No.18 Boardwalk Empire Season 3 Part 1 Eps. 1-6 (2012) 41 of 100

 

Season 3 of Boardwalk Empire starts 18 months after Season 2 ended. All the characters have moved on as you’d expect, with Nucky still without his land that the ever problematic Margaret has gifted to the church. He has other problems too in the shape of Bobby Carnivale’s terrifying Gyp Rosetti who we meet as he rewards a helpful motorist who foolishly offers the incendiary Italian some of his oil. Soon Gyp has control of the road between New Jersey and New York and there are plenty of violent scenes as he maintains control and beats off all comers.

Shannon’s Van Arlen is now set up as George Mueller and has married his Scandinavian nanny and has had a child by her. Thankfully she is as nutty as he is and when they aren’t having hot naked sex they are clubbing to death house guests. Takes all sorts, I guess.

Mueller has a job selling steam irons door to door and is giving it his best. His corrupt boss and asshole co-workers make it difficult for him to make a living, and his mantra, uttered into the mirror, of being better every day can only go so far. His one attempt at being sociable gets him busted by the law and although the agent takes a bribe Mueller is worried his fake identity may soon be blown.

He does have an iron in the fire so to speak when he saves a gangster from a nasty rub out when he stumbled into his shop with his steam iron sample box. He manages to convince Stephen Graham’s  Al Capone that he’s not be messed with, and secures a sale of two dozen irons which only fail to land him the big sales prize when the boss changes the deadline. All is not lost however as the impressed gangster offers him a job.

Mueller is not keen at first, but his hand is forced when his wife mistakes a complaining federal agent, who is unhappy with his steam iron purchase, as an arresting officer and clubs him for his troubles. Mueller helps to keep him down as and we last see him at the end he’s back at the gangster's shop looking for some body disposal help and no doubt some employment.

This was pretty low key outing for Shannon with his appearances in the first six episodes somewhat fleeting with him a total no show in episode 4. His descent was well managed though, with his giggling co-workers and their practical jokes clearly his vision of hell. I liked the enhanced role for his scatty now wife with her sing song voice and keenness to please her man who is not a ‘bad man’. He certainly is.

The future looks bright however as Mueller’s talents look to be utilised by the mob. It’s enjoyable that his attempts to go straight invariably end in murder and lies and I look forward to his next set of scrapes.

The show in general benefited from the introduction of Gyp who offers plenty of danger and extreme sex and violence. Nucky still has his legal troubles, but the show crackles when we get down to the core values of booze and murder. The loss of Jimmy was a big gap to fill but I think they managed well with Richard Harrow and his psycho Mum Gillian taking on some of the heavy lifting. Margaret’s attempts to get a women’s health class taught at the hospital was less exciting too and I’m not sure who this plot thread was designed for. At least she’s still knocking boots with Daredevil so stop herself being a total write off.

A good half season overall with better things signalled for part 2.

When is Shannon-On? - 22.08 (Episode 1)

Outcome? Looking for a job with a gangster

Programme 4/5

Shannon Stars 3.5/5