The Moth Chase

Episode 11: Paris Green and Episode 12: A Return to Normalcy

“If you don’t believe in heaven, how can you believe in hell?”

– Van Alden

These last two episodes sure were something. I think we see many of the themes I’ve been discussing over the last several weeks coming to the fore again. I want to focus my concluding discussion on several related points: the idea of America, the limits of forgiveness in response to sin, and the relationship between these two topics. One thing that finally struck me was the extent to which something like the law was about to trump Rothstein’s massive empire. What’s interesting about it is it’s not the “rule of law” per se, but rather the enforcement of law in light of something like the public or the “American” valorization of baseball. The problem is not so much baseball, but rather the un-American idea of fixing this great American past-time.

I found this to be an interesting moment because somehow the gravity of the situation in which Rothstein found himself never struck me before. With that said, it is also interesting how “easily” such a situation is rectified. Once again, as we have seen time and time again on this show, market forces swallow all. As long as the deals and the money keeps flowing, all of the other pieces fall into line. Feuds can be squashed and sides easily shifted. As Nucky all-too-eloquently puts it, “Guilt? Duty? You’re a grown man–what’s the difference?” In this vein, Jimmy’s later description of Nucky as a machine is entirely apt. Again, the market flattens everything so that capitalism turns all agents into mere vehicles for market forces. This is a point I believe the show has stressed before.

What I want to focus on in light of this point is the notion of America. I take Nucky’s dead baby to be a metaphor for America. The show has shown us all of the various ways in which something like the project of America fails to be what it is meant to be (whether we are talking of racism, or sexism, democracy, or justice). Yet it continues onwards supported by our desires, whether for its success or failure or recognition of one or the other. We continue to cradle and coddle it in spite of its stillborn nature. All along, we blame ourselves, but we also continually find ways to live with this guilt. And all of this is made possible by the presence of the market, which makes this possible in the first place. Indeed, we see explicitly with Rothstein’s almost religious invocation “bad blood,” “transgression,” and “nullification” the claim that the market can even nullify all sins. All we have to do is decide how much sin we can live with…which always seems to be not only “quite a lot,” but also “more than we thought.”

This bring me to my last point–it’s interesting in these last episodes to see how and where the ‘human element’ intrudes on things. We see this most forcefully in Margaret’s return to Nucky, but also in Van Alden’s murder of Sebso, in the Commodore and Eli’s plot against Nucky, and so forth. What I take Boardwalk Empire to suggest here is that while this human element continually impinges on the immutable market structure, it does nothing to change it. Indeed, I take it to illustrate an entirely different order. On one hand, the market structure is fundamentally a “third person” perspective, while this ‘human element,’ is always “first personal” and individual. The latter can allow us to live with great sins because they appear–if they appear at all–in the periphery of our vision. And so the project of America trudges on…carried on through our human relations which ride on the rails of what is the market.

Until next season friends,

Martin

 

Episode 10: The Emerald City

“I can’t recall who I was before…”

– Harrow

Interested in contemporary America? You need not watch more than this past week’s episode of Boardwalk Empire. (Right down to our contemporary fascination with and/or ambivalent relation to Europe, as immortalized by my choice of title, following Angela). This episode brings together almost all of the themes I have been haphazardly exploring throughout the weeks. The episode has more layers than a mutant onion…let’s see what we can uncover.

First, the theme of things not being exactly what they seem, while at the same time being exactly what they seem. In short, the idea is self deception. In this sense, the omnipresence of the Baum’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not accidental. The novel’s chief feature is a series of characters defined by contradiction. This is what I take Boardwalk Empire to be proposing about ourselves as modern agents. At the heart of this contradiction and at the heart of this episode is the market (“Nothing says I’m sorry like money…”) The market’s omnipresence forces and determines a particular sort of interaction. Allegedly, something like the political domain is supposed to be more primordial, more basic than the market, but we quickly see this is not the case. Women can vote, but they can do so only because it is expedient for them to do so. Similarly, once they can, they are (as Margaret is) cajoled into voting in a particular way. “Cajoled” is a peculiar word here, however, since Margaret is uncertain of what she wants: she wants a particular life, but she doesn’t exactly want what goes with it, but doesn’t not (screw the double negative!) want what does. In short, she’s torn–the remorse she feels at doing Nucky’s bidding is only compounded by the confusion she feels in seeing herself in the mirror: uncertain, unknown, unrecognizable–all words that can aptly describe her inner life. The scene with her drinking champagne is the perfect illustration of the point: women can vote, but to do so they must conform, become part of the existing structure…in doing so they give up a part of themselves, compromise.

