Boardwalk Empire is at its best when it adheres to the formula of introducing a new antagonist at the start to be honest. Replacing Bobby Cannavale's Gyp Rosetti is the charismatic Jeffrey Wright as the black nationalist Dr. Valentine Narcise. I think much can be scrutinized regarding the painting of well intentioned radical in a negative light but Narcise's involvement gives Chalky White and racial tension in 20s America the spotlight they deserve. The untimely death of Michael K. Williams is what got me into this show to be honest, after having put it off for 4 years. Anyway, I loved seeing William's Chalky finally given more screen time, more chances of showing his acting range. He had subplots before yes but they feel more like afterthoughts until this season. Here, he gets entangled with Daughter Maitland and this forbidden romance becomes the source of much of the season's tragedy.
Jack Huston, who plays veteran Richard Harrow, is another standout this season. He is the heart of the show really. Among all the multitudes of criminals and morally dubious people, he is the most likeable. I buy his struggle to become a good man which to be hair other characters and their actors do a good job in presenting. But only one of them can be as badass as they are broken.
The rest of the cast is always great of course. Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Gretchen Mol, Brian Geraghty (as the other main antagonist in FBI Agent Tolliver), Stephen Graham, Morgan Spector (in a brief but memorable role as Frank Capone). As a TV critic once said, the show is truly great when it features the ensemble cast equally. No offense to Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson but there are more entertaining characters.
By the end, things take a turn bleaker than previous seasons. Season 2 is the closest but I never really cared for Jimmy Darmody's shenanigans. And this time around, I think a good third of the main characters have been humiliated or faced with a great, life changing tragedy. The closing scenes were so devastating that if this were cancelled after I think they ended on a high note quality wise.
Jack Huston, who plays veteran Richard Harrow, is another standout this season. He is the heart of the show really. Among all the multitudes of criminals and morally dubious people, he is the most likeable. I buy his struggle to become a good man which to be hair other characters and their actors do a good job in presenting. But only one of them can be as badass as they are broken.
The rest of the cast is always great of course. Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Gretchen Mol, Brian Geraghty (as the other main antagonist in FBI Agent Tolliver), Stephen Graham, Morgan Spector (in a brief but memorable role as Frank Capone). As a TV critic once said, the show is truly great when it features the ensemble cast equally. No offense to Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson but there are more entertaining characters.
By the end, things take a turn bleaker than previous seasons. Season 2 is the closest but I never really cared for Jimmy Darmody's shenanigans. And this time around, I think a good third of the main characters have been humiliated or faced with a great, life changing tragedy. The closing scenes were so devastating that if this were cancelled after I think they ended on a high note quality wise.