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Boardwalk Empire - Season 4 - Sundays on HBO
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
- Status
Technosteve
Banned
the last minute of the show is like a short film on to it self.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
It's the difference between a show beholden to its fans like Breaking Bad and a show like Boardwalk Empire.
One gives its fans exactly what they wanted, whilst the other gives fans what they didn't know they wanted. Boardwalk's storytelling trajectories always feel honest and - despite Saty's opinion, almost never feel forced.
Absolutely delighted they didn't kill Chalky or Narcisse. Means I get to watch two absolutely stupendously good actors again next year. Narcisse is in a real interesting place storyline wise as well; forced to rat on the man he thinks a hero to advance himself as opposed to his race. But now he's got friends in the FBI so there's some interesting things there already.
I would like to see the scope of the show narrowed a tad; it rectified itself come season's end, but at the start, in the air was:
- Nucky's storyline
- Willie at college
- Eli under his brother's thumb
- Knox/Tolliver things
- Chalky and Narcisse
- Rothstein
- Luciano and Lansky
- The Florida business
- Chicago goings on
- Van Alden
- Harrow and Tommy
- Gillian and Roy
- Margaret's whereabouts
I love the show, and it does an admirable job of setting them all up to pay off at the end of the season. But it helps now that Eli's in Chicago, associated with Van Alden and the Capones seemingly. It helps that Harrow is out of the picture, it helps that Willie is with Nucky now presumably, it helps that Margaret and Rothstein are now in cahoots.
If the show narrows its overall scope and focuses further on Capone/Chicago now that Torrio's out of the picture and half its main cast are already there, that could be great. Plus, give Nucky some more shit to do; he was like a supporting character this year. Have him meet Margaret again, that was hilarious.
Oh, and the guy who plays Hoover is great. Slimy oaf. How cool is it that that guy > Di Caprio and for my money, Graham > De Niro when it comes to Capones?
And more Gaston Means please
blindrocket
Member
I didn't like it either.
Sectorseven
Member
Think they will jump ahead farther in time next season?
They were foreshadowing some things with Rothstein, and it would give Will time to graduate college.
They were foreshadowing some things with Rothstein, and it would give Will time to graduate college.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
Harrow's end was perfect. He failed because of what he couldn't be anymore, what he finally escaped being this season: half a man. And he died whole. I loved it.
Spinning Plates
Member
I love this show and really enjoyed the finale but I have to say the show's budget for set design seems to have taken a hit since S1 & S2.
I don't think we ever saw the actual boardwalk on screen this season which seems kinda weird for something that's always had prominence on the show. I think the show has lost the rich feeling it had earlier.
These guys should have more money than ever but Nucky is living in some shitty old beach house. The only set that looked nice was Chalky's club and even that felt smaller in scale than Babettes was despite replacing it..
I don't think we ever saw the actual boardwalk on screen this season which seems kinda weird for something that's always had prominence on the show. I think the show has lost the rich feeling it had earlier.
These guys should have more money than ever but Nucky is living in some shitty old beach house. The only set that looked nice was Chalky's club and even that felt smaller in scale than Babettes was despite replacing it..
Probably has taken a hit, it doesn't bring in huge viewers does it? Plus it must cost loads to make anyway despite any cuts.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
Well yeah, that too.
I think if I had to rank the show's seasons, it'd go something like S3 > S2 > S4 > S1. Season 4 and 1 are close though, same with 2 and 3 I think. Seasons 2 and 3 were just on another level in my opinion. I was honestly a bit let down with this season overall. I didn't dislike it, but it just didn't really engage me most of the time, aside from a few memorable scenes.
How should he find out about a secret plot to nab him, other than someone making a mistake? He then capitalized on it.
That's a false dichotomy, based on your own preference for how you might have written the plot. This isn't an argument against the logic of the show -- it's an argument that their sense of storytelling didn't match yours. There is absolutely no rule that two opposing forces must meet and one of them be destroyed. In fact, the world is full of the rise and fall of influence of opposing sides.
This is utter nonsense. How does the death of his dear daughter, one for which he had such deep affection, affect him? Especially in the midst of a plot to which he himself was party? You've posted some tripe before, but this one might very well be the worst.
More nonsense. Richard wanted to get away from his dark side, and tried. This was motivated by his love for Tommy (and Jimmy) and his newfound love for his wife. (Name escapes me, sorry.) He failed to get away from his killing ways, but when he returned he found he wasn't the same sure hand with a gun that he used to be. All of that is a complete story arc for Richard, completely independent of who actually got killed by him.
How he lived his life determined how he ended his life, and there was collateral damage. Please don't make this out to be some simplistic deus ex machina when it's far more than that.
I'm sorry you don't like the show. Your constant refrain in these threads about your dislike of the show is at least abrasive and at worst antagonistic.
I respectfully disagree that the show has taken a hit. This is a period piece, it is very very expensive to produce.
They shoot mostly in NYC, I don't think they leave the NYC area for filming , correct me if anyone else knows. I recognize so e locations, but they utilize so many, with digital set extensions, that I get confused.
You are right in that the show looked different this year, and that is because they blew up the boardwalk set and Babette's. they were both overused, and very obviously sets. I think it opened the show up more, and the locations were varied as a result. Like TNG had bottle shows, so did Boardwalk, like last year when Nucky Owen and that kid were in the basement. I don't begrudge them that. This show is so beautifully written acted and produced. They produce a solid hour with no commercials.
