Sitting between HBO’s crime darling The Sopranos and fan-favorite period drama Peaky Blinders is a perfect marriage of the two shows in Boardwalk Empire. The brainchild of Sopranos writer and executive producer Terence Winter, the series also features Steve Buscemi — who appeared in and directed episodes of The Sopranos — as Atlantic County Treasurer Enoch “Nucky” Thompson. With a pilot reportedly costing around $18 million and directed by Martin Scorsese, Boardwalk Empire has its own charm and scale, from its adaptation of real-life mafia criminals to featuring early breakout roles from some of television’s biggest names, such as Stephen Graham, Charlie Cox, and Bobby Cannavale.

What is ‘Boardwalk Empire’ About?

Boardwalk Empire sets the scene in 1920s Atlantic City, just hours before Prohibition laws are put into effect. While everyone else is lamenting the ban on liquor, Nucky sees it as the perfect opportunity to distribute bootleg alcohol at premium prices. The best part is he never has to do the dirty work himself; he’s simply a man who knows how to network with the right people to do his bidding. When he’s not dealing with Prohibition, Nucky is working his way up the political ladder. Illegal booze brings in the money, but wining the 1920 Atlantic City mayoral election guarantees him the power he needs to make moves throughout the city with minimal to no interference from the feds.

However, just because Nucky is part of the government himself doesn’t mean he’s safe from gangs looking to grab a piece of the pie. Rival organizations — from Arnold Rothstein’s New York syndicate, which becomes the launching pad for Charles “Lucky” Luciano (Vincent Piazza), to the Chicago Outfit that paves the way for Al Capone (Graham) — all want in on Nucky’s growing empire. At the same time, these men refuse to be mere puppets under Nucky’s control, and they have no problem turning on him if things stop going their way. Business only gets messier once these factions begin clashing with each other, forcing Nucky to pick the side that benefits him most.

‘Boardwalk Empire’ Is Perfect for Crime Drama Fans Who Want Something More Subtle

Unlike the hedonism of Los Angeles or New York City, there is a certain decorum in Atlantic City — mainly because Nucky’s job as treasurer requires him to be scandal-free. Because of this, criminal business in Boardwalk Empire is conducted as discreetly as possible to avoid attention. Even when lines are crossed, murders are carried out without causing too much public commotion. These gangsters don’t need the public living in fear of them; their main priority is to keep their liquor flowing through Atlantic City.

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Greatness kicked in later.

This duality between subtlety and violence keeps things exciting in Boardwalk Empire. Other characters who follow this mold include Nucky’s protégé, James “Jimmy” Darmody (Michael Pitt), who was once destined for Princeton before choosing to serve in the Army. Discharged due to an injury, Jimmy returns to Atlantic City, shattered, but still wants to become a gangster. He might be pulling the trigger, but behind closed doors, he is trapped in a cycle of trauma. The same complexity also applies to Margaret Thompson (Kelly Macdonald), a working-class suffragette who becomes Nucky’s love interest. Although meek and soft-spoken, she grows into a force of her own, becoming involved in Nucky’s illicit businesses.

‘Boardwalk Empire’s Nucky Thompson Is the Nicest Villain in Television History

One of the shared threads between Nucky, The Sopranos‘ Tony (James Gandolfini), and Peaky Blinders‘ Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) is the clash of identities. Like the other two, Nucky is a gangster underneath his tailored suits, but outside operations, he is something else entirely. However, in Nucky’s case, the split is even more institutional. Tony is a mob boss navigating suburban family life, Tommy is a post-war entrepreneur affected by trauma, but Nucky is a politician whose criminal empire is built on top of his government position. Loosely inspired by real-life politician Enoch L. Johnson, Nucky is a public darling — charismatic, good with minorities, and almost guaranteed electoral success.

Because of his status, Nucky prefers negotiation and influence over brute force, though there are rare moments when he extends his generosity. He has a soft spot for undeservedly unfortunate people, partly because he himself came from a difficult upbringing. That is what makes Nucky so difficult to read. One moment, he is compassionate; the next, he is utterly merciless. As Margaret once points out, there is an innate kindness in Nucky, which makes it hard for her to understand how he can continue living this kind of life. For Nucky, it is never about the size of the sin — only how much sin he is willing to live with.

Here you can find the original article; the photos and images used in our article also come from this source. We are not their authors; they have been used solely for informational purposes with proper attribution to their original source.[nospin]

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