Boardwalk Empire - Season 3 (Discussion, Spoilers)

[The Nth Doctor]

Yeah, I watched but forgot to post because I immediately watched the new episode of Treme.

Seems like they realized they have so many characters to juggle now that they're going to rotate their stories in out (with Nucky and Margaret being the constants, of course). Last week we had Van Alden, Capone, and Gillian and Richard, and this week we got Eli and Chalky.

Speaking of Eli, it's good to see him again and I'm interested in seeing where he will find himself going. That being said, I can't remember what landed him in the slammer. I know it wasn't for murdering what'shisface (honestly, I don't think I ever knew his name) in Eli's garage, so what was it?

During Chalky's story, I couldn't help but think of Copper and how it's handle black integration for its time period, which was really the only thing that interested me in that show (but ultimately wasn't enough to keep me interested and I stopped watching). Even so, I find what Boardwalk Empire is doing is far more interesting and not just because of the pure awesomeness that is Michael Kenneth Williams.

I'm still on the fence on Rosetti. He's an asshole and probably underestimated by others, but right now I'm not sure if I really care. But it's Boardwalk Empire so I'm willing to give him a chance.

 

[Mister Fandango]

I think Rosetti is supposed to be injecting a feel of the "real" movie-style Sicilian gangster people expect to see. Up to this point, everyone has either been posh and sophisticated, or just low-brow blue-collarish. The closest was Horvitz, but he was really just somewhere between those two. The one character expected to be more like Rosetti so far hasn't been; Al Capone.

So, yeah, I think that's the entire point of his character. To give us a more Joe Pesci kinda guy to satisfy people's expectations of what a mobster is.

 

[137th Gebirg]

^^^ I think Lucky Luciano was also supposed to be like that in earlier seasons, but never really materialized.

 

[Warped9]

Last year I caught up with both Seasons 1 and 2 and I just couldn't wait for Season 3. My dad is watching it with me and I'm just loving this show.

 

[Count Zero]

So, what did everyone think about the last episode? A lot of different storylines were dealt with or newly introduced. I thought Rosetti would get killed but instead he killed that cop. I do wonder what Nucky's message was supposed to mean or whether he was just trying to be nice and Rosetti misinterpreted it in his paranoia.
Interesting to see how Nucky's conscience is nagging him even now. I'm curious where that storyline will lead us. And why couldn't he reach his girlfriend on the phone? At first I thought something bad had happened to her or that it was a trap laid for Nucky. Maybe we'll find out next week.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Good episode with two utterly awesome scenes:

1. Margaret putting the doctor on the spot in front of the bishop to get her way for paternal care at the hospital. Margaret for the win!

2. Richard's confrontation of Mickey in Nucky's office. I was surprised Richard told Nucky that he killed Manny. I can't help but wonder if Richard knows that Nucky actually killed Jimmy based off Richard's comment to Nucky "you know the answer to that" in regards to Richard thinking about the people he killed. Yet he seems to have forgiven Nucky because he and Margaret were kind to Richard. I wonder how this will play out in the future.

 

[Anwar]

Richard is a soldier, and he knew what Jimmy was getting into. He probably just accepted Jimmy's death as a "Well, you win or you die in these sort of things" consequence.

 

[Count Zero]

Good episode with two utterly awesome scenes:

1. Margaret putting the doctor on the spot in front of the bishop to get her way for paternal care at the hospital. Margaret for the win!

Yeah, that was awesome. I laughed when I saw that.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Yes, she has gotten to be quite adept in the fine arts of manipulation and has developed more than most characters in the show. It appears as if Nucky's philosophy of life is rubbing off on her during her time with him.

 

[Rhaven]

I can see Richard taking out Rosetti.

