Boardwalk Empire, The Complete Series

Series Premiere. January, 1920. On the eve of Prohibition, Atlantic City's duplicitous Treasurer, Nucky Thompson, condemns alcohol at a Women's Temperance League meeting, then privately tells his Ward Bosses about the opportunity to make huge profits selling bootleg liquor. At a countdown to midnight blast at Babette's Supper Club, he flirts with Margaret Schroeder, a pretty, pregnant wife looking for help getting her abusive husband Hans a job, and assures Jimmy Darmody, a recently returned WWI vet, that his appointment as "Man Friday" to the new Chief Clerk of the Fourth Ward, Paddy Ryan, will lead to bigger things. Jimmy, who has higher aspirations, ends up befriending Al Capone, a young Chicago thug in town with boss Arnold Rothstein, who's setting up bootleg deals with Nucky. Privy to inside information about a truck shipment leaving town that night, the pair engineers a rogue heist that turns deadly--sending Nucky looking for scapegoats to take the blame.

Investigating the heist now linked to Hans Schroeder, straight-and-narrow Agent Nelson van Alden pays a visit to Nucky, and leaves convinced that the Treasurer is "as corrupt as the day is long." A concerned Nucky sends his brother, Sheriff Elias Thompson, to the hospital to sow the seeds of doubt in the widow Schroeder's mind, then visits the local jail to tell Mickey Ward that he's being replaced by Chalky White in the bootleg-production business. When Jimmy arrives for work, Nucky orders him to pay an extra $3G for the mess he created, sending Jimmy scrambling to recoup some of the money he spent on a gift for his mother, a showgirl named Gillian. In Chicago, Al Capone shows a local reporter what he thinks about accusations that Johnny Torrio was involved in the slaying of local mobster "Big Jim" Colosimo. Back in Atlantic City, Nucky discusses the upcoming election with his aging mentor, Commodore Louis Kaestner, who advises him to keep things simple with his constituency. Later, before heading out to celebrate his birthday, Nucky rebukes an irate Arnold Rothstein over the phone, then gives Margaret some in-person advice on how to provide for her children. As a long day ends, a traveling salesman named George Baxter, in town for a day with an unwilling young beauty named Claudia, makes a startling discovery while on the road home to Baltimore.

An unlikely witness threatens to expose the perpetrators of the woods massacre, sending Eli--and Agent Nelson Van Alden--rushing to the hospital. As Nucky re-evaluates his relationship with Lucy, Margaret starts a new job at an upscale French dress shop at the Ritz. Chalky's team pays a heavy price for taking over Mickey Doyle's bootleg operation, causing Chalky to reevaluate his relationship with Nucky. After questioning Angela's loyalty, Jimmy heads west.

In Chicago, Jimmy bonds with one of Johnny Torrio's prostitutes, Pearl, and finds himself increasingly at odds with the hot-headed Al Capone. Back in Atlantic City, Nucky looks to leverage his relationships with ambitious U.S. Senator Walter Edge as well as Jersey City Mayor Frank Hague. Eli and Chalky go to extremes to interrogate a KKK member; Lucky Luciano sets his sights on Jimmy's 'wife'; Margaret impresses at Nucky's lavish birthday party, while Lucy tries to protect her territory.

On the day of the annual St. Patrick's Eve dinner, Nucky deals with his jealous brother's oratory ambitions, as well as a group of disenchanted 'Leprechauns.' Feeling ignored by Nucky, a frustrated Margaret feeds Van Alden information regarding the whereabouts of a garage filled with barrels of beer. In New York, Arnold Rothstein worries about his involvement in the fixed World Series, while in Chicago, Jimmy copes with the aftermath of a vicious attack orchestrated by Torrio rival Charlie Sheridan.

After the brazen robbery of one of his Ward Bosses, Nucky turns up the heat on Lucky Luciano. An emboldened Margaret stands up to Lucy at the dress shop, and then accepts an offer from Nucky to change her circumstances. In Chicago, Al Capone's frustration over family issues spills over into his relationship with Jimmy, who scores points with Johnny Torrio for a bold power play involving mob heavy Charlie Sheridan and the neighborhood of Greektown.

After his father Ethan is injured in a fall, Nucky uses the opportunity to refurbish his childhood home. During a visit to an army hospital, Jimmy befriends a disfigured vet named Richard Harrow, whose sharp eye may prove invaluable. Chalky considers a liquor proposition which would eliminate middle man Nucky. Van Alden gets a valuable lead on the woods massacre. Angela finds companionship in Jimmy's absence; Luciano and a friend cut a deal with the D'Alessio brothers. On a double-date with new friend Annabelle and her beaux, Margaret tries to get Nucky to open up about some painful childhood memories; on a tip from Capone, Jimmy eyes payback against one of Sheridan's thugs.

While visiting Chicago during the Republican National Convention, Nucky gets some alarming news from Atlantic City.

