MiniCap: Boardwalk Empire

Welcome back, Gasmii. We’re entering mid-season, which usually means bridge episodes that segue into the real action of the season. And if I’m being completely honest, this one features some sketchy writing to get us there. But where is everyone?

Nucky’s busy explaining to Arnold what happened in Tabor Heights and is dragging Eli into his bullshit. Arnold’s not really interested in hearing why he just wants the booze Nucky owes him. Then, like everyone else from Manhattan, shits all over anyone who isn’t which only makes Nucky whip out his dick for a measuring contest. But in private, because they have class. Once it’s over, Arnold seems dissatisfied while Nucky’s distracted. Guess he won.

Of course, Nucky’s also still trying to forestall the aging process and mooning over Billie, whose crappy show is closing. She’s not happy so Nucky’s not happy and he figures all he needs is to get a bona fide star in Billie’s crappy show and it will run forever and he won’t have to face the fact that he’s a geezer. He tries to strong arm Cantor, who resists, so he sends some associates to see if they can make it happen.

Meanwhile, Margaret is still trying to get the women’s health clinic off the ground, and it’s not an instant success. Few women attend and the nun scowls in the back making sure Mason doesn’t get saucy with the ladies and say things like “menstruation” to them, which takes some of the wind out of his sails. It does humble him enough to apologize for being an asshole but before Margaret can write Mrs. Mason in her journal, his fiancée Helen stops by to remind her she’s not the only respectable woman in Atlantic City. Then Margaret has a chance meeting with Nucky and Billie just to make sure her week is good and ruined.

In B story news, Gillian’s going off the deep end. The Artemis Club is in the red because it needs repairs and business is slow in the winter. She tries to get some money out of Uncle Jun to float them until the spring, but he says no go. Until the house is in her name, she has no collateral and no collateral means no loan. Now if she’d just start proceedings to declare Jimmy dead…

In Chicago, Sigrid’s not as dumb as she looks and knows Nelson’s on the lam.  But she’s still not that bright and mistakes a disgruntled customer with a Fed trying to arrest Nelson, leading Nelson to seek out Dean O’Banion’s assistance.

And finally, it’s overshare time with Gyp. We learn more about his kinks than I really wanted to know, and also just how chivalrous he is with his paramours. He also tries to make a deal with Rothstein, cutting Nucky out, which appears to go over well with Arnold since neither of them really like Nucky much because, you know, he’s from Jersey. But the deal doesn’t go over quite as well as Gyp thinks.