Boardwalk Empire’s Shocking Season Finale: Michael Pitt Talks
It’s officially Monday morning, and time to rehash the events of last night’s Boardwalk Empire.
Boardwalk Empire is a show that while compelling, has yet to reach the heights of its ganglands-of-New-Jersey predecessor, The Sopranos. The turn-of-the-century drama seems nearly Shakesperian when contrasted with the tale of the modern-day mob boss Tony Soprano, even though the former features Sopranos star “Tony Uncle Al” Steve Buscemi in the main role of Atlantic City mayor and boss, Nucky Thompson. And while Thompson seems the consummate gentleman gangster compared with Tony, fans will still probably be a bit angry with Thompson’s character after the stunning reveal in the last ten minutes of last night’s Boardwalk Empire season finale.
If you were out Christmas shopping and DVRed it (why are you reading this?) please stop here, as there are spoilers ahead. Go on, go read about the new Doritos flavored taco shell at Taco Bell.
Got this far? Well, Jimmy’s dead. Barring fan outcry and a write off as a dream sequence, the young Mr. Darmody has followed his wife Angela into the great beyond after what appeared to be a reconciliation with his dad-by-proxy Nucky at midnight in the rain. It was a set up, but ever the classy gangster, Jimmy went to his death not begging, but soothing his once-mentor Nucky after the events that had led them both to the inevitable conclusion. It almost looked as if Jimmy would get a last minute reprieve, but after one bullet pierced his cheek and left him still breathing, a second ended the Jimmy Darmody storyline for good.
Michael Pitt is similarly impassive about the end of his run on Boardwalk Empire, telling Entertainment Weekly via email that while he’ll miss working on the show, he approves of the overall handling of Jimmy’s betrayal and ultimate demise:
“I like it… As much as I will miss working with everyone on this incredible project, I thought that it would be very shocking and I’m always drawn to that.”
It looks like there will be no stunning Lazarus-like moments for Darmody’s character- showrunner and executive producer Terence Winter told the mag:
“It was a really hard decision. You’re sort of blowing up your own show, in some ways. Now we’re back in the writers room trying to figure out where we go from here without Jimmy Darmody… People won’t believe [Jimmy's dead] until the last second and even then some will wonder if it’s a dream. People didn’t believe it when Adriana was killed on The Sopranos and that was in season five.”
How do you feel about the decision to kill off Jimmy? Will the show be as compelling without him?
Tags : boardwalk empire, boardwalk empire finale, boardwalk empire jimmy darmody, boardwalk empire nucky thompson, boardwalk empire season 2 finale
Posted: December 12, 2011
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Dec 12, 2011
Cigarettes would have killed him anyway…yuck.
Dec 12, 2011
Loved Jimmy, too bad that they did this.
Dec 12, 2011
That was shocking but when I saw his mom kissing him and having her way with him I almost puked.He is gone and now she has his son.
Dec 12, 2011
I think Nucky should go get his son from his child molesting mother and raise him….see the irony here? but then again in real life nucky went to jail…
Dec 12, 2011
Not happy with that ending at all. I don't feel like we have anyone left to root for unless the next season opens years later with jimmy's son grown and out for revenge for his father's blood. I thought we were going to feel good about jimmy and nucky. Guess that's too much to ask for. Perhaps that was the point. We need to have a villain. certainly hope jimmy's mom doesn't screw up another kid with an incestuous relationship.
That scenario would require too much aging makeup which would be too unrealistic. It felt like Michael Pitt wants out because the offers are pouring in. But we've seen that blow up for actors before. I think he's a good actor and could have done both. This all remains to be seen.
Dec 12, 2011
NOT HAPPY! Jimmy was my favorite and not sure the show will be as good without him. Van Alden is kinda gone too and he is also very good. He is so twisted that I love his character. You have two of the biggest and best charcters now gone. Good luck replacing them. This was my favorite show of all time but not sure it can survive a long time at the rate of an excellent show when you have removed two of the best one this quick into a show. I would have left them on that show for a few more years before killing them off or removing them.
Dec 12, 2011
I was hooked on the Jimmy/Nucky relationship after LAST season, and this season I found myself watching the show just to see the JIMMY scenes! I'm bummed about Jimmy's death, but HBO is AWESOME, and I have faith the show will go on to stay wonderfully unique. I was mostly thrilled to see Michael Pitt get a chance to show off his acting chops–I predict numerous movie deals in this guy's near future. Break a leg, Michael!
Dec 12, 2011
I like when main characters die unexpectedly. It gives the rest of the cast something more to work with as a stressor and motivation for what the future may hold. I really enjoy this show.
Dec 12, 2011
I am a little shocked that Jimmy is gone. I was hoping that the relationship between Jimmy and Nucky would have progressed in season 3. Personally I am not happy that Jimmy gone. He was a twisted character that gave the show some flavor. This is still my favorite show and I hope that they can make some magic happen in season 3 with the other characters. I think that the show will survive without Jimmy, but not for very long. Michael Pitt is a great actor and it wont be long before we see him in the limelight again. I hope the writers have something up their sleeves to keep this good show going.
Dec 12, 2011
I agree! Well just have to wait and see.:-( love HBO!!!
Dec 12, 2011
Jimmy was my favorite character. After the last few episodes when he started abusing his power and acting like a complete A-hole, I began siding with Nucky. But after we got to see Jimmy's past through flashbacks, it revealed a new side of him. I was heartbroken and angry when Nucky shot him!
Jimmy was telling the truth about not wanting Nucky dead, and that it was Eli's idea. So is it simply that blood comes before anything else? Or simply the principle that Jimmy betrayed him?
All I know is my favorite character is now gone and his son is alone *sob*. A twist of fate, but I'll continue to be a loyal fan of the show!
Dec 12, 2011
Can we also talk for a minute about how Michael Pitt is the DREAMIEST EVER?
Dec 12, 2011
Kim LaCapria I agree!!!!!! I knew of him before the show. He played on an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent. then I saw him on Boardwalk empire and I fell in <3
Dec 12, 2011
Amanda Marcil Yeah, I liked him after Funny Games, what a dreamboat!
I seriously tuned in half just to watch him strutting around with a gun, hot!
Dec 12, 2011
Kim LaCapria Me too!
Dec 12, 2011
There goes the show's eye candy. Jimmy needed a chance to redeem himself. I think it is set up for Richard Harrow to go nuts on everyone next season… he loved Angela and Jimmy.
Dec 12, 2011
http://kellyshami.tumblr.com/ heres how I feel.
Dec 12, 2011
I just might stop watching now that Michael Pitt is gone…he was my favorite part of the show.
Dec 12, 2011
Then you all NEED to see "The Dreamers!" Talk about Dreamy!!!!!!
Dec 12, 2011
This ending took much away from this show. It will be hard to want to watch it again. Up to this last episode I believe we all cared about Nucky. We all new that he had a bad side. But we felt he also had a good side. How do you now root for him when he killed jimmy. Throughout the 2 seasons, he did not personally kill anyone. Then why Jimmy. The boy who he took care of before going to war. Then on top of all that he lets the butcher who killed Jimmy's wife watch him get killed. The character (Nucky) who we all got to know these last two seasons, was not the type of person who would side with someone who would kill two women in cold blood and not do anything about it.
I think we all thought at the last minute Nucky would spin around and not shoot jimmy but instead would shoot the butcher. But some strange idea the writer would make us now hate Nucky by shooting Jimmy. How do we care for Nucky now. The only way is to not watch it next season. This way future writers will try to listen to the viewing audience and not just do what they want to. Why would they want to kill their show? I would have thought they would want their show to be remembered as a truly great show of the times, but I guess not.
Please future tv writers don't lead your viewers in one direction and then pull out the rug on them. You only greatly disappoint them to the pointy they turn away from your show.
Dec 13, 2011
I think they should have killed Eli off instead! Jimmy was my fav character and now I am not really sure I am going to be excited to see it every week with out Jimmy in it. I think it was a stupid move for the second season. Maybe the 4-5 th season but not the 2nd! I hope to see Michael Pitt soon in something else, and I will be sure to watch it, he was great! As for will I now continue to watch it? I don't know.
Dec 13, 2011
I was shocked. I'm not sure where they are going to go from here, but I hope they play up mr. hottie irish dude. I could listen to that accent forever.
Dec 13, 2011
Megadittoes! Belfast accents are the sexiest!
Dec 13, 2011
Kim LaCapria Funny games was a movie that made me so angry, I couldn't stand it. His acting was great in that show but the story line for the mom had me hoping she would be killed. OoO it made me angry LOL…
Dec 13, 2011
http://michaeljacksonmiracle.blogspot.com/
Dec 14, 2011
What the **** show will nose dive after this, no one likes to see a character so repentant and then so abused, this smack of writers trying to create something dramatic at the expense of the characters true nature in the show Nucky has always been an affable mediocre character yet we are expected to accept this dramatic change in his persona I for one am not comfortable with this change and it leaves the audience wondering if we really know these character at all.
Slow evolution of characters is preferable and more believable than dramatic shift, and while we are on the subject how come Ely didn't get bullet in the head, Many Horvits as well for that matter, just Like Michael in GF he should have settled all accounts.
Jan 4, 2012
Jimmy was such an acceptional character. His side of every episode was always my favorite part. A more exciting part however is what's going to happen to his partner Richard harrow? As sad as I am I'm so excited for next season!
Feb 15, 2012
Pitt was this show, much more likable than Nookie. I'm all for shock deaths in shows (I loved the way the sopranos did them!) however this would be like killing Christopher Moltisanti in season 2! I always got the impression that the show was mostly about Pitt's character, and I never really cared much for Nucky. They really screwed up with this, after all, if there is no one to root for in a show, why watch it? So unless chalky white takes on the KKK in an all out war in season 3, there is nothing of interest left here…
Oct 11, 2012
I’m very confused and perplex to why they have decided to take this road, for a long time now I have been searching for something to replace the Wire (without a doubt the best thing ever televised) and this was at times close to say the least. Like any viewer of the show I became a huge fan of jimmy why because that’s what was intended by the writers.
From the introduction of jimmy we got the feeling that this was a character we were going to watch grow into something to rival nucky, season 2 showed us a very human jimmy an educated kid well mannered. Jimmy was without a doubt a gangster in the sense that he was willing to kill to get what he wanted. the one thing we loved about him is how cool he was at getting back at those who who had wronged him and killing was something he was very comfortable with.
Nucky did not appear to be one who was comfortable around death, his a business men a fox, a master of deception and manipulation. So to think that he would be the one to end jimmy (baring in mind he looked at jimmy like his own kid) and giving the fact that the man he was protecting had killed jimmy wife seemed very unlikely.
Nov 26, 2012
Sorry for your loss girls