Boardwalk Empire HBO

[DSG-TDI]

Who was the guy killed at the end, and why was he killed?

He was the pregnant lady's (who was at the temperance meeting at the beginning of the episode) drunkard husband. He was killed because he beat his wife into a miscarriage and publicly embarrassed Nucky at his casino.

I think Nucky's wife died in labor ... why else have that guy killed and show him looking at the premature babies on display in that storefront (which was a really weird scene, btw).

I thought it was a good episode; the only bad thing was sometimes the '20s background music they played got really annoying and was a distraction.

[colnago]

Jimmy straight up says to him you're not gangster and that he is. That conversation addresses this issue perfectly and basically says "we know he's not intimidating but we'll have people that can be."

He plays the weasel dirtbag politician beautifully.

Exactly. I think his portrayal shows that not all "gangsters" are all mean-azz cutthroats. Some of them were just more focused on the business side and focused on the $$$. Violence was just a tool to be used only when necessary/last resort.

Was I the only one who thought that the mortuary/still scene, with the dead naked woman, was used just to set the period (i.e. "its the '20s and women didn't "shave")? I just thought it was unnecessary...even though I am "old school".

[Oliver@triplezoom]

He was the pregnant lady's (who was at the temperance meeting at the beginning of the episode) drunkard husband. He was killed because he beat his wife into a miscarriage and publicly embarrassed Nucky at his casino.

No, I mean, the guy who was shot in the head.

[The Red Baron]

No, I mean, the guy who was shot in the head.

Big Jim Colosimo...one of the main guys who ran Chicago before he was double crossed (as shown) by Torrio and Capone for not wanting to get into bootlegging.

[Oliver@triplezoom]

Big Jim Colosimo...one of the main guys who ran Chicago before he was double crossed (as shown) by Torrio and Capone for not wanting to get into bootlegging.

Gotcha.

[3Letter]

I think Nucky's wife died in labor ... why else have that guy killed and show him looking at the premature babies on display in that storefront (which was a really weird scene, btw).

Nucky said his wife died of "consumption" aka Tuberculosis.

I really liked the premier and think it is going to be a great show!

[dorifto]

Nucky said his wife died of "consumption" aka Tuberculosis.

ahhh good info. thanks!

that was a good intro. ill be tuning in next week for sure.

[The Red Baron]

HBO has announced season 2 will be picked up.

[kmf]

Liked the first episode, definitely has promise.

[BlckBadged_SwissChee]

HBO has announced season 2 will be picked up.

Was this due to viewership the first week? How could anyone miss it when they played it on 5 of the HBO channels at the same time

I am glad...one episode in and I can't wait for this Sunday (been this way since last Sunday). EVen if the story lines suck and characters suck (which I don't think they do) I would be watching it any way due to the era.

[Krazee]

Jimmy straight up says to him you're not gangster and that he is. That conversation addresses this issue perfectly and basically says "we know he's not intimidating but we'll have people that can be."

He plays the weasel dirtbag politician beautifully.

That is the impression that I got as well. Thompson wants to be a gangster but doesn't know how to. He has all the people, plays all the right angles, but was missing the muscle. Jimmy gives it to him. And no doubt his take on the Canadian Club heist was the $20k he would have made if Rothstein had straight up bought the liquor. Remember, Thompson was buying it for $40k and selling it for $60k.

Who was the guy killed at the end, and why was he killed?

That was Big Jim Colosimo, who's right hand mad was Torrio, who (according to Wiki) has Colosimo killed to take over his illegal liquor business in Chicago. Al Capone was rumored to be the assassin, but HBO goes with the idea that Frankie Yale was brought in from NY to kill him. Al Capone helps Jimmy pull off the Canadian Club Heist.

Capone came at the invitation of Johnny Torrio, his Five Points Gang mentor who had gone to Chicago to resolve some family problems his cousin's husband was having with the Black Hand. He quickly resolved the issue by killing members of the Black Hand who had given his cousin's husband problems. He saw many business opportunities in Chicago, bootlegging following the onset of prohibition. Torrio had acquired the crime empire of James "Big Jim" Colosimo after the latter refused to enter this new area of business and was subsequently murdered (presumably by Frankie Yale, although legal proceedings against him had to be dropped due to a lack of evidence).Capone was also a suspect for two murders at the time, and was seeking a safe haven and a better job to provide for his new family.

When prohibition went into effect in 1920, Torrio pushed for the gang to enter into bootlegging, but Colosimo refused. In May 1920, Colosimo went out of town to marry his second wife, Dale Winter (he had deserted his first wife). After Colosimo returned to Chicago a week later, Torrio called him and let him know about a shipment arriving at his cafe. When Colosimo appeared at the cafe to wait for its delivery, he was shot and killed. The initial murder suspect was his new wife Dale, but no one was ever arrested for the murder. It was widely believed that Torrio ordered Colosimo's killing so that the gang could enter the lucrative bootlegging business. Torrio reportedly brought in New York colleague, Frankie Yale, to murder Colosimo. Al Capone has also been suspected as Colosimo's assassin.

[nap83]

I loved the first episode, pretty sure Steve's character is just going to build up... pretty suire Scorcese got it all at play and worked out. No doubt he chose the right actor for this.

My only gripe is the intro --- for something Scorcese, I would've expected better --- but thats just me.

[SB82]

Was I the only one who thought that the mortuary/still scene, with the dead naked woman, was used just to set the period (i.e. "its the '20s and women didn't "shave")? I just thought it was unnecessary...even though I am "old school".

My wife immediately said it has to be one of these

[QVB20L8V]

Loved the first episode and glad HBO has already picked up the second season. As mentioned before, I too hated the intro. I was saying to myself how horrible it was before it was even over. But the show is amazing thus far! Glad to see a mob series that doesn't stray too far away into fiction-land like the Sopranos did in representing the NJ DeCavalcante crime family.

[beng]

Im really enjoying it. Love the sets and the cinematography. Great show.

[CoolJetta3]

yes, it's excellent. I'm glad it didn't overlap Mad Men like the first episode did

[beng]

My question would be how much is rooted in fact?

...Capone's line "Im makin' a statement" = LMFAO

[Harv]

I always have the inflation calculator out during the show.

The $3000 that was bet on black would be over $32000 today.

[Mk1Racer]

SB82, I knew that's what that link was going to be!

I like the show. The big question is, does Jimmy become a gangster, or does he go to work for the Feds? I think after Nucky busting his balls for that $3k, and how Jimmy had to scramble to get it, for Nucky to bet it all on black, and lose, was a real smack in the face to Jimmy.

[colnago]

My question would be how much is rooted in fact?

After watching the HBO documentary, "Atlantic City: The Original Sin City", it seems that a lot of the show is at least based on facts "at its core"...at least as much as it can be, considering the circumstances.

[MAC]

So, that chick that plays Nucky's girlfriend really likes to take her clothes off huh ?

[Karma]

Yes and we thank her for it. Her face is a mess.

[beng]

After watching the HBO documentary, "Atlantic City: The Original Sin City", it seems that a lot of the show is at least based on facts "at its core"...at least as much as it can be, considering the circumstances.

Nice, Ill have to check that out

[Soundwave_vr6]

michael k williams was a beast in the wire, lookin forward to this tonight

more Omar !

[Karma]

Seriously - enough teasing and give the man's character some screen time!

[dorifto]

the scene with the cop and the blue ribbon was definitely creeeeeepy!

oh and capone is a bada$$!....great show so far.

[SB82]

I heard an interview with Terence Winter on NPR yesterday and he talked about why some of the characters do have real names from the past and others are just close.

He said that while watching Deadwood he got interested and started researching the characters. Since Al Swearengen was based on a real character that lived a pretty long life he realized that even though he seemed to be in trouble on the show, he wasn't going to die.

Therefore, he decided to change Nucky Johnson to Nucky Thompson to give him some free reign on where the story goes. He figured it would be too hard to do the same with Capone, so he left him as a real character that's probably going to follow pretty closely to his life story.

[Thrice]

Seriously - enough teasing and give the man's character some screen time!

They are giving us Omar blue balls

[ElectroMike]

The big question is, does Jimmy become a gangster, or does he go to work for the Feds? I think after Nucky busting his balls for that $3k, and how Jimmy had to scramble to get it, for Nucky to bet it all on black, and lose, was a real smack in the face to Jimmy.

Jimmy already told Nuck that he is into killing and after the alcohol heist with a dead body count Jimmy is on the hook, so he has too much to lose if working for the Feds.

As for the $3k dropped on black, that was a lesson, so that Jimmy remembers who makes the golden rules and holds the gold. Nucky did the right thing, he can't let a young buck do what he pleases without clearing with Nuck first.

Looks like we will have more character development for the next few shows.

[SteveMKIIDub]

I'm in for this show.. its my pre-dexter TV warmup.

Awesome stuff

[Vento!]

love this show

[CoolJetta3]

That was pretty sick shooting the wounded guy up with coke to revive him then the Fed shoving his hand in the wound to get him to talk.

Loving teh boobage scattered in the episodes, though

[Soundwave_vr6]

Omar don't like it when you kill his homies

[BlckBadged_SwissChee]

TV is so solid right now

Dexter
Boardwalk Empire
Always Sunny
Sons of Anarchy
Eastbound and Down

The end of the world must be coming (some would have tought that with the storms here yesterday )

[The Red Baron]

TV is so solid right now

Dexter
Boardwalk Empire
Always Sunny
Sons of Anarchy
Eastbound and Down

The end of the world must be coming (some would have tought that with the storms here yesterday )

don't forget Bored to Death and Mad Men!

My PVR can't handle Sunday nights anymore.