Always, however, the market is primary. We see how the market drives everything and permeates everything. Literally, nothing is exclusive of it. In this sense, I found the religious imagery extremely fascinating this past week. Not only in Nelson’s linking of “salvation” with “the promise of America,” but also in Capone’s revelation at a Bar Mitzvah. We see how the religious sphere is a dimension of the market sphere, permeated by it, but we also see–importantly, I think–how the religious sphere (and other spheres, as in the cultural, in Chalky’s change of plans and in the romantic, as in the plans for Paris) can impinge on the market sphere. It is always bounded by it, but in unpredictable ways. The market presents the limits of any potential action, it permeates it, determines it–in a very deep sense–swallows it, but nonetheless it doesn’t originate the activity…it occurs through a mishmosh of other factors. In this sense, the discussion of the Wizard of Oz again proves double instructive. Nucky’s tells Margaret that “this is not some fantasy world.” The implication, of course, being that it’s no Baum story…but we know that–at least potentially–the Baum story may have been (or at least more importantly, can be read) as an allegory of Baum’s time. Again, the market and something like presence of human spontaneity overlap and mutually influence each other.

Excited to see what unfolds this week…of course with Rothstein, but also with Margaret and Chalky–the scene with him choking the Pole was epic.

Until soon,

Martin

Episode 9: Belle Femme

“How do you rest your spleen?”

– Eli Thompson

I feel like this was an important episode, although it did come off as a bit heavy-handed. While the image of Margaret’s dress (acquired by her newfound abilities to get what she needs) stained by blood is a powerful one, it also feels somewhat overdone (although no less compelling). What we see developed most explicitly in this episode is the theme of being a woman during this era.

First, we see Margaret’s foray into “politics” by the prodding of Madame Jeunet–initially this advance is entirely rebuked by Nucky, but once it is properly expressed (i.e. expressed in terms which Nucky seems to understand: self-interest) then it is also properly responded to and assimilated. As Nucky says, he could “never hold that against anyone.” The only way that Margaret is able to assert her agency is within traditional power structures–not by subverting them, but solely by conforming to them. Whether this is enough agency for her is something I am very curious to see in future episodes.

Second, we see Angela Darmody beginning to assert her agency, which involves not only a new sexual configuration, but also a new artistic license. This is cut short by two different men, first the husband of the woman she has been having an affair with, who attempts to manipulate her into a threesome, but also, just as much, by Jimmy Darmody, who upon his return rapes her. The scene was shot in an interesting way, where what is obviously rape is eventually acceded to by Angela–not, I would imagine, because she accepts it or “really wants it”–but because she has resigned herself to it and to her old (new, again) life.

Third, and final, the other assertion of female agency we see in this episode is also at the behest of a man, namely Jimmy’s mother, who until this point had been romancing Lukcy Luciano–we thought at the expression of her own sexuality and desires–but we learn now only at the behest of Jimmy. This one female who had been able to, in a sense, master someone as rough as Luciano (with Rothstein being the only other person able to do this thus far) is shown, ultimately, to have been acting as the extension of a man.

All of this proves to paint a somewhat dim picture of female possibilities…but as Nucky tells us–we should be concerned enough not to take anything for granted. It will be interesting to see what happens with these characters in light of the suffrage movement.

Excited to see what happens this week,

Martin

Episode 8: Hold Me in Paradise

“I prefer to make my living honestly.”

– Rothstein

Hello friends,

Wow…what an awesome episode. Although it beat you over the head with the show’s theme, I thought this episode was almost flawless. I’ll discuss a few points which I think unify around one issue: America.

1. The overt imagery of a “new world” and “America” was just fantastic. The image of a “back-room” deal (actually out in the open), in front of an American flag (i.e. this is how American politics works) was impeccable and poignant. Similarly, Rothstein’s fixing of baseball–that “wholesome American” past-time just drives the point home: money runs America and there’s nothing wholesome about it. (Our own steroid scandals show how little anything has changed in this regard.)

