'Boardwalk Empire' Recap: Georgia Peaches
S2E10: It's funny. I was just saying how Angela might very well be my favorite character on all of Boardwalk Empire. And then, this happens..."How them new shoes be fitting these days?" – Chalky
"A little tighter than expected." – Jimmy
After only a few weeks of unofficial reign over Atlantic City, Jimmy Darmody has managed to lose the favor of just about every character on Boardwalk Empire. This week's episode, "Georgia Peaches," makes an effort to explore the friendless world that the man has built for himself. It seems that a poetic justice has imparted itself unto Jimmy in return for his betrayal of Nucky. Last week, we saw hints that even Richard might be beginning to lose his worship for Jimmy. This week, we see both the "up-and-comers" (Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano and Mickey Doyle) and the business heads (Eli Thompson and Jimmy's father, the Commodore, included—and to a subtler extent, Mr. Whitlock) express an antagonism towards their far-from-competent leader, Jimmy.
Capone and co. are unhappy with Jimmy because, thanks to Nucky's secretive business dealings, none of them can sell any liquor in Atlantic City. So, they are forced to high-tail it elsewhere (heading to New York, Chicago, Philadelphia…and Jimmy, as we learn at the end of the episode, heads back to his college town, Princeton). Also sparking some animosity is Jimmy's dismissal of Meyer's and Lucky's proposal to sell heroin—a plan in which they are both heavily invested.
"Do what we're paying you to do. End this." – Business head
The business heads are meanwhile fed up with Jimmy's inability to handle Atlantic City's black community's strike, provoked last week by a plan set forth by Chalky White and "new friend," Dunn Purnsley. Jimmy suggests the businessmen give into their salary demands and offer nickel raises—however, just about no one is on board with this. Eli proposes a far more popular violent reaction: the strikers are attacked by Billy-club waving bandits, who also impart some wrath onto Deputy Halloran for his none-too-savvy conversation with Esther Randolph last week.
We also get a taste of the black community's distaste for Jimmy, courtesy of his conversation with Chalky. When Jimmy fails to meet just one of Chalky's demands—that is, "justice" brought to the men responsible for the described violence—Chalky insists that the strike will continue through and beyond tourist season.
And, finally, there's Manny: Jimmy's number one enemy right now. Manny knows Jimmy was behind his attempted murder. And Manny was already pretty put off by Jimmy's refusal to pay his debt. So, when Mickey Doyle shows up with an alcohol delivery courtesy of Jimmy, Manny strangles Mickey until he reveals where Manny can find his boss, so that he might take some revenge.
"What's so fascinating?" – Angela
"That fellow. Not a care in the world." – Jimmy
Now, before we get into the last bit of misfortune for Jimmy, I think it's interesting that this episode is notable in its absence of Jimmy's mother, Gillian. Gillian is at once an incredibly supportive and an incredibly destructive figure in regards to Jimmy. While she is unwaveringly in his corner, she is also responsible for provoking some of the less favorable choices he has made, most notably shooting Nucky. Gillian is only mentioned in passing this week—by Angela, she's babysitting Tommy—which is funny in an episode that is almost entirely about the devastation that is becoming of Jimmy. My first thought was, the show wouldn't want to include any character that might be "pro-Jimmy," in this episode (even Richard is barely seen this week). And that might very well be the reasoning. But maybe we're also supposed to accept that Jimmy has become his own destructive force. When we met Jimmy in Season 1, he was an entirely promising individual—intellectually and ethically (at least, within this world). Recently, we've seen the effect his mother has on him. But now, we're perhaps intended to understand that even in the absence of Gillian is Jimmy without hope of redemption. He has become what pulls him downward, he no longer relies on his mother for that.
"The most important thing in life, darling…your health. Your husband did this to you." – Manny
Now, the "big ending." As I said, Angela might well be my favorite Boardwalk character. And because of that, the scene she shares with Jimmy this week is one of my favorites in a long time. Jimmy acknowledges how unhappy she is, and what thoughts she might have of him. But he promises to make things better for her soon—this is just before he heads to Princeton (the town where he started on his bright path—he's going back there to corrupt it…some fun symbolism there), and not long before Manny Horvits breaks into their house, killing Angela as payback for everything Jimmy has done to him.
It's actually the saddest a Boardwalk episode has made me in some time—first, the heartbreaking scene between Jimmy and Angela really wrenches, because we understand (as do they, beneath it all) just how hopeless it is for the two of them to be happy. And then, this tragic figure who still, despite all her tragedy, wants to live…if only for her son…gets killed, thanks to the misdoings of the husband to whom she has been sadly, fearfully and devotedly attached. "Georgia Peaches" really gets to me.
"What would you do, Arnold?" – Nucky
"No one likes a longshot more than a gambler." – Rothstein
Onto Nucky and family. Nucky's business in this episode largely concerns his search for a new lawyer—he fires the lawyer whose hairdo we have come to admire for his inadequacy in making Nucky's case work in any way to his benefit. He then heads to New York to meet a tricky, silver-tongued lawyer named Fallon, recommended by Rothstein.
