![the boardwalk empire season 2 episode 1 the boardwalk empire season 2 episode 1](https://content.internetvideoarchive.com/content/hdphotos/8461/008461/008461_1246x701_655586_021.jpg)
Jimmy is forced to return the necklace he bought for his mother, and hand the money over to Nucky, who, in a brilliant scene, instantly gambles (and loses) the $3,000. "Actually there were four, but let's not quibble over that little detail shall we?" Nucky decides to cut him loose, telling him "If you wanna be a gangster in my town, you pay for the privilege." And the asking price is $3,000. Will there be some age-related explanation? "I'd say that our relationship has changed rather significantly in the past few days. In fact it's a rather strange reunion with his bizarrely young mother, played by Gretchen Mol. He then presents a half-naked burlesque showgirl with a necklace his mistress, we presume, from the way she wraps her legs around him and covers him with kisses. Meanwhile, feeling flush after his heist-turned-bloodbath, Jimmy surprises his wife and child with late Christmas presents including a state-of-the-art upright vacuum cleaner (how times have changed – don't try this at home). She's not convinced but he gives her money as a token of appreciation for corroborating this information – she later pays a late night visit to Nucky to return this money and clear her conscience. The purpose of Elias's visit is to persuade Margaret that her husband was involved in the smuggling of alcohol, and probably the murders. (The pair appear to have a more complicated relationship than it might first have appeared). Perhaps a more interesting question would be what does Margaret want from Nucky? She was clearly disappointed to see Mr Thompson the sheriff arrive at her bedside, rather than his brother. "What do you want from me?" Margaret Schroeder
![the boardwalk empire season 2 episode 1 the boardwalk empire season 2 episode 1](https://tv-fanatic-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--8qBSUeEi--/t_episode_lf/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1371224128/van-alden-photo.png)
In order to intimidate a henchman into a confession, he delivers a chilling cautionary tale before asking: "If I caused a stranger to choke to death for my own amusement, what do you think I'll do to you if you don't tell me who ordered you to kill Colosimo?" – delivering the line so archly, he might as well have been stroking a white cat. Rothstein himself is similarly disquieting. In other gangster dramas, we're supposed to root for the Eliot Ness-like figure here it seems we're meant to think of him as the bad guy … He is a man so repressed that his letters to his wife include instructions to remember to run the tap regularly so that the pipes don't crack. "He's the county treasurer but he lives like a pharaoh." There something rather creepy about Agent Van Alden's fastidious demeanour and piercing gaze. Van Alden persuades his bosses at the FBI to switch their focus from Arnold Rothstein to Nucky in Atlantic City –. Nucky tries to buy him off with the promise of girls and theatre tickets, to no avail: "Tell me, what you do like?" he asks wearily. Nucky offers him a shoe shine, coffee or "something stronger maybe?" It is clear that he has the entire city in his back pocket everything operates under his watchful eye, and Van Alden knows it. As he stamps on the reporter's face, Capone, played very convincingly by Stephen Graham, proclaims: "I'm making a statement."īack in Atlantic City, Agent Van Alden barges his way into Nucky's office enquiring into the massacre in the woods the previous week. A Chicago Tribune reporter unwittingly tells one of Torrio's men, Al Capone, that he plans to run with a story connecting his boss to the crime and asks for a statement a move he may live – or not – to regret. Nucky Thompson has sent a wreath, with the words, "Sleep with the Angels". As the snow falls in Chicago, the crowds gather for the lavish funeral of Chicago mobster Big Jim Colosimo, last seen having his brains cinematically blown out at his restaurant.