2. We have Nucky letting down his guard and relying on Margaret. Her question to him, “Are you all right?” was stunning. His response of: “I don’t know,” obviously carried with it a wealth of suggestiveness: from him finally emotionally exposing himself to the uncertainty that such a proposition carries–both for him, and as we find out at the very end of the episode, for her.

3. Eli’s getting shot. Again,an interesting move: we know that Nucky never makes the collections himself. It’s not his job and he wouldn’t stoop to doing it. Nucky doesn’t get his hards dirty in that way. That is what Eli fundamentally doesn’t understand about his brother, nor about how things operate at that level of society.

4. Which leads to Nucky inviting Jimmy back. We knew this was bound to happen (and it’ll be interesting to see how all of the sub-plots around his family unfold)…I’m also curious to see if Harrow will accompany him. In this regard, we also have the suggestiveness of the lack of integration in America: the Irish stay the Irish, the Italian, the Italian. The only thing that brings them together–potentially and obviously only temporarily–is money.

5. Finally, of course, we have Nucky’s desire to put “that imbecile” into the Presidential office, which again, is sort of the topping on the cake w/ this week’s theme.

So obviously “America” and its steps and missteps–which has been an implicit theme all along–is now brought the fore…almost heavy-handedly so…but all to good effect. It paints a convincing, albeit depressing picture that is just as relevant now as it was to Prohibition era America…the only great question remaining is where things will go from here.

We already know the answer…but it’ll be interesting to see how we get there.

Until next week,

Martin

Episode 6 and 7: “Family Limitation” and “Home”

“That’s horrible.”

– Margaret Schroeder

“Life can be that way.”

– Nucky Thompson

It is great to be back to BE. This week I’ll focus on two episodes in preparation for tonight’s episode; this seems to have worked out quite well because both of the episodes, as far as I can tell, deal with something like time and the consequences of its measurement. In the oldest episode (“Family Limitation”), we see the end result of “Nights in Ballygran,” which is that Margaret decides to be Nucky’s “mistress”? Perhaps, “concubine?” “Whore” to many others. What to call her, of course, remains a mystery as much to her as to Nucky as to anyone else (including Nucky’s brother, Eli). It’s obvious that there is some special connection between the two of them, but it is also obvious that Nucky–and in a very different way, Margaret–is incapable of expressing such a connection. Broadly speaking, Nucky is structurally too embedded in his politico-capitalistic world: it is questionable whether and how he could have a meaningful relationship. Similarly, there is simply no plausible category–at this time–for a woman like Margaret. As she pointed out in an earlier episode: she is a pragmatic woman. Pragmatism, however, implies agency and agency seems to be something that is continually withheld from the various women of Boardwalk Empire: whether by their own inability to claim such agency or by the systemic inability for others to recognize and grant such agency (or a combination of both). Margaret exists somewhere between these two poles, asserting her agency, but only through the recognition of Nucky. There is a neat little economy going on between the two of them that–opposed to almost everything else we’ve seen in BE–not of a capitalistic nature. (Another hint at a relationship of this sort is the lesbian affair between Jimmy’s wife, Angela and the wife of the photoshop owner.)

In “Home,” the most striking line was the one told to Jimmy by Richard Harrow (his veteran friend) as an explanation for why Harrow no longer reads fiction: “The basis of fiction is that people have some sort of connection…but they don’t.” Writing this line is just pure genius. Obviously, it is operating at so many levels both within the show and outside for us as viewers. On the one hand, what the show has illustrated week after week is actually how well connected–whether intentionally or not–everyone is. There are systemic structures in place–whether war, prohibition, the law, and so forth–that connect individuals. Of course, the connections forged here are often deformed, unhealthy, and mostly dangerous. What the show has revealed, however, is that the individuals we encounter are created by these structures. They are inescapable. But what we can’t but help notice–not only with the help of history as viewers, but also with the passage of the show’s internal time–is that these sort of connections and the “glue” that holds them together is entirely contingent and open to revision. Women will vote, prohibition will end, witnesses will come forward, elections will be won and lost, and so forth. In this sense, there is, I would argue, with this episode and indeed this line a strong thread of something like utopianism emerging here.

