What I’m Watching: Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire: Season 2, Episode 2 “Ourselves Alone” (B+)

It seems that Nucky’s arrest is indicative of far graver problems in Atlantic City, as forces are already mobilizing against Nucky to take him down, including his own brother. His double-speak and jokes didn’t work well with the press, and it’s going to take more than the usual measures to rectify this particular situation. He’s definitely a politician, taking care not to hire a lawyer because he thinks that’s what guilty men do. Nucky’s explicit threat to his brother effectively declares war, and it’s even more worrisome that Eli doesn’t seem to care that Nucky plans to destroy him. Margaret handled herself exceptionally in Nucky’s absence, dressing in servant’s clothes to gain access to his study and entertaining guests at dinner before his arrival. Nucky opening up to Margaret about Eli betraying him comes as somewhat of a surprise, but it also speaks to how far she’s come since first meeting him. Chalky’s time spent in jail proved to be quite intriguing, as he didn’t seem eager to make friends with someone who very much wanted to get him all riled up and ended up paying the ultimate price for it. Jimmy is doing well for himself, earning an audience with Rothstein and taking care of the men who came for him in the cemetery. I was excited to spot Michael Zegen, best known as Damien on “Rescue Me,” in what appears to be a new recurring role as another future gangster with a penchant for running his mouth, Bugsy Siegel.