Boardwalk Empire

Bullet to the Head

By Daniel | Aired on 11.24.2013

Farewell Daddy Blues - Lightning flashes in the distance, wind rustles the grass, and men guard the Albatross, while Nucky and Sarah are, as usual, flirting over the phone. Only I guess the men aren’t doing such a hot job guarding the place,...

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Year in Review 2012: Jaw-Dropping TV Drama Moments

Beware of spoilers: We've named the most dramatic moments of 2012.

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4-12 Recap	Bullet to the Head Farewell Daddy Blues - Nucky comes up with a plan to take out Narcisse that’s so crazy it just might work! UPDATE: It doesn’t work. Narcisse is alive; Knox, Richard and Maybelle are dead; and Eli’s in hiding. So, things could have gone a little better.	11.24.2013	A-	Daniel
Ep.	Title	Air/Pub'l	Grade	Author
4-11 Recap	An Oscar and a Gentleman Havre de Grace - Well, "gentleman" might not apply so much here as Chalky hides out with his mentor (but not for long), while Nucky bunkers down.	11.17.2013 11.22.2013	B	Daniel
4-10 Recap	We Got a Great Big Convoy White Horse Pike - Chalky unsuccessfully tries to talk down Narcisse, who’s working with Joe Masseria and Mayor Bader. Eli makes his peace with Willie joining the family business.	11.10.2013 11.15.2013	A-	Daniel
4-9 Recap	Weekend at Purnsley’s Marriage and Hunting - Oh, no! Dunn’s dead, and Narcisse will be over any minute! What are we gonna do?	11.03.2013 11.08.2013	B+	Daniel
4-8 Recap	Dunn Purnsley, This Is Your Knife The Old Ship Of Zion - Narcisse finally makes a big power move, but Daughter stabs Purnsley in the back to stop him from choking Chalky. Singing, dancing, stabbing — she's a triple threat! Also: Knox is turning the screws on Eli, who now knows about Nucky helping Willie out of his jam.	10.27.2013 11.01.2013	A-	Daniel
4-7 Recap	Purnsley Breaks All the Commandments William Wilson - I bet if you go up to Agent Knox when he’s undercover and say, "Hey, Jim," he’ll totally respond.	10.20.2013 10.25.2013	B+	Daniel
4-6 Recap	I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Deutschland Über Alles The North Star - Eddie's death reverberates through the Thompson brothers operation, making Nucky feel more sorry for himself than anything, and rattling family man Eli much more. But it also seems to lead to a little more clarity for Eli on Knox.	10.13.2013 10.18.2013	B	Daniel
4-5 Recap	Oh My God! They Killed Eddie! Erlkönig - Willie's in the kind of trouble that is created by, not solved by, a spiked drink, and Nucky steps in to make things go away. He's on his own, because Eddie won't be joining us for the rest of his life.	10.06.2013 10.11.2013	B+	Daniel
4-4 Recap	Also The Cover Charge Was Ridiculous All In - Temple's hottest club is: Basement! This place has everything: Manic jitterbugging girls, giggle juice, Colleen Moore lookalikes, locked bathrooms and fatal dance-floor defecation. It's that thing of when someone spikes your drink and you poop your pants and later die.	09.29.2013 10.04.2013	B-	Daniel
4-3 Recap	Couldn't Quite Seem To Escape Myself Acres of Diamonds - Nucky thinks McCoy's land deal is garbage, but then he agrees to it, but too late to prevent McCoy killing a Tampa hoodlum with skin in the game. Meanwhile, Willie's boozing it up at university.	09.22.2013 09.27.2013	B	Daniel
4-2 Recap	Narcisse and Desist Resignation - Everyone say hello to Dr. Valentin Narcisse. He’s going to be hanging around the club a lot. Just don’t ask him about the Bible.	09.15.2013 09.20.2013	B	Daniel
4-1 Recap	Are We Having Dunn Yet? New York Sour - Nucky makes peace with his enemies, hoping to lie low. Like that ever works out. You can’t be a quarter-gangster, Nucky!	09.08.2013 09.13.2013	B+	Daniel
3-12 Recap	Barney Google Wins the Day Margate Sands - The mob war in Atlantic City comes to a head, deals are made, massacres are massacres, and Margaret Thompson is living in Brooklyn.	12.02.2012 12.07.2012	B	Joe R
3-11 Recap	Band on the Run Two Imposters - Nucky's under fire, literally and repeatedly. While Rosetti descends upon Atlantic City, Nucky turns to Chalky for help. Poor Eddie Kessler might be dead.	11.25.2012 11.30.2012	B+	Joe R
3-10 Recap	It's My Mick In A Box A Man, a Plan… - So Nucky's big move against Joe Masseria could have gone better.	11.18.2012 11.24.2012	B+	Daniel
3-9 Recap	Keep Their Heads Ringin' The Milkmaid's Lot - Nucky's head is beyond fuzzy after the explosion, but he still has to figure out a way to amass forces to strike back against Rosetti. Meanwhile, Richard Harrow has a lovely night out dancing and Tommy Darmody gets scarred for life.	11.11.2012 11.16.2012	B	Joe R
3-8 Recap	The Pony The Pony - Nucky puts his latest political power play into motion, Margaret enters the wild and wooly world of birth control, and Billie Kent slays her Hollywood screen test, only to pay the ultimate price for Nucky's inability to stay out of the crosshairs of Oedipal women and easily insulted men.	11.04.2012 11.09.2012	B-	Joe R
3-7 Recap	Gyp Rosetti and the Queen of the Harpies Sunday Best - It's Easter Sunday. Time for family bonding. And beating up priests. And murder.	10.28.2012 11.02.2012	B	Joe R
3-6 Recap	Ging Gang Goolie Ging Gang Goolie - Lots of new irons get put in the fire this week, as Esther Randolph returns to the story as a possible means for Nucky to strike at Harry Daugherty before Harry makes a scapegoat out of him. Also, Teddy's setting fires, Margaret and Owen do it again, and Gillian's found a replacement for Jimmy. Between her legs.	10.21.2012 10.26.2012	C+	Joe R
3-5 Recap	You'd Be Surprised You'd Be Surprised - Nucky has to smooth things over with Rothstein, deal with the Rosetti problem, AND save Billie's terrible Broadway show. A whole lot of other extraneous garbage happens too.	10.15.2012 10.19.2012	C	Joe R
3-4 Recap	Trapped in the Basement Blue Bell Boy - While Nucky is bunkered in with a yappy teen thief, Mickey Doyle gets busy walking directly into an ambush.	10.08.2012 10.12.2012	B	Joe R
3-3 Recap	Do I Amuse You? Bone for Tuna - Nucky tries to make peace with Rosetti, with mixed results. Margaret is a thug and a half when it comes to this women's health initiative. Van Alden gets busted at the world's worst happy hour.	09.30.2012 10.05.2012	B-	Joe R
3-2 Recap	New York State of Mind Spaghetti & Coffee - While Nucky spends the week in New York acting jealous over his mistress and meeting new corrupt weirdos, his men (including a recently sprung Eli) find the road to Brooklyn not as hospitable now that Rosetti has it in his mind to block their access.	09.24.2012 09.27.2012	B	Joe R
3-1 Recap	Nucky and Margaret's New Year's Rockin' Eve Resolution - New year, new bad guy, new job for Agent Van Alden. Nucky makes enemies when he restricts his liquor trade, while Margaret gets a new project.	09.16.2012 09.21.2012	B-	Joe R
2-12 Recap	Dead and Gone To the Lost - The second season ends with carnage, mistrial, a move to the Midwest and the most controversial charitable contribution in Atlantic City history.	12.11.2011 12.16.2011	B	Joe R
2-11 Recap	Mother May I Sleep With Danger? Under God's Power She Flourishes - Flashbacks to Jimmy at Princeton (and one fateful night with mom) give way to the present, where Van Alden's past comes back to haunt him, and Jimmy's homecoming is a bloody affair.	12.04.2011 12.09.2011	B	Joe R
2-6 Recap	Georgia Peaches Georgia Peaches - Nucky finds new representation, Jimmy finds his hold on Atlantic City unraveling, and Manny Horvitz finds two lesbians standing in the way of his plans to off Jimmy.	11.27.2011 12.02.2011	B-	Joe R
2-9 Recap	Fighting Irish Battle of the Century - Nucky travels to Ireland to barter. Jimmy's minions bungle another hit. Emily contracts polio. Dunn Purnsley sews the seeds of discontent in Atlantic City's black community.	11.20.2011 11.27.2011	B	Lady Lola
2-8 Recap	Two Boats and a Lifeguard Two Boats and a Lifeguard - Nucky survives the shooting but loses his office, Jimmy finally takes his seat at the top of the Atlantic City pyramid, and Mickey Doyle goes for a ride.	11.13.2011 11.18.2011	B	Joe R
2-7 Recap	Peg of Old Peg of Old - Margaret finds her family in Brooklyn, Van Alden finds himself at a moral crossroads, Jimmy finds himself unwilling to have Nucky killed (or does he?), and Margaret finds herself, at last, beneath Owen Sleater in the bedroom.	11.06.2011 11.11.2011	B+	Joe R
2-6 Recap	The Age of Reason The Age of Reason - With religious atonement in the air, it's more of an eye-for-an-eye thing when Jimmy discovers Nucky's Philadelphia deal.	10.30.2011 11.04.2011	B	Joe R
2-5 Recap	Gimcrack & Bunkum Gimcrack & Bunkum - The carnage finally ramps up as some men get what's coming to them, while others never see it coming at all.	10.23.2011 10.28.2011	A-	Joe R
2-4 Recap	What Does the Bee Do? What Does the Bee Do? - The Commodore has a stroke, and Nucky and Jimmy make parallel deals that have them converging on Philadelphia as the next battleground. Meanwhile, Chalky's spot at the middle of the Atlantic City food chain has him feeling like a helpless sell-out. He rages accordingly.	10.16.2011 10.21.2011	B+	Joe R
2-3 Recap	The Help A Dangerous Maid - Margaret gets bad news about her family, which leads her to knock a few back down in maids' quarters. Meanwhile, Nucky continues to find out which associates are loyal and which are slurping up lobster with the Commodore.	10.09.2011 10.14.2011	B+	Joe R
2-2 Recap	Tusk Ourselves Alone - The Commodore shows off his crazy-old-man strength, Chalky shows off his political strength, Margaret shows off her patience with old Irish prudes and Jimmy shows off his big, scary murder knife.	10.02.2011 10.07.2011	A-	Joe R
2-1 Recap	You Can't Miss the Bear 21 - The Commodore fires his first few shots across Nucky's bow. Nucky and Jimmy long for father/son connections for some strange reason. Richard Harrow takes some biscuits for the road.	09.25.2011 09.28.2011	B+	Joe R
1-12 Recap	Many Happy Returns A Return to Normalcy - The election results are in, and it's good news for the Republicans. Everything seems to be coming up Nucky -- Margaret's back with him, he gives Eli his job back. But the Commodore is brewing discontent. And Lucy's knocked up with a devil spawn!	12.05.2010 12.13.2010	B	Joe R
1-11 Recap	Take Me to the River Paris Green - While Nucky and Margaret's relationship implodes, and Jimmy's relationship with his father finds unexpected traction, Van Alden's relationship with any kind of human behavior at all gets taken to the river and drowned like a common Sebso.	11.28.2010 12.03.2010	B-	Joe R
1-10 Recap	Liars and Tight-asses and Baders, Oh My! The Emerald City - Nucky fights Rothstein's fire with a bullet fired in a D'Alessio head. The distaste for Nucky's wheeling and dealing grows in Margaret's mouth. Van Alden bottoms out with the help of Lucy.	11.21.2010 11.28.2010	B+	Lady Lola
1-9 Recap	Voulez-Vous Belle Femme - Nucky wants Jimmy to kill the D'Alessios, but he gets sidetracked by Van Alden, and only the timely intervention by a surprise man on Nucky's payroll keeps Jimmy out of hot water. Meanwhile, Margaret learns the timeless art of manipulation and the shake-down.	11.14.2010 11.18.2010	N/A	Joe R
1-8 Recap	Warren G. Harding: An American Compromise Hold Me in Paradise - Nucky hits Chicago for the Republican convention, helping to shape the future of American politics and pave the way for the nadir of the executive branch. Meanwhile, Eli gets shot, and Nucky asks Jimmy to come back home.	11.07.2010 11.11.2010	B+	Joe R
1-7 Recap	He's There, the Phantom of the Brothel Home - Nucky deals with unpleasant childhood issues as he sells his childhood home, while Jimmy makes a new friend with half a face. Yes, these developments do lead to death and destruction of property, why do you ask?	10.31.2010 11.05.2010	A-	Joe R
1-6 Recap	Family Limitation Family Limitation - Nucky sets Margaret up in fancy digs fit for honest-to-God concubines, while Jimmy proves that you might disfigure his girl and drive her to suicide, but you do NOT mess with his cool war-knife.	10.24.2010 10.29.2010	B+	Joe R
1-5 Recap	Look Out, Nucky! They're Irish! Nights in Ballygran - It's St. Patrick's Day in Atlantic City, and while Nucky braces himself for a wave of green beer and obnoxiousness, he doesn't expect that his shabby treatment of Margaret will lead to a Van Alden raid. Also, Pearl responds to her face-slashing by taking ALL the opium in Chicago.	10.17.2010 10.22.2010	B	Joe R
1-4 Recap	Anastasia Anastasia - Nucky's surprise party is a boozy, political affair, and Margaret takes the opportunity to be interesting for the first time. Jimmy's in Chicago, watching Al Capone operate with all the subtlety of a meat cleaver, and Chalky hasn't yet fingered the men who lynched his driver, though he's de-fingered at least one guy.	10.10.2010 10.14.2010	B+	Joe R
1-3 Recap	No Guts, No Glory Broadway Limited - Van Alden manages to squeeze a name (literally) out of the ambush survivor, which means Jimmy's gotta leave town. Chalky White's transition to bootlegging point man fails to go smoothly.	10.03.2010 10.08.2010	A-	Joe R
1-2 Recap	Pay It Upward The Ivory Tower - We get a peek into just how Nucky maintains his position as King Ess of Eff Mountain. Jimmy sees his showgirl ma, who's old enough to be his younger sister, but his post-heist generosity to her is curtailed by Nucky's vengeful demands. Meanwhile, on the road to Damascus: scariest handjob ever!	09.26.2010 10.01.2010	B+	Joe R
1-1 Recap	Check Your Lease, Man. You're Living in Nuck City Boardwalk Empire - Nucky Thompson runs Atlantic City like he runs his love life. Messily, but with purpose and unexpected sentimentality. Prohibition gets passed, organized crime bonds are forged, whiskey is stolen, and the boardwalk is full of freaks. To Prohibition! It's gonna be quite a time.	09.19.2010 09.24.2010	B+	Joe R