Moving away from the big screen for a moment, I’ve been looking for a series to come along and take the place of “Deadwood” (RIP), and I think I may have found it. It’s not that HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” is immediately up to the genius level of David Milch’s series, but it absolutely showcases the potential for a world as densely populated, one that I look forward to losing myself in week after week.
The Martin Scorsese-directed pilot debuted last night, mostly to critical approval. It was an event to say the least (fit with a pre-show) and Scorsese’s hand behind the camera was welcome on the small screen. The cinephile’s film-loving little touches here and there (an iris-out and in to open and close the episode, a Fatty Arbuckle silent arbitrarily enjoyed by characters in one scene) were unmistakable, and even though he’ll be a creative force behind the scenes, I can already tell I’ll miss him after this opener.