I'm hooked on this show and felt it deserved it's own thread.
Boardwalk Empire is a period drama focusing on Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (based on the historical Enoch L. Johnson), a political figure who rose to prominence and controlled Atlantic City, New Jersey during the Prohibition period of the 1920s and 1930s. Nucky interacts with several historical figures in both his personal and political life, including mobsters, politicians, government agents, and the common folk who looked up to him. The government also takes an interest in the bootlegging and other illegal activities in the area, sending agents to investigate possible mob connections but also looking at Nucky's expensive and lavish lifestyle for a county political figure. The show primarily takes place in Atlantic City, though there are subplots that take place simultaneously in Chicago and New York City as well.
The show boasts some pretty big names in terms of it's producers, including Martin Scorsese (actor, writer, director, producer of small indie films such as Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York The Departed), Terence Winter (writer, producer for The Sopranos), Tim Van Patten (director for The Sopranos, Sex and the City, The Wire, Deadwood, Ed, The Pacific), and Mark Whalberg (actor featured in amazing films such as The Happening and Max Payne, as well as bringing delight to children everywhere with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch).
As far as the cast, the most recognizable face will be Steve Buscemi who portrays Nucky, who proves in nearly every episode that a pretty dame will look past any mug so long as you've got the money and power to make it worth her while.
Other major figures from the era, mostly involving organized crime, play important roles in the series. You'll get to see Johnny Torrio build the Chicago Outfit, the rise of a young and eager Al Capone, the business-like candor of Arnold "The Brain" Rothstein, and cringe as Charles "Lucky" Luciano gets an extremely painful treatment for gonorrhoea. You also get to watch an incredibly unnerving Federal agent engage in sadomasochism!
It's up to about the 8th episode in the series so far and it has not disappointed. If you're into sex, violence, political corruption, organized crime, the Prohibition era or simply have a desire to see smoking return to television (seriously, everyone smokes all the time on this show), this is the show for you!
See you on the Boardwalk!
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