Nucky braces for war with a rival faction; Jimmy stands by his alibi; Margaret helps out Madame Jeunet.

Nucky asks Margaret to toe the party line; Angela witnesses Jimmy's violent side; Capone faces a crossroads; Van Alden grapples with his emotions.

Nucky shakes up the status quo; Jimmy deals with some tricky family issues; Van Alden addresses Agent Sebso's 'temptations.'

In the Season One finale, Nucky and Atlantic City brace for change on Election Day; Torrio brokers a deal between two nemeses, with far-reaching consequences; Jimmy ponders his future, as do Margaret, Agent Van Alden and Eli.

Season Two Premiere. Nucky is rocked by an insurrection among his inner circle; Chalky's life and livelihood are threatened by a vicious KKK attack; Margaret copes with her son's disciplinary problems; Angela vies with Gillian for Jimmy's affections at home; Van Alden shows his wife Rose around town as an anniversary present.

Concerned about losing his grip on Atlantic City, Nucky deliberates a countermove while trying to learn who in his inner circle betrayed him. As agents scour the Treasurer's office for incriminating evidence, Margaret strikes a pose from the past to help Nucky avoid further trouble in the present. In New York, Jimmy is put on hold by Arnold Rothstein, but Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano loom as possible trading partners. Chalky is badgered in prison by Dunn Purnsley, a jailmate with an ax to grind; Owen Sleater, an advance man for Irish nationalist John McGarrigle, scouts the Thompson residence; the Commodore introduces Eli to 'the men who made this city.'

With the Commodore using his Coast Guard connections to put the squeeze on Atlantic City's liquor shipments, Nucky reaches out to Washington's new Attorney General, Harry Daugherty, to return a political favor. In an effort to prove his worth, Owen intervenes on a delivery intended for struggling casino operator Lolly Steinman. Two sets of dinner guests clash at Babette's; Margaret sheds her pretense with Katy and the household staff; Lucy chafes at her enforced loneliness.

At a birthday party for Mayor Bader, Nucky's attorney has a legal brainstorm that could turn the tide in Nucky's election-rigging case. Facing a local liquor surplus, Jimmy and Mickey head to Philadelphia in search of buyers, while Nucky strikes an unlikely deal to get booze into Atlantic City. Eli frets over the Commodore's ability to lead; Margaret doles out staff bonuses; Chalky is cornered at work and at home; Owen puts his munitions expertise to work; Van Alden's agents target Mickey's warehouse; Richard lets down his guard in the name of art; Gillian recalls her 'first time' with the Commodore.

After paying lip service to his enemies, Nucky introduces a surprise guest speaker at a Memorial Day dedication for war veterans. With his options dwindling, Eli questions his allegiances, but ends up digging himself a deeper hole. Nucky gets a new lawyer; Jimmy is taught a painful lesson by a Commodore crony; Richard goes hunting deep in the forest.

Nucky orchestrates a risky liquor delivery in Philadelphia; Attorney General Daugherty faces a quandary that could complicate Nucky's case; Jimmy finds a new mentor in Leander Whitlock, the Commodore's longtime lawyer; Margaret confesses her sins; Lucy struggles in solitude, while Van Alden wrestles with his conscience.

While Nucky enlists heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey to promote the wireless broadcast of his upcoming fight, Jimmy faces a decision that could shape the future of Atlantic City. Margaret travels to Brooklyn for a bittersweet reunion with the family she left behind in Ireland. Irked by the arrival of Daugherty's new federal prosecutor Esther Randolph, Nelson weighs his options as his personal and professional problems converge. Badly in need of support, Lucy visits an old flame for a handout. Owen settles one score, and sets his sights on a new conquest.

In the wake of a personal loss, Nucky solicits advice on his political situation from Arnold Rothstein, while Eli remains suspicious of his brother's actions. Nucky finds himself in the unfamiliar position of showing gratitude toward a federal agent; Angela meets a new friend at the beach, and eavesdrops on her husband's treachery; Van Alden gets a nanny; Nucky approaches Owen with an overseas proposition; Jimmy flexes his muscles, at Mickey Doyle's expense.

Arriving in Belfast,Nucky and Owen meet with IRA leaders with a barter proposition. Meanwhile, in Atlantic City, Jimmy and his partners broker a deal with George Remus for his medicinal alcohol before taking a break to see/hear the Dempsey fight. Margaret frets when Emily's illness takes a turn for the worse; Dunn Purnsley orchestrates a worker's strike at the Ritz; Waxey Gordon takes action against Manny Horvitz in Philadelphia; Randolph and Lathrop grill Halloran about Nucky's past.

Undercut by Nucky, who has a new source for alcohol, Jimmy and his partners look to cultivate a new revenue stream in Atlantic City. With the peak tourist season approaching, the Commodore's crew faces a choice in dealing with the city's striking workers: to negotiate or to fight back. Fearing that sin has led to misfortune, Margaret approaches Father Brennan with an act of devotion. Nucky gