Boardwalk Empire S4E12
WARNING: This review contains spoilers.
Witness the ebb and flow of organized crime.
Going into the season finale of Boardwalk Empire's fourth season, the viewer knows that someone that is germane to the series is going to die. The second double-cross of Nucky by his brother Eli suggests that Eli is not long for this world, set in the 1920s. And Eli does everything in his power to earn a bullet between the eyes. He has turned on his brother, not once, but twice. One more time, and we have a Roaring 20's Peter on our hands.
Eli would have probably received his well-deserved death sentence, if not for the timely arrival of his oldest son, Will. You know Will. The classmate-murdering Temple dropout that adores his gangster Uncle Nucky, and wants a role in the family business. Will, even after seeing his beloved Uncle Nucky with a gun to his father's head, still wants a significant role in the Thompson criminal enterprise. We don't know if Nucky would have followed through with his threat to shoot Eli after discovering the depth of Eli's betrayal, but there is at least a slim chance that our anti-hero would have committed fraticide if not for Will's last second appearance. Because of Will's appearance, Eli gets a pass, and kills Agent Knox/Tolliver when the rogue agent pays a visit to the Eli Thompson household. Eli's punishment? He has been exiled to Chicago and will spend his sentence working for Capone and being in the company of Van Alden. I can think of worst punishments.
Nucky wants out of the gangster lifestyle. In fact, he wants to run away to Cuba and spend his remaining days with Sally, learning espanol and away from the dangerous existence that defines the 1920s gangster lifestyle. But you can't escape who you are, and by the end of the episode, Nucky accepts his role as the head of the Atlantic City crime syndicate.
Season Four belongs to Chalky. Chalky, the northside crime boss, is on the run after Narcisse's coup of the Atlantic City African-American community, but he wants to attend his daughter's wedding. Even though he does not trust Nucky after the recent attempt on his life, he works out a deal where he gets a free pass around town to attend the wedding. Its a shame that Chalky is so out of touch with his family, after his dalliance with Daughter Maitland, that he does not know that the wedding has been called off, and Narcisse is literally holding his daughter.
Gillian is in jail and on trial, and she does not offer much defense for her murder of Roger, the Jimmy Darmody-lookalike. But she is condemned to a life in prison when Richard Harrow works a deal with Nucky, where the discovery of Jimmy's body cements her fate. What is the price for Nucky's cooperation with the body recovery? As Richard suggests, "Anything you need me to do."
Richard Harrow, the disfigured assassin and the soul of this dark tragedy, has a wonderful life ahead of him. He has an adoptive son Tommy, a loving wife Julia, and an extended family back in Wisconsin. But he owes Nucky a favor for the discovery of Jimmy's body. So his mission is to take out Narcisse, during a meeting arranged between Chalky and the smooth-talking expat. Except our favorite sociopath has Killer's Remorse, and his hesitation on executing his task goes horribly wrong when Chalky's daughter steps in front of the bullet intended for Narcisse. And our disfigured assassin is so shaken by his mistake, he gets shot in the midst of the melee. A beautiful final scene with the dying Harrow, as he dreams of returning to the perfect life he has. Just before he dies alone under the boardwalk.
An excellent season finale of a much-improved Boardwalk, even though Boardwalk Empire was already one of the best prestige dramas on contemporary television.
Season Five looks to be a great continuation to a show that really stepped up its game this season.
Random Thoughts:
- The Margaret/Rothstein pairing will be interesting next season.
- I did not see the death of Richard and the exile of Eli, but kudos to the writers for making us mad and keeping us interested.
- I am ambivalent about the promotion of Will as Nucky's Number Two, but the producers and writers have earned the benefit of the doubt, so we'll see where they go with this development.
- Agent Knox was crazy as a shithouse rat. And a young J. Edgar Hoover is as slimy as any character on contemporary television.
- Narcisse survives and is now a FBI informant. Chalky has lost everything and is hiding out in Oscar's former home in Maryland. Lots of room to work with this development next season.
What did you think?
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