No. 5 Boardwalk Empire Season 1 Part 1 Eps. 1-6 (2010) 37 of 100

 

My memory of Boardwalk Empire was that Shannon had a bit part to begin with that was expanded upon later, once he had established himself. The truth is he gets fourth billing in the titles and appears in the first episode, and is missing only in the fourth in this first tranche.

If you have not seen the show you really should. I watched it all when first broadcast and I still enjoyed this first part of a planned full re-watch. I’d forgotten that Martin Scorsese directed the first episode and there are plenty of name directors appearing throughout the run including some who worked on ‘The Sopranos’.

The show opens in Atlantic City in 1930 with the Volstead Act, which brings in prohibition, due to begin the next day. The main focus of the series is Enoch ‘Nucky’ Thompson (Steve Buscemi) whom we first meet addressing a meeting of the Temperance League. He talks about the evils of booze before having a swig from his hip flask in the car park and heading off to a big party.

The banning of booze is a big money spinner in Atlantic City and soon the gangsters are jockeying for position. Standing against them are federal agents, prime in their number being Nelson Van Arlen, played by Shannon. He appears early in the first episode overseeing the graduation of newly trained agents. He is a religious and straight laced man, but we soon see that he has his own demons and vices.

Every episode in this first block of six had some murders and some nudity and I’m sure that trend continues throughout all five seasons. Some scenes are graphic and horrible such as the prostitute having her face sliced open so a gangster could send a message.

We also follow Jimmy Darmody, a veteran from the first world war who tries to make a name for himself by hijacking a booze shipment. This soon gets him exiled to New York where he teams up with Stephen Graham’s terrifying Al Capone for various unspeakable acts.

The 50 minute episodes bounce along, with some great sets and costumes and fast paced action. Shannon isn’t overly involved but regularly steals scenes as he slowly realises the pointlessness of his efforts to control the beer barons. He takes a shine to Kelly Macdonald’s character Margaret, who is also the object of Nucky’s affections. It’s not clear why all the men are after her but I guess it’s down to her fresh faced innocence in a corrupt world. That or her screaming kids and brutal husband.

The show has great characters all the way down the cast with Shay Whigham doing a fine job as Nucky’s dead eyed sheriff brother Eli and Michael Stuhlbarg as well read New York hood, Arnold Rothstein. For your money you also get Omar from ‘The Wire’, Michael Kenneth Williams, who plays ‘Chalky’ White a black gangster who faces a lot of racial abuse but delivers plenty of his own type of justice.

Shannon is seen briefly in his loveless marriage and displays some kinks when he sniffs a ribbon stolen from Margaret and then hives himself a good whipping whilst looking at her photo. It’s a good first six episodes for him and I look forward to the character developments he has in store.

When is Shannon-On? - 16.30 (Episode 1)

Outcome? Flagellating Himself Over a Photo of a 16 year old Margaret

Programme 5/5

Shannon Stars 4.5/5