Boardwalk Empire Recap: Don’t Get Too Attached

Recaps

By vallegirl | Thursday, November 8, 2012 | 12:00 pm | 7 Comments
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Posted in: Boardwalk Empire, Recaps

Hope you all remembered to vote, vote early and vote often.

I didn’t notice this on Sunday, but this week’s episode was directed by Tim Van Patten and written by Terence Winter AND Howard Korder. Wonder what piece of beautifully shot, heartbreakingly poignant awfulness they have in store for us.

Fade up on Richard’s lovely, amber-tinted face looking resolute. He’s at the crematorium with Gillian and Uncle Jun. They’re standing over Roger’s pine coffin while the mortician hands Gillian a death certificate that says “Jimmy” died of an accidental drowning, because there’s Tommy to consider, and she gives a song and dance about how she thought she had Jimmy back but then he’d reach for the needle and nothing she could do would stop him.

Neither Richard nor Uncle Jun are particularly buying this and when she tries to milk one last drop of human kindness out of the mortician, Uncle Jun’s all “enough, we’ve said our goodbyes.” Gillian does manage to remember that someone else genuinely loved Jimmy and asks Richard if he has any last words. Richard grunts out that “Jimmy deserved better than this,” and I don’t think he’s too pleased with Gillian. Not that she notices and the pine coffin with Roger’s body gets shoved into the incinerator.

LET ME LOVE YOU, RICHARD!

Sigrid’s intently watching as Deanie O’Banion’s explaining how the still works while one of his goons sets it up. O’Banion gets off a cheap shot at Nelson and Eddie Haskells Sigrid who’s sitting with the little Van Alden babies. Nelson doesn’t looked thrilled to be making the demon alcohol in his home but O’Banion doesn’t care. He needs Nelson to pay off his debt for disposing of the Prohie’s body, so Nelson needs to produce 24 bottles a week for O’Banion.

Nelson’s worried about the smell but O’Banion figures with all the fish and cabbage smells in their building no one will notice, and if they do it’s probably because they’re making their own home brew. Regardless, Nelson’s working for O’Banion and he needs Nelson at a meeting the next day. Nelson looks defeated as he tells O’Banion he has a job. Not Deanie’s problem. Nelson needs to figure something out. Then O’Banion takes another pot shot at Nelson on the way out to make sure the unstable giant is good and off kilter. But he does make some adorable babies.

This kid doesn’t stand a chance.

Nucky’s confirming his trip the next day to NYC. Eli’s there and seemingly quite comfortable as Nucky’s right-hand man when he asks if Nucky’s meeting with Rothstein or “his girlfriend.” At least he’s learned not to deride Nucky’s bright, shiny object of distraction and they share a bit of brotherly teasing which I don’t think they’ve ever shared before.

Then Nucky asks Owen about “the pony.” Eli figures it’s a hot tip, but Nucky’s actually looking into getting Emily a pony. Eli can’t understand why since Emily can barely walk then feels a pang of guilt by saying “I’m only stating the obvious,” (Yes and sometimes the obvious doesn’t need to be stated, ELI.) I guess since Owen’s Irish he knows all about the horses and gives his opinion that Morgans are good and Shetlands are always nice. Eli thinks they can be feisty, though, because one bit June when she was a child.  Despite raising zero children to Eli’s eight, Nucky says “We don’t want to coddle her.” There’s coddling then there’s not putting a small child in harm’s way by giving her a pony that’ll bite her. Owen trumps their concerns with his Irishness and says he’ll take care of it.

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vallegirl
About

Vallegirl has never actually lived in a valley, has a lot of time on her hands and likes to yell at kids about how things were in her day.  Currently in LA, she's also spent a lot of time in the great states of  New York and Florida so she's not crazy, it's just a cultural thing.

7 Comments

  1. 1
    plockeness monster plockeness monster
    Posted November 8, 2012 at 6:09 pm

    “That demon alcohol doesn’t need an enamel handle as a selling point.” Awesome!!!!

    Loved the scene when Eddie informed the guys that “Jimmy” had died. It was perfect.

  2. 2
    megalicious
    Posted November 9, 2012 at 6:54 am

    Great recap as usual, though surprised that you didn’t initally notice that Van Patten directed it (I always look for him since u astutely commented last year that his shows are usually filled with foreshadowing and heart-wrenching Richard moments) and that you didn’t mention (or notice?) the ticking clock in the background (since u always seem to pick up on the little things in this show, hence the reason i love reading your recaps) when Gillian is telling Rosetti that Nucky will be at Babettes. I agree with you that so far the show has been all over the place, while still managing to be entertaining. Only 4 more episodes left!

  3. 3
    hot cawfee
    Posted November 9, 2012 at 8:08 am

    awesome recap Valle!!!!! I was wonderin g when the explosio would happen (we had alot of chatter in NY about it while the show was being filmed–so no one would call 911). Anytime we can begin with my beloved Richard I am happy. The tones used on his face were beautiful.

    OMG–is Babette herself ok???–She is blonde as is Billy now so maybe mistaken identity??? (That of course would be another show–not a great episode for all blondes I guess). I loved Billy’s screen test and am sorry to see her go.

    Nelson—slow clap—wow…..He is awesome. I nominate Nelson and Al for the “sublte changes in the face” acting award. Nelson went full on Frankenstein wrecking the office and then—stops to get his hat, puts it on and leaves–Killer.

    I hope we will get some more info on all things past with Gillian and Nucky–there is something there I agree so much more than Jimmy. Was it Nucky who brought her to the Commodore and started the ball rolling??

    This era is so exciting–I have to geek out a little bit right now. I think this season’s Margaret begining to embrace a little New Woman/Flapper is awesome. More advanced birth control, more makeup, learning to drive—will she bob her hair?? I hope not but why not???
    She and Sigrid are nicely paralled this season—the woman being clear, rational and focused for her man. Sigrid making the hootch echoes Margaret telling Nucky to get ahold of himself and commit his dealings to memory while she burns the ledger she sneaked from his office.

  4. 4
    plockeness monster plockeness monster
    Posted November 9, 2012 at 10:52 am

    Hot C – I was wondering the same thing about Babette!!!!!!!

  5. 5
    BlueCanary
    Posted November 10, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    Am I the only one who’d love to see Gyp push Richard a shade too far? That’d be the shock of a lifetime for old Gyp, that’s for sure.

    And Nelson, my god. I’ve been waiting for that moment all damn season. It’s like those internal fantasies Mihael C. Hall has in Dexter, when he visualizes going apeshit and then snaps back reality and you realize it’s all in his head. Except Nelson actually went there. Nelson Van Alden: crazier than Dexter Morgan. I really think Sigrid is his soul mate.

  6. 6
    hot cawfee
    Posted November 11, 2012 at 6:40 am

    @ 5 Blue Canary– would love to see my beloved Richard go all sniper on Gyp—it could well happen!!!!

  7. 7
    vallegirl vallegirl
    Posted November 11, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    @megalicious, I usually do read the opening credits just to see what’s in store but just skipped over this week. Of course, the lovely shot of Richard to open the episode should have told me it was at least a Van Patten episode. I guess I was just really pre0ccupied this week because I never heard the ticking clock, either.

    @Blue Canary – I hadn’t seen the Dexter parallel until you pointed it out, but it is saying something that Nelson is crazier than Dexter. Although, I think it’s more that he has less control of his id. I think Dexter would slow clap for Nelson. And Sigrid has now become my favorite tertiary character. I have a fondness for poor, put upon Eddie, but Sigrid’s nuttiness and grit is admirable.

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