HBO's "Boardwalk Empire"

Anyone watching it? It's not amazing, like their "Treme" series. It's goofy, actually. But maybe that's just my take on modern mobster stories.

I like the actor's portrayals, the plots are keeping me watching through the first 2 episodes. It is a bit "cliche" when I think it's trying to be deep.

hypatia said:

Anyone watching it? It's not amazing, like their "Treme" series. It's goofy, actually. But maybe that's just my take on modern mobster stories.

I like the actor's portrayals, the plots are keeping me watching through the first 2 episodes. It is a bit "cliche" when I think it's trying to be deep.

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I pretty much agree with you. Of course I had to check it out because of the setting and Steve Buscemi, but it hits its marks so obviously and bluntly.

Though really I think part of it is how spoiled I am as a viewer. If I'd have seen this 10 yrs ago, I'd have been stunned by the look of the show, its attention to detail, the mood it makes. But The Sopranos (1st two seasons) and The Wire hit such absurd heights of character and drama, and Rome and Deadwood did the whole past scenery thing so well, that what should be impressing me with Boardwalk isn't. It's as if HBO buried themselves with their own success.

To a certain extent HBO really should just concede the point and just air "Sopranos" and "Wire" reruns constantly.

... Oh, wait, "Boardwalk Empire" is about organized crime running illicit substances. And Michael K. Williams is in it. They already got my memo.

I never actually saw "The Sopranos". But didn't it have a far more serious tone?

I hadn't actually thought about HBO's double-edged sword. They have raised the bar several times over.

hypatia said:

I never actually saw "The Sopranos". But didn't it have a far more serious tone?

I hadn't actually thought about HBO's double-edged sword. They have raised the bar several times over.

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I don't know what you mean exactly by serious, but like all of the best hour-long dramas it was a mix of straight drama and intense moments and dark comedy and regular comedy, like the other shows mentioned, it's just that Sopranos was the first.

You really should check out the first two seasons of Sopranos, I think it'd still hold up well.

Yea, some channel used to show the reruns. I didn't get HBO back when it was an HBO show. Perhaps I've found something to Netflix again.

hypatia said:

Yea, some channel used to show the reruns. I didn't get HBO back when it was an HBO show. Perhaps I've found something to Netflix again.

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A&E showed reruns, which is ridiculous, because of course they have to edit the swearing and probably some of the violence. It looked like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFYN8loUboA

Anyway, back to the Boardwalk... I wasn't sure if I was gonna stick with it, especially since it's on at the same time as Sunday Night Football, but this week's game looks to be a snoozer featuring the shockingly overrated San Francisco 49ers, so I may check out one more.


SPOILERS

Jimmy left to go to Chicago, so that side of the mob scene should get more screen time. My problem is so far Jimmy himself isn't exactly a captivating character.

Last year HBO released the complete series of this ground-breaking show with the very high pricetag we've come to expect from any HBO original series on DVD.

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HBO does like original programming.

Boardwalk Empire's first season has finished.

SPOILERS FROM THE LAST SHOW OF SEASON 1
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When Nucky's sort-of-wife walked away, I thought she'd be a dead woman. I was figuring she'd be offed in the last episode of the season. But she's still around.

In some ways she could be the most interesting character in the lot. She started out more than a bit naive, has progressed, learned, and readjusted her values a great deal in a short time. Boy, has she changed her value system a lot since the beginning. Just like most people would do, or would be tempted to do.

One thing I wonder, if it were real life could a cop that publicly and openly psychotic manage to keep his badge?

Can't say my initial impressions of this show ever changed. Don't think I'll be back for season 2.