top as befitting his character. I was expecting a bullet to the back of the head but the knifing worked even better and allowed him to go out more bizarrely.
I was a little confused by all of the betrayals and counter-betrayals. I'm going to run through them. Anyone who understands this better than me, please let me know if I'm right.
-Lucky and Meyer buy heroin from Masseria and owe him big time. They do it behind Arnold's back, correct? Lucky, impatient, gets arrested and then strikes a deal with the cops. These cops work for Arnold. Now, Arnold owns the heroin. He decides to offer a partnership with Masseria to split the profits from the heroin, the clincher being Masseria withdraw his support from Gyp. Okay, if that is correct, then why isn't the heroin still Masseria's? Masseria hasn't been paid off yet for his fronting the drugs, so why isn't he within his 'rights' to reclaim the drugs?
-With Nucky and Arnold. After Mickey calls, Nucky and tells him they are sitting on a gold mine, I'm assuming that Nucky later tells Mickey to call Arnold? Anticipating that Arnold's greed will get the best of him, Arnold calls Nucky to deal and Nucky obliges to take care of the immediate problem of Gyp. Nucky also contacts Mellon so that he can take care of Arnold. But why would Mellon want to take care of Arnold? I thought his only concern was making sure he got paid from his distillery? And what's the difference between Arnold and Nucky? The only one I can see is that Arnold appears to be more stable than Nucky is.
I am fine with how things ended with Margaret and Nucky and thought it would be a good jumping off point for her character.
I enjoyed Chalky v. Capone and how they came to respect each other at the end.
And Gyp's death was as over the top as befitting his character. I was expecting a bullet to the back of the head but the knifing worked even better and allowed him to go out more bizarrely.
I was a little confused by all of the betrayals and counter-betrayals. I'm going to run through them. Anyone who understands this better than me, please let me know if I'm right.
-Lucky and Meyer buy heroin from Masseria and owe him big time. They do it behind Arnold's back, correct? Lucky, impatient, gets arrested and then strikes a deal with the cops. These cops work for Arnold. Now, Arnold owns the heroin. He decides to offer a partnership with Masseria to split the profits from the heroin, the clincher being Masseria withdraw his support from Gyp. Okay, if that is correct, then why isn't the heroin still Masseria's? Masseria hasn't been paid off yet for his fronting the drugs, so why isn't he within his 'rights' to reclaim the drugs?
-With Nucky and Arnold. After Mickey calls, Nucky and tells him they are sitting on a gold mine, I'm assuming that Nucky later tells Mickey to call Arnold? Anticipating that Arnold's greed will get the best of him, Arnold calls Nucky to deal and Nucky obliges to take care of the immediate problem of Gyp. Nucky also contacts Mellon so that he can take care of Arnold. But why would Mellon want to take care of Arnold? I thought his only concern was making sure he got paid from his distillery? And what's the difference between Arnold and Nucky? The only one I can see is that Arnold appears to be more stable than Nucky is.
Good breakdown.
I think they're setting the seeds that it will be Lucky Luciano who takes Rothstein out of the game (if the show ever makes it that far into history). Albeit, that seems less likely in actual history, as I thought Luciano held Rothstein in regard even after AR's death. Then again, I don't really know my gangster history that well.
But I think the show is in a weird place. At this point Nucky is completely shut off from the world and an isolated man (or monster). How do you keep that interesting without it feeling like a rerun of this season with a new "villain of the season" coming in?
Also, Nucky's supporting cast has shrunk considerably. It will be interesting to see how they continue.
Though I wish there had been more resolution with certain characters, I also think the way the third season ended, it opens the show up to bring in new characters. And to build on the characters still around. I think Nucky's relationship with Chalky is going to be different now. Eli will also play a different role. I personally wouldn't mind seeing a new love interest come on the show for Nucky.
Rez
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Nothing will ever top the last 3 episode run of season 2.
I liked it but didn't love it. After the absolutely perfect episode 11 leading into this, I suppose there was no where to go but down, really. It made sense but wasn't overly surprising, and for all the events there weren't too many rousing moments. I'd say the most effective scene of the episode was when Richard brings Tommy to Julia's house, and we see the father in a new light for the first time- when the **** hits the fan, when it really matters, he's there 100%. It was surprising, powerful, enlightening, and still made perfect sense.
Chalky and Capone weren't in the episode enough, and seeing them have a little fun were the most enjoyable parts IMO. Also, no Van Alden.. bummer.
One thing I'll say is that I dunno why people are confused about Gillian not dying- the faux Jimmy didn't die from the drugs, he died because she drowned him. She was going to drug Gyp and then choke him to death once he had nothing left in him to fight back with.
I liked it but didn't love it. After the absolutely perfect episode 11 leading into this, I suppose there was no where to go but down, really. It made sense but wasn't overly surprising, and for all the events there weren't too many rousing moments. I'd say the most effective scene of the episode was when Richard brings Tommy to Julia's house, and we see the father in a new light for the first time- when the **** hits the fan, when it really matters, he's there 100%. It was surprising, powerful, enlightening, and still made perfect sense.
Chalky and Capone weren't in the episode enough, and seeing them have a little fun were the most enjoyable parts IMO. Also, no Van Alden.. bummer.
One thing I'll say is that I dunno why people are confused about Gillian not dying- the faux Jimmy didn't die from the drugs, he died because she drowned him. She was going to drug Gyp and then choke him to death once he had nothing left in him to fight back with.
El Bastardo
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Thundercrack85
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In those days? Probably.
I mean, look where he was coming from. Raised in a cathouse. This was back when kids worked in mills and coal mines. Child services barely existed.
TLH
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I'm a bit surprised Gillian is still alive just because I feel like her story has run its course -- or is very close to running its course. Right now, she's Richard's only threat (obviously because of Tommy) so I want her the hell out of the picture so Richard is safer. But this show only has two female characters, so it's hard to get rid of her. She can stick around but she BETTER NOT KILL RICHARD. EVER.
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