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Boardwalk Empire Season 1 Episode 2

The Ivory Tower

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 9/26/10

Straight-laced, uptight Agent Nelson Van Alden investigates a crime which he feels has been pinned on a scapegoat, so pays a visit to Nucky and leaves convinced that the Treasurer is "as corrupt as the day is long." Nucky quickly does damage control, enlisting his brother, Sheriff Elias Thompson, to close ranks with their underlings. Meanwhile, in Chicago, Al Capone shows a local reporter what he thinks about accusations that Johnny Torrio was involved in the killing of local mobster "Big Jim" Colosimo. Back in Atlantic City, Nucky discusses the upcoming election with Commodore Louis Kaestner, his aging mentor, with whom he debates the women's vote issue. Later, before heading out for a night on the town, Nucky chews out an angry Arnold Rothstein over the phone, then meets privately with Margaret Schroeder, who asks him for help in providing for her children. As a long day ends, a traveling salesman named George Baxter, in town for a few days with an unwilling young beauty named Claudia, makes a startling discovery while on the road home to Baltimore.moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (1)

Good episode, but Scorsese's absence is somewhat evident

8.5

By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Dec 29, 2010

With "Dexter" on at the same time as "Boardwalk Empire" now, I'm sad to say that HBO's new hit show gets pushed aside. However, that doesn't mean I don't anxiously await the rerun to catch up on it. I must say, despite the continually impressive acting from the cast and the plot that is as interesting as any show or movie airing right now, I couldn't help but feel a little let down after the excellent pilot.

Let me get the bad out of the way right now: while the pilot was energetic, always moving and filled with huge developments all with the deft touch of Martin Scorsese, the follow-up felt much slower, as if Terrence Winter decided to downshift right in the middle of the turnpike and purposely move slow for everybody to catch up and figure out who the characters were and their motives. It's a minor nitpick, I know, but I wasn't as floored as I was when the pilot aired.

But that doesn't make what happened in the episode any less interesting. Al Capone beating up the reporter, Darmody's attempts to pay back Nucky the 3000 dollars he owes only to watch Nucky waste that money he worked so hard to get on roulette (which he loses), any scenes involving Nucky and someone else.. there were interesting developments that seem to be setting up the next few episodes. And the ending certainly hints at some tumultuous things to come. I've been continually impressed by the acting and writing of the show, so perhaps I'm being a bit harsh in rating this episode lower, but there was a clear-cut difference in quality between the two episodes, even if the acting and writing were similar.

However, when I have to point out a miniscule thing about the show as critique, you know it's doing something right. The show is just as impressive as before and hopefully, it'll continue to grow and expand with time. With Mad Men, Dexter and Boardwalk Empire all occupying the 9:00 time on Sunday nights, television just got a lot more crowded.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Steve Buscemi	Nucky Thompson
Michael Pitt	James "Jimmy" Darmody
Kelly Macdonald	Margaret Schroeder
Michael Shannon	Agent Nelson Van Alden
Dabney Coleman	Commodore Louis Kaestner
Shea Whigham	Elias "Eli" Thompson

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Charleigh Parker	Lady Jean	Guest Star
Jordan Gelber	Simon	Guest Star
Stephen DeRosa	Eddie Cantor	Guest Star
Gretchen Mol	Gillian	Recurring Role
Greg Antonacci	Johnny Torrio	Recurring Role
Danny Burstein	Lolly Steinman	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Goof: Arnold Rothstein tells Frankie Yale about how he caused a man to choke on a cue ball because Rothstein knew the cue ball was 1/16th of an inch larger than the other balls. All balls, including the cue ball, are exactly the same size except on today's coin operated tables. On those tables, the cue ball is larger to keep it from dropping through two rails and becoming trapped inside the table with the numbered balls. Coin operated billiard tables had not yet been invented at the time.
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- Douglas Fairbanks is mentioned worth seeing in "The Mark of Zorro". However, the movie does not debut until December 5, 1920 and this episode takes place in January/February 1920, 10-11 months beforehand.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Margaret: Would you help me, Mr. Thompson? All I want is to provide for my children.
  Nucky: I'd like to help you.
  Margaret: Then tell me what to do. What do you want from me?
  Nucky: I want you to vote Republican.
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- Nucky: Put on a black suit. You'll be driving me tonight.
  Eddie: Shall I wear a chauffeur's cap as well?
  Nucky: If you want.
  Eddie: But I'll have to borrow one then.
  Nucky: Well then borrow one. Or don't. What are you asking me for?
  Eddie: Well, the chauffeur must wear a cap!
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- Bartender: (seeing Capone kicking Corrigan) What the fuck's going on?
  Capone: I'm making a statement.
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- Capone: What'll it be?
  Corrigan: I'll take a whiskey and a statement on the record.
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- Mickey: So you're just going to leave me in here with slanted eyes? He doesn't even speak English!
  Nucky: Think of it as a way to broaden your horizons.
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NOTES (1)
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- Original International Airdates:
  Czech Republic: January 17, 2011 on HBO
  United Kingdom: February 2, 2011 on Sky ATLANTIC/Sky ATLANTIC HD
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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