HBO’s Boardwalk Empire is one of the most sprawling and involved shows on TV, with a cast the size of a beer barrel (or at least equal to The Wire). So all this season, the show’s fourth, we’ll be breaking down the 10 most bloody, boozy, and booby from every season, beginning with last night’s premiere, “New York Sour.”
If season four was nothing but Richard traveling the globe, silently shooting people, Boardwalk Empire would be the greatest show of all-time. Instead, he only kills a COUPLE of guys, so we’ll have to settle for the show being very, very good. He’s moved on from New Jersey after the bloodbath in the Darmondy residence; he’s now touring the Midwest, taking out fat guys — and letting them sign Christmas cards — as he sees fit, with a final destination of his sister Emma’s house. Were it any character other than Richard, this development would be worrisome: Boardwalk is already checking in with Jersey, New York, Chicago, Florida (presumably), and now, Wisconsin, where they’ve probably never even SEEN a half-masked hit man before. But because it’s Richard, and the schmucks he took out were involved with mortgages, I’m totally on board. MORE GUYS GETTING SHOT IN THE SKULL PLEASE.
Do you think Cora drew this masterpiece before arriving at Chalky’s Onyx Club, like Jane Kerkovich and her ideal salary on a folded-up piece of paper? Or spur of the moment? It could be for any man with a comically erect penis, but Dunn happens to be the lucky guy who receives it. I think they’re going to have a long, happy life together.
When Nucky (with Eli), Joe Masseria (with Lucky), and Meyer Lansky (with Rothstein) get together, it’s like a Character Actor Convention. The only person missing is Michael Shannon’s George Mueller, who’s absence is felt throughout “New York Sour.” I’m sure he was busy bulging his eyes out somewhere. Anyway, Nucky calls the various mobsters together to make nice, so he can walk around Manhattan without having to “[look] over my shoulder every second.” This is no concern to Masseria, who’s never met a word he couldn’t-a add-a an-a “a” to end of. He just wants retribution for the men he lost last season. Money’ll do, and it does. The peace is upheld…for now.