IMHO, Boardwalk Empire is every bit as good as "The Sopranos."

[pepperbear]

The fact that it takes place at the dawn of one of the strangest decades in history makes it even more appealing. The Magritte-inspired title sequence is very cool. Rather than use a song from the period, they use a full-on indie garage track by a band called The Brian Jonestown Massacre. The production design is incredible, the performances are nuanced, the costumes are fab, and the sound, writing, and direction are all top notch.

A+!

[Mimosa]

1. I agree. n/t

[tularetom]

2. I watched the first episode and it was kind of a snoozer

So I bailed on it. After all the hype I was disappointed.

Since then everything I've heard makes me sorry I didn't keep watching.

[4lbs]

11. The first episode of the Sopranos was that way too.

[RZM]

3. It's really very good. Definitely my favorite show right now n/t

[eleny]

4. Never miss an episode

I like the homage to Magritte, too. And I'm glad that Steve Buscemi got such a major role. He has an understated acting style that works in BE. Even some of his surprised responses to things that are said in numerous scenes are so understated that I lol.

This is a series that I'll watch a second time all the way through as it's available.

[CatWoman]

13. Nucky kicks ass

:hi:

[JustAnotherGen]

5. I think

It blows the Sopranos away! And I really liked that show . . . And I just love the scenes of the shore from that long ago.

[enlightenment]

6. I agree.

The first episode didn't grab me much, but I tried it again and was hooked. Fabulous production values and fantastic performances.

I'm also looking forward to Game of Thrones in the spring; it should be spectacular (in the real sense of the word)!

[hlthe2b]

7. It's a little slow .... and the characters are harder to relate to..

(i.e., develop any kind of "attachment" to). I do like period pieces, though and the acting is good. I have seen about the first four or five episodes and will stick with it.

[eleny]

8. I wonder if that's the point

I hadn't thought about your type of reaction to the people before. But come to think of it I don't feel any attachment to any of the characters. As time goes by, people I thought I might like turn out to be corrupt and that's the least of it.

This far into the series I guess I feel like we're just watching them live through the period. I'm reading the book, Teapot Dome Scandal by Laton McCartney. I don't like a single figure involved but I'm completely fascinated by the entire mess and everyone involved. It's kind of the same with Boardwalk Empire.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

9. I was indifferent to the Sopranos, but I love Boardwalk Empire

With the exception of the movie "City Hall" the where NYC politician Donald Manes was dramatized by Danny Aiello as Frank Anselmo the "Party Boss" has never really been well portrayed before.

[pacalo]

10. We love it! It also illustrates that only the Mafia types get rich/get richer

whenever a high-in-demand product such as alcohol is outlawed, serving a good argument for the debate on legalization of marijuana. Prices go sky-high when it's prohibited & the distributors make the most money & are able to control/influence the powers-that-be. Subsequently, it creates crime that only multiplies & escalates.

Lots of characters are actual historical figures, too. The main character, plus Al Capone & Lucky Luciano as young men starting out.

[lazarus]

12. easily as good

the production design is so good it's scary. The music is great (love hearing the ragtime, especially, and Sophie Tucker was a nice touch).

The plotting is coming along nicely, too. I was interested to see how they were going to resolve the Jimmy situation vis a vis Lucky Luciano and the Feds. They fixed the Fed issue smoothly. We'll have to see regarding Luciano. Rothstein still wants Jimmy dead, but we know he and Luciano lived well past this period, and Jimmy's a main character, so he's not going anywhere.

I'm kind of bored with Jimmy's wife's subplot, to be honest. Glad that's over, as icky as it was. (No, not icky for the bisexual stuff, but the forced threeway that was about to happen, and the bit about being used and led down the primrose path regarding her art.)

[CatWoman]

14. all good points, Laz

:hi:

I think it's very slick - the costumes, the characters, the attention to detail.

One thing I didn't know: premature babies were actually "sideshow attractions"???? :wow:

[lazarus]

17. they were, really and truly

It was how they paid for the care of preemies. Before the sideshow aspect, you'd just take it home, keep it near the stove bundled up, and pray. Most of them didn't make it. Most people couldn't afford the hospital stay required to take care of a preemie, so societies were set up that would take care of them, paid for by donations largely through fund raisers and at the boardwalk displays.

[ZombieHorde]

15. Sunday night is Boardwalk Empire, The Walking Dead, and Dexter.

Some nights we only have time for two of them though.

[Tunkamerica]

16. Don't forget 'bored to death' and 'eastbound and down'.

I just watched The Walking dead the other night. 'Pleasantly surprised' is the phrase that comes to mind.

[jonnyblitz]

18. I saw the Brian Jonestown Massacre at Webster Hall in NYC

this past summer. I have been a fan for quite some time.