I don't feel bad for Margaret. I love that she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar, and is finally dealing with people who see right through her "dumb blonde" act. And the Joe Kennedy/Nucky juxtaposition is surprisingly similar. Kennedy sees Nucky for exactly who and what he is. I like how they've portrayed Kennedy as the perfect power player who stays within the letter of the law while being a total crook. He's gone the route Nucky should have gone, based on who he was as a child. And I think that's the story the flashbacks are telling. How Nucky went from a good boy with upstanding values and principles to the man he ultimately becomes. I'm curious to see how Chalky's story unfolds.
at the Carolyn Rothstein seeing through her act! Was telling Arthur how much I LOVED Carolyn. How she cut Margaret short and stopped her bullshitting! Hah, it took another determined woman to do that. And I have to admit that I liked how Joe/Nucky faceoff went but I was left wondering who really is the bigger crook. Because Nucky at least owns up to it. Also, will check ion the regulations of Wall Street back in the 30's because Joe made a positively intriguing statement about rigging the stakes and two seconds later mentioned that he did it within the letter of the law.
Joe Kennedy was a bootlegger who's involvement has been politically silenced. Who would want our golden boy JFK to branch from such a notorious, to use the parlance of Mrs. Rothsein,family tree?
-- Edited by Rygar on Monday 22nd of September 2014 05:40:36 PM
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"If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt." - Dean Martin
I don't know about that, Ry. I always thought that was a rumor and his money was mostly from real estate.
But I know for a fact he did make a profit with the market crash, while all the rest were wiped out, which is why I was so interested about his remark. Bet I won't be able to find anything though.
Is Van Alden buying the farm??? Al looks like is threatening to shoot him, then changes his psychotic mind, starts laughing like a madman... yet at the end he definitely chops someone! I'm thinking he does. It is pretty close to the finale, at some point Big Deaths need to happen!
- Van Alden/Al Capone/ Lucky Luciano. Van Alden held strong and got out alive but one of Al's men now knows he was a Prohib agent! It's not over yet for him. Anyway, I loved all of it. "Is that a dildo?" nope just he future murder weapon! Little details. - Margaret/Nucky: I never particularly warmed up to her but Margaret drunk was fun. - Tampa Lady died :( I cannot believe it. Out of all the characters that COULD have lived by the end of the series! And she's not making it. - I liked the flashbacks. Nucky showing little Eli the inside bathroom was heartbreaking. Never mind the dinner where he sees what "normal family" looks like. I like the sheriff even though he's in the Commodore's pocket.
Super curious what makes Al stick with Nucky versus Maranzano? Unless he really hates Sicilians like he said.
EDIT: Remembered something else: Was that it for Joe Kennedy?!
-- Edited by TormundsWoman on Sunday 28th of September 2014 10:26:57 PM
Van Alden was fantastic! I love that guy, and I hope his past doesn't get him killed. He always leaves me wanting to see more.
As for Sally, I really disliked the character. I don't know if it's because of how Patricia Arquette portrayed her or how the role was written. There was something unnatural and forced about her that drove me nuts. So I'm glad she's gone.
Is it weird that I've gotten attached to the little boy Nucky? Seeing him protecting and guiding his brother makes it almost painful to think about how Eli ended up betraying Nucky over and over. I was so annoyed by the flashbacks at first, but they bring a vulnerability and sweetness to Nucky's character without him having to bare his soul in the "present." And I'm not sure how much viewers would empathize with Nucky if he did. It seems like a redemption arc, but I guess it's not quite that. It's an arc that brings Nucky's motivations and actions into focus.
Nucky and Margaret are sweet. I loved their not fight, and her sudden outbursts. Their scenes together were so good that I didn't want her to go back to NYC!
The only disappointment this week was the absence of Chalky. They need to connect that storyline to the others pronto.
Basi, I'm not sure it would come natural for Nucky to bare his soul and these flashbacks somehow now make sense. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the Tampa lady. I positively found her perfect for Nucky, just as ambitious and direct as him and in sync That would be my OTP for this series
I'm thinking that Maranzano buys it!!! By the look of this Nucky goes to Maranzano to warn him and the restaurant gets attacked by Luciano's men. And that phone call at the end of the promo makes me think Nucky threatens Lucky directly. He has blood splattered on the side of his face. It's will be good
EDIT: using spoilers seems late now But I see Jent has joined the party!!!
