Episode Title: “The Emerald City”
Writer: Lawrence Konner
Director: Simon Cellan-Jones
Previously On "Boardwalk Empire":
Jimmy returned to Atlantic City but Angela’s welcoming was less than warm. After he and his mother set-up Lucky Luciano, Van Alden interceded and arrested both Jimmy and Lucky. Back at the office, he pressed Jimmy to confess to his involvement in Hans Schroeder’s death but he wouldn’t talk. Van Alden told Jimmy about the deal he made with Billy Winslow for his testimony. But when Nucky got wind of it, he presumably made a deal of his own with Agent Sebso to take out Winslow while transporting him to a safer holding location.
At the urging of Madame Jeunet, Margaret convinced Nucky to lighten up on her business fees. Facing a potentially threatening democratic mayoral candidate, Nucky recruited construction company owner, Edward Bayder to run on the Republican ticket. Later that night, as he and Margaret are strolled the boardwalk, Arnold Rothstein’s men made an attempt on his life, but Kessler pushed Nucky out of harm’s way, leaving an innocent bystander to take the bullet.
Story:
Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) is dreaming of better times. With his face intact, he follows a beautiful young woman across a beach. But the serenity is only momentary. The woman runs towards him and them screams in horror as Richard, asleep in the living room, awakens to the shrieking of Margaret Schroeder’s daughter, Emily (Lucy Gallina).
Margaret (Kelly Macdonald) and Nucky (Steve Buscemi) attend to the little girl, terrified by Harrow’s disfigured face. Nucky asks him to keep the mask on as Margaret ushers the children out of the parlor. At the office, Sebso (Erik Weiner) tells his tale of Billy Winslow’s attack to Van Alden (Michael Shannon) and their boss. They buy the story but Van Alden takes the blame for the incident and Sebso gets to take a week’s vacation.
In the Darmody household, Angela (Aleksa Palladino) takes a break from her afternoon painting session to have sex with Jimmy (Michael Pitt) on a desk while back in New York, Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg) tears into Doyle (Paul Sparks) and his crew for botching the hit on Nucky.
Out in Chicago, Torrio (Greg Antonacci) reprimands Al Capone (Stephen Graham) after he plays a practical joke on his boss in the middle of a meeting. Meanwhile, Doyle shows up at Nucky’s to spills on Rothstein’s plans to take over bootlegging in AC. Nucky arranges a meeting with Chalky (Michael Kenneth Williams) and Doyle where they hatch a scheme to lure Rothstein’s men out to AC with the offer of a lucrative business deal with Chalky.
Later that night, Margaret has a change of heart about Richard Harrow and invites him to sit with her and the children while she reads to them from “The Wizard of Oz.” Harrow tells the children he’s the Tin Woodsman and they soon warm up to him as well.
Margaret and Nucky toast the passing of women’s emancipation and Nucky asks Margaret to speak on behalf of mayoral candidate Edward Bayder at the League of Women Voters’ luncheon. When she questions Bayder’s qualifications, Nucky only pressures her more.
Out on the boardwalk, the Darmody family’s pleasant afternoon stroll turns violent when Jimmy’s son points out “mommy’s kissing friend,” in a photo in the portrait studio window, inciting Jimmy to take a baseball to Angela’s friend, Robert. Unable to shake his obsession with Margaret Schroeder, Van Alden shows up at her home, preaching fire and brimstone. Margaret sends him away but is clearly shaken by his words.
At an associates’ son’s Bar Mitzvah, Al Capone comes to realize his childish ways. Soon after, he makes amends with Torrio, promising to stay in line. Margaret agrees to speak at the luncheon and delivers a glowing introduction of Bayder to the league but it’s clear Van Alden’s warning is still weighing on her mind as she watches Nucky rub elbows from afar.
Angela stops by the portrait studio to apologize for Robert’s beating when Mary (Lisa Joyce) proposes they leave their husbands and run off to Paris. Angela, tearful and frightened, tentatively agrees. Margaret and Richard have a heart to heart in the parlor after she apologizes for mistreating him. Richard tells her that even he has a hard time remembering what his face used to look like, which resonates with Margaret after Van Alden’s visit.
A dejected Van Alden stops by a speakeasy for a drink and spots Lucy Dazinger (Paz de la Huerta) sitting alone. He takes a seat at her table, which leads to sex later that night, after which Van Alden seems even more distraught.
Nucky arrives at Chalky’s, where Meyer Lansky (Anatol Yusef) and two other Rothstein thugs are tied up, including Nucky’s shooter. When the pair starts mouthing off, one takes a bullet in the head from Jimmy while Chalky strangles the other with his bare hands. Nucky sends Meyer Lansky on his way, with the order to tell Rothstein what went down.
After returning home from Chalky’s, Nucky finds Margaret lying awake in bed. He commends her on the speech at the luncheon and heads to the bathroom to wash up. Margaret gets out of bed and stands before her mirror, recalling Richard Harrow’s words from earlier in the day.
Breakdown:
As we head into the final episodes of the season, “Boardwalk Empire” just gets better and better. As I said last week, the supporting characters on this series largely overshadow its lead, Steve Buscemi.
If there were an Emmy for “Best Performance in a Creepy Supporting Role,” Michael Shannon would be a shoe-in for his portrayal of Nelson Van Alden.
“Emerald City” was Van Alden’s shinning hour. His disturbing visit with Margaret Schroeder, in which he asks her if she recognizes the Ellis Island portrait he’s been staring at every night, was enjoyably uncomfortable to watch. And the evening at the speakeasy with Lucy gave us yet another unsettling look at Van Alden’s dark neurosis.
Al Capone’s revelation at the Bar Mitzvah was his own coming of age. The wisecracking wise guy became a man at that moment and I can’t wait to see him come into his own with Torrio.
As for Nucky, he continues to be the least dynamic character on “Boardwalk Empire.” Rather, he sets in motion the actions of the other, much more interesting players. After the shooting on the boardwalk, which involved an innocent bystander, I thought we might see a show of heart from the man who runs it. But like in so many other cases, Nucky remained unaffected. Even his arch nemesis and hard-hearted mob boss himself, Arnold Rothstein, showed some concern over involving innocent people in the hit.
As for the Darmodys, Jimmy’s vicious attack on Robert finally forced Angela’s hand. Will she run off with Mary to Paris? I have a feeling the season finale will see them setting sail for a better life abroad or facing a tragic end en route to such escape.
Seeing Richard Harrow form a bond with the Schroeder children, who at first see him as a monster, was heartwarming. Margaret’s initial reaction to his presence in the house exposed her increasing detachment from humanity. So far, she’s been able to catch herself when she slips but as her awareness of Nucky’s world grows, she faces a crossroad, which we saw at episode’s end. The yellow brick road Nucky has taken her down is not paved with good intentions. How far down she’ll go remains to be seen.
Crave Online Rating: 9 out of 10.
