Boardwalk Empire Recap: Year of the Pig

Al, still working that battering ram charm, tells O’Banion he’s full of shit. No duh, but you don’t say it. O’Banion gets up to leave and Eddie Haskell’s a farewell then “politely” tells Al to say Hello to his kid for him…or at least wave. Dick. Al storms at him but there’s more than enough muscle to keep a pocket-sized Italian and a twiggy Irishman apart and Torrio just reminds Al to stop being such a bull about everything because they don’t need to start a war with the Irish. Al promises that it’s his New Year’s resolution. Wonder how that will turn out.

Torrio leaves and is probably still within earshot when Al swears he’s going to see “that fuck” later. Jake reminds him of his New Year’s resolution in a tone that says he knew Al was talking out of his ass and Al says it ain’t New Year’s until midnight. So it lasted a whole three seconds. Is that a record for Al? Then they laugh because, seriously, I never realized Torrio was that stupid to believe Al would let anything go.

Gives the word “egghead” a new meaning.

Nucky’s coming into his suite at the Ritz and greets Daugherty and his henchdog Jess, then catches us up to speed that Bader’s still Mayor but Fleming is now the County Treasurer. They make some small talk about only being in Atlantic City for the day then get down to the meat of the scene. Daugherty’s corruption is finally getting exposed but he’s not worried, because the truly corrupt never are until it all comes crashing down around them.

Nucky doesn’t really give a shit about Daugherty, he’s more worried about the next Presidential election. Bader mouths off about Harding and Nucky has a minor, almost imperceptible seizure over just how dumb Bader is, dismisses him and Fleming, so he can speak with Daugherty. Then has Eddie take Daugherty’s henchdog to their cigar stand.

With the room cleared, Nucky drops his act and tells Daugherty that when he goes down he isn’t taking Nucky with him. They hiss and whine at each other about who’s more corrupt and who’s caused who more headaches but Nucky’s different now. He’s a philanthropist who runs a tight ship. Daugherty correctly states that he’s a greedy gangster who sells liquor to anyone who’s willing to pay his price.

Mo’ money, mo’ problems.

With no snappy comeback to the truth, Nucky just glares as Daugherty picks up a newspaper and ham-handedly exposits about Bobby Cannavale killing that guy in Tabor Heights, which is 60 miles away. Then he circles it back to wonder how soon until the headlines start featuring Atlantic City, again. Some more hissing and glaring until Daugherty tells Nucky that with all these investigations, he’s going to need his bribes paid to a middleman so he can have plausible deniability. Then they discuss Carrie Duncan so we can be reminded of just how vulgar and sexist Nucky can be.