This thread, however, is incredibly fragile and I think that the end of “Home” is meant to highlight this. Although the prospect of a better future constantly flutters to the edges of this show, to the edges of, let’s say, our peripheral vision (of the future to which this show is beholden), what bears down upon that future is a terrible past, weighed down by the terrors of its passing. We get this message most explicitly with Jimmy’s speech about the German soldier, whose past already includes a certain, miserable death, but a past which nonetheless maintains some sort of utopian (even messianic) hope. In the same vein, Nucky’s explicit intention to erase his past–literally burn it to nothing–only reinforces the amount of pull that it still exerts over him. These two episodes, then, bring to the fore a nice dialectical economy between utopia and hopelessness, past and future, hope and death.

It will be interesting to see how the show handles this tension in the future.

Until next week,

Martin

Episode 5: Nights in Ballygran

“They can drown as far as I care…as long as they pay.”

– Nucky

Wow. What an amazing episode this past week. Aside from the absolutely stunning conclusion (which we all somehow suspected was coming), I see a definite trend emerging in the thematic engagement of the show. The theme, of course, is America. What struck me this week was how many different times and in differing ways, the American founding myth was invoked.We see it in Jimmy’s conversation with Pearl prior to her suicide, we see it invoked during the Celtic dinner, we see it in the vision of the Temperance League (particularly as they stand outside the Celtic dinner), and we see it in van Alden’s ministrations in the post office. What is striking about all of the scenes is how different the visions are, but how common the theme of America being un-achieved or perhaps even unachievable (so much so that I would see Pearl’s suicide as a clear illustration of the dawning of her realization of the impossibility of her America–an America that Jimmy sketches and that even in the story is fleeting: literally on an island paradise.)

We see, as well, how intimately the market is related to this vision of America. There are countless scenes in this week’s episode of the market intruding on various elements of life, most notably the family (with “market forces” literally waking Margaret up) and proper society. The scene where Pearl comes down to the marketplace of the saloon is particularly telling in this regard: no one wants to see the true fruits of their labors. No one wants to acknowledge the pain and misery that these varied market forces impose upon agents within the market’s domain. Pearl is unceremoniously marginalized, essentially ignored, and then drugged to prevent an even proper self-realization. Similarly, the social concerns of the midgets are easily brushed aside with the invocation of added value.

In this sense, what I found striking in this week’s episode was the lack of thematization of the very subject that the show is about: alcohol. I don’t know why, but it only struck me today that alcohol has barely been touched upon, as neither has Prohibition, really. I find this terribly impressive on the hand (the show is truly a historical piece without becoming a history piece), but on the other hand, I find it deeply puzzling. It seems that addiction and use is thematized in the drug use (which is brought to the fore in this episode), but not through the channel of alcohol, which is largely–the more I think about it–used to represent market forces and nothing more. This is a theme I hope to continue thinking on, but it strikes me as somehow terribly important.

Finally, of course, the kiss between Nucky and Margaret. What is interesting is that Nucky tells his brother that he has no time for Margaret because his life “is too complicated already.” Is the affair with Margaret a way of simplifying by leading her on? Is it meant for ulterior motives? I am anxious to see what happens of their relationship. After all, to speak with Eli, perhaps the whole thing is a game. On this note, I’d like to explore at some future time Margaret’s character. There is something deeply complex and but also surprisingly primitive about her. We see, foremost, that she is–as she said–a pragmatic woman. She is willing to go wherever she needs to to accomplish her goals. Nonetheless, she is also notentirely committed to her principles as she is willing to overlook them in the case of her affection (infatuation with? attraction?) towards Nucky. I am–as you all are–anxious to see how this plays out also and to see the full extent of Margaret’s character, who aside from Nucky and Jimmy, remains the focal point of the show for me.

Excited for tonight’s episode!

Best,

Martin

Episode 4: Anastasia

“I ain’t building no bookcase.”

– Chalky White

First of all–sorry for the delay in this post. I have a friend visiting and I’ve been exploring the great north…

Like last week–I think we see the sophistication level going up here with this past week’s episode. There are so many subtleties and hidden meanings that I am still trying to work my through them. As I see it, there are several themes and they all center around what we can call, following Richard Rorty, “achieving our country.” Obviously, as I’ve said before, I think it is obvious that the show is as concerned with exploring then as it is exploring now.

