Paris Green (Boardwalk Empire)
Encyclopedia
"Paris Green" is the eleventh episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, which premiered November 28, 2010. The episode was written by supervising producer Howard Korder
and directed by Allen Coulter
.
The Commodore, now revealed to be Jimmy's father, is dying. Gillian asks Jimmy to visit, and although their relationship is frosty, Jimmy decides to stay with his father as he passes away. The decision is a crucial one, for Jimmy holds the Commodore down while the doctor gathers samples for a hair test which later reveals significant amounts of arsenic
(Paris Green
) in the Commodore's blood. Jimmy confronts Gillian with an empty canister of arsenic which he found in the trash while the Commodore recovers. She does not admit responsibility.
Rothstein is called to Chicago to defend against charges that he rigged the 1919 World Series
.
Meanwhile, Angela carries out her plan to leave town with her son and Mary Dittrich, leaving a note for Jimmy and going to the photography shop. There she finds the shop empty, as the Dittrichs' have absconded (in another scene we are shown that Robert Dietrich knows his wife is about to leave for France). Angela returns home to find Jimmy has read the note and knows of her plans.
Nucky continues to deal with the twin pressures of winning the election and the gang war with the D'Alessio brothers. Margaret's neighbor Annabelle's patron loses all his money in the original Ponzi scheme. Desperate, she offers to resume her former relationship with Nucky. Margaret catches them talking and later argues with Nucky. He strongly insinuates that he was responsible for the death of her husband, Hans, and accuses her of not caring. Eli is furious at Nucky for admitting his role in the murder. After a heated argument between the brothers Nucky drops Eli from the Republican ticket in favor of Deputy Halloran. Nucky arrives at the house only to find that Margaret has left, whereabouts unknown.
The A.V. Club gave the episode an A-.
Howard Korder
Howard Korder is an American screenwriter and playwright. He is the author of the 1988 coming-of-age play Boy's Life, which earned him a Pulitzer Prize for Drama nomination. His play Search and Destroy was adapted into a film in 1995. Among the screenplays he has written are The Passion of Ayn...
and directed by Allen Coulter
Allen Coulter
Allen Coulter is an American television and film director, credited with a number of successful television programs. He has directed two feature films, Hollywoodland, a film regarding the questionable death of George Reeves starring Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, and Ben Affleck, and 2010's Remember...
.
Plot
Agent Van Alden continues to probe deeper into the killing of Billy Winslow, prompting Agent Sebso to make a call to Nucky asking for some leads to regain his boss's trust. Looking for a still, the two encounter a black church's river baptism. When Sebso, who is Jewish, puts in for a transfer to Michigan, Van Alden brings him to the river to be baptized. However, Van Alden holds Sebso under the water too long, drowning him. Whether Van Alden planned the murder is left unclear.The Commodore, now revealed to be Jimmy's father, is dying. Gillian asks Jimmy to visit, and although their relationship is frosty, Jimmy decides to stay with his father as he passes away. The decision is a crucial one, for Jimmy holds the Commodore down while the doctor gathers samples for a hair test which later reveals significant amounts of arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
(Paris Green
Paris Green
Paris Green is an inorganic compound more precisely known as copper acetoarsenite. It is a highly toxic emerald-green crystalline powder that has been used as a rodenticide and insecticide, and also as a pigment, despite its toxicity. It is also used as a blue colorant for fireworks...
) in the Commodore's blood. Jimmy confronts Gillian with an empty canister of arsenic which he found in the trash while the Commodore recovers. She does not admit responsibility.
Rothstein is called to Chicago to defend against charges that he rigged the 1919 World Series
1919 World Series
The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seven format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series...
.
Meanwhile, Angela carries out her plan to leave town with her son and Mary Dittrich, leaving a note for Jimmy and going to the photography shop. There she finds the shop empty, as the Dittrichs' have absconded (in another scene we are shown that Robert Dietrich knows his wife is about to leave for France). Angela returns home to find Jimmy has read the note and knows of her plans.
Nucky continues to deal with the twin pressures of winning the election and the gang war with the D'Alessio brothers. Margaret's neighbor Annabelle's patron loses all his money in the original Ponzi scheme. Desperate, she offers to resume her former relationship with Nucky. Margaret catches them talking and later argues with Nucky. He strongly insinuates that he was responsible for the death of her husband, Hans, and accuses her of not caring. Eli is furious at Nucky for admitting his role in the murder. After a heated argument between the brothers Nucky drops Eli from the Republican ticket in favor of Deputy Halloran. Nucky arrives at the house only to find that Margaret has left, whereabouts unknown.
Critical Reception
IGN praised the episode, calling it "outstanding" and went on to say, "With his safety nets gone and his finger tightening around a trigger gunning for Rothstein, Nucky is a man alone, surrounded by a war that can go any way but good. The future is uncertain, tension hangs and fans of the series are in the best position possible going in to what's sure to be a game-changing finale."The A.V. Club gave the episode an A-.