Let’s Talk (and talk and talk and talk)
The Creepiest Flower Delivery Man
After missing Van Alden last week, this episode starts with him delivering flowers and collecting payments for O’Bannion. Probably not the best use of this mentally unstable henchman, but who am I to criticize? I have no henchmen. Only a spoiled Austraulian Shepherd.
The face of a ruthless killer! Photo mine.
[Laura’s edit: D’AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!]
O’Bannion ultimately agrees that Van Alden could be better utilized. He indicates that he can pay Val Alden more if Van Alden takes on more interesting jobs. O’Bannion sends Van Alden to “help” Capone fix the election for Mayor of Cicero. He really wants Van Alden to spy on Capone and find out if the Italians are really going to leave Chicago.
At home, Sigrid has been furniture shopping. Van Alden complains about the price, and Sigrid pouts. Sigrid also rightly points out that their house is still a construction zone, and she needs a few nice things. She wheedles cutely, and Van Alden completely caves.
Sigrid, you can do better, but I’m starting to understand your investment in this relationship.
Image from here.
At the Capone headquarters, Capone gives Van Alden shit for not providing better information. Van Alden caves rather quickly and tells Capone that O’Bannion wants him to stay in Cicero. Frank Capone seems to be the more level headed brother and stops Al from pummeling Van Alden.
At the Melee, lot of violence, but it seems oddly tame compared to some of the previous slaughters. Van Alden pulls several men off of Frank Capone, and you get the sense that it’s the start of a beautiful friendship.
I think, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Image from here.
Mysterious Murders turn out to be Rather Mundane Murders
The little Harrow house on the prairie.
Image from here.
At the Harrow household, Emma announces that her dog, the one she and Richard raised from a puppy, ran off. Apparently, life has been not been great.
Their father died. She got married, got pregnant, and then her husband died. She is currently still hugely pregnant. She seems to be handling things, including her brother’s mysterious disappearance and reappearance, with a stiff upper lip. Good Midwestern stock!
Where all the women are strong, all the men good looking, and all the children above average.
Image from here.
She does tell Harrow that if he doesn’t come back this time, he shouldn’t come back at all. She will not cotton with mysterious disappearances any longer!
Harrow find a past due tax collection notice in a book she gives him.
Take a look! Impending financial doom is in a book!
Image from here.
In Milwaukie, we see why Harrow’s been mysteriously murdering people.
Apparently, it’s a simple hit job over a business deal that went bad. Ultimately, it’s a bit disappointing.
The Milwaukie guy however answers Harrow’s questions properly, indicating that he has two little girls. So, Harrow walks away, letting him live, and not even taking the “please don’t kill me” money the guy offered.
Sadly, during the skirmish, he drops his book and the tax assessment falls out.
Back home, we have the saddest scene of all.
Crying Dawson courtesy of Huffington Post.
The lost dog is found, but he is sick, old, and dying. Emma instructs Richard to shoot the dog with the pistol he’s been hiding from her. She doesn’t flinch. Richard tries to shoot the dog, but he can’t. Jack Huston expresses more with half his face than most actors can using their whole face. It is truly heartbreaking watching Harrow not be able to put the dog down. He walks away with tears in his eyes while Emma shoots the dog.
GIF from here.
Back in the house, Harrow gets a phone call regarding the tax assessment. While Harrow can’t see it, the call is coming from the Milwaukie office. The man Harrow let live is slumped in the corner with a bullet hole in his head.
When Nucky met Eddie- or Sleepless in Atlantic City- or You’ve Got an Underappreciated Valet
Let’s check in with my favorite couple on this show: Eddie and Nucky!
Eddie is clearly not up to the menial tasks he was used to as Nucky’s valet. His hands are shaking, and he seems to be forgetting things. Nucky is tolerant until Eddie pushes the issue. Eddie is a proud man. They end up bickering like an old married couple.
I’ll let you decide which one is Peg.
Image from here.
Bader the mayor of the AC is breaking ground on a new construction project. Nucky and Eddie pull up ominously, and Bader rushes over to find out what they want. Nucky wants his cut of the project. Bader tries to explain that this project has nothing to with Nucky, but Nucky’s not buying it.
Scully courtesy of cheezeburger.com.
Nucky asks for Eddie’s opinion, and Eddie gives a speech that makes Nucky sound like Santa Clause.
A very disturbing Santa Clause.
Image from here.
Later on, Eddie gives Nucky an ultimatum: Get married or they’re breaking up! Wait! That’s not right. Get a promotion or he quits!
Eddie’s biological clock is ticking, Nucky! He needs a commitment!
Image from someecards.
Nucky makes it clear as he leaves for Tampa that he gave Eddie the promotion. Apparently, happy endings do sometimes happen.
Nucky, you’re a prince!
Image from Disney Wiki.
Lukewarm Fuzz
Federal politics once again comes into play. A newspaper headline makes it clear that Daugherty is out of office as Attorney General.
Back in the AC, change is in the air, too. An upper level probie introduces the new head of enforcement after Agent Stan’s death, Agent Knox. Knox gets off on the wrong foot with everyone right away. He makes a “joke” about actually doing his job and enforcing prohibition. No one finds it funny.
Ironically, the “Happy Endings” GIF is from a “Glee” wiki.
[Laura’s edit: FLAWLESS USE OF HAPPY ENDINGS GIF! THAT SHOW THAT SOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN CANCELED!]
Nucky explains that he won’t be meeting Knox ever again. Eli will handle things. Knox nods. Nucky does follow up with Gaston Means about Knox, who according to Means is who he says he is, “a hayseed, of the purest variety.”
Later, the upper level probie is discussing things with a Mr. Hoover of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Agent Knox comes in and reveals that he really works for J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. This doesn’t dispel any of his or Hoover’s creepiness. They seem close. It’s sweet.
