‘Margate Sands’ is a bloody conclusion to a killer season for ‘Boardwalk Empire’.

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‘Boardwalk Empire’s‘ last episode ‘2 Imposters‘ took the HBO Gangster drama to new heights, with more action and intensity than any  previous episode. This carried over into  ‘Margate Sands’, last night’s excellent season finale.

***SPOILER ALERT! Do not watch until you see the season finale. You’ve been warned.

With Nucky Thompson backed by Al Capone and Chalky White, things kept moving at a rapid pace.

The episode began with Capone shooting down a row of Gyp Rosetti’s men, followed by a gruesome montage of casualties on both sides throughout the city.

But it wasn’t just shoot’em ups: Nucky had a strategy for taking back the city and turning the tables on his enemies. Arnold Rothstein strong-armed him into giving him 99% of the profits of Andrew Mellon’s distillery  in exchange for getting Masseria to withdrawal his troops from Rosetti.

Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lanski lost their heroin supply, confiscated by 2 crooked cops on Rothstein’s payroll, who gave the stash to Masseria as a peace-offering.

But caving in to Rothstein’s demands was only a ruse; Thompson tipped off Mellon, who turned Rothstein over to U.S. district attorney Esther Randolph , authorizing her to raid the distillery and indict the men controlling it.

Then Capone and Chalky White’s crews slaughtered Masseria’s retreating goons on their way out of the city.

Rosetti remained holed up at Gillian’s brothel, leading to a tense scene where she began to erotically asphyxiate him. But her plan of giving him a heroin overdose while doing so backfired, when he gave her the dose instead.

The true highlight of the episode was sniper Richard Harrow’s masterful siege on the brothel, in a bravura action sequence where he took out Rosetti’s men one by one as he made his way to rescue young Tommy.

But Tommy was held at gunpoint by one of Rosetti’s men, who said to put down his firearm or he would kill Tommy. Harrow told Tommy to close his eyes and shot the man in the head. He took Tommy to Julia’s house, scaring her with his bloody appearance. Her surprisingly sober father told Darrow to clean up and come back tomorrow to smooth things over, but Darrow said he was simply relieved the boy was safe and left, leaving the future of their blossoming romance in doubt.

Nucky and brother Eli entered the Artemis Club, and discovered Gillian, who was still alive. But Rosetti had escaped.

After that we see Rosetti, Tennino and their remaining cohorts on a beach. Rosetti went on a manic rant, mimicking Thompson, seemingly laughing off his misfortune.

Then Tennino stabbed Gyp, forced to do so by Nucky in exchange for being able to leave the city unharmed. But he must have taken some pleasure in avenging his cousin’s death.

Safe from the conflict, Nucky went to find estranged wife Margaret.

Nucky forgave her,  asking her to return: “You need to ask yourself how much you’re willing to sacrifice just to prove a point that doesn’t matter to anyone. Nobody’s watching now, nobody’s judging. This is only money — it doesn’t mean anything,” She replied “doesn’t it?” and shut the door on Nucky, and perhaps on their marriage. While he knew of her affair with Owen, he remained ignorant to her abortion she received earlier in the episode.

But he had mended one relationship , and that was with Eli. They had survived their biggest threat yet, with his genius ability for double-crossing saving their hides yet again.

But Nucky realized his fame is a detriment, making him a sitting target for any and all comers. The show ended with him on the boardwalk, shrinking away from a man who recognized him.

Where season 4 goes is anyone’s guess, (but series creator Terrence Winter did tease some future plans in Entertainment Weekly.) but if it can sustain this momentum, ‘Boardwalk Empire’ will remain darkly compelling.

(You might also like to check out my recap of ‘The Walking Dead’ mid-season finale).

 

And check out our list for the Best TV Shows of 2012!

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