TV Show Review: Boardwalk Empire

You know the routine, a trailer that blasts out the major (and more famous names) with the prefix of directed by, produced by, written by and the suffix, i.e. who also did such and such.

So when Boardwalk Empire was shown in such a way, with all the big names mentioned, I was wary, but as I already knew that Steve Buscemi and Kelly McDonald had been rightfully nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and Steve Buscemi had won there, I was also excited.

I was not in any way disappointed, and after six episodes, I am eagerly awaiting the seventh.

First off, the characters. The way its written and acted out, makes you care and wonder about each of the characters, and where they might be taken to next, in the following episode, or the next one. The characters are not one sided either. No one is completely good, or bad. The Prohibition Agent, Van Alden, appears at first to be the dogged agent to bring those who break the laws to justice. What separates him from the usual, is his at times scary determination to do just that and the violent acts he commits in his campaign. Kelly McDonald's character, Margaret Schroeder, isn't who she seems to be either. I won't spoil any more than I already have, because this show shouldn't be diluted.

The times. The first episode is set at the eve of Prohibition, and it makes clear itself from the get go, that Atlantic City is just one city in America, that won't be dry regardless. You see people with wheelbarrows in the pilot, full of booze, stock piling. And the party they have, with black balloons, shows their attitude to a new law banning booze.

A warning. This show is rated MA, but before you start sniggering, this is a whole new level of MA. Anyone who has seen the TV Show Carnivale will know what I mean, or old movies that are now rated R.

Comments

  1. Film & TV Commentator14 May 2011 at 00:21

    This quote is from another TV Show that brings the rating MA to a whole other meaning.

    “Cpl. Gabe Garza: Hey. There’s kids’ holding hands.
    Sgt. Brad 'Iceman' Colbert: Oh cute. Don't shoot 'em, Garza.”

    ReplyDelete

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