Boardwalk Empire Premiere (review by Anabelle)

On Wednesday September 21st, Hummingbird604 and a bunch of other bloggers and influencers were invited to a premiere presentation of the first episode of the new season of Boardwalk Empire, an amazing HBO production set in prohibition-era Atlantic City. The premiere also involved some yummy cocktails by Canadian Club mixologists (you’d never know it wasn’t vodka in that Manhattan!), to honor the role of the Canadian-made whisky in the alcohol black market of the prohibition era. All the Hummingbird604.com team (e.g. Anabelle, Jessica and Raul) attended the event.

Starring Steve Buscemi and an amazing support cast, the first season of the show developed deep and complex characters, an intricate plot involving politics, crime, racial unrest, post-War American society and, of course, love.

Watch a recap of season 1 on HBO Canada.

So on to the actual episode: don’t be fooled by the hopeful ending of season 1. There’s a lot of misplaced optimism that crumbles down by the end of the episode.

The relationship between Nucky and Margaret has become strained–will she eventually betray him? I love how the show explores her moral life and how she struggles to accept Nucky’s money against strong beliefs, only for the good of her children.

Richard Harrow (the man in the mask) has become my favourite character. The sadness of his life is overwhelming and I cringe at the thought that his wish for a family (that he fulfills through Jimmy’s own) will be dashed against the obvious upcoming failure of Jimmy’s marriage. How will he cope?

Another fascinating moral dilemma happens with Nelson as well–how can he combine his zealous hatred of sin and the fact that he fathered a child with a prostitute?

Boardwalk Empire happens at a fascinating period of history of abundance and excess, zealous religious belief, racial strife and political upheaval. The writers have done an amazing job of displaying the varying positions and moral compromises of the characters in the first season; season 2 opens with a hint of the consequences these moral compromises will bring on the different characters.

Tune in on Sundays at 9PM on Movie Central (in Canada) or HBO (in the US) for the new season. We’ll certainly be watching and reviewing once in a while!

Disclaimer: HBO Canada graciously invited Hummingbird604.com to the premiere of Boardwalk Empire season 2. We were not otherwise paid or expected to write a review but we were asked to wait until the episode had been broadcasted before publishing the review (which is fair). As always, Raul maintains editorial control on all the content. Anabelle took the lead on the review of the episode.

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