290 replies to this topic

[TWoP Howard]

If you want to speculate about the direction the show is going, or post and discuss promos or episode previews, this is the place.

[eejm]

Count me in as suspecting that Nucky’s sad fascination with the preemies had some sort of connection to his late wife. It’s possible that she did die of tuberculosis, but maybe she had a premature baby who died with her. My guess is that Mabel’s death turned Nucky to the dark side, so to speak, and that he was more of an upstanding politician before she died. Margaret reminds him of Mabel and all he’d lost.

Or, alternately, the story Nucky told to the temperance league had some truth to it, despite what he said to Jimmy about it being BS. I don’t think Nucky thought much of his meeting with Margaret until he had the confrontation with Mr. Schroeder in the casino and put two and two together. Either way, something about Margaret’s circumstances stuck with Nucky.

I’d think being the widow of a man who was (supposedly) killed during an illegal booze run would put Margaret in a really lousy position. Not only does she have two little ones with no support now, but she’ll probably be treated like a pariah with the temperance league and probably the rest of the general public. She won’t have much of a choice but to accept Nucky’s help.

[Whisperia]

Count me in as suspecting that Nucky’s sad fascination with the preemies had some sort of connection to his late wife.

Me, too. As well as his getting involved in Mrs. Schroeder's situation.

It’s possible that she did die of tuberculosis, but maybe she had a premature baby who died with her. My guess is that Mabel’s death turned Nucky to the dark side, so to speak, and that he was more of an upstanding politician before she died. Margaret reminds him of Mabel and all he’d lost.

I was thinking about this last night, and this being an HBO show, I am wondering if the backstory involving Mabel would be that mundane. Since the picture of Mabel's wife was of actress Molly Parker, I think we can safely assume that we'll be given some flashback scenes to fill in Nucky's history, during which we'll see what really happened to her. Molly Parker is a wonderful actress. I never watched Deadwood, but know her from a number of her Canadian projects (get thee to Amazon and order a copy of Twitch City stat... heading over to the cast in other roles thread to sing its praises). I genuinely hope that if she does indeed turn up at some point in the future, and that she's not wasted. My wildly speculating brain is anticipating some sort of major twist there.

[eejm]

According to Enoch Johnson's (the character Nucky is based upon) Wikipedia article, he didn't start drinking until his wife died. I don't know exactly what or how much of Johnson's life will be carried over into Nucky, but from what we've seen so far it seems like his wife's death was probably a turning point for Nucky.

I'd love to see Molly Parker in a flashback scene too! (I was one of the three people who watched and enjoyed Swingtown a couple of years back.) I wonder how much of Nucky's rise to power we'll see? He seems to have a heck of a lot of clout so far.

[Anastasia169]

Seeing as the show went to so much trouble to make certain that we recognized Molly Parker in the photograph, I am almost certain that we will get to see her in flashbacks at some point - otherwise, why bother? And eejm? You aren't the only one who loved Swingtown; I even own it on DVD, hangs head.

[eejm]

Yay Swingtown! Anastasia, we should find that third person and have a party.

I wonder if Jimmy is somehow related to Mabel, which is how he and Nucky became associated.

[avaleigh]

My wildly speculating brain is anticipating some sort of major twist there.

I agree that there has to be more to the story of her death aside from Nucky's comment aboout consumption. IMO he behaves as if he feels some level of guilt and responsibility.

I guess there are four of us who were watching Swingtown. I honestly think it should have been on another network. (Not to mention on another night--didn't they have the Friday night death slot? I didn't even know about the show until after it was cancelled.) Molly Parker is awesome. I wrote this in the episode thread but I really hope that we see flashbacks of Mabel. It'll be interesting to compare her with Margaret.

[stillshimpy]

I guess there are four of us who were watching Swingtown. I honestly think it should have been on another network.

Number five, checking in. Awesome show, died before its time, but that was pretty much a guarantee when it landed on CBS.

As for what's going to happen with Margaret Schroeder, I'm looking forward to seeing an expansion on her character. There clearly does seem to be some tie to Nucky's dead wife, at least in his mind. I found a pretty good scene in a preview clip between Nucky and Margaret, but I don't know where to put it yet.

ETA: *red-faced* Or I could have read the first post in the thread and realized right away it goes here. Lordy, that was embarrassing.

Anyway, preview clip of an upcoming episode featuring Margaret and Nucky. May air with a commercial beforehand.

Edited by stillshimpy, Sep 29, 2010 @ 1:42 PM.

