Boardwalk Empire Recap: Year of the Pig

I still think the placement of the names in the opening credits have a symbolic meaning even though they’re negotiated, so this season Eli’s crashing on the rocks while Nelson’s washed up on shore and Richard’s no longer adrift at sea, but under Nucky’s watchful eye and Gyp Rosetti is a huge, rolling wave. These things have meaning. I guess. Maybe.

This was Paz de la Huerta’s placement…not that that means anything.

“Written by Terence Winter.” “Directed by Tim Van Patten.” You go with your clutch players when you’re starting from scratch.

Fade up on a lovely East Coast beach. The chyron tells us it’s Tabor Heights, New Jersey as we see the back of Bobby Cannavale’s punkinhead in a stylish homburg and fur collar. Although I think we’re supposed to think it’s Nucky contemplating his actions, but Steve Buscemi doesn’t have the same Tank Armstrong jawline. Bobby’s cranky because they’re stranded with a flat. His goons can’t remove the tire because they’re a bunch of dandies and Bobby makes a joke about Walt Wallet which is a nice little callback to the first season when Jimmy called Tommy “Skeezix”, if anyone knew who Skeezix and Walt Wallet were. (I didn’t but Google did.)

A Good Samaritan and his adorable little Jack Russell Terrier pull up and offer to help because he has some “3-in-1” in his glove box. Bobby doesn’t know what that is so the Good Samaritan tells him “It’s oil…what else?” Oh. No. Bobby Cannavale and his eyebrows of doom are not amused, but the Good Samaritan goes about doing good and helping change the tire.

Bobby tells him it could have been a wrench, or maybe a solvent, because he’s from Sicily where oil means “olive” not “3-in-1.” Good Samaritan still isn’t getting how fucked he is and scoffs at the idea of it being a wrench but backs off and tells Bobby he didn’t mean anything by the comment, thinking an apology would work because he can’t see the goons squirming and looking away. Bobby says he was just pulling the guy’s leg then asks about Regina, the adorable little pup. The Good Samaritan goes to leave, thinking he was dealing with a rational person and turning his back on Bobby, so he can come up and beat Good Samaritan to death with the tire iron while the goons just wait it out like this is a regular occurrence.

Some ultraviolence on their way to mass.

There’ll Be Some Changes Made starts up on the soundtrack as a boy in knickers is running down the boardwalk and into a deli, under the Happy New Year’s sign. The boy picks up his order and runs it over to some fleabag hotel. As the song reaches the end and the singer is telling us she’s going to change the way she struts her stuff because no one will want you when you’re old and gray, the little boy starts handing out the coffees and baked goods to extras, and Owen who declines then Mickey who helps himself to both a coffee and a roll, because he’s Mickey and he makes sure he gets his, then finally Nucky…in his fur-collared coat and homburg. Well, look who’s a swell.