BFFs 4EVA!!!
Saccharine image from here.
And Now. . . The Most Interesting Plot
Chalkie shows off the Onyx Club to his future inlaws- Samuel the Med Student and Maybelle White look like they are going to make it official! Samuel’s parents are a bit snooty, but are eventually won over by the opulence.
So pretty! Will melt the hearts of any of the upper-middle class, educated types who disapprove of bootleggers as inlaws!
Backstage at the Onyx, Chalkie is taking an active interest in the performers. Dickey’s tap dancers approach Chalkie, asking for their usual advance. Instead of explaining Dickey’s disappearance, Chalkie gives the kids some money.
In the main room of the club, Chalkie is enjoying his newfound prestige. Until he comes across a random buffoon. This character has been on the show before. He’s never contributed to the plot, but he shows up periodically to annoy the main characters. In this instance, he rubs Chalkie’s head “for luck”. Michael Kenneth Williams should get mad props for his performance on this show! He manages to convey so much!
In the club room, Chalkie finds Dickey’s wife sitting with Dr. Valentin Narcisse, played by special guest Jeffrey Wright. Narcisse is a honey-voiced Trinidadian who makes it clear that Dickey was his employee, and he is interested in working things out. He refers to Chalkie and himself as Libyans and comments on the irony that they are not allowed in the club itself.
For an innocuous fellow, he strikes terror into the hearts of men.
Image from Boardwalk Empire Wiki.
Great credit to Jeffrey Wright and Michael Kenneth Williams in this scene. The contrast between the educated Dr. Narcisse and the illiterate, yet proud, Chalkie is interesting to watch. Both actors do a great job imbuing a scene with tension that could have been very dull in less capable hands.
Later, Chalkie is chastising Dunn Purnsley about the situation, which Purnsley does not seem to be treating with proper gravitas. Chalkie looks down to find none of the performers performing. The tap dancers come in with a letter for Chalkie from Dr. Narcisse. The illiterate Chalkie has one of the tap dancers read the message, which is a bible verse from the book of John.
Chalkie calls in Nucky to help deal with the next meeting with Dr. Narcisse. Dickey’s wife tells a fabricated version of what happened in the hotel with Purnsley. From their faces, it’s clear that none of the men listening believe her.
GIF from here.
Nucky points out a logical flaw in the story. Chalkie points out that Dunn Purnsley tells a different story. Dr. Narcisse points out that a white woman accusing a black man of rape will usually result in the conviction/death of the black man.
GIF from here.
[Laura’s edit: Classic gif is classic]
Dr. Narcisse explains that he prefers to deal with Nucky. Nucky defers at first and explains that he’s just helping a “friend”. Dr. Narcisse is skeptical about the validity of the Nucky-Chalkie friendship.
A true friend helps you negotiate the hush money to hide your employee’s murder.
Image from here.
Dr. Narcisse gets under both Nucky and Chalkie’s skin. He seems to be a master manipulator. In the end, Nucky cuts a deal with Dr. Narcisse, 10% of the club’s proceeds, and he “advises” Chalkie to make the deal. Of course, Chalkie listens.
Like your mother, Dr. Narcisse has an irritating way of being right.
Image from lifeasahuman.com.
On their way back to New York, Dr. Narcisse and Dickey’s wife discuss their trip. Dickey’s wife isn’t satisfied with Dr. Narcisse getting a good cut of the club’s profits. She hints that a good ole fashioned lynching could be in order.
Dr. Narcisse exchanges glances with his henchmen in the front of the car. One of them pulls Dickey’s wife out of the car and strangles her with a rope while Narcisse watches. It seems that he doesn’t particularly like the black man rapes white woman narrative they used to ensure Chalkie’s compliance earlier in the episode.
(Side note- I feel very conflicted about this plot line. While it is period appropriate to demonstrate a false rape allegation against a black man, I also don’t appreciate repeated instances of women shown to be lying about rape. As someone who works with sexual assault survivors in her day job, most women have a hard time reporting modern rapes for fear of being disbelieved. While it is interesting to watch the interplay of race and privilege in these scenes, it might have been equally interesting to have Dickey’s wife cop to the fact that she was lying and try to extort money out of Dr. Narcisse in exchange for her future compliance. It would have equally given Dr. Narcisse a reason to kill her.)
The next morning, her body is discovered outside Mayor Bader’s construction site. Cue ironic and sassy jazz number and the credits.
More hyjinks to ensue next week in Tampa, FL with Patricia Arquette!
Overall, not my favorite episode. There wasn’t a lot of action, and the main female characters were pretty much non-existent. Without the multi-dimensional female characters like Margaret, Gillian, Julia, and Ester Randolph, the show’s problems with women become more apparent. While the racial politics are finally being brought to the center of the story in an interesting way, it’s at the cost of other interesting plotlines. The Chicago stuff was pretty dull and felt like it dragged on a bit. I know, this is an important historical incident, but the show does best when it focuses on the fictional world it’s created and merely references much of the actual history. It’s more entertaining, and ultimately more interesting. Additionally, while I am envisioning great fan fiction involving Nucky and Eddie, the whole Bader plot could have been summed up more quickly, too.
Rating- C- (Great acting by Jack Huston, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Jeffrey Wright saved it from being lower. Hopefully, next episode will focus more on the ladies and relationships between the characters.)
Gratuitous Violence- C (The melee in Cicero was extensive, but not particularly graphic. Harrow didn’t kill anyone, and Dickey’s wife’s murder was less than satisfying.)
Gratuitous Nudity- F (An entire episode with no breasts! Are we sure this is still HBO?)
Rom Com Moment- A+ (Nucky and Eddie are finally moving forward!)
