Ive never been so grateful for a batshit sex scene between Steve Buscemi and Patricia Arquette in all my life.
And who couldve predicted it would be Boardwalk Empire, rather than Sleepy Hollow, that brought on the bonkers this week? But boy, did we need that wrestling-match foreplay in order to enjoy a sweet release from the lugubrious nature of The North Star. It was a pretty depressing episode, more so than last weeks, and that featured a suicide! Eddie Kesslers death hung over every scene like a wet blanket, reminding not just the viewers, but the characters as well, that there is no way the loyal German manservant will be forgotten anytime soon. The long-awaited return of Kelly Macdonalds Margaret was both tedious and anti-climactic, making me wonder if even the writers have no clue what to do with her now that she and Nucky are no longer a couple. And to top it off, Julia Sagorskys father, Paul, made his first Season Four appearance only to announce that hes dying of cirrhosis. Chalky may not have liked Daughter Maitlands melancholy song choice of St. Louis Blues for her Onyx Club performance, but damn if it wasnt a fitting tune for the occasion.
Relive the Worst Acts of Betrayal on Boardwalk Empire
The episode opened with an awkward reunion between Mr. and Mrs. Thompson in New Yorks Penn(sylvania) Station, just before Nucky headed down to Tampa to move forward with his land deal. The scene seemed forced, as if the writers were desperate to find a way to shoehorn Margaret back into the story. Nucky invited her to breakfast so he could break the news of Eddies death, most likely because he was seeking comfort, but all he (and we) got was a brief, cagey rundown of the Irish immigrants life these days: Shes dressing much more simply, she lives with her brother Eamonn in Brooklyn, she works in an office downtown, the children are doing well and she enjoys going to the pictures once a week. Her cold demeanor suggests that even Nuckys reappearance to inform her that an old acquaintance has died is an infringement on her now-stable, crime-free existence. Its still unclear if these two are officially divorced, but whats certain is Margaret doesnt want Nucky knowing where she works, piquing our interest at least somewhat.
Margaret bows out of the episode just as quickly as she re-emerged, taking Nuckys belated birthday gift for Teddy and sending her estranged husband off to the wilds of Florida and the arms of Sally Wheet, who may not offer compassion and sympathy, but at least shes got booze and can throw a mean punch. Over an evening of alligator fights and much questionable battery-acid-tasting liquor, Nucky starts babbling a stream of consciousness to Sally. Hes uncertain about the land deal, he wants to build something, oh, and he just lost someone special (He lived for me, Nucky laments), blah, blah, blah. And thats when Sally, drunk and bored with his whining, proceeds to a) fulfill every audience members wish and b) engage Nucky in the aforementioned batshit foreplay she strikes him in the nose, twice! Nucky abandons his whole I wont hit a woman rule and wallops her right in the kisser, which, naturally, devolves into a stormy night of impassioned lovemaking, their moans muffled by the sound of thunder. Maybe it was the alligator moonshine, maybe it was spending the night with a woman who doesnt fear him, but all we know is the next morning, Nuckys got a new lease on life. He announces to partners Meyer Lansky and Bill McCoy that Ms. Wheet will be handling his affairs regarding the land deal going forward. And it looks like Sallys punches knocked the grief out of him too: When Lansky offers his condolences regarding Eddie, Nucky responds curtly, That all happened somewhere else.
Too bad Agent Warren Knox doesnt have a lady and a jug of booze to help him forget Eddie. Now that hes lost his sole informant as well as J. Edgar Hoovers trust he makes one last go at proving that Nucky Thompson operates a nationwide network of organized criminals by going after Eli instead. Winning over Nuckys brother is hardly an arduous task for the duplicitous federal agent: Since Eli has no legal access to the safe-deposit box in which Eddie kept Nuckys cash transactions, all Knox needed to do was perform the innocent Is there anything I can do to help? act, and soon enough, hes brandishing his badge at the bank, demanding the contents of a safe-deposit box under the name Edward Kessler, suspected anti-American activist. (Hoover makes a point this episode of the Bureau of Investigations need to keep tabs on anarchists like Marcus Garvey and Emma Goldman.)
But its Knoxs single-minded obsession to take down Nucky at all costs that just might be his undoing. Elis initial hunch that Eddie committed suicide because he stole money from Nucky is disproved when he counts the money from the safe-deposit box and discovers its all there. At least now he knows there were other factors at play, even if he cant make the connection to Knox just yet. Also, Knoxs fluency in German (or, perhaps, his superior lying skills how do we know he, like Mickey, didnt give a false translation? After all, Knox is the only one who is aware that Eddie was a grandfather) led him to make a very serious error in his ruse: Eli, having discovered Eddies mystery letter, asks Knox (who claims to have just taken a year of German in high school) to translate it. Knox, unable to hide his discomfort, considering he was the one who bestowed said news to Eddie, says its an unfinished letter to Eddies son, expressing his joy upon the news that he has a grandchild. The sentiment gets Eli thinking about Willie, who hasnt exactly been communicative with dear old Dad lately, and he breaks down crying. Knox then hands Eli a monogrammed handkerchief except the initials (JMT; Hoover calls Knox Jim) dont exactly match up with the name Warren Knox.
Tidbits
Richard has made it back to Atlantic City, and with a dying Paul Sagorskys blessing (You got Tommy out of that house. That makes you a hero), he begins to make amends with a skeptical Julia. On a starry night by the water with the little boy and the woman he left behind, the sharpshooter takes yet another cautious step toward creating the family of his dreams. As frustrated as Julia is with him for abandoning her with a kid for eight months, she admits to Richard that she needs his help, but it will come at a price: I dont want to do this all by myself. But how can I trust you? As she starts toward home, Tommy asks Richard if hes coming with them. Without turning around, Julia responds in the affirmative, and Richard takes Tommys hand. Their future remains ambiguous, which is a much more real scenario than the two of them smooching in the moonlight and Richard dropping to his knee, but its nice to see Julia has left the door open for him. Thats more than we can say for his sister, Emma.
Nucky and Sally werent the only ones engaging in rough sex this episode, as Chalky White and Daughter Maitland finally gave in to their long-simmering desire for each other. Dr. Narcisse doesnt appear, but Chalky feels his presence in every interaction with his guest performer, who also seems to take pleasure in undermining his influence regarding her song choices. Chalky finds himself further emasculated by his wife, Lenore, who is none too pleased that hes allowed their piano-playing son, Lester, to be exposed to the Onyx Clubs devilish jazz and blues. The only place he can assert his authority at this point is in the bedroom, so he takes great, bodily pleasure in reminding his sultry employee that while shes in Atlantic City, hes in charge and that Narcisse is nothing but a N with a dictionary. (Nice.)
Previously: Better Call Nucky
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