TV Review: Boardwalk Empire 3.7, "Sunday Best"

by Chris Morgan

rating: 2.5

Boardwalk Empire's very own black widow showed her hand this week as she seduced then murdered a man who closely resembled her son. Last episode when Gillian picked up the ignorant stranger Roger (or Not-Jimmy), it seemed as though she were setting herself up for a life of seeming blissful happiness as she lived in a fairy tale idealistic existence wherein she could take care of and sleep with her son whenever she pleased. This week's episode proved there was something more to Gillian's flight of fancy, and that while still seven kinds of batshit crazy, Gillian is a resourceful woman with a plan. Murdering Not-Jimmy but keeping the corpse provides the perfect alibi for producing her son's body and therefore inheriting the entire estate, officially. And if she got to fulfil her ultimate sexual fantasy in the process, that was just a bonus. Of course, explaining the sudden appearance of Jimmy in a bathtub is going to take some doing, and Richard at least is wise to her moves. Speaking of Richard, it's clear now just how much he has become Tommy's father figure, reprimanding him when necessary and outright threatening the lives of those who endanger his adopted son. When Richard point blank tells Paul he'll kill him, you know full well he isn't even close to bluffing. Fortunately for Paul, Richard seems quite taken with his daughter. Good thing, else Mr Harrow's kill count would likely have crept up to 64. The reunification between Nucky and Eli is bordering on heart-warming to see, though it's hard not to condemn either of them. Nucky has shown just how ruthless he can be this season while Eli did indeed conspire to have his own brother murdered when it suited his purposes. Trust will be slow to earn but once its come by this time, it seems likely to stick. Giving Eli the added responsibility of monitoring the warehouse along the accident-prone Doyle is likely a sign of things to come. During the family meal, it almost feels like things between Nucky and Margaret may reach a point where they rekindle some of what remains of their relationship, only for Margaret to shoot it down at the last moment when they're back home claiming it's too late. While it's easy to make the argument that it's never too late, there's no forcing a horse to drink. The thought that stays with me most after this weeks episode is: who knew Steve Buscemi could juggle?
Contributor

When not writing Chris spends more time thinking about playing videogames than actually playing them and can usually be found reorganizing his Blu Ray and book collections. He owns four different editions of A Song of Ice and Fire and no, it isn't overkill. He's left the neon haze of Tokyo and Seoul for the more sedate streets of Bournemouth.