Society’s romanticizing of organized crime was believed to have reached its pinnacle when The Godfather franchise came to screens in the 70s. Then of course, Scorsese would continue the trend with Goodfellas, and HBO would take things a step further and give the world The Sopranos. HBO also, did not stop there. After Tony Soprano’s story would come to an end, years later Nucky Thompson’s would begin in the hit series Boardwalk Empire. Set at the beginning of Prohibition in the US, Boardwalk Empire shows the journey of Thompson as he would begin as a ‘politician’ and end as a ‘gangster’.
Boardwalk Empire shows the journey of Thompson as he would begin as a ‘politician’ and end as a ‘gangster’.
It was the Roaring Twenties and life was a dream in the United States. It was a time of rapid economic growth, consumerism, and was an all-around cultural renaissance. Ironically though, the government decided that alcohol should not be part of the fun. This wouldn’t stop Atlantic City Treasurer Enoch Thompson, otherwise known as Nucky, from illegally distributing it to make ridiculous financial gains. Boardwalk Empire shows him and the other historical figures who took part in the illegal sale of alcohol as well as the larger aspect of crime and eventually, the birth of the Commission of the Mafia. At the center of it all, is Nucky. Using his resources, his connections, and his grit, Nucky would continue to fall deeper in to the world of crime, slowly but surely becoming more ruthless in his quest for power.
HBO really did up the ante with this series. Everything from the sets down to the costumes is historically accurate. The quality of production is so high in terms of writing, directing, and acting that it’s like watching an incredibly long movie. The long haul performers such as Steve Buscemi, Stephen Graham, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, and Michael Kenneth Williams are what keep the five seasons interesting. Stephen Graham makes his mark as Al Capone, doing the sub plot of his rise to prominence in Chicago complete justice. Buscemi shows why he was so deserving of finally getting his own series, as his development as Nucky is written fittingly and he accommodates it with visible changes over the course of the show’s run. The same can be said for Michael Shannon, who starts out an idealistic federal officer before his choices lead him into the criminal underworld. The difference of where he starts and ends is practically black and white in terms of his portrayal of Nelson Van Alden.
Not enough could honestly be said to endorse this show. The acting is off the charts, the character’s situations are written exceptionally creative yet still within the bounds of history, and the whole aura of the world everyone has created feels genuinely real. Shows like this just aren’t made anymore, but at least this one is still around to watch. It’s now been concluded since 2014, but don’t forget, it doesn’t matter. This show is a period piece, so everything about it will feel new and different from the world today.
