By PAUL RUSSELL
TV Talkin' Blog Duke of Depreciation
“Boardwalk Empire
” is the show that is probably grabbing the most buzz this fall TV season. That is by design, HBO will spend money on an extravagant show as the people who order HBO are spending sizable entertainment dollar for the purpose of experience something grand, something to talk about at the water cooler or eating out. HBO shows such as “Rome" or the “Sopranos” or “Deadwood” were equally big splashes. “True Blood” has been a hit but not a extravagant production. “Empire” is a response to the success of shows on AMC and FX.
“Empire” has a huge boardwalk set and it provides beautiful sets. Martin Scorsese directs the pilot and the cinematography, the costumes, and technical elements feel movie quality. Episode two, directed by Terrence Winter, the creator feels just as good, perhaps absent a few Scorsese flourishes but no matter.
As far as the show itself, it is a historical depiction of the rise of the mob in the prohibition set chiefly in Atlantic City. New York and Chicago mob interests are shown as well as the G-men assigned to combat them. It almost feels easier to describe “Empire” in terms of its HBO predecessors. I am as big a fan of HBO as I am loathe to appreciate facts. Steve Buscemi is as good here as he was in the "Sopranos." He plays many roles here and well but that should be no surprise as I feel he was nuanced in "Sopranos" as well. The cast and plot is cluttered as the show begins while still enjoyable, much like "The Wire" felt confusing to know characters but that would not prevent you from being interested in them. “Empire” has some of the same dark humor and frontier violence of “Deadwood,” a personal favorite. The acting feels strong across the board.
The only actor I want to mention is Kelly Macdonald, the actress who plays wife to a drunk half employed baker. Hers is an interesting character and I am not sure where it is going. Most gangster shows are filled with gangster anti-heros, their women who have to embrace their lifestyle and the men pursuing them. Her husband is killed early on, she loses her baby from a beating from him and she rejects mob leaders Buscemi’s offer of money…although she seems willing to accept a job and feels a certain attraction to him. Her character is the lone figure that represents the perils of drinking and Sopranos had few innocents so I am curious where she fits in. I enjoyed her work as the young wife in “No Country for Old Men” and the new servant in Robert Altman’s “Gosford Park”, both roles where she kind of represents the innocent newcomer or the audience perhaps. I look forward to her performances.
” is the show that is probably grabbing the most buzz this fall TV season. That is by design, HBO will spend money on an extravagant show as the people who order HBO are spending sizable entertainment dollar for the purpose of experience something grand, something to talk about at the water cooler or eating out. HBO shows such as “Rome" or the “Sopranos” or “Deadwood” were equally big splashes. “True Blood” has been a hit but not a extravagant production. “Empire” is a response to the success of shows on AMC and FX.“Empire” has a huge boardwalk set and it provides beautiful sets. Martin Scorsese directs the pilot and the cinematography, the costumes, and technical elements feel movie quality. Episode two, directed by Terrence Winter, the creator feels just as good, perhaps absent a few Scorsese flourishes but no matter.
As far as the show itself, it is a historical depiction of the rise of the mob in the prohibition set chiefly in Atlantic City. New York and Chicago mob interests are shown as well as the G-men assigned to combat them. It almost feels easier to describe “Empire” in terms of its HBO predecessors. I am as big a fan of HBO as I am loathe to appreciate facts. Steve Buscemi is as good here as he was in the "Sopranos." He plays many roles here and well but that should be no surprise as I feel he was nuanced in "Sopranos" as well. The cast and plot is cluttered as the show begins while still enjoyable, much like "The Wire" felt confusing to know characters but that would not prevent you from being interested in them. “Empire” has some of the same dark humor and frontier violence of “Deadwood,” a personal favorite. The acting feels strong across the board.
The only actor I want to mention is Kelly Macdonald, the actress who plays wife to a drunk half employed baker. Hers is an interesting character and I am not sure where it is going. Most gangster shows are filled with gangster anti-heros, their women who have to embrace their lifestyle and the men pursuing them. Her husband is killed early on, she loses her baby from a beating from him and she rejects mob leaders Buscemi’s offer of money…although she seems willing to accept a job and feels a certain attraction to him. Her character is the lone figure that represents the perils of drinking and Sopranos had few innocents so I am curious where she fits in. I enjoyed her work as the young wife in “No Country for Old Men” and the new servant in Robert Altman’s “Gosford Park”, both roles where she kind of represents the innocent newcomer or the audience perhaps. I look forward to her performances.
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