-- Edited by TormundsWoman on Sunday 5th of October 2014 10:06:04 AM
I'm sorry Ry for highfive-ing myself (it's sounds like bragging I know! and such in bad taste probably), but I was super excited. I actually typed that Torrio was in with Luciano and Lansky before the whole thing went down. I called it and 15 min later it happened.
And now that I'm here I'll add some one line thoughts on it:
Doc Cotton seems to like taking things out of patients. I am afraid for Gillian.
Talk about seeing ghosts: Chalky meeting his former lover (forgot her name) when trying to find and kill Narcisse! I am interested to see if that child is Chalky's. Because it looked like it could be.
TAX EVASION! I absolutely loved Van Alden and Eli. The "accidental" banging of his wife and how Nelson asks him: "you mean like a street car hitting a horse accident?"
Finally we met Mabel or at least the younger version. I always got the feeling (at least in the first season) that Nucky never quite got over her death.
EDIT: for the life of me I cannot remember- did we get confirmation Maranzano was killed?!
-- Edited by TormundsWoman on Sunday 5th of October 2014 10:36:21 PM
HOLY CRAP!!!! Did ANYONE see this?! I don't know what to do, and how to even feel! OMG I feel like I've been knocked over the head with something!
I can't even process the whole thing. I was absolutely sure shit is going down but I expected Narcisse to put Chalky on Luciano! NOT THIS!!! I hope Lucky finishes Narcisse.
Van Alden lost it. LOST IT. The actor was freaking AMAZING. I positively adored the whole Chicago storyline. I laughed at how bad the menacing duo plotted the ledger affair. Caught Ralfie with his pants down LITERALLY! Then Eli invents the most ridiculous story ever. They were trying to rob Al Capone and it all goes downhill.
Not liking the Nucky part so much. But Mickey doing a Paul Revere was hilarious.
Don't know about Bugs Moran taking out Narcisse.. Al wasn't warming up to Luciano's offer originally, so I don't see how the good doctor in Harlem can be killed by the Chicago North Side gangsta. Maybe you talking about a different Bugsy?
After my initial reservations, I love the flashbacks and how they're intertwining the past and the present to tell a powerful story. And I like that they're winding up some lesser story lines now, so they can focus on the big ones in the last episodes. The endings for Van Alden and Chalky couldn't have been more perfect. The folks who figured out where to take the story this season are brilliant. I'm looking forward to the final episodes more than I've looked forward to anything on tv in a long time.
That episode! And isn't this meant to be no spoilers? Why aren't we using the other thread for spoiler shit?
Never mind. Finally caught up. Season 5 has been the best so far, I think. They just ended two storylines in a bang (well, two bangs) in episode 6. Chalky's end was good, but I kind of wish that shitbag Narcisse still has it coming. On Nelson's death, it will be worth it if his sacrifice ends up bringing down Capone (which it looks like it will). I hope they give him some credit in later episodes rather than forgetting he exists. Maybe some closure on his annoying wife and his kids. And I'm hoping Eli returns to Nucky now to get some closure on their relationship. Then there's Margaret and the gangsters in New York which I'm sure the show will get to in the end.
On the flashbacks, they are interesting but I sincerely hope that there's a point. That in the end it would all seem worth it. Because they're taking up a LOT of screentime and we only have 8 episodes this season anyway (which isn't enough IMO). I'm betting the last scene of the show will be in one of these flashbacks.
EDIT: and I'm hoping Gilian will do something to justify her plotline. I think she has been the show's baggage for the last three seasons, as if they're onLy giving her scenes because the character isn't dead. Maybe she'll be the one to take down Nucky.
-- Edited by jentario on Tuesday 14th of October 2014 12:16:56 PM
Jent! Don't bust my ovaries with spoilers now! It's like two eps from the finale!
I like your Gillian edit idea. I think you could totally be up to something there, because she features in his flashbacks. Eli too. Or maybe there's nothing...
Basi, I also think the way it is written this season is pretty awesome. You'd never think that it was difficult to fit everyone in! I think this must be one of the best series I've seen.
Very curious to see the documentary short they'll run in Oct 20 th "A look back" or something like that.