 

[Jimi_James]

I sort of got the vibe that Nucky might be hallucinating his entire 'relationship' with Billie...I think that's her name...the girl he's sleeping with and couldn't reach on the phone. She obviously exists as a real person and was at the New Years Eve party in the first episode, but in this last episode, her disappearance and then sudden reappearance the next morning all seemed a bit fake, as if it were built up all in his head to help him overcome the guilt of killing Jimmy.

I could be wrong, but it was a definite feeling I had while watching this episode, particularly the last few scenes when Nucky arrives at the vacant apartment in the dark and then the next morning finds Billie there as if nothing has happened. I did miss the second episode though, so perhaps there's something there that I'm not seeing.

That being said, I hope Billie sticks around for a while...if for no other reason than she's easy on the eyes.

I'm curious to see where they go with Gyp Rosetti and I hope there is some method to his madness beyond simply stirring things up for the sake of creating conflict. One minute he's cool and calculated, the next he's flying off the handle and burning people alive.

 

[Warped9]

I can see Richard taking out Rosetti.

Yeah, because Rosetti is fuckin' nuts.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Heh...I can see just about anyone taking out Rosetti, particularly if he challenges Rothstien's interests. He's not very adept at fostering lasting relationships.

 

[137th Gebirg]

I could be wrong, but it was a definite feeling I had while watching this episode, particularly the last few scenes when Nucky arrives at the vacant apartment in the dark and then the next morning finds Billie there as if nothing has happened. I did miss the second episode though, so perhaps there's something there that I'm not seeing.

Y'know - you may be right about this. Remember, when Nucky woke up that morning, he asked his guy if someone was frying something (I honestly thought he might have been in the beginning throes of a stroke at that point). The next day, he woke up in Billie's apartment with her frying bacon. There's a definite connection that I noticed there, but didn't think to ascertain that some of his scenes with Billie may be hallucinations.

This is starting to take on a bit of a Sopranos flavor with the weird dreams and visions.

 

[Count Zero]

I think Nucky will be the one taking Rosetti out (though not necessarily personally, although I could see that happening, too).

The thesis of Nucky dreaming his relationship with Billie is interesting but didn't he mention her or at least her house to Rothstein (who's her landlord) in an earlier episode? I think Rothstein remarked that she lived there. There is a weird vibe to the relationship now which is why I thought it was a trap laid by Rothstein. I'm curious where it will lead.

 

[Rhaven]

No one's mentioned the boy with the bullet hole in his cheek, have they?
That's a hallucination, I don't think Billie is.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Nucky's clearly having some psychological issues over killing Jimmy. The child's seeping bullet hole perfectly matches the location of the first shot that dropped - but didn't kill - Jimmy in the last season finale. Nucky's known him all his life and has been a surrogate father - I have no doubt that was supposed to represent Jimmy as he looked (or at least as Nucky remembers him) as a child.

I think Billie is definitely real, but Nucky's relationship with her may be an extension of his growing dementia.

 

[Rhaven]

Huh, you think Nucky has dementia?

 

[Count Zero]

I think he isn't just really made to be a full gangster, after all, and it's getting to him. That's a very interesting aspect of his character to me.

 

[Owain Taggart]

The message meant to say Good Fortune, but Rosetti was too insecure and paranoid, thinking it was something bad because he couldn't understand it. But being Italian, it's odd that he hadn't caught that. I think Nucky was being sincere with this, but you never know.

I heard an interesting theory regarding Nucky and Billie, in that she helped distract him from thinking too much of what he did to Jimmy, because I do think he feels remorseful about that, and that without her around, it was starting to get to him.. I think the bacon is something he associates with Billie and smelled it even when she wasn't around because of his need for her. In a sense, she was like his drug. At first, I thought Nucky was having a stroke, but I later realized he just looked really distracted.

I have a hunch that something will happen to Billie later on, in which she'll need the care that Margaret is trying to get the hospital set up with. It would be an interesting twist considering Nucky's been against it, especially if it's something that could save her life.

Overall, I thought the episode had an odd narrative and pacing. Much of it felt disjointed.