Boardwalk Empire Season Three, Episode Four

Boardwalk Empire has finally hit full gangster. Sure, you expect characters like Gyp Rossetti to murder at the drop of a hat. But Nucky?!?! I wanted to believe so badly that he had a moral compass left. He murdered over booze. Over money. Over proving a silly point to his driver, Owen. 19-year old Roland would've made an excellent addition to Nucky's stockpile of goons, but Nucky decided to 'off' the kid who was just trying to get a leg up the only way he saw possible. Or maybe Nucky murdered the kid, who had a similar baby face to Jimmy might I ad, to help him deal with the demons that have been haunting him the past few episodes. Whatever the psychological reason for Nucky's body count rising, booze is still the root of all evil.

This episode brought to life just how much the Prohibition affected America. Crime increased 24% during the Prohibition. Organized Crime took hold of American black markets, and it proved just how corrupt our politicians and justice system could be. It amazes me that it took 13 years to realize the repercussions of the 18th amendment.

It isn't generally known that until the Prohibition there was relatively not mafia in this country. After the 18 amendment, criminals in Sicily found the bootlegging profits in the U.S. irresistible and swarmed over. This illustrates again how the disaster of the Prohibition ruined lives and makes me wonder if my own bootlegging father would alive today and my family changed forever.

Margaret's crusade for women's health education is the only sunshine to a very dark story. Sex was never discussed back then. Getting a mother to discuss menstruation with her own daughter was just as taboo. Margaret is doing good in the community and she is carrying Nucky along with her. If it weren't for Margaret's good works Nucky would be seen as nothing more than a fraudulent politician who lines the pockets of evil men in Atlantic City.

Prediction for who is getting the ax next week: Mickey Doyle.

Not only did he defy Nucky's direct orders. He went ahead and got a fleet of men murdered AND he ruffled Rothstein's feathers. Not a good turn out for our zany comic-relief character.