First, is the theme of women’s suffrage.This has been a running theme, but here it comes to a head. The obvious messages are that precisely because the senators hang around certain types of women that they don’t understand that there are other types of women (such as, e.g., Ms. Schroeder). We see this when the politicians “have met their match.” What I am still thinking about is Ms. Schroeder’s theft of the lingerie–particularly in the context of her statement that she is a “practical woman.” It’s almost as if the dance with Nucky rubs off his lack of principles on her. Since when is she a practical woman? I thought she was the principled woman. What is her theft of the lingerie meant to signify? Is it a defiance of the madam? An attempt to be something to Nucky? An attempt to enter that world? Or simply an expression of her appraisal of her own world? When we see the sign that “Russian Princess exposed as fraud,” it of course carries such a panoply of meaning: it of course points to her prior theft, but it also summarizes the theme of the episode as a whole, that the entire world around her is fraudulent. Also, it–perhaps–suggests that her earlier claim that one needs dreams rings hollow.

Second, I was fascinated by the parallelism in a variety of the stories: there are forces–generally market forces–at play here that will leave a variety of victims in their wake. Most clearly, we see this in Chalky’s story about his father. The woodworker expected to compete in a fair market, but the plague of racism cuts him down, distorting that market (we want to say, I think, beyond recognition–but we realize that it is hardly that and exactly our market.) Similarly, we see this in Jimmy and Capone’s “business forays,” as vengeance is wreaked on Jimmy’s latest girl (almost immediately following the scene where they get “proper business attire.”) All over the place we see the market in the center of a variety of ills (Chalky’s father being no exception since his death is precipitated–albeit probably overdetermined–by his being the best woodcarver.)

Third, the infiltration of the market into politics. This is made as apparent as can be. With the politicians themselves saying that money (in the form of bribes) is what’s “best for the people.” As Nucky puts the point: “one hand washes the other and both was the face.” Nucky’s expectation “to have it all,” seems to just reinforce the theme that this show has been exploring for four weeks: the American dream to have it all and the market capitalism programme that it seems to suggest, with the dark underbelly that follows in its wake. What others suggestions do you find in this episode’s subtleties?

Best,

Martin

Episode 3: Boardwalk Limited

“What’s a motherfucker?”

- Nucky Thompson

“…as a baby’s ass.”

- Chalky White

I thought that this past week’s episode really solidified the series and drew a lot of items together and showed us what this show is not only all about, but going to be all about. Let me draw out a few themes. It is obvious that the mud that Nucky drags into his domicile is symbolic. The symbolism just drives home the point the series has been asking all along: can Nucky have his feet in two worlds at once? And this week, the answer seems plainly to be: no. We see this playing out in a variety of ways.

We have a variety of overlapping networks or systems of dominance. We can see this in a few choice scenes and pieces of dialogue. Foremost is Nucky’s elaboration of Jimmy’s history: he “used to do everything right.” When Jimmy asked Nucky how one becomes president, Nucky’s reply was: see the world, get in a lot of hard work, and study. Jimmy’s response: “Gee, that’s all?” Then, we see that Jimmy–the pinnacle of potential accomplishment–decides to serve his country and is irrevocably altered (a point he himself recognizes). Similarly, we see that Nelson van Alden, for all of his puritanical goodness is willing to circumvent the law whenever it helps him achieve his greater purpose. Throughout, we see that everyone–even Nucky–is just part of elaborate networks of dominance. In Nucky’s case it is a criss-crossing path of something like hedonism (“Whatever makes you happy”), power (“Not in an election year”), and the past. This last point requires some qualification. It’s obvious that Nucky’s principles–if we can call them such–are hardly, well, principled–they seem, rather, to rely on some sort of sense of the past. He feels a duty to Jimmy’s mom, he feels a duty to the memory of his dead wife, and so forth. We see, however, that when it comes to principles, Nucky is essentially willing to bend all in service of these three networks. Van Alden on the other hand is committed to some sort of strange fundamentalism, which is as oppressive as anything else (his conversation, or lack thereof, with his wife–as well as his “letter” to her last week is just another illustration of this theme). Jimmy is the most palpable example of this as he gets sucked in between a variety of these networks: the US military machine, his family (neither his relationship to his mother nor his relationship to his wife feel genuine as illustrated by his lack of anything beyond some basic material care for them), the criminal underground, the law, and so forth. In the same way, when the French Madam states to Ms. Schroeder that she is to be “seen, but not heard,” we should take this as a reference  to the way in which individuals appear in Nucky’s world. (This, in turn, is neatly illustrated by his ultimate interaction with Chalky White…it’s almost as if both men relinquish who they are to…what? Money? Something like the system. Neither one of them is really happy with the situation, nor is either one of them that committed to what’s going since neither one of them seems happy in general.)