They are giving us Gillian's arc because her downward spiral is the result of Nucky's decision to "get ahead" by presenting her to the Commodore. As much as I hate Gillian, its really tragic and I am not looking forward to her subjugation on screen, if they go that route.
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"If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt." - Dean Martin
It's interesting how Gillian showed up in the flashbacks, so I think you're onto something. I can see how she might hold Nucky responsible for all the bad outcomes in her life, starting with the Commodore raping her and ending in her arrest. There isn't really another place where she fits into the overall story at this point except as the person who takes down Nucky.
I love the actress and her performance but I loathed the character. I would like to think that Nucky gets word of her and decides to get her out of that Hell Hole in a last act of redemption/apology. I would like to think that.
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"If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt." - Dean Martin
I have to say that I was confused about Gillian showing up in the flashbacks. Wasn't she supposed to be seen by the Commodore and Nucky randomly and the Commodore wanted Nucky to bring her in?
No one said anything before about Nucky and Gillian meeting up before. Which makes me think Nucky will have to feel responsible and doubly guilty for providing her to that pedofile. Makes sense he'd always afterwards try to watch out for her and her boy, though.. Jeez, look how that ended!
Really Ry? She's been a drag on this season, but I've liked Gillian's character for the most part. Do you think she'll escape and come after Nucky?
She appeared like twice this season, so I don't think she dragged. She DID drag in seasons 3 and 4 though. I'm hoping she has a role to play in these last two episodes that will justify keeping her on screen when she could have pulled a Margaret and disappeared for half a season. Speaking of Margaret, I hope she and Nucky will get together again before it's over (but that's probably not happening).
I hope so because I see at 0:15 someone's bloody hands smear a door glass that looks a lot like a sanatorium door. And Gillian later on in the preview is turning around very scared from a door. So I'm betting she gets it. Also Eli's son is a goner too if you ask me. Big Deaths are coming!
Well, I have to say I hate the Esquire mag. Who the hell do they think they are?! What the hell do they know? They can swim at the bottom of the ocean for all I care.
Flashbacks start to make sense and come together: Gillian and Nucky, Nucky and his making his way into the world but at what price.
I love Mabel. I think she was a balance for Nucky and now I know why he always seemed to be off balance when her name popped up. She was a good woman and by the looks of it a good wife.
Hated how easy Nucky took the part Lindsay refused to do for the Commodore. I suppose no matter how much crap you think a person can close his eyes to, there's always a limit. Pedophelia was is for the former Sheriff. I am though curious at Nucky's reaction when it will be Gillian the little girl that he needs to escort out of the Commodore's house.
It was bad for Nucky. I had never thought it could go quite so wrong for him. RIP Archimedes and Mickey. I mean how on earth Mickey lived so long is beyond me but now I was sure he'll die of old age!
As far as the pace goes, I found it a bit slower than last week's ep. but I suspect it is because we'll get a strong finale. I wonder if Nucky truly will let Atlantic City go. I am expecting something from Chicago.
Funny parts: All of Bugsy Siegel. I lol-ed at his singing the bawdy song with "petting his girlfriend's pussy" and doubled over at how the ransom phone call went. Broadwalk definitely has some black humor moments.
Great episode (not as good as the last one, though).
So looks like Nucky will help Gillian rather than her killing him or something. I'm guessing next week's flashbacks will be Gillian getting Commodored and then giving birth to baby Jimmy at the same time as Mable losing hers.
And I hope we get some closure on Margaret. Her dying would be odd, though.
I really liked that one. Man oh man, seeing Charlie and Meyer looking down on Nucky was intense. Our boys are all grown up and ready to rule the world.
Yep TW, its a redemption arc for Nucky. I'm not sure how they will finish the flashbacks. I dont like the parallel of Nucky losing his child (son?) at the same time Gillian conceives Jimmy.
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"If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt." - Dean Martin
Fabulous episode. It was slower than last week, but that was a hard act to follow while setting up for the finale. I'm glad Mickey finally got his due. And I loved the misuse of the IRS to kill Manzanaro. I'm looking forward to seeing how the series wraps up.
Kind of disappointed. It was good, but not epic. I liked the kid turning out to be Darmody's son, but not the ending. And they wrapped up Capone beautifully.
-- Edited by Black as Snow on Monday 27th of October 2014 09:56:59 AM