by Graham Osborne
HBO have, yet again, shown their talent at telling stories with Boardwalk Empire, tackling the American Prohibition Era, focussing on the organised crime syndicates of the East Coast and the fragile alliances that were forged between the various crime lords. The show centred around Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (played by Steve Buscemi) and Atlantic City though encompassing Chicago and New York as well, ran for five seasons before bowing out of the ring with its head held high in November. Today sees the release of the final series of the show on Blu-Ray and DVD.
HBO have, yet again, shown their talent at telling stories with Boardwalk Empire, tackling the American Prohibition Era, focussing on the organised crime syndicates of the East Coast and the fragile alliances that were forged between the various crime lords. The show centred around Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (played by Steve Buscemi) and Atlantic City though encompassing Chicago and New York as well, ran for five seasons before bowing out of the ring with its head held high in November. Today sees the release of the final series of the show on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Set seven years after the finale of season four, there has been a shift in who holds the power. Arnold Rothstein is dead, Chalky is imprisoned and Doyle has taken over running The Onyx Club, renaming it The Old Rumpus and turning it into a strip joint. The series follows the remaining players (with)in the bootlegging rings as they look to diversify(ing) their portfolios whilst faced with the threat of repealing the Prohibition Laws.
The series also covers Nucky’s early years through flashbacks, showing him as a child and as deputy sheriff. The return to Nucky’s formative years, and his interactions with the Commodore, start to show how his actions developed the man portrayed in the show itself.
The series also covers Nucky’s early years through flashbacks, showing him as a child and as deputy sheriff. The return to Nucky’s formative years, and his interactions with the Commodore, start to show how his actions developed the man portrayed in the show itself.
It is truly a testament to the writers’ skills within shows like this that you can put on an episode and not have to worry which characters will appear within it. Each character manages to be enjoyable on some level, even if it’s based on how much vitriol you wish to pour upon them, and the various ways that they leave the action will bring tears to your eyes. Each character is given a fitting end to their story, even if it’s not the one you would necessarily want, and the final scene on the Boardwalk with Nucky draws many parallels with the final scene of a previous season.
The DVD of Season Five also includes that staple of all TV series and films, the audio commentary, which a must listen for any fan of the show. It also includes the featurette called “Scouting the Boardwalk” which takes a look at a number of locations within the final season as well as a recap of Season Four. The only thing missing is the Character Profiles from previous DVDs, but with very few new characters joining the cast this season to speak of, it isn’t such a lack as with previous seasons.
The final season of Boardwalk Empire will grip you from first to last, just as the series did with its very first episode. The final chapter may have been written, but it feels like there are still stories that could be told. Only time will tell if the writers feel like returning to the shores of the Atlantic.
The DVD of Season Five also includes that staple of all TV series and films, the audio commentary, which a must listen for any fan of the show. It also includes the featurette called “Scouting the Boardwalk” which takes a look at a number of locations within the final season as well as a recap of Season Four. The only thing missing is the Character Profiles from previous DVDs, but with very few new characters joining the cast this season to speak of, it isn’t such a lack as with previous seasons.
The final season of Boardwalk Empire will grip you from first to last, just as the series did with its very first episode. The final chapter may have been written, but it feels like there are still stories that could be told. Only time will tell if the writers feel like returning to the shores of the Atlantic.
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