Eli and Van Alden
The start of this episode of Boardwalk Empire has a drunken Eli waking up to find his warehouse of money and booze getting raided by the feds. Capone is getting tailored and interviewed at the time while he is apparently coked out of his mind as usual. Capone is waiting for a man named Michael (who in a later scene is a FBI informant), and when Michael finally comes, Capone doesn’t know what he wanted with the guy, and if Capone called him or vice versa. Michael tells Capone that he wanted to meet with him. He tells Capone that the feds busted the warehouse and 20K is lost. Capone wants the 20K and wants Eli and Van Alden to get it back. While leaving the building, Eli and Van Alden get the bright idea that they should just rob another one Capone’s men to pay Capone back. Van Alden says he is robbing Peter to pay Paul when him and Eli finally carry it out.
Nucky
Nucky returns back from Cuba trying to find out who put the hit out on him. Nucky meets with Torrio, who has just escaped a hit on his own life to try and piece together who made moves on them. Torrio sets up a meeting with Nucky and the new boss Maranzano. Maranzano tells Nucky that this hit didn’t come from him. Nucky mentions that he saw (and had a award run in) with Meyer. Lucky tells Nucky that he and Meyer haven’t spoken in months, claiming that people grown apart.
Nucky meets with the members of the Mayflower board. Nucky wants them to help him finance the Bacardi deal. A few of the men question Nucky and his qualifications of running a liquor business. Nucky gives them the run down and ask why are they asking, they know who he is. The board is skeptical and doesn’t think a repeal is coming soon. Nucky leaves without a deal. Outside Nucky is approached by a Joe Kennedy, yes that Kennedy, who has a similar deal that Nucky has secured with Bacardi for Dewar’s and Moet, in the anticipation for when Prohibition is repealed.
The Power Move
Lucky, Meyer and a young Bugsy Siegel wait for Tonino, who was at the meeting with Nucky and Maranzano. They want to know if Maranzano knows what is going on. Tonino tells them that if Maranzano knows he isn’t telling anyone and playing things close to the vest. Tonino tells them that it is his opinion and that Maranzano thinks that they are on the outs. Bugsy gets hot at Meyer, asking why did he have to talk to Nucky in Havana. Meyer tells Bugsy that he had to take it head on.
Meyer also says they they should stop waiting and take out Maranzano. Lucky tells them that this is not the right time. Tonino pressures them for a piece of Masseria’s old territory. Wrong move. They tell Tonino to go back upstairs. After they wonder about his allegiance, Bugsy says he’s alright and to go back upstairs.
Nucky’s Cuban bodyguard approaches Tonino and tells him that Nucky would like to meet with him. Tonino meets with Nucky in a restaurant. Tonino is sweating bullets, knowing that him just talking to Nucky could get him killed. Nucky tells him that, if he doesn’t talk to him, he will be. Tonino completely rats out Meyer and Lucky. Tonino also tells Nucky that they are planning to move on Maranzano and even going to kill him in time. Tonino ask Nucky if he can come and work for him. Nucky tells Tonino that he should call him in the morning. Nucky leaves and talks to one of the waiters on the way out. The waiter comes over to Tonino and says that “She was a lovely girl, Billie Kent.” Tonino looks up and sees a picture of Nucky’s old flame Billie Kent. The Billie Kent that died in the bombing that Tonino set up while working under Gyp Rosetti.
Flashbacks
All of the flashback in this episode relate to Nucky and Eli’s sister dying. Ethan has a problem whereas no one comes to take the girls body as they are poor and have no money to pay for a burial. Ethan decides that she will be buried in the back yard. Little Nucky comes to work late. The Commodore gives him a sarcastic lashing about how he needs to be responsible and such. Little Nucky tells the Commodore that his sister died. The Commodore lets him off. When Ethan is digging a hole for the girl, the Commodore’s carriage pulls up and he tries to pay his respect and give them money for a proper burial. Ethan doesn’t accept it and goes into his house to fetch his shotgun. The Commodore leaves, but places the money on the pine box casket. Ethan takes the money when the Commodore leaves.
Gillian at camp cupcake
Gillian Darmody is at what seemed like a spa, sitting in a bath with a bunch of other women. The radio comes on with a program called “The Good Listener.” In the show’s first segment, one of the nurses (wardens?) cut the program off. The women get crazy and start making a big fit over the nurse turning off the program. The queen bitch of the facility comes in with a lead pipe and recites a tired phrase that gets the women to admit that they have been bad. The warden ask Gillian if she has been good, to which Gillian says the she has. Gillian ask if she has what she asked for? The warden asks Gillian, only if she has what she asked for.
Later on we see the warden take Gillian to a back room. The warden starts to strip and we realize that it looks like these two have a sexual favor exchange and we are going to get to see some hot 1930’s lesbian sex. Gillian hands the warden a dress. The warden asks if it flatters her. Gillian tell her that it may have to be taken in and we realize that out hopes of old time carpet munching is not on the horizon. Gillian is trading her clothes for a pen and a piece of paper. In which the Warden tells Gillian not to be writing any crazy letter to the president.
This season is starting very slow
I can’t help but wonder if Boardwalk Empire is setting up the same fate as Entourage. Entourage was a great show for about three seasons, and then things just went stale. Empire is not doing it for me. I do love all of the scenes with Capone, but I am a little disappointed that he rose so fast to power but this show isn’t about Capone, it’s about Nucky. The only thing that Boardwalk Empire always does well is give us real historical figures. The meeting of Nucky and Kennedy, even for a brief conversation outside in the hallway, was great.
The meeting of Meyer, Lucy and a young Bugsy had me wanting more. Even with all that side I felt cheated. This show has six episode left to basically kill everyone and throw Nucky in jail. I expect that the last four episodes will bring us to the show we know and love but it may take a toll on the viewers until we get there.