Boardwalk Empire – Resolution

Season Three: Episode One

Directed by:  Tim Van Patten

Written by:  Terence Winter

The Spin:  Everything was just so in the comfortably familiar premiere of Season Three – Van Patten’s sure-handed direction, the infectious flapper-ness of the period music, all the players from last season in their place and Nucky’s new persona as gangster-totalis.  A year and half may have passed, but Harrow (Jack Huston) is still all brokenhearted over Angela’s murder while playing protector to little Tommy.  Meanwhile, Gillian (Gretchen Mol) has turned the Commodore’s former digs into an upscale brothel.  In Nucky’s inner sanctum, my favorite character from last year, Manny the Butcher (William Forsythe) is now a partner while Margaret (Kelly MacDonald) has her pretty little panties in a bunch over the lack of pre-natal care at the hospital she’s been spilling a carload of Nucky’s money into.  Out in the Midwest, Capone is trying to keep his temper in check while Van Alden (Michael Shannon) has taken up a sad new life as Mr. Muller the travelling salesman only to serendipitously walk into a flower shop owned by Capone’s competitor. 

It was a the-gangs-all-here style episode (spare for Chalky White) with creator/writer Winter smug as he could be in his wheelhouse and shoving another “Margaret reads about something in the news that represents her desire for freedom” motif running through the episode in the form of aviatrix Carrie Duncan.  Which is why it was an absolute delight to be introduced to two new roaring characters – the sly minx of a songstress Miss Billie Kent (the insanely sexy Meg Steedle) and Gyp “Let Me Tell You About Olive Oil” Rosetti (the insane Bobby Cannavale) who both promise, in very different ways, to make Nucky’s life more complicated.

Oh, yeah, (MAJOR SPOILER!!!!!) … my favorite character from last year, you know the Jewish Philly Butcher who killed Angela…yeah, Harrow blows his brains out in sweet revenge.  Bon voyage, Manny, you will be missed!  And there’s your resolution of the episode’s title.

After Manny’s demise the episode closes with a jazzy lady telling us, “They’ll be some changes made,” but it seems Winter is happy giving us the same…for now.

Favorite Lines of the Week:  Gyp Rosetti’s hilarious insults to both Rothstein (“You smug k— midget!”) and Nucky (“You bread stick with a bow tie!”).

Wait Until Next Week:  You know we gotta know what’s up with Chalky.  Meanwhile, watch out for Gyp…and Harrow.  These dudes ain’t messing around.

Commentary by David H. Schleicher 

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