[eejm]

Someone in another thread discussed Nucky possibly feeling some kind of guilt over Mabel's death. I think really shows in how photographs of Mabel are displayed around Nucky's office and home. While it certainly wouldn't be surprising for a widower to have a photo here or there of a deceased spouse, but I've counted at least three different photos that Nucky has out. Mabel has been gone by seven years at this point, and Nucky has a girlfriend whom I'm sure is not his first. To still have so many pictures of her displayed so prominently is telling to me.

Mabel seems to be almost "watching" many of the scenes where we see her picture. I think these pictures are displayed so frequently and in such a way that Nucky feels Mabel is "watching" him - in a good way sure, but also in a somewhat sinister way. Nucky feels her presence, but it isn't 100% comforting for him. I think he does indeed feel some sort of guilt over her death, as though perhaps he was responsible in some way. Maybe he's trying to do right with Margaret in a way he failed with Mabel?

[TWoP Howard]

It will be interesting to see if we learn more about her, or if she always stays as an almost spectral presence. I could see it happening either way.

I’ve got to believe that the Commodore is Jimmy’s father or grandfather. Each time Nucky has reported to him, he’s mentioned how Jimmy was doing. He clearly wasn’t very involved, but it seems likely that he got Jimmy his current job, and perhaps helped Jimmy get into Princeton. Jimmy might not know anything about it, or know who his father is. There’s got to be some connection to explain the Commodore’s interest.

Oh, and I was a Swingtown watcher as well.

[Boisvert 8]

Over on the Ep 2 thread TWoP Howard commented that

I also found it rather funny that the chippie from Baltimore fended the cutlery guy off all throughout their AC visit, but then showed that she was no stranger to what he wanted when she got fed up with his whining in the car on the way home.

When the little sweetheart started giving Cutlery Fella a handy in the car it occurred to me that there might be a real solid reason why "she" was always telling him no. I'll just throw my wacky spec out there: Baltimore Chippie isn't a "she," but possibly a cross-dressing young man out for some free fun & an all expenses paid holiday.

Given the duplicitous nature of so many of the BE characters introduced thus far, hey, why the hell not ;->

Edited by Boisvert 8, Oct 3, 2010 @ 10:38 AM.

[eejm]

The previews show Margaret at some sort of party next week. One of the online scenes shows Nucky introducing her to a couple of people, but there's no indication of why she's there. The previews seem to show Nucky seeing Margaret carrying something and they seem surprised to see one another. I wonder if she's there as part of her job? The party looked formal - maybe she's there to help women with last-minute dress issues?

I'm really confused at what I'm supposed to take from the Angela/Jimmy relationship. They're not married but some people believe they are, they didn't seem to know one another well before he left for the war, he didn't communicate with her at all while he was in Europe, Angela became close (perhaps very close) to a photographer and his wife while Jimmy was gone, and they're having trouble relating now. Was their son born before or after Jimmy left? Was Angela and Tommy part of the reason Jimmy left Princeton? I'm having a tough time understanding what impact their story is having on the rest of the show.

[RaoulDuck]

I am actually wondering whether Jimmy is the son of Nucky and Gillian, what with (i) Lucy's talk of whether Nucky wants a kid and (ii) Gillian's comments

[sleekandchic]

When the little sweetheart started giving Cutlery Fella a handy in the car it occurred to me that there might be a real solid reason why "she" was always telling him no. I'll just throw my wacky spec out there: Baltimore Chippie isn't a "she," but possibly a cross-dressing young man out for some free fun & an all expenses paid holiday.

I just recently saw Some Like It Hot for the first time, and it centered around two guys hiding out from the mob by dressing as women and playing in an all-girls band. And the time period was the 1920s, too. So your speculation isn't totally wacky.

However, the actress who played the girl from Baltimore was just too girly to be anything other than a woman. If the writers on BE want to go that route, I suggest, maybe, Austin Scarlett in the role. He's one of the prettiest boys or girls ever, IMO, and he's got a great figure for couture.

Edited by sleekandchic, Oct 4, 2010 @ 6:31 PM.

[Scorpiosrule]

What do you guys think that Margaret saw that leads her to go to that psycho Van Aldan next week?

[Boisvert 8]

Not sure what Margaret sees, Scorpiosrule, perhaps something to do with those barrels (whisky, beer, or whatever) that were being smashed- Margaret saw them being transported maybe? Why tip Van Aldan off though, why get involved any further with him? Angry with Nucky for some reason?

