The amoral city by the sea has been called “boring” and “overrated” by critics, but if the first episode of season two is any indicator, I believe the series will be another runaway hit for the HBO network.

What I thought was the highlight of the first season was the uneasy suspense surrounding the relationship of Nucky and his protege, son by proxy Jimmy. The relationship has grown into a tense protagonist now that Jimmy has finally turned against his former ally and confidant, Nucky.

Although Steve Buscemi is arguably the shining star of the show, Michael Pitt upstages him at times and is a acting force to be reckoned with. His brooding intensity glues me to the screen and he continues to grow as an actor and into his character. Jimmy’s time away in Chicago and his false pretense of fence-mending with his biological father, the Commodore, shows his tunnel visioned-focus to get what he wants and feels he is owed.

And that used to be making a name for himself in the corrupt beach town and providing for his long-time girlfriend and son, but now his motives are muddled.

Disheartened by Nucky’s lack of validation, which seemed to be what Jimmy craved above anything else, and the almost departure of his love Angie, Jimmy began spending more and more time with real father and mother because he felt abandoned by Nucky, his surrogate father figure. Now it seems his refocused goal is only to bring down Nucky.

Jimmy may be harboring some significant daddy issues, and the Commodore has stepped in to fill Nucky’s absence. Jimmy wants respect, no matter where the source, and although Nucky is trying to extend an olive branch, Jimmy’s steely resolve is freezing out the former father figure.

The conflict between these two will continue to grow, and once Nucky figures out the party’s involved and behind the rumored KKK shooting, the battle will be epic.

I’m really looking forward to getting the back scoop about Van Alden and Lucy’s story. Although he made a seemingly favorable impression on his significant other during her visit and appears to have at long last gotten his life together, Lucy is nothing and spells trouble for Van Alden. Their back story is sure to contribute to some dramatic moments on Sunday nights.

I’m thrilled that Richard has returned and is still in possession of his poignant sadness that makes it both uncomfortable and enthralling to watch his character’s scenes. The first episode’s surprising conclusion, where Nucky is at long last caught. will keep me tuning in week after week. I think it was a terrific start to the show’s second season, but that’s just my opinion.

I can’t wait for next week. What about you?

Check out episode 1 of Boardwalk Empire below:

For best picture quality, it is best to download instead of streaming:

What are your thoughts on this episode of Boardwalk Empire? Sound off below in the comments

Check out episode 1  of Boardwalk Empire below:

For best picture quality, it is best to download instead of streaming:

What are your thoughts on this episode of Boardwalk Empire? Sound off below in the comments

In the highly anticipated Season One finally, Buscemi’s Nucky Thompson is still in control of Atlantic City in the early-20th century, but his grip on an empire of gambling, drugs and organized crime is getting less and less firm by the minute. Nucky’s brother Eli teamed up with the Commodore, who is once again healthy after a scare had his henchmen worried about their future. Nucky’s former employee and friend Jimmy is also filled with sinister intentions and is working his way into the graces of other crime bosses.

As if this is not enough drama and stress for Nucky to handle, hard-nosed and narrow-minded federal agent Van Alden is obsessively focused on having him arrested and brought to justice, no matter what the monetary or physical costs. Van Alden is also dealing with the upcoming birth of a child that he angrily and impulsively fathered with a casino showgirl. The bizarre triangle of affiliation between Nucky, Lucy and Van Alden is certain to lead to a bevy of conflict, perhaps even bloodshed.

Not to be overlooked are the Jewish and Italian mafias, who are in the process of materializing into gigantic International crime syndicates. Needless to say, doing unscrupulous business in Atlantic City is becoming increasingly complicated and difficult given the growing number of participants.

Despite all of this, Nucky still has a few reasons to be very happy. Chalky White is a well respected and suave African-American businessman, and he and Nucky are close partners. His influence on the African-American community has allowed Nucky to drastically extend his reach into criminal activity in the state of New Jersey.

Additionally, prohibition-praising starlet Margret Schroeder is still by Nucky’s side after a period of self-reflection, and she can be a calming and wise influence on the aging mogul. The show’s millions of fans are waiting with anxious anticipation for the beginning of Season Two, where we will all learn if the bizarre pairing of a crime boss and a women’s rights figure can possibly work out in the 1920s.

At the end of the first season, Jimmy and The Commodore were conspiring to take Atlantic City back from Nucky Thompson. For those unfamiliar with the show, the setting is Atlantic City during the 1920s. Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, played by Steve Buscemi, is the undisputed ruler of Atlantic City and manages to be both politician and gangster. Before 1920, his area of influence was limited within New Jersey, but after the start of Prohibition that year, his corruption spread. After expanding his powers all the way to New York and Chicago, he began to live a life of luxury. He quickly found that if he was generous to his underlings, he could get whatever he wanted politically.

Nucky has a protégé named Jimmy Darmody, who is played by Michael Pitt. Jimmy has a wife and son and is a stranger to both. He served during World War I and suffers from what we now know to be post-traumatic stress disorder. He is the illegitimate son of a man called ‘The Commodore’, who is both Nucky’s mentor and the former leader of Atlantic City. Jimmy’s mother is a club showgirl and gave birth to him when she was only 13. Nucky made a promise to both Jimmy’s mother and The Commodore that he would look after their son. Jimmy is no stranger to gangster crime.

As the first season of “Boardwalk Empire” unfolds and Nucky makes deal after deal with his enemies to increase his personal empire, he finds his friends soon joining the ranks of his enemies. That leads us to last season’s finale.

The big question on the minds of fans of the show is, “What will happen next?” Will Nucky bow down to Jimmy and The Commodore, or will he refuse to go down without a fight? Who will become the next leader of Atlantic City’s empire?

This month, the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), in conjunction with HBO, is dusting off, sprucing up and re-railing a 1920s IRT subway train to promote the September 25th premiere of the network’s Jazz Age drama, Boardwalk Empire.

HBO’s Marketing Department approached the MTA about ideas for a “nostalgic” marketing campaign that would stand out in the proverbial “city that never sleeps,” explained transit spokesman, Eugene Ribeiro. Eager to accommodate, the MTA offered up a still-operational Art Deco subway car currently preserved in the Brooklyn Transit Museum’s yard.

HBO executives loved the idea and paid over $150,000 to unleash the locomotive shrine on the 2/3 line. And the live-art fun doesn’t end there. Over the next couple of weeks, don’t be surprised if a time-traveling flapper or wise guy offers you a free metro pass “on Nucky” – the show’s nefarious, yet loveable, protagonist. It’s all a part of the elaborate, art-imitating-life marketing operandi.

City residents can catch the vintage ride between 42nd and 96th every weekend in September.

The much praised Boardwalk Empire is a visually stunning, well-written cinematic hybrid of fact and fiction, which chronicles the adventures and exploits of Atlantic City-based, prohibition-era politician, Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, and his band of power-hungry cronies and gangster acquaintances.

Featuring a cast with strong connections to the Big Apple, the series stars New York natives and favorites Steve Buscemi, Paz de la Huerta, Michael Pitt and Vincent Piazza. In addition, many of the scenes are filmed in and around Brooklyn. Tune in to HBO on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. to check it out – and be sure to hop a ride on the Art Deco express to see what all the hype is about.

Before he ever saw the bright lights of Hollywood, Buscemi was carving out a career as a fireman in New York’s Little Italy in the 1980s. A hard-working and dedicated employee, Buscemi never gave up on his dreams of professional acting while putting in four years of service to Engine No. 55 in the New York Fire Department. Needless to say, Buscemi was rocked to his core by the events of 9-11, and he decided to join up with his former employer the very next day.

While eschewing photo opportunities or interviews, the former firefighter worked tirelessly in monster shifts for the next week. It turned out to be good for the city as well as the soul of the New York native, who admitted that he used the long hours and the noble work as a form of therapy for himself. “It would have been much harder for me to get through it if I hadn’t been able to do that,” he later said.

It is a bit surprising that most of the great actor’s characters have been smarmy and arrogant villains, given that Buscemi himself is caring man with a heart of gold.

After the announcement, Snyder praised Shannon by calling him “perfect for the role” and “a powerful actor” who is capable of portraying both “the intelligence and the malice of the character.”

Shannon is well-known for his Academy Award nominated performance in Revolutionary Road and has also appeared in films such as Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Bug, 8 Mile, and the Runaways.

He joins an already star-studded cast including Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent; Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as Superman’s human parents Jonathan and Martha Kent; and Amy Adams as Superman’s love interest, Lois Lane.

The Prohibition-era drama keeps the tension going as Nucky realizes the extent of his enemies. While he might be on the road to success there seems to be countless people who want to cut him down. The second season also begs the question of “How mad is Eli?”. The second season of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire promises to live up to the high expectations placed upon it since the amazing success of the first season.

The teaser trailer for season two of Boardwalk Empire was artfully done. The edgy cinematography showed the characters and their interactions. The heart beat like rhythm of the music added a sense of anxiety and tension to the fast paced trailer. The sudden end to the frantic character interactions gave evidence to the paranoia that is growing in Nucky.

Check out the trailers for season 2 below:

Chianese is best known for his performance as Corrado ‘Junior” Soprano on the acclaimed HBO series, “The Sopranos.” Terrance Winter, the creator of “Boardwalk Empire” was also a writer and an excective producer on “The Sopranos”. Chianese and Winter haven’t worked together since the series ended in 2007.

Before landing his signature role in “The Sopranos,” the 80 year-old Chianese made contributions to such classic films as “The Godfather Part II,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” All The Presidents Men,” and “Night Falls on Manhattan”. Chianese also appeared in television shows East Side/West Side, Kodiak, Law and Order, and most recently, The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

“Boardwalk Empire” with stellar cast members Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald and Michael Pitt returns to HBO on Sunday, September 25.