Vitals
- Products: Boardwalk Empire
- Associated Features: Most Anticipated Movies and TV Shows of 2011, 2010 Fall TV Preview
- Genres: Drama
- Air Date: Autumn 2010
- Network: HBO
- Cast Members: Kelly MacDonald, Michael Pitt, Michael Shannon, Stephen Graham, Steve Buscemi
- Associated Luminaries: Martin Scorsese, Terence Winter
I was having a conversation with a friend the other day who
had yet to watch Boardwalk Empire. He
asked me whether it was worth watching. He thought it was a great idea and
loved the setting. Not only that, but he liked all the actors and writers
involved. "So should I watch it?" he asked.
I thought about it for a second, knowing my friend is a busy
guy and said, "Nah." I agreed that I liked the idea and the show is well
made. But ultimately, it just isn't grabbing me. My friend added that that's
what he heard from everyone else - that a lot of people were watching Boardwalk
Empire, but nobody really liked it.
So what's wrong with the show?
One of the big problems, I think, is how obvious it is. So
far, any shocking twist hasn't been shocking, at all. I'll give you an example
from tonight's episode. While back in Atlantic City, Nucky matches wits with
Maggie over the right to drink green beer on St. Patrick's Day, over in
Chicago, Jimmy comforts his girlfriend, who got slashed last episode.
Towards the end of the hour, Jimmy tells her a sweet, sad
story which makes her cry. She asks for a kiss. He drops orange juice on his
pants and heads out of the room. If you didn't see her shooting herself coming
from a mile away, well, you've never seen television before.
There's moments like this throughout the show. You could
pretty much write most the dialogue out in advance. It's like all the hoary
jokes the characters like to tell: yes, they were probably new back in the
1920s, but that doesn't make them new now. Neither does it excuse clichéd
plotting or depthless characters.
I want to like Boardwalk
Empire. I just can't recommend it yet.
Random Notes:
- This isn't a huge problem, but having no cold open is weird. It means we go from the previously on, to the HBO logo, to the opening credits with no break. It's like three intros in a row.
- "Could you give me an estimate?" "Ninety...Three."
- I wish this show wasn't so obvious.
- "Would anyone else like to interfere with the court appointed duties of a Federal agent?"
- Why do we need to actually see someone throwing up? Because the show is gritty and realistic?
- Hey! My wife knows one of the midget boxers! So what do I win?
