“It doesn’t make a difference if you’re right or wrong – you just have to make a decision.” – Jimmy
It’s weird to think that there was a “pay per view” equivalent for the radio in the 1920s. How do you even sell a radio broadcast like that? Well, such concerns are not only beyond myself, but the bullish Jack Dempsey, whose upcoming boxing match is headlining Nucky’s newest cash-grab.
But just how long Nucky will be able to maintain business is entirely up to Jimmy, and the force of peer pressure is moving him to forego his political coup — whether or not it’s the right choice. Apparently recovered from his spontaneous murder of Ward Boss O’Neill, Eli makes his return at Jimmy’s, ready to get his hands dirty again. Eli is fully supportive of Lucky Luciano and Al Capone, who are a phone-call away from ordering a hit on Eli’s brother, and Jimmy has no choice but to back them.
Coming out of left field, we learn that Lucky and Gillian – Jimmy’s mother – are continuing their affair. No doubt this issue is going to boil over just as Jimmy and Lucky solidify their partnership; there’s already a lot of bad blood between them, and Gillian has a tendency to exacerbate dormant conflicts.
Earlier in the season, Margaret discovered that her family was living in Brooklyn; when she called them, however, asking to speak to herself, they claimed that she had died. Feeling as though she’s lost touch with those that know her best, Margaret embarks for Brooklyn to pay her brother and sisters a visit. Although she finds comfort in the prospect of helping her youngest sister, her brother Aemond staunchly refuses Margaret’s wanting to be involved with the family again, sending her off in tears.
The displacement finally pushes Margaret into the tryst with Owen Slater that’s been threatening to occur since his introduction. Taking the day off from driving Nucky, Owen tracks down a fellow Irish national to a pub and murders him in the washroom. He’s cleaning himself up at the house when Margaret returns from New York, which gradually leads the two of them up to the bedroom.
Slater’s absence is noted by Nucky, particularly at the Ritz, where Jack Dempsey is holding his pre-fight press conference. Jimmy takes the opportunity during Jack’s speech to convey what he believes are his last words to Nucky, walking away as the almost-assassin shoots a hole clean through Nucky’s hand. Jimmy leaves hearing the words “Don’t worry, he’s still alive” and knows immediately that the hit was botched. But if Slater wasn’t there to stop him, who was?
The new prosecution assigned to Nucky’s case – spearheaded by the stiff spinster, Esther Randolph – has assigned a full-time detail to follow Mr Thompson. When the first shot misses Nucky’s head, the killer moves in to finish him off, but is blown away by an undercover federal agent.
Esther Rudolph is initially perceived as a threat by Agent Van Alden, who feels his authority as top “prohee” drop in the chain of command. Nelson soon realizes that any power he thought he had is diminished – largely due to the women in his life. Without a wife to bring his newborn daughter home to, Nelson has backed out of his monetary arrangement with Lucy. This gives rise to Lucy’s last-ditch effort in revealing her circumstances to Nucky, the very man Nelson wants to see rot behind bars. Now privy to the self-righteous secrets of his foe, Nucky tries to leverage Nelson into divulging the prosecution’s progress in his case. Instead, Nelson turns to Miss Rudolph and demonstrates his honesty and loyalty to her cause by informing her of his extramarital circumstances, and then providing her with his comprehensive file on Nucky’s criminal involvement.
Although Lucy, too, seems to have left Nelson for good – presumably trying out for the play that she was too pregnant to perform – the evidence of their affair is still quite real and present. Nelson finally sits down with his daughter, attempting find a suitable, biblical name for her; he chooses Abigail.
Some stats and info about Boardwalk Empire, “Ourselves Alone”
TV SHOW – Boardwalk Empire
SEASON/EPISODE – Season 2 Episode 7
AIRED ON – November 6th, 2011
NETWORK/STREAMING SERVICE – HBO/Max
GENRE – Drama, Crime Dramas, Period Show
CREATED BY – Terence Winter
CAST – Steve Buscemi,Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham,Stephen Graham, Vince Piazza, Michael Kenneth Williams, Paul Sparks, Grechen Mol, Michael Stuhlbarg, Anthony Laciura, Jack Huston, Anatol Yusef
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.