Everything seems to be–as Jimmy points out–done in the name of progress. These networks make up the America of Boardwalk Empire, and one reason the show is thus far so effective is because these are the same networks that we feel defining us and impinging on ourselves. The key is they  are all interlaced–creeping even into the future. This is what I take to be the import of Nucky’s contribution to the “baby incubators” project: the very future itself will be as defined (and as tainted) by the deeds (and misdeeds) of the present.

In conclusion, I want to pose a question about Jimmy’s reading material. He is reading Sinclair Lewis’s Free Air on the train. This is striking for several reasons. First, there is the irony of reading this book–the arguably the first “car road trip” book–on the train. Second, however, is that it may be suggesting that Jimmy is turning his back on his prior dream (of wanting all of the lavishness that we’ve seen thus far)…that is certainly a theme of the book (a disregard for “elitism”). In this sense, thirdly, it will be interesting to see how this plays out: will Jimmy reinterpret his move to Chicago as a willful action? If so, this will give us an interesting read on the various networks I’ve layed out and will show us a potential way of navigating through them with something like an “authentic” (or at least “chosen”) decision.

I am very excited to see what happens this week…

Best,

Martin

Episode 2: The Ivory Tower

So, what’s going to happen on this week’s episode?

It seems that after two weeks, the big question is still on what sort of person Nucky is and whether you can be half a gangster. The stress in last episode seems to have been precisely the sorts of issues I pushed in the last writeup: we see, in relation to the Commodore, that Nucky is not a particularly cruel man…but we see also in relation to Jimmy that he can be vengeful, as he takes the $3000 which means so much to Jimmy and shows how little it means–in the grand scheme of things–to him.

What was most interesting to me, however, was the exchange between Nucky and Schroeder. Her George Sand quote follows the theme that seems to be emerging on this show: Nucky takes himself to be doing good, and presumably, this helps justify his various nefarious dealings in his own mind, but as she aptly points out: charity often demeans those who receive it, and harden those who give it. The relationship between Schroeder and Nucky, however, seems vastly different than the one between Nucky and Van Alden, who is unwilling to enter into any sort of arrangement with Nucky. I find this interesting and am curious to see how these two poles play out in the upcoming episode. Thus far, Van Alden seems consumed by the job and entirely unable to compromise–this seems interesting since we all know how the Prohibition story ends (i.e. with repeal, and so with the collapse of that legal paradigm). It will be interesting to see the Van Alden character’s story arc, as well as its relation to Nucky, but also as well as the parallels between that arc and the arc that will inevitably take place between Schroeder and Nucky.

I am curious, of course, to see how Jimmy fares and, as everyone is, I am curious to see how Rothstein handles the slight against him.

Aside from these “micro” issues, I am curious to see how the broader “macro” issue about politics play out. The Commodore’s argument against Nucky’s claim that a “vote is a vote,” can either be seen as a deeply malicious act, akin to the program of the KKK (as it is read here), or it can be seen as a more complex argument about the state of American democracy: that a vote has never been a vote in this country…that not only are votes continually manipulated or even bought/sold, but that they are already always compromised by the particular, unfortunate American historical situation (namely one of slavery, anti-Semitism, bigotry, racism, misogyny, imperialism, and class struggle). If this is the case, then Boardwalk Empire seems to be presenting a powerful, albeit depressing critique of American politics and all without even a hint of a possible upshot.

Looking forward to tonight’s episode!

Best,

Martin

Episode 1: Boardwalk Empire

“You can’t be a half a gangster.”

– Jimmy Darmody

Well, we have that…but not much of an empire…yet. How thrilling was it to see Capone? Luciano? Rothstein? These American legends (whether justifiably or not) brought to the screen with Martin Scorsese’s flair for detail and subtlety was a work of wonder to behold. In the same vein, I particularly enjoyed the claustrophobic way that he shot the FBI hiring scenes.

