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Season One: Episode Seven

Directed by:  Allen Coulter

Written by:  Tim Van Patten, Paul Simms and Terence Winter (series creator) from the novel by Nelson Johnson

The Spin: Van Patten & Simms offer a wonderfully self-contained story arc involving Nucky’s relationship to his father in this compelling character driven episode that also closes out another major plot thread while stirring the pot with others.  Relatively tame in the sex & violence department, director Coulter shows that sometimes less is more, and the penultimate scene in a Chicago cafe involving a one-eyed sniper (Jack Huston) enacting revenge on Jimmy’s behalf against that Pearl-slashin’ Conan-lookin’ fella packed a wallop.

My favorite parts:  Jimmy’s ex (Aleska Palladino) revealing the true nature of her relationship with that photographer….’s wife!  Hotchee Motchee!  Oh, yeah, and the whole build-up to the aforementioned sniper scene was fantastic.  It was also nice to learn that Chalky White (Micheal K. Williams) has all the best music at his joint!

Plotlines thickening:  As a woman scorned and alone, Lucy (Paz de la Huerta) just became much more interesting, as did Jimmy’s ex for obviously prurient reasons.  It will be interesting to see how Lucky’s involvement with the Philly D’Allesio Brothers will play out in the turf war with Nucky.

Best Line:  Nucky to Flemming in the final scene as the house burns, “Find yourself a better place to live.”

Commentary by David H. Schleicher 

To my readers and Boardwalk strollers:  Thoughts, reactions, comments?