WHAT IF ALCOHOL WAS ILLEGAL??

What a nightmare right! Well this is the case for Americans in the 1920´s. But no fear, illegal importation of alcohol is the solution, as we see in HBO´s series “Boardwalk Empire”. This is produced by Martin Scorsese and Mark Wahlberg, and Scorsese won the Emmy for the pilot. My opinion on the series (that I started watching no long away and saw the entire first season in 1 day), is that I completely loved it. This series is based on real facts, there are real historic figures and tells what was happening at the time.

Enoch “Nucky” Johnson (Steve Buscemi) is Atlantic city´s Treasurer and runs this city because he has big political contacts and owns the illegal importation of alcohol during The United States prohibition (1920- 1930). He meets his “girlfriend”, and Irish housewife with two children that was not the type of women he usually courts but “Margaret” (Kelly Macdonald) turns out to be his salvation many times. There is also Jimmy (Michael Pitt) that is like a son to him, but latter betrays him and tries to take over the alcohol business. We also see Al Capone and other historic figures of the time.

This series is basically the interactions of the gangsters, the politics, the corruption and love of that time period. The story or history of series is so interesting just to know it, but they tell it in a way that you never get bored. I read somewhere that Scorsese was so careful of details that even the sizes of the boards in the boardwalk are the same size of the originals. The advertising, the products, the wardrobe, even the hair styles are perfect. Art direction is impeccable. The soundtrack is so great; to hear those old songs is very refreshing …ironically. The actors and writers did an amazing job with the dialogs; you can’t even understand some of the words they use. Even though you can tell that Atlantic City was computer generated, the boardwalk is beautiful; it’s all recreated in a set.

The first season was basically to meet the characters, really get to know them. But in the second season we are faced with betrayal, political sandals, more death, new enemies but bigger bonds between old alliances. New episodes every Sunday; is super recommended if you are looking for quality television.