MiniCap: Boardwalk Empire

We’re back! Feels like just yesterday when I wrote the recap. Unlike in the first two seasons, which had grand arcs that covered weeks and months between episodes, we’re already three episodes in and still in January. So, where is everyone?

Nucky’s finally feeling pangs of guilt as he keeps stepping into David Lynch sequences that involve hallucinating at the most inopportune times about a boy with a bullet hole in his face. He tries to drown his sorrows in Billie’s welcoming bosom but this is 1923 so he can’t just stalk her Facebook page or Twitter feed to see when she’s online and has to rely on calling her home to progressively pitiful results.

Margaret remembers that she can be quite persuasive, and duplicitous, when she really wants something and “graciously” invites Dr. Landau to the St. Gregory Award ceremony then drops the velvet hammer in front of the bishop, et voila! A brand new women’s health clinic, with a touch…but just a touch…of the modern, at St. Theresa’s. Dr. Mason manages not to be an unrelenting dick to her.

Mickey decides that if he can’t get power the normal way, he’ll just steal credit for shooting Manny in the face. It works with his stooge crew but when Richard gets wind of Mickey’s lie he takes matters into his own hands and drags Mickey, at gunpoint, down to Nucky to make him admit that he didn’t kill Manny. Nucky could not give less of a shit about Mickey, or Manny for that matter, he just wants to confirm that Richard has no plans to kill him or Margaret or the kids.  But mostly him.

Nelson attempts to loosen up and make friends with his co-workers.  It goes horribly wrong.  Luckily he has a very friendly Norwegian woman at home who knows how to keep him relaxed.

Gyp’s still in Tabor Heights where Nucky comes up to see him, to negotiate a way to get his trucks through town and into NYC. Gyp is coy and tries to make jokes but Nucky says he’ll get Gyp his first month’s supply. Gyp can work something out from there. Gyp agrees and salutes their deal with “a nostra buona fortuna.” Everything seems good. Until he goes to Atlantic City to pick up his supply and Nucky stands him up while Owen wishes him “Bone For Tuna,” and all bets are off again.

The Artemis Club is a money pit because it’s a ramshackle old mansion with a leaky roof. Gillian tries to get money to fix the place up, so she can charge higher rates, but her business partner, Luciano, thinks it’s just a whorehouse so she needs to figure a way to start making money. Besides he has more important things on his mind. Like trying to figure out a way to make sure Crazy Benny doesn’t get killed, arrested or go on a killing spree when all they need for him to do is deliver some heroin. Charlie does not succeed in finding that way.