So what’s going? First, we are introduced to Enoch “Nucky” Thompson. Buscemi really nails this one as a peculiar mix of action, ideals, ambition, indolence, and care. What will be most interesting to see in the episode coming up in a few hours is how his relationship to Margaret Schroeder unfolds. We don’t know, as of yet, how much of what he said about his wife is true, but we do seem to notice that a certain level of care seems to exist on his part for Margaret–whether it originates in guilt (for her losing her child) or in genuine care (or perhaps there is not much difference) remains to be determined.

Also, obviously, we want to see how the Jimmy Darmody plot line unfolds. Darmody, incidentally, is the perfect counterpart to Buscemi, acting-wise. Carrying the same interesting mixture of power and fragility, ambition and indolence, he presents–as of now it seems–an younger version of Nucky. We don’t, of course, know whether he is working with the government, to what extent he is loyal to Nucky, and what his ultimate goals are.

I want to focus on his claim that: “You can’t be a half a gangster.” Certainly that doesn’t seem to be the case with our present day politicians, but maybe this will provide an added level of interest to the show: was being half a gangster harder during the 1920s? If so, why? The implication presumably is that somehow pretenses have to be maintained (whereas so much of modern politics seems to do away with premise)…yet the premise of much of classical political philosophy (think, e.g., Machiavelli) has been precisely that one can be half a gangster. Or is the argument, perhaps, not that Nucki can’t be half a gangster in the sense that he can have one foot in the criminal world and one foot in the normal (perhaps even moral one), as the quote seems to first imply, but rather that one can’t properly inhabit the normal (or, again, perhaps moral, or here: world of care) if one inhabits the criminal world. Hence, Jimmy’s point that he is a murderer: not that you can’t fake being a normal person to others, but that you can’t fake it to yourself–and so, Jimmy is presenting a sort of spiritual dilemma to Nucky. If so, then it will be interesting to see where this goes…

Excited for the upcoming episode,

Martin

Episode 0:

…I sure hope so!

Hello friends, this is Martin, back by the generosity of our favorite gals at the Moth Chase, this time around bringing my inane ramblings to HBO’s upcoming Boardwalk Empire. In conjunction with the Moth Chase, I am trying something new this time around. I will be blogging every week before the show airs…so I’ll be analyzing the prior week’s episode, while commenting on thoughts for the shortly upcoming episode. This in part has to do with trying something new creatively, but also with having a difficult Monday and Tuesday schedule, and figuring that publishing about a Sunday show on Wednesday would be no fun. So, generally, check back here on Sunday for a blog post about the show. I will do my best not to disappoint.

Since, however, nothing has yet aired. Let me say a few words about why this show promises to be absolutely stunning.

First, Martin Scorsese. We know that Scorses has been involved with the series since the beginning. And we know that the look and feel of the show owes itself to Scorsese (with future director’s emulating his design) and that Scorsese hopes to be involved with the show to come. I don’t think I need to say why Scorsese is awesome (Kundun was still awesome, so don’t try to go there!), but in case you’ve forgotten: this is about 1920s Atlantic City and Scorsese just fits.

Second, Steve Buscemi. What more do I need to say? We love him as a supporting actor and here he seems to take the lead…I suspect this can only be a good thing. Buscemi brings an authenticity and vitality to any role he touches and this should prove to be no exception.

Third, Michael K. Williams. This name may not mean anything to you, but all I have to do is say “Omar Little” and you know exactly what I’m talking about. Omar is an absolutely epic and legendary character, and that had as much to do with Williams’s acting as it did with the writing on The Wire. He is set to play Chalky White…the “unofficial” mayor of Chickenbone Beach. I have high hopes and I’m sure he won’t disappoint.

Fourth, Terence Winter. We all know how much of a disappointment the finale of Sopranos was (sorry if you thought it was good–it wasn’t.) But that’s not Winter’s fault. He helped write this show and we all know that Sopranos, when it was “on,” it was on. I’m excited to see him to his work here.

Fifth, as much as I hate to give a shout out to corporations…HBO continually puts out some of the best shows on television (The Wire, Deadwood, Sopranos, Ali G, Treme, True Blood, etc., etc.) and I am sure this won’t disappoint.

So, join me next week as we commence this whole shindig properly. In the meantime, I leave you with some German philosophy…let us hope that Adorno’s maxim that “every work of art is an uncommitted crime” rings true in the case of this series and it is able to explicitly or implicitly, intentionally or unintentionally, shed light on the peculiarly destructive amalgamation of capitalism and corporatism that we presently find ourselves in.

Best,

Martin