Boardwalk Empire

Apart from the weaker first half of the fifth season, I was very pleased with the series. I've always liked gangster films set in the 1920s and 1930s, so it was obvious that unless the creators did something catastrophically wrong, I was going to like this one. What I enjoy about HBO's "historical" series is the combination of real characters and obvious fiction, which worked really well here. Plus, it managed to create a great atmosphere. Things were made even better by casting Steve Buscemi in the lead role. I was also blown away by Michael Shannon in the role of Nelson Van Alden, who gave an excellent performance throughout. (2017-07-15)

The USA during the prohibition era, the gangster golden age. Exactly my kind of thing. I wasn't expecting a frantic action spectacle from HBO after my experience with Rome and The Tudors. Instead, I was looking forward to a big dose of conversation and intrigue and that's exactly what I got. The filmmakers’ need to get at least one naked body in each scene was painfully obvious and it got annoying pretty quickly. But that's about the only problem I had with this very well-made first season. (2017-06-01)

The first episode left me with nothing to criticize. I’ve always loved films set during American Prohibition, and this series is exceptionally well-cast. Steve Buscemi is delightfully sleazy, supported brilliantly by Shea Whigham and Michael Pitt. I was also pleased to see Kelly Macdonald, who first caught my eye in Gosford Park. (2017-05-25)

Even though the episode doesn't feature any major events, it’s filled with plenty of smaller, subtle moments, and we get to see Agent Van Alden start to go off the rails. The situation with the massacre witness, while tragic, had me unexpectedly entertained. (2017-05-25)

This episode was so engaging that I had to give it a full five stars, despite Mr. Skin having plenty of material to work with again. The situation in Chicago finally became clear, and it feels like it's only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose. (2017-05-28)

The episode was a delight. It's heavy on dialogue, which is typical for HBO series, and I don't mind it at all. We get introduced to Meyer Lansky and the extremely likable sniper Richard. I was amused by the subplot involving Enoch gifting his father's house, only to later reconsider. (2017-05-31)

High-quality episodes are the standard for this series. The entire episode was filled with political scheming, plans for criminal retribution, and a few action-packed moments. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a great time watching. (2017-06-01)

I was very pleased with the second season. There was more action than in the first one and it got off to a flying start. The individual characters went through interesting development and the plot managed to surprise me several times, so I was far from bored. Steve Buscemi and Michael Shannon played their roles in grand style, and I can only look forward to season three and hope that it will keep up the high standard. (2017-07-04)

The only downside of this episode is the frequent shots of Paz de la Huerta, which I could do without. Otherwise, it was fantastic. There's plenty of scheming, a good dose of action, and Van Alden is doing his best to navigate a tricky situation. (2017-07-02)

Just as I was starting to complain about the lack of action, episode nine delivered in spades. Alongside a showcase of Thompson submachine gun firepower, viewers are treated to some expert-level work with a meat cleaver. (2017-07-03)

Another excellent episode, even the flashbacks to Jimmy's past were compelling. Van Alden is a case unto himself, with his integrity falling apart in real-time. The episode closes with a tragedy of almost epic proportions. (2017-07-04)

Satisfaction! The season finale was fantastic, full of grand intrigue and intense action. Once again, it’s confirmed that the most extensive criminal organization is the church. (2017-07-04)

The third season came with gradual development and an increasing number of action scenes. The very best was brought by the final two episodes.. Plus, this series also came with some unexpectedly entertaining developments within the Mueller family, which I really appreciated. For me, this was the best part of this prohibition gangster series so far. (2017-07-08)

There was more talk and less action this time, but luckily, the dialogue was on point. Plus, it was fun watching Elias adapt to his new lifestyle, not to mention the iron salesman subplot. (2017-07-06)

The episode ramped up the action, and I found it amusing when Enoch hypocritically accepted an award from a representative of the most hypocritical organization in the world. The plot developments suggest that there will likely be even more action in the upcoming episodes. (2017-07-06)

I consider the fourth season to be the best one so far. It added a lot more action to what worked in the previous seasons and the result was highly watchable. As a bonus, I got the hilarious Mueller family who cracked me up every time. I was also amused by the transformation of Mr. Mueller from a pushover into the badass uncompromising Mr. Van Alden, which seemed to make Mrs. Mueller happy as well. (2017-07-13)

Another great episode. Two standout characters, J. Edgar Hoover and Dr. Valentin Narcisse, were introduced, but once again, the Muellers stole the show. They are an absolutely brilliant duo. (2017-07-09)

Still enjoying the show, with intrigue at every turn. It's a game where standing still means falling behind, and losing at cards means no trip to Florida. The FBI is getting bold, and Mr. Mueller is losing control of his fate. (2017-07-10)

Even when the action isn't nonstop, the intriguing plot developments and fascinating conversations keep things engaging. I’m hopeful the rest of the season maintains this quality. (2017-07-10)

I was disappointed that the episode ignored the Chicago storyline I was eagerly anticipating, but Mr. White saved the day. Once again, I had a great time watching, which seems to be the norm for this season. (2017-07-11)