Boardwalk Empire Recap: Richard Makes a Friend

Julia drives off as a song starts singing about going home to loved ones and Richard sees Sagorsky’s coat on the step. He picks it up and a medal falls out. While the song continues about going home once more, Gillian’s walking around her bedroom, clear-eyed and with a purpose, gathering up all the photos she has of Jimmy displayed and places them, with only a brief moment of hesitation, in wooden box. Good for you, Gillian. I’m sure this growth moment will last.

Night court in DC but the clerk is not avuncular like Mack. The room is distracted as he calls out the next case but I spy a tall, prim looking woman at the prosecutors table. It’s Esther and this case involves a bootlegger who sold ten cases of whiskey to some fraternity. His attorney starts bellowing about his innocence but the judge calls them to the bench. He’s not really interested in hearing the legal mumbo jumbo. They all know the guy’s guilty so the judge sentences him to a $5 fine. Even the defendant’s surprised at this turn so he and his attorney just skedaddle.

Esther, on the other hand, is aghast that a judge would have so little regard for the law, even an idiotic one like the Volstead Act. But he’s not interested in her moralizing and dispatches with all due condescension. Next case on the docket: US States v. Enoch Malachai Thompson. Esther’s head snaps to attention as she watches Nucky get escorted in. They make eye contact and about 800 different thoughts and emotions pass over Nucky’s face, the most dominant being “Oh….fuck.”

Was not expecting that.

Randolph is flustered and can’t find Nucky’s paperwork so she starts her speech by going over Nucky’s past transgressions. She suggests the court sentence Nucky to a year in prison and a $2000 fine. But that’s not what Nucky’s in court for, he was arrested for possessing one pint of liquor, so he’s fined $5. Esther tries to plead the case that Nucky’s a dangerous man but the judge cuts her off again because this time he’s right. Of course it’s still 1923 so he dispatches her with a nasty little sermon about how he sympathizes with her desire to bring purpose to her life but to do it in someone else’s courtroom. Nucky gets uncuffed in front of Esther and is rather proud of himself for “beating” her again then heads over to the bailiff to see if he can break a $100.

Gillian’s strolling down the boardwalk and I’m sure this was completely unintentional and the DP didn’t see it:

She’s melancholy until something catches her eye and she starts walking over. Oh no. It’s a squat Jimmy wearing Owen’s old suit. He’s having a laugh with a few other young bucks when Gillian walks up to offer him a cigarette. The extras get a good look at Gillian in her fur-trimmed coat and satin shoes and get the hint to head out. Gillian’s eyes start to sparkle as she asks notJimmy if he’s from AC. NotJimmy Jimmy-mumbles that he’s from Evansville, IN and came to AC looking for a job. They share a smoke and he tells her his name is Roger.