I figured that out immediately, but only because they’d showed him hiding the ledger during the “Previously on” segment.
I sure got whooshed, then. I was going to agree with your earlier post; that he figured Pernsley wasn’t even worth discussing the book so he was making shit up to screw with him.
As pointed out in Sepinwall’s review, Lucky and Meyer’s goofy little friend Benny is most certainly supposed to be a young Bugsy Siegel.
Well you read about this sort of thing a lot with gangsters of that era. Especially the Jewish gangsters. A lot of them desperately wanted to be respectable and seen not as a gangsters, but powerful businessmen. So they went to great efforts to surround themselves with respectable people, and to raise respectable children–all to mask the fact that they were still thuggish men at heart.
Except a lot of the Italians of course. Mostly because gangsterism itself was seen as a normal part of society in the old world.
Definitely. “He act funny sometimes” = later origin of the nickname “Bugsy” ( i.e. crazy ).
It has a stately pace, but I am still enjoying the show. Really the evolution of Kelly MacDonald’s Mrs. Schroeder remains the strongest storyline for me. Far more so the Darmody storyline, mainly because I just don’t like Michael Pitt, though I can’t quite put my finger on why.
I really like Michael Pitt, but I feel the same way you do about him with the actor that plays Nucky’s brother.
I thought this episode was less entertaining than the previous one. A lot of bits I felt like they were being a bit too cleverly vague about what was going on.
What was the discussion that Nucky and Chalky were having in the jail cell about? And what was the deal with the two guys trying to mug Jimmy at the end? Was there any deeper meaning?
I thought last week’s episode did a great job of having lots of storylines while still being clear what was actually going on. This week, not so much.
(I also thought initially that Chalky could read, given that it was his son who sent him the book, and how could his son not know? But I figured that the obnoxious other guy was some kind of plant, sent in there by the Commodore’s gang to provoke Chalky into attacking him, at which point he could be charged with assault or something and gotten into even more trouble, thus reducing Nucky’s potential allies even more… but it seemed like he was just a random guy who spoke in extremely portentous fancy language just because?)
They even went to the trouble of mentioning this website by name!
In the 1920’s, the police didn’t need to provoke a black man into an assault to hold him in jail longer…they just locked him up. Chalky’s affluence is because of Nucky.
I really liked the last scene with Nucky and Margaret - makes you wonder if she was driven by (well-hid) ambition all along or has decided to pay Nucky back in loyalty for his conveniently getting rid of her husband.
When whe was talking to the Irish guy that came to see if the house was “safe”, it seems like she misspoke a phrase (Gaelic?) and he corrected her. Was that because she was from a different part of Ireland or is it pointing to her not being exactly who she says she is?
Just realized that Chalky’s reaction to the book makes sense in the context of his not being able to read. It was a bit peculiar and obviously “acted,” such that I kept expecting it to have some terribly cliched break-out-of-jail tools in it. But if he can’t read, and his wife knows he can’t read, but his son doesn’t, this makes more sense–he appreciated the thought, but knew it wasn’t any good to him but for the pictures.
I’m enjoying it so far. I’m pleased they’ve brought Nucky down low as now we get to see how he became who he is. He’s got a bit of loose cash, a couple of affiliates and the gift of the gab. How will he rise again? Promises to be interesting.
And for me, Kelly McDonald is the stand-out. Utterly convincing.
I thought it related to which part of Ireland. I also noticed a bit of attraction there, and a bit of pique when it appeared that the maid had an eye on him. Nucky is generous and all, but he’s not the most physically attractive man around.
Possibly. They were agents of Joe “the Boss” Masseria, sent to lean on Luciano and Lansky. If Masseria suspected Lansky and Luciano of killing them, the show might be setting up a reason for Masseria to become more entangled with Luciano ( as happened historically by 1921 ).
I don’t think they thought of Jimmy as anything other than some guy who’d just won a fat wad at poker–there’s no indication that he’d exchanged any other words with him. Sepinwall points out that Jimmy made a point of cashing out while they could see him.
My LES geography is failing me (may be moving there when my lease is out, but still don’t know it that well). Anyone know what that park is/was, and whether it’s still there? I love seeing places in person that I’ve seen in movies/TV and vice versa, so a field trip might be in order.
I’d love to see the scene you’re talking about. I always get a kick when they use Irish in American shows.
She was translating Sinn Fein as “ourselves alone” and he corrected her, pointing out it was properly “we ourselves.”
Ha, ha, I just watched this episode. Presumably McGarrigle is meant to be a version of DeValera?
I though it was a great episode.
I think were going to see a Godfather style ending, with Nucky getting revenge on those who’ve betrayed him. However, I would not be surprised if Jimmy proves his loyalty.
Anyone else watch last night’s episode? Anybody else not sure WTF’s going on with some of these people?
Unlike last season where he seemed integral, the current storyline w/ Van Alden seems to be treading water and is not holding my intrest. All the more so shacked up with breathy-voiced pregnant bimbo who seriously bugs me. She was a fine in season one playing a particular trope, but I would have disposed of her character by now.
So far Buscemi and MacDonald are always worth watching on this show. But the others are all more hit or miss, though I think they all have their moments.
I do like the rising new Irish muscle of Slater as a contrast to the Darmody/Harrow combination. But I fear an illicit affair with fellow Irish immigrant Margaret Schroeder, which I have an worry the writers might pursue to cliched effect. I’d rather Buscemi and MacDonald stay a semi-contented power couple