anyone watching the new HBO series "Boardwalk Empire"?

[grasswire]

Premiere episode was tonight.

[Heddi]

1. I am watching it now

[Duer 157099]

2. I plan to. DVR'd the first episode.

I can't imagine that I wouldn't watch it, it's got all the makings of a classic.

[SwampG8r]

3. watched it and enjoyed it

[6000eliot]

4. Can somebody answer a spoiler question?

Why was the guy in Chicago killed?

[dr.strangelove]

6. Big Jim Colosimo

Big Jim Colosimo did not want the Chicago crew to get into bootlegging. He was going to pass on the lucrative business that let Johnny Torrio and Al Capone take over Chicago. Had Big Jim embraced the booze trade, we might never have heard of Al Capone.

[6000eliot]

16. Thank you dr!

He had the liquor heist pinned on him, right?

[dr.strangelove]

17. Nope

They pinned that on the dead husband. At least thats what I took out of it. We will learn for sure next week. I never thought of Big Jim, maybe you are right?

[racaulk]

5. Not yet, but I recorded it on my DVR last night.

This show looks like something I will REALLY enjoy, and I'm very excited about it. I love Steve Buscemi in almost everything he does.

Also, this show will make for good filler now that True Blood is off the air for a while. :hi:

[WolverineDG]

7. I like it!

I love period pieces to begin with & Buscemi in the cast adds bonus points.

I do have to ask about that "Incubator" thing on the boardwalk, though. Were those real babies or dolls? I had never heard of such a thing, so that was a :wtf: moment for me.

dg

[dr.strangelove]

8. I think they were dolls in the show, but this was really done in AC

I've seen them in pictures. Incubators were new technology at the turn of the century and were shown at the worlds fairs and at "freak shows" in Coney Island and Atlantic City. I understand the admission fees top get in paid for the cost of caring for babies that would have died in local hospitals and also funded more research into this new technology.

[WolverineDG]

9. That's what I was wondering

yes, they probably did use dolls for filming, but I just can't imagine anyone agreeing to put their child on "display" like that (unless they used children who'd been abandoned or were to be put up for adoption). Nice to know that the admission fees paid for caring for the children instead of them just being used for entertainment.

dg

[grasswire]

11. I was wondering if that woman's *lost* baby will eventually turn up there.

The woman who had the miscarriage due to her husband beating her.

That would be freaky.

[dr.strangelove]

12. I doubt it

The babies were classic Scorsese background. He likes to make it as authentic as possible and he directed the first episode and helped create the show. that would be cool though, great idea.

[LynneSin]

10. I tried watching it but fell asleep during it. I mean this should be a great show

Steve Buscemi and Martin Scorsese - that's a homerun right there. I'll try watching it during the week.

[supernova]

13. We enjoyed it

I normally don't like a lot of gangster style stories, but this one has me intrigued for a couple of reasons:

1) Steve Buscemi. He's always fascinating to watch and here he does seem to be setting up a very complex anti-hero. He's a bootlegger who's also running for office on the prohibition plank. LOL OTO, He clearly loved his wife, who died seven years ago from TB. I'm wondering if that wasn't what used to be called a mercy killing?

2) The atmosphere and general mis-en-scene of seeing things fresh and new that I only experienced in the sepia-tone backgrounds of my grandparents photos. Never been to atlantic city, but it's fun looking at a "new" boardwalk. Costumes and everyday items are fun to see new that I only see at flea markets now.

3) They are so far doing a good job of interweaving everyday people in with the gangsters. The lady who lost her baby due to her husband's abuse. Ugh. My SO thinks that eventually Enoch will get together with her. I dunno.

Overall, really good pilot.

[supernova]

14. Wondering about the domestic violence scene

The only thing that bothered me last night was the fight between the Irish wife and her husband where he pushed her down and the kids began to cry. I mean really wailin'. Realistic to be sure, but then I began to think about filming logistics that this really bothered me.

I was bothered by the idea that this little 1.5 - 2 yo girl might have had to really watch that. That's too young to be distinguishing between play and real life.

MY SO thinks that the adults tussling and the little girl wailing were filmed separately. But I dunno. I hope so.

Other than that, start of something really good I hope.

[grasswire]

15. I wondered about that, too

That little girl's cry is haunting. She starts crying when someone (mother, or father?) says sternly "Eat your food!" The little boy puts the spoon in the bowl, head down. The girl starts crying. There's noise of physicality off camera. I think it all could be cleverly put together. I'd like to think the girl cried because someone told her to eat.

[nolabear]

18. It's likely a little girl they auditioned and knew would cry if her mom walked away

and the rest was editing. They're pretty careful with little kids on sets these days. No more Jackie Coogan style "Your dog got run over" to make them cry. That said, it's hard seeing any little one cry and I hope that's it.

[xchrom]

19. i watched cause i kept hoping true blood would suddenly come on. nt

[supernova]

20. lol!

SO and I are experiencing TB withdrawal also.

:rofl:

:hug:

[xchrom]

21. its just so good! nt

[Vinca]

22. I loved it! Steve Buscemi is one of my favorite actors.

The set design is amazing.

[mnhtnbb]

23. Watched it. Will watch again.