I believe one scene took place on the boardwalk, the first time Gillian opens up to what was later revealed to be the detective, early on in the season. She confessed she had a son...
She realised there was no winning for them. He had a wife, a daughter who he wanted to see married. Narcisse would no doubt be looking for them. What life did they have together, on the run?
The direction they took her character kind of pissed me off, considering how much screen time was dedicated to her and chalky. There had to have been like 10 nearly identical scenes of chalky starring at her while she sang in his club this season.
Grinchy
Banned
Yep. I complained early on in the season about that. Finally we had more Chalky and all they're having him do is stand and stare for minutes at a time.
The Artful Dodger
Member
"Michael, I need you to stand over there and scowl."
-How the director directs Michael K Williams as Chalky White.
Damn...that was slightly upsetting.
I was hoping for a more resolute ending, but I'm also kind of glad they didn't go the more cliched route of killing Chalky or Narcisse. Not sure what's to be gained from keeping Eli alive yet again, though.
The boardwalk has always looked fake as fuck to me, so the less of it the better imo.
I was hoping for a more resolute ending, but I'm also kind of glad they didn't go the more cliched route of killing Chalky or Narcisse. Not sure what's to be gained from keeping Eli alive yet again, though.
The boardwalk has always looked fake as fuck to me, so the less of it the better imo.
chalkitdown1
Member
Goddamn, why are my eyes wet?
That was a fucking great final. Not bombastic like last season's but it had wonderful moments and gave closure to every plot thread we had this season. Nobody won, really. The Chicago storyline just got a hellava lot more interesting!
That was one of the best exits I've ever seen for a character at the end. Absolutely beautifully shot. It rivals Jimmy's at the end of season 2. And the end credits. WOW.
What a show
That was a fucking great final. Not bombastic like last season's but it had wonderful moments and gave closure to every plot thread we had this season. Nobody won, really. The Chicago storyline just got a hellava lot more interesting!
That was one of the best exits I've ever seen for a character at the end. Absolutely beautifully shot. It rivals Jimmy's at the end of season 2. And the end credits. WOW.
What a show
+1. That was a fantastic ending to the season. Just so many good scenes and characters. Bring on season 5!
another fantastic season. i was beginning to think it wasn't going to be as good as the last (where i feel the show really hit its groove) but i'm fortunately proved wrong.
the florida arc seemed a little on the extraneous side but i'm in full faith its mostly setup for season 5
well the boardwalk set was rented out (i don't know if "rented out" is the correct production term, but anyway) for only three seasons. then they decided the show was progressing in a different direction anyway, so they just did away with the boardwalk and decided the onyx club would be the new main setpiece.
i noticed the scenery wasn't as ornate this time around but i don't think it was anything glaring, at least not in the way of production values. it wasn't like Weeds or Dexter where the final seasons look nothing like the earlier ones
the florida arc seemed a little on the extraneous side but i'm in full faith its mostly setup for season 5
well the boardwalk set was rented out (i don't know if "rented out" is the correct production term, but anyway) for only three seasons. then they decided the show was progressing in a different direction anyway, so they just did away with the boardwalk and decided the onyx club would be the new main setpiece.
i noticed the scenery wasn't as ornate this time around but i don't think it was anything glaring, at least not in the way of production values. it wasn't like Weeds or Dexter where the final seasons look nothing like the earlier ones
I think it's likely. The season 4 finale feels a lot like the season 2 finale. Both ended with specific personal acts of violence that forces certain characters to move on, and an epilogue which puts all the characters into positions they weren't in before in a conclusive but open way.
They should probably aim to do another 2 seasons like this and end it for good.
Discotheque
Banned
Ending scene was beautiful but on a rewatch my favorite moment might be Eli telling nucky what it is.
"A man in an empty hotel, pointing a gun at his brother" and then he continues to drop the ethers
I'm gonna miss seeing him and nucky but he's on to great things with van Alden and Capone
"A man in an empty hotel, pointing a gun at his brother" and then he continues to drop the ethers
I'm gonna miss seeing him and nucky but he's on to great things with van Alden and Capone
No one remember ol' Marcus Garvey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsrcrceVsUU
Question - can anyone remember if Eli had contact with Van Alden when he was still working as a prohibition agent? I know Nucky did, but can't remember re: Eli. Oh well, gives me an excuse to go back and watch the series from the beginning before S5. And you know what that means ... Esther Randolph sideboob!
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
It really is amazing how good the redemption for Eli has been, considering just how much we all wanted him to be a corpse back in Season 2. It's easy to forget just how much of a backstabbing piece of shit he was when he was collaborating with The Commodore and Jimmy.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Fuck.
Why Harrow of all people? Such bullshit
Why Harrow of all people? Such bullshit
The Artful Dodger
Member
I think the lesson we take away from all this is that, the only person who is guaranteed to live is Mickey Doyle.
Haha, he just moves in the safe zone dodging most of the conflicts :lol
He'll be glad to hear Harrow is no more.
Cornballer
Member
Another E.B. Farnum..
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
Bring back Esther Randolph. And Katie. Oh poor Katie. She must have been devastated to learn of Owen's demise.
I still miss Owen.
Mr. Sleater.
Mrs. Thompson.
;_;
I still miss Owen.
Mr. Sleater.
Mrs. Thompson.
;_;
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