Boardwalk Empire (season 3)

Boardwalk Empire (season 3)
Season 3 DVD cover
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	12
Release
Original network	HBO
Original release	September 16, 2012 (2012-09-16) – December 2, 2012 (2012-12-02)

The third season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire premiered on September 16, 2012 and concluded on December 2, 2012, consisting of 12 episodes. The series was created by Terence Winter and based on the book Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and Corruption of Atlantic City by Nelson Johnson. Set in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era, the series stars Steve Buscemi as Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (based on the historical Enoch "Nucky" Johnson), a political figure who rose to prominence and controlled Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition period of the 1920s and early 1930s. Taking place 16 months after season two, the third season begins on New Year's Eve 1922 and concludes in June 1923. The third season was released on DVD and Blu-ray in region 1 on August 20, 2013.

Cast

Main

Charlie Cox was promoted to main cast after recurring in the previous season, and Bobby Cannavale joined the cast. Michael Pitt, Aleksa Palladino, Paz de la Huerta and Dabney Coleman all departed the cast.

• Steve Buscemi as Enoch "Nucky" Thompson
• Kelly Macdonald as Margaret Thompson
• Michael Shannon as Nelson Van Alden/George Mueller
• Shea Whigham as Elias "Eli" Thompson
• Michael Stuhlbarg as Arnold Rothstein
• Stephen Graham as Al Capone
• Vincent Piazza as Charlie Luciano
• Michael Kenneth Williams as Albert "Chalky" White
• Anthony Laciura as Eddie Kessler
• Paul Sparks as Michael "Mickey Doyle" Kuzik
• Jack Huston as Richard Harrow
• Charlie Cox as Owen Sleater
• Bobby Cannavale as Gyp Rosetti
• Gretchen Mol as Gillian Darmody

Recurring

2

Episodes

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
25	1	"Resolution"	Tim Van Patten	Terence Winter	September 16, 2012 (2012-09-16)	2.89
It's New Year's Eve 1922. Gyp Rosetti is introduced as a violent, easily offended Sicilian mobster from New York City. During a meeting with Nucky, he receives some bad news regarding his new exclusive partnership with Rothstein. In retaliation, he racially insults everyone in the room and storms out. Nucky attends meetings and deals with Margaret's past actions, which made him an involuntary philanthropist when she donated millions of dollars' worth of New Jersey landholdings. On the lam, Van Alden works as a clothing iron salesman in Chicago when he stumbles into a dispute between Al Capone and Dean O'Banion. Jimmy's death has left Richard as his son's caretaker, but Gillian refuses to let him learn the truth about his parents.
26	2	"Spaghetti & Coffee"	Alik Sakharov	Howard Korder	September 23, 2012 (2012-09-23)	2.62
Eli gets out of jail and has trouble accepting his brother's plans for him and the new reality at home. Nucky meets 'special investigator' Gaston Means, acting as Harry Daugherty's bagman in New York. Displeased by Nucky's refusal to sell alcohol to anyone but Rothstein, Gyp takes over the strategically situated small town of Tabor Heights, New Jersey and blockades the alcohol shipments between Atlantic City and New York. Margaret's interest for the sanitary conditions at St. Theresa's hospital is met by resistance from both patients and doctors, and Chalky argues with his daughter over their conflicting plans about her future.
27	3	"Bone for Tuna"	Jeremy Podeswa	Chris Haddock	September 30, 2012 (2012-09-30)	2.36
Nucky is set to receive an award by the Roman Catholic Church for his charitable work, but is suffering from insomnia and disturbing dreams connected to Jimmy's murder. Richard hears that Mickey is taking credit for one of his killings, while Nelson visits a speakeasy with coworkers. A young Benjamin Siegel is roughed up by Joe Masseria's men. Margaret negotiates a woman's health clinic in an audience with the Bishop. Gyp, having negotiated a temporary deal with Nucky, takes offense to an innocent farewell greeting.
28	4	"Blue Bell Boy"	Kari Skogland	David Stenn	October 7, 2012 (2012-10-07)	2.11
Owen's increasingly prominent role in the bootlegging operation is met with jealousy from Nucky when they both end up hiding out in the house of a precocious liquor thief. Capone, whose son is being bullied at school, takes out his frustrations on one of O'Banion's men. Charlie Luciano sits down with Masseria, who muscles a high tax on Lucky's growing business and tells him to be wary of his Jewish partners. Mickey receives a menacing phone call from Rothstein and, over Eli's objections, ignores Nucky's instructions to not transport liquor through Tabor Heights, which leads to grave consequences.
29	5	"You'd Be Surprised"	Tim Van Patten	Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider	October 14, 2012 (2012-10-14)	2.19
Van Alden comes clean with his wife, but this backfires when they are visited by a Prohibition agent, forcing him to return to O'Banion's place. Margaret suffers setbacks while trying to promote her Women's Health clinic. Gillian seeks Leander's counsel in financing her bordello, for which she must either change her business model or let go of the past. Nucky enlists a reluctant Eddie Cantor to help Billie move up in the world. An attempt is made on Gyp Rosetti's life.
30	6	"Ging Gang Goolie"	Ed Bianchi	Steve Kornacki	October 21, 2012 (2012-10-21)	2.34
Nucky maneuvers to avoid taking a political fall for the Attorney General, getting arrested in the process. Eli and Mickey visit Tabor Heights. Richard befriends an older veteran and his daughter, Julia. Gillian takes on a young lover, who she names "James". While her son longs for a male presence in the house, Margaret rekindles an affair with Owen.
31	7	"Sunday Best"	Allen Coulter	Howard Korder	October 28, 2012 (2012-10-28)	1.97
Nucky, Eli, and their respective families bond over Easter dinner. Richard takes young Tommy to dine with the Sagorskys, and Julia accepts Richard's invitation to the local Carnival. In danger of reprisal over his actions in Tabor Heights, Gyp brokers a deal with his boss, Joe Masseria. Gillian comes to terms with the death of Jimmy.
32	8	"The Pony"	Tim Van Patten	Terence Winter and Howard Korder	November 4, 2012 (2012-11-04)	2.09
Arrangements are made for Nucky to attend a private club, where he makes a proposal to the Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon. Torrio, fresh from an Italian vacation, gives Al a larger role in business operations. Nelson, now indebted to O'Banion, is forced to work for him after hours, while at the same time facing problems in his day job. Nucky and Billie argue about the nature of their relationship. Margaret decides to take a stand on birth control and looks for a birthday pony with Owen's help. Gillian cuts ties with Luciano, giving Gyp a tip in the process. The result is an attempt on Nucky's life in which Billie is killed.
33	9	"The Milkmaid's Lot"	Ed Bianchi	Rolin Jones	November 11, 2012 (2012-11-11)	2.06
Taking refuge in the Ritz, a wounded and feverish Nucky struggles to be the man in charge with the help of his family and closest accomplices while they plan his next move. Gyp returns to Tabor Heights and starts his own importing operation with the blessing of Joe Masseria. Richard takes Julia to dance and Gillian blames him for Tommy's latest misadventure, firing him. George Remus is arrested for violation of the Volstead Act.
34	10	"A Man, a Plan…"	Jeremy Podeswa	Dave Flebotte	November 18, 2012 (2012-11-18)	2.18
Nucky and Owen plan a move against New York, pursuing Masseria first. A middle-man who could expose both Nucky and the Attorney General is targeted. Nelson's new sales job gets him into trouble with Capone. Richard and Julia's relationship takes a step forward. After being rejected by Rothstein, Luciano and Lansky go into business with Masseria. Margaret reveals to Owen that she is pregnant with his baby, but before they can run away together he is killed by Masseria's men.
35	11	"Two Imposters"	Allen Coulter	Howard Korder	November 25, 2012 (2012-11-25)	2.30
Gyp and his crew move into Atlantic City. Nucky goes on the run while his wife disappears with her children. Nucky and wounded Eddie turn to Chalky for help, and Chalky has a standoff with Rosetti. Lansky advises Luciano to be cautious in their new heroin operation. Gillian turns on Richard, evicting him from the house. Eli brings Capone back from Chicago with him as a major ally in Nucky's fight to hold onto his empire.
36	12	"Margate Sands"	Tim Van Patten	Terence Winter and Howard Korder	December 2, 2012 (2012-12-02)	2.73
It's a full-scale war in Atlantic City, and bodies are piling up on both sides. Operating out of a lumber yard, Nucky seeks to weaken the Rosetti/Masseria alliance while struggling to keep peace between Capone and Chalky. In New York, Luciano is framed by Masseria and Rothstein with the aid of corrupt police. Gillian makes a failed attempt to woo, drug and presumably kill Rosetti. Nucky strikes a deal with Rothstein to break Rosetti's strength. Chalky and Capone's army massacre Masseria's men as they are retreating to NYC. Richard storms Gillian's house and kills many of Rosetti's men. Rosetti escapes. Nucky then uses his political connections to settle a score with Rothstein. Richard gives Tommy a new home at Julia's, sacrificing his own relationship with her in the process. Rosetti meets with his three remaining henchmen but, on orders from Nucky, Gyp's main assistant stabs him to death while he is urinating on a beach. Nucky tracks down Margaret, who ends their relationship. A depressed Nucky then proceeds to walk the boardwalk where he is recognized by other pedestrians. While he is lonely, he has finally retaken control of Atlantic City.

Reception

Critical reception

The third season of Boardwalk Empire received positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Metacritic, the third season scored 76/100 based on 15 reviews. Another aggregator website, Rotten Tomatoes, reported 84% of critics gave the third season a "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 25 reviews with an average score of 8.6/10, with the site consensus stating "As hot-headed mobster Gyp Rosetti, Bobby Cannavale brings a sense of danger and energy to this season of Boardwalk Empire, which remains lavish, twisty, and violent."

Awards and nominations

The third season received 10 Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards and won 5 altogether. Bobby Cannavale won for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and the series won the awards for Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series ("Sunday Best"), Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series ("Resolution"), Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series ("The Milkmaid's Lot"), and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series ("The Milkmaid's Lot"). Tim Van Patten was nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for "Margate Sands", and the series also received nominations for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series ("Margate Sands"), Outstanding Costumes for a Series ("Resolution"), Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) ("Resolution"), and Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role ("The Pony").

External links

• Official website
• Boardwalk Empire at IMDb
• List of Boardwalk Empire episodes at TV.com