Image Credit: Abbot Genser/HBOOnly two days after the drama’s debut, HBO announced that it has renewed Boardwalk Empire. The series’ Sept. 19 start averaged 4.8 million viewers – HBO’s largest premiere of any program in more than six years (since the March 21, 2004 introduction of Deadwood).
“All the ingredients aligned for this one, from Mark Wahlberg and Steve Levinson’s initial pitch, to Martin Scorsese’s enormous contributions as director and executive producer, to the genius of Terry Winter and the expertise of Tim Van Patten, to a stellar cast led by Steve Buscemi,” said Michael Lombardo, President of HBO Programming, in a statement. “The response from the media and our viewers has been nothing short of amazing.”
Empire is set in Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition, when the sale of alcohol became illegal throughout the United States.
Good news but not a surprise. It’s definitely the best thing HBO has done in years and probably going to dominate at the Emmys next year.
I really did enjoy watching this show. Can’t wait to see more episodes
Yeah- Mad Men (which I love) might have some real competition next year
Considering the year that Mad Men has been having, Boardwalk is going to have be consistently phenomenal to knock it off. Alas, I don’t have HBO, but I’ll pick it up on DVD when it comes out.
I agree with Nick. Mad Men has been great this season (the writing has been fantastic), but who knows how the voters will feel.
No, but it might win a lot of acting awards.
This season of Mad Men has been stellar, quite possibly the best single season of a TV series ever. That said, the Emmy voters like to recognize a brilliant new upstart right from the get-go and Boardwalk Empire just might fit the bill.
I cant imagine Mad men losing the Emmy. This season is a masterpiece.
The first episode was the best primere I’ve seen in a long while.
But they used the “F” word!
Are you kidding me? Welcome to the real world.
Steve Buscemi vs. Michael Shannon, can’t really go wrong there.
An AMAZING show! My boyfriend and I have been counting down the days until the premiere…and boy, was it worth it!
It moved a bit slow for me, but it may just be one of those shows whose pace you have to get used to. I am definitely watching again.
Great show. Liked what I was saw. Acting, writing, costumes and sets were right on. Look forward to watching the show this season. Thanks HBO for a great show.
I didn’t think it was that great. Go to your DVD collection and pull out that dusty Sopranos Season 1 and watch the 1st episode. Being that this series is being dubbed as HBO’s long awaited response to The Sopranos, I hardly thought the comparison was there. Steve Buschemi is just not genuine to me as a bad ass. James Gandolfini just played a better gangster. He was a natural where, in some scenes, you could see and hear the coaching that Buschemi must have received in between takes.
All in all, I give the show a C- with the bright spots being the scenes with the young Al Capone. I firmly believe the show should have been based with that guy as the lead, but who am I so say right?
Steve Buscemi is not playing your typical Gangster. Hes playing it more like a plotical figure.
Why do people keep comparing Buscemi to Tony Soprano? He’s not supposed to be the 1920′s version of Tony Soprano.
I loved the Sopranos but I think it’s you that needs to rewatch the 1st episode of that excellent show… it was NOT a great start. The Sopranos didn’t hit its stride until season 2.
Nucky Thompson isnt a gangster. This is not the Sopranos, Pauly Walnuts isnt gonna be on the next episode.
I thought it was good but not great. Maybe my expectations were too high. I do think it will get much better, at least I hope so. Even before the show started I was thinking the show will win next year’s emmy for best drama over Mad Men. Not because it will deserve it but because there is no way the emmys will reward a show four years in a row, no matter how good it is. In the emmy voters eyes, Boardwalk Empire has the hype and pedigree to beat out Mad Men.
I really liked the first episode. It was a bit confusing getting all the names and faces right, but on my second viewing I understood it much better. I thought the casting choices were really great though and so far so good. People need to get it in their heads that Nucky Thompson isn’t supposed to be this rough and tumble character. He’s a gangster/politician who’s figuring out how to do both. He’s NOT Tony Soprano.
I absolutely loved the first episode! The characters, setting, costume, everything drew me in! I am so ecstatic that the show is getting such positive reviews, and that HBO realizes that they have a major hit on their hands!
Surprising since I found it to be boring most of the hour …. I’ll be choosing Dexter over it this Sunday!