I did a re-watch of Ep 4 last night & in the preview Margaret is shown angrily ripping apart that piece of greenish lingerie. Hmmmm.

[mereh2o]

From what I can piece together I'd guess that Margaret sees some shady business going down in her neighborhood regarding alcohol that possibly puts her children in danger. She approaches Nucky with her fellow Temperance League member, and gets the polite brush-off which destroys her illusions about him. Perhaps after venting her anger on the lingerie, she goes to see Van Alden? The last shot of the preview shows Nucky at her doorstep late at night, so there must be some sort of confrontation during/after this all takes place.

As for Jimmy's girl Angela, I've been wondering if she supported herself while Jimmy was gone by posing for some "naughty" pictures. She's an artist, maybe she started out as a model and then got suckered into something more risque by the photographer and his wife. She probably brought her son along when she was working, which is how he became so familiar with that couple.

[BeckyBaxter]

I am wondering if anyone managed to see who was embracing Margaret in the preview for this week. I've tried to figure it out but cannot. It doesn't really look like Nucky or Van Alden.

Thanks

[eejm]

Based on Margaret's pregnancy at the time of her voyage to the US, her story about the raggedy man and "us girls," I wonder if Margaret was escaping a Magdalene Asylum. The Asylums were basically a form of indentured servitude supposedly created to rehabilitate "fallen women." So, if Margaret was pregnant out of wedlock - which I think she was - she may have been sent to one of the Asylums. There was a movie a few years back called The Magdalene Sisters based on women's experiences in the Asylums. Creepy stuff indeed and one that a woman would want to escape from if she could.

[Contralto]

The problem with that theory is that Margaret was living in the same place for three straight years. If it had been an Asylum, she wouldn't have been pregnant when she left.

[eejm]

The problem with that theory is that Margaret was living in the same place for three straight years. If it had been an Asylum, she wouldn't have been pregnant when she left.

There are priests there!

[Hester Mofet]

In the preview for next week's episode there are two split second shots of two men wearing what looks like facial prosthetics. My first thought was maybe people Jimmy knew from the war who were injured? But now I wonder if they're some of the guys Jimmy and Al Capone shot last week who managed to survive and are coming back for revenge. It seems pretty unlikely that they'd throw in characters wearing prosthetics like that just for kicks.

[leesha79]

Tonight's show, according to the episode description, heavily features flashbacks to Nucky's childhood. After the intense speculation on the relationships between the characters, hopefully we'll get some more insight with "Home".

[Emily Thrace]

Something I wonder about for next season in terms of working out the shows pacing if perhaps culling some of the storylines might help. Van Alden in particular often feels divorced from the main plot and several others could use more focus and less diversions. Its not that Van Alden's story is dull and the actor is fantastic it just always seems to stick out. Less might really be more when it comes to the law side of this story. Although when Jimmy comes home(cuz that inevitable) it might help though he could be a focal point instead of having several sub plots that revolve around his absence. I would love to see more of Chalky White and Rothstein and Lucky are getting about the perfect amount of screentime I just think the balance of the shows parts could use a little work.

[notwisconsin]

I wonder if Margaret was escaping a Magdalene Asylum. The Asylums were basically a form of indentured servitude supposedly created to rehabilitate "fallen women."

No, the Magdalene Laundries were slave labor camps that were run by the Catholic Church as late as the 1970s.

[tapshoes]

I'm hoping that Nucky's relationship with his deceased wife Mabel will be fleshed out a little more in the remaining weeks of the season.

[Scoutlet]

I'm curious to see if the issue of Margaret's use of birth control comes up again. Will Nucky find out? How would he feel about it? When Lucy offered to have his baby, he basically declined. Would he feel the same about Margaret?

[AimingforYoko]

Damn, they gave away a lot of good shit in the previews tonight:
Lucy going to Van Alden.
Van Alden spilling the beans to Margaret about the dear departed Mr. Schroeder
Chalky going over to Rothstein.
Harrow killing everybody.

Looks like business is picking up.

[Scoutlet]

Karma's a bitch, Nucky. I actually thought Margaret sort of suspected Nucky got rid of her husband. Apparently not! She slaps him hard! I hope that won't be the end of them, because I like them together.

I missed something. Whom does Harrow kill?

[Contralto]

On the bright side, Margaret's lavender dress returns.

Is Lucy really turning traitor, or does Nucky find a use for her after all? If Van Alden fell off the fidelity wagon, he'd do just about anything to keep it quiet.