MiniCap: Boardwalk Empire

Nelson has so many feelings.

So everyone had a storyline this episode (Van Alden has two), and none of them seemed to intersect.

Starting with Nelson, he’s trying to find Jesus while living in sin with Lucy who keeps listening to her records and making him rethink his faith.  On his way out to work, Lucy asks for lemons because she is very, very pregnant.  He gets smart with her but she doesn’t quite get the joke so he leaves, promising to bring back lemons, which he does…eventually.

Because he’s become distressed and guilt-ridden over Clarkson’s injury.  He’s certain it’s all his fault, especially when Clarkson seems to imply that it’s all Van Alden’s fault, and as Supervisor Elliot and Agent Sawicki watch on, Nelson tries to lead them in a prayer then just totally goes bugnut crazy, or as Sawicki probably calls it, Wednesday afternoon.  A light flickers and Van Alden loses his shit.  He calls Rose all frantic and since it’s nearly 11:00 scares her good and plenty.

Back at the apartment, Lucy’s water breaks and they live in an apartment with no phones and it’s 1921 and they don’t know their neighbors and the little boy across the way just stares at Lucy while she’s screaming and begging for help so she’s on her own.  And Lucy surprises us all.  Not least of all, Rose Van Alden.

Meanwhile with Jimmy, Uncle Jun, or as he likes to be called here “Leander Whitlock,” knows the Commodore’s useless and has been advising Jimmy on the down low but thinks the Parkhurst incident might have been a bit much.  Jimmy’s all “What?” and claiming that Uncle Jun should talk to the person responsible, but Uncle Jun is an angry turtle no more and offers Jimmy some genuinely sage advice that “Not every insult requires a response.”

Which comes at an opportune time since he spies Manny’s muscle, Herman, meeting with Nucky and later finds himself in the woods facing off against Luciano and Lansky.  Lansky has the brilliant idea of screw Rothstein and Nucky, let’s run our own show and Jimmy thinks that’s just swell.  Manny is still played by William Forsythe so he’s still creepy as hell.  And Richard makes a funny.

Teddy’s first communion is coming up which gives us the episode’s title, The Age of Reason, because Catholics believe that children as young as seven should fully appreciate the shame and guilt associated with doing naughty things that feel good.  Like, in Teddy’s case, stealing matches from Uncle Nucky and setting fires in the coat room. Before Teddy can make his communion, though, he has to make his first confession and the priest guilts Margaret into setting a good example for Teddy by going to confession with him.  She doesn’t want to but when Owen offers her his services to sweep the sun room she thinks maybe she has something to confess.

Finally, Nucky doesn’t see all the anvils hanging over his head and still thinks he can bully and muscle people into doing what he wants.  He thinks wrong, but he does manage to have hilarious conversations with George Remus and Chip Thorogood.  Then Daugherty calls and leaves a slime trail but Nucky doesn’t see that, either.

Full recap in a few days.   To check out last week’s recap while you wait for this week’s, click here.