More personal matters involve the worsening condition of Emily, and Teddy's jealousy of the attention his sister is getting. When Nucky tends to Teddy to remind him that his mother still loves him, Teddy reveals that he knows that Nucky burned down his old house—but that he'll never tell. Meanwhile, Margaret revisits her faith in order to pray for her ailing daughter. She even taps into her stowed away money, donating it to the church in order to earn God's favor, so to speak.
"What should I make sure I never, ever do again?" – Eli
Finally, Esther (free of quips, but still fantastic) rehearses a testimony with Nelson Van Alden, and offers a jailed Eli a deal if he'll cooperate in the trail against Nucky (which I truly don't see why he wouldn't, considering the lack of brotherly love, unless I'm missing some way that this can harm him).
I always prefer when Boardwalk episodes pay tribute to one character in particular as opposed to forwarding six or seven plotlines. "Georgia Peaches" doesn't offer that much in the vein of new information or developments (with Angela's death as the exception), but we really needed to see an episode devoted so strongly to Jimmy's catastrophic downfall. There are suppositions on the rise that he might not be around much longer—but then again, the Princeton tease at the end might indicate otherwise. Either way, getting an illustration of a desperate Jimmy (one so worn out as to be as vulnerable as he was with Angela) is something I highly appreciate.
Breaking Dawn Remains On Top of Box Office
The Muppets were no match for the half-vampire babies this week, as Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Kermit the Frog and friends fared well at the box office - but Breaking Dawn remained on top.
The Twilight Saga's fourth installment pulled in another $62 million from Wednesday through today, bringing its worldwide tally to nearly $400 million. It's now ahead of the pace set in 2009 by Eclipse. The Muppets, meanwhile, pulled in a solid $42 million.
Here is a look at the top 10 box office results from this long holiday weekend:
- The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1: $62.3 million
- The Muppets: $42 million
- Happy Feet Two: $18.4 million
- Arthur Christmas: $17 million
- Hugo: $15.4 million
- Jack and Jill: $14.1 million
- Immortals: $12.6 million
- Puss in Boots: $10.4 million
- Tower Heist: $10.2 million
- The Descendants: $9.2 million
Prince William Conducts Irish Sea Rescue Mission
Prince William is kind of the man.
Not only is he rich, famous, intelligent, married to a lovely young woman and the heir to the British throne, he's an accomplished pilot in the UK's armed forces - as evidenced during a daring rescue mission he took part in this morning.
William helped save the lives of Russian seamen whose cargo vessel sank into the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales early today, according to various reports.
Known simply as Flight Lt. William Wales in the Royal Air Force, he was co-pilot in a four-man rescue helicopter crew that responded to a mayday call around 2 a.m.
At that point, the vessel Swanland's hull apparently cracked in bad weather.
He and fellow military servicemen saved two men, airlifting them to safety at William's base on the Welsh island of Anglesey, where he lives with Kate Middleton.
The body of one of Swanland's crew has been recovered; five are still missing.
"We know at least some of [the missing] are wearing immersion suits and have strobe lighting with them," Jim Green, a coast guard spokesman, said Sunday. "However, sea conditions are challenging at best."
What is Demi Lovato Thankful For?
Last year at this time, Demi Lovato was in treatment for a number of personal issues.
Therefore, following a 2011 that has seen the singer re-establish herself professionally and recover personally, Lovato has plenty to be thankful for this holiday season.
"I could not have done this without God and the amazing support from my family," Demi writes in her monthly Seventeen column. "They have stuck by me through everything and love me just the way that I am. That is a wonderful feeling to know that people accept the real you."
Lovato is currently on tour, promoting the album "Unbreakable" (watch her rendition of "Moves Like Jagger" HERE!), and says she's "thankful for my life path, including the highs and the lows, because it has caused my true self to shine through," adding:
"Going to treatment was a gift and I believe it saved my life. I learned how to be strong and healthy even through struggles. It also helped me open up about my issues and share them with others. Knowing that my family, friends and fans accept me for who I am is the greatest feeling ever!"
Amen, Demi. We wish you continued health and happiness.
Evelyn Lozada: Returning to Basketball Wives, Signed to Chad Ochocinco Wedding Spinoff
Basketball Wives star Evelyn Lozada has been convinced to come back for another season. She's so darn valuable, she was given an insane deal she couldn't pass up.
Evelyn was prepared to leave the VH1 "hit" before its fourth season, but she was given a package that allows her to work less, earn more, and get her own spinoff.
Even a Basketball Wives cast member isn't dumb enough to reject that.
Earlier this fall, Evelyn had made up her mind that she was done with the show after a VH1 blog post suggested she cheated on her fiance, NFL star Chad Ochocinco.
(Cheated with Terrell Owens, to be exact).
However, once Evelyn Lozada let producers know she was out, they really made a push to keep her. Guess you gotta go all out to keep your prized "talent" in house.
Her new deal requires her to film half as often, with the flexibility to work around her daughter's school schedule and Chad's NFL games, all while getting a big raise.
The icing on the cake? The network promised to spin off Evelyn and Chad into their own show, documenting the months leading up to their wedding. Hallelujah.
