"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." -- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History

Monday, November 12, 2012

Boardwalk Empire 3.9: Impaired Nucky

A simmering placeholder Boardwalk Empire 3.9 last night, as Nucky slowly recovers from the concussion he sustained at the end of the last episode in the bombing of Babette's.

The most significant piece of news is that none of Nucky's colleagues - Studs Lonergan, Waxey Gordon, and of course Arnold Rothstein with Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky - are willing to back Nucky's play against Gyp and Joe.   They don't want to side with a losing hand.   Of course, since the series will continue, we all know that, somehow, Gyp (a fictional character) and Joe (a real character) will be dispatched by someone in the end.   Joe in fact was killed at some point, likely by Lucky and Meyer, and Arnold won't survive into the new age of gangsterism in the 1930s, either.

Meanwhile, the other thread of note in episode 3.9 is Richard finally finding some affection, with the daughter of the embittered vet we met a few weeks ago.  He still seems a long way from catching up with Nucky about Jimmy, and this may or may not happen, this season or ever.

Nucky may now grow closer to Margaret, with Billie gone, but it may be too late.   Margaret tells Owen she's ready to leave with him as soon as everything's settled in with Nucky - presumably meaning when he's recovered from the bomb blast.

But his business dealings will never be settled, and are headed for a crisis, to say the least, which means that Margaret may wind up staying with Nucky for a long time.  And that raises questions about Owen - how long can Nucky count on Owen's loyalty?

As for the audience, we can be counted upon to keep Boardwalk Empire in our sights as it wends its way through one of the significant decades in our history.


See also Boardwalk Empire 3.1: Happy News Year 1923  ... Boardwalk Empire 3.2: Gasoline and the White Rock Girl ... Boardwalk Empire 3.3: The Showgirl and The Psycho ... Boardwalk Empire 3.5: "10 L'Chaim" ... Boardwalk Empire 3.7: Deadly Gillian ... Boardwalk Empire 3.8: Andrew Mellon





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