# Has everyone stopped watching Boardwalk Empire...\[OPEN SPOILERS\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290 "2013-11-07T00:53:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/1 "2013-11-07T00:53:30Z")
or just stopped talking about it? Its audience seems to be rather quiet or perhaps no longer exists. I’ve been watching the current season and while not as good as the previous one in my estimation it contains at least one episode that I think is amongst the best of the show. Any fans still following the adventures of Nucky et al? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/2 "2013-11-07T01:29:53Z")
There was a good bit of discussion of the show in the current [five best dramas](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=706696) thread. Here was my take there. > [@The dopes philosopher king](#): > > Boardwalk Empire is alright, but should’ve been a better show. It started as a show about a mildly corrupt political operator dealing with the increasing violence and instability brought about by prohibition, but they kind of gave up on that and now its just characters stumbling around engaging in random acts of violence and kinky sex. Which is cool, I like kinky sex and violence, but its more of a guilty pleasure show then the more interesting drama it should’ve been. So I still watch, but its basically a guilty pleasure show, so I don’t feel a huge need to log onto the Dope and discuss it after watching an episode. But we can make this the season four discussion thread and I’ll probably participate some. I think there are still a decent number of people watching. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/3 "2013-11-07T01:32:26Z")
Gave up after the first season, struggled to watch the last 3-4. Cool premise, good production, just can’t get into the characters and situations. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/4 "2013-11-07T01:43:42Z")
I just started watching this on Saturday. I loved the first half of season 1, but struggled to get through the last episodes. I’m just now starting season 2. I really hope it improves, as the first episodes were excellent. ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/5 "2013-11-07T02:32:10Z")
I’ve watched seasons 1-3 as they became available through Netflix. I’m finding myself enjoying the show more as time goes on, but then I’ve always been a fan of gangster movies, and that’s essentially what the show has become. It started out as something different, and I found it a bit confusing and hard to relate to in the first season, but have increasingly enjoyed it as the “mob” has taken a larger and larger part. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/6 "2013-11-07T02:51:00Z")
> [@NeonMadman](#): > > I’ve watched seasons 1-3 as they became available through Netflix. I’m finding myself enjoying the show more as time goes on, but then I’ve always been a fan of gangster movies, and that’s essentially what the show has become. It started out as something different, and I found it a bit confusing and hard to relate to in the first season, but have increasingly enjoyed it as the “mob” has taken a larger and larger part. I’m kinda the opposite. I like gangster movies, but they’re a dime-a-dozen, so I’m pretty ambivalent about Boardwalk turning into another one. Its been done (IMDB has 59 entries for people who’ve played Al Capone). I liked it better when the show indulged in gangsters in limited doses, while exploring some other aspects of the period, and how people who weren’t straight-up criminals (or at least, like Nucky, were more respectable criminals) were effected by prohibition. But like I said, its still fun to watch. Just less interesting. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/7 "2013-11-07T03:07:12Z")
I’m liking this season better than the last one, but I’m not sure why. Possibly looking for Jillian to get her comeuppance or happy not to see Nucky fucking around on his sweet wife. Not happy about the Chalky story tho. I know he’s a badass but I always liked that he was a family man. Oops. This needs to end with Richard winning somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/8 "2013-11-07T03:46:46Z")
I’m a fan of the show, but I’ve had a really hard time getting into this season. Maybe it’s because I’ve never found Chalky to be a particularly interesting character, even though it seems like I should, and they’ve really expanded his role this season. I’m always hoping to see more Rothstein, though. Best character on the show. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/9 "2013-11-07T03:55:10Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > This needs to end with Richard winning somehow. Eh, he’s already become some sort of WWI ninja, plus now he’s got a hot wife whose willing to overlook the fact that he’s missing half his head, and (maybe) will get the kid he helped raise. And it looks like he’ll soon be working for the only competent gangster in the Eastern US. Everything already seems to be coming up Richard. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/10 "2013-11-07T04:16:50Z")
I don’t much care about Chalky but I find myself cheering for Van Alden and his hot Nordic wife. By the way, look up the video of Michael Shannon reading the sorority letter. It’s hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/11 "2013-11-07T04:19:27Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I liked it better when the show indulged in gangsters in limited doses, while exploring some other aspects of the period, and how people who weren’t straight-up criminals (or at least, like Nucky, were more respectable criminals) were effected by prohibition. > > But like I said, its still fun to watch. Just less interesting. I’m pretty much in this boat. I liked the occasional gangster interaction, but am more interested in the political cronyism of even the brief IRA storyline, than seeing Capone ascend to power or Rothstein fall yet again. It’s been done. Also I’m another one indifferent to Chalky’s storyline ( conversely I sorta intermittently like Richard’s and agent Van Alden’s ). But I still watch and enjoy it. Just in a sort of tamped down way. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/12 "2013-11-07T04:24:06Z")
Ah, Richard… he’s like Two-Face with a glued-down coin. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/13 "2013-11-07T04:53:56Z")
I enjoyed the first series but, as far as I know, the second hasn’t shown here yet. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/14 "2013-11-07T13:41:21Z")
I’m stuck on the third season. I never thought I’d say this but I really miss Michael Pitt. He made Jimmy Darmody very sympathetic and he was an excellent actor who was a joy to watch. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/15 "2013-11-07T15:03:54Z")
I miss both Michael Pitt and Charlie Cox. Both were pretty compelling characters. I’m still watching but pretty bored with Nucky in general. Does he really do anything any more? And although his wife is good for comic relief, the ex-FBI agent is not an intereseting storyline for me and I hate his personality. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/16 "2013-11-07T16:00:53Z")
Rothstein is a fantastic character. I like Van Alden, Eddie Kessler and Harrow too. I find it suffers a bit from having too many irons in the fire. They refer back to a narrative thread you haven’t engaged with in two or three episodes and sometimes it feels like they should shed half of the characters. I didn’t find the storyline with Eli’s son particularly engaging either. The Florida scenes feel very setty too. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/17 "2013-11-07T16:16:21Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > I’m stuck on the third season. I never thought I’d say this but I really miss Michael Pitt. Ah, now I’m just the opposite on that one. I’m happy he died. Partly because I thought it was a fitting end to the character’s arc, but I’ll admit part of it is because of Pitt himself. He is one of a small number of actors that always sets my teeth on edge ( Jan-Michael Vincent was another, couldn’t tell you why ). I want someone to forcefully hold him down and wash that grease out of his hair :D. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/18 "2013-11-07T16:29:45Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I find it suffers a bit from having too many irons in the fire. They refer back to a narrative thread you haven’t engaged with in two or three episodes and sometimes it feels like they should shed half of the characters. I definitely agree with this. I usually love sprawling TV shows, with big ensembles and lots of subplots, but **Boardwalk Empire** has never really found a way to consistently weave a lot of these stories together. It feels like they’re always struggling to give characters screen time, but except for Nucky, if a certain character appears in an episode, they almost certainly won’t be in the next one, and maybe not even the one after that either. It feels a bit checklist-y: “OK, that’s our Luciano for the week. Won’t have to worry about him for a while.” ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/19 "2013-11-07T16:44:17Z")
The one I wished had died was Gillian…what a hateful, twisted person. I can see why she is that way- pretty brutal start in life but what she did to her son was unforgivable and they should have already left town with her grandson. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290/20 "2013-11-07T19:05:12Z")
I’m still watching, still enjoying. It’s not like I look forward to it every week or anything, but it’s a good way to pass an hour. I think I agree w/ whoever suggested that they’ve got too many irons in the fire. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-stopped-watching-boardwalk-empire-open-spoilers/673290.md?page=2)