Farewell to Boardwalk Empire

“We all need to decide for ourselves how much sin we can live with”

Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014) – 56 episodes, 5 seasons

Despite the initial praise the series got I’ve always felt that Boardwalk Empire never really got its due.  Maybe it is because we are living in an age of quality TV, where there are so many shows that are great that even when a series like Boardwalk Empire delivers the competition is just way too strong.

I think though the show will be remembered fondly and it is certainly a series that I’ve warmed to over the seasons once I realised the game it was playing. Yes the seasons often start incredibly slow with too many plotlines to keep track off but everything always comes together in an explosive way. Once you realise this is how the show tells its story then it is easy to sit back relax and enjoy because the reward for your patience is worth it.

Boardwalk Empire is rich with characters but its also excels at being a period piece, there are times when the series will just have a 5 minute scene of people dancing or singing at Nucky’s nightclub and it really brings you into the world of the 1920s/30s.

I am going to deeply miss the series which has impressed me with its ability to make me care about characters I had previously dismissed – Eli and Gillian being two good examples of this.

So many people vowed to never watch the show after Jimmy died in S2 but I found the series only got better after that event.  Characters like Richard came into their own, Nucky became much more interesting.

In theory Boardwalk Empire could have run for a couple of more seasons at least but instead it ends with a shortened fifth. At first I was incredibly frustrated by this decision but I actually think its for the best, the show has been excellent with its final episodes and I am sure the series finale will be just as good.

So farewell Boardwalk Empire, some may say you never quite reached greatness but I disagree.