A Return to Normalcy (5 Dec. 2010)

Nucky and Atlantic City brace for change on Election Day; Torrio brokers a deal between two nemeses, with far-reaching consequences; Jimmy ponders his future, as do Margaret, Agent Van ... See full summary »

Director:

Timothy Van Patten

Writers:

Terence Winter (creator), Terence Winter,

Stars:

Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Kelly Macdonald

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Buscemi	...	Enoch 'Nucky' Thompson
Michael Pitt	...	James 'Jimmy' Darmody
Kelly Macdonald	...	Margaret Schroeder
Michael Shannon	...	Agent Nelson Van Alden
Shea Whigham	...	Elias 'Eli' Thompson
Aleksa Palladino	...	Angela Darmody
Michael Stuhlbarg	...	Arnold Rothstein
Stephen Graham	...	Al Capone
Vincent Piazza	...	Lucky Luciano
Paz de la Huerta	...	Lucy Danziger
Michael Kenneth Williams	...	Chalky White
Anthony Laciura	...	Eddie Kessler
Paul Sparks	...	Mickey Doyle (credit only)
Dabney Coleman	...	Commodore Louis Kaestner
Gretchen Mol	...	Gillian Darmody

Storyline

Nucky and Atlantic City brace for change on Election Day; Torrio brokers a deal between two nemeses, with far-reaching consequences; Jimmy ponders his future, as do Margaret, Agent Van Alden and Eli.

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Plot Keywords:

election day | deal | election | pregnant woman | returning character killed off | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 December 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO), Leverage Management, Closest to the Hole Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the postcard from Mary, the address for James and Angela Darmody is 4313 North California Avenue.

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Goofs

The alto saxophonist in the jazz band at the election party at the end of the last episode of the first season is playing a Selmer Mark VI (or later) model saxophone. Selmer did not release this particular model until 1954. The neck with the Selmer "S" which this model is clearly visible in a shot when the election results are being announced. This was the first saxophone released by Selmer which had the "S" on the neck.

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Quotes

Enoch 'Nucky' Thompson: We all need to decide for ourselves how much sin we can live with.

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Soundtracks

"Life's a Funny Proposition After All"
(uncredited)
George M. Cohan

User Reviews

Amazing finale

We have finally came to the finale of Boardwalk Empire, and what a journey it has been. The season finale did not disappoint.

Knowing how the elections are nearby, we are bracing ourselves for the worst. The finale managed to be unpredictable and very tense. You never know when it is safe for a character to appear or not to, just because of the times they are in. There was a great moment between Buscemi and McDonald in the middle of the episode, one that cleared the resentment they sort of have towards each other after the last episode, and also learning more about Nucky Thompson. There are also a lot more revelations that will take effect in the next season, but for now, it was an amazing buildup and an amazing last shot.