A Stroll Down the Bored Walk


"You can't be half a gangster, Nucky. Not anymore." — Jimmy Darmody, "Boardwalk Empire"

When "Boardwalk Empire" premiered in 2010, I was excited. It seemed like it would be an interesting fusion of creative talent, actors, and a cool premise. And, for the first season at least, that was sort of true.

Now nearing the end of the third season, "Boardwalk Empire" seems stuck in the mud. It has all the trappings to suggest it should be a compelling cable drama, but it just isn't. And I'm not the only one to notice.

Recently I saw a list of high profile, critically acclaimed, once popular shows that were on the DVR chopping block. Among them was "Boardwalk Empire." At first I couldn't believe it, then I read the user comment which said something to the effect that it felt like a show they should like but just didn't because it was boring and never seemed to accomplish anything. I couldn't help but agree.

Earlier this fall, a review on Grantland — a sports and pop culture website — cited the same criticism. This is well made wall paper, in essence. It's pretty, functional, and pointless. Such is the world of critically acclaimed shows on HBO these days.

Outside of "Game of Thrones" — which has been a surprisingly compelling adventure — and Aaron Sorkin's "The Newsroom" — which doesn't quite achieve its lofty aspirations — there hasn't been much to laud on HBO. Last winter's "Luck" was somewhat interesting, but a little slow and quickly cancelled. "Treme," from "Wire" creator David Simon, feels like a chore to watch sometimes. It's fitting, in that sense, that the show is paired with "Boardwalk Empire" on Sunday nights this fall.

What's also an interesting dichotomy is HBO's Sunday night cable competition this fall — "Dexter" and "Homeland" on Showtime. Both shows are far more compelling and manage to succeed using the formula that used to be the hallmark for HBO.

"Dexter" and "Homeland" feature interesting characters, twists, and operate in a fascinating shade of moral gray. While "Boardwalk Empire" continues to spend a lot of time crafting a beautiful look and setting for its show, there is little that seems to be accomplished in terms of plot, character, or narrative growth.

The show might be beyond repair at this point, but it would be nice if the producers and writers spent as much time working on the plot as they do crafting the look of the show.

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