Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Nucky Thompson from "Boardwalk Empire"

 

 
(Credits: HBO)

Boardwalk Empire has been a conflicting series in my mind for a number of reasons. Although its good in its portrayal of the Prohibition era and what it entails, my overall enjoyment for watching it declined as the seasons kept going, to a point where I needed to take a break from the show for a bit. I can't tell if this was purely on me, or if the show burned me out too fast with the characters and plots it was presenting, but it happened either way. 

However, one aspect of the show I really did enjoy was the overall portrayal of Nucky Thompson, the main protagonist that we follow throughout all five seasons. He shares a lot of characteristics I tend to really enjoy in characters and looking back on the many weeks of blogs and choices I have made, Nucky can easily be compared to some of the past characters, in terms of pure similarity. That's why I won't really focus on that this week. 

Instead, what really makes Nucky so interesting is the situation he is seen thriving in. He is a beloved politician, who is seen essentially living a double life between fighting for the affection and support of Atlantic City and trying to make as much money as possible with the underworld activities he participates in. This balance between worlds is sometimes challenged and tipped over and seeing Nucky's reactions to these obstacles are the more intriguing parts of the show, rather than simply Nucky as a character by himself. 

It would be hard for me to recommend Boardwalk Empire on its own. It has received praise in the past, but as I have mentioned I just can't find myself really enjoying the show that much. If it wasn't for Nucky and a few other great characters, I would have probably not even talked about this series at all. But I can say this: it's worth trying out, at least for some of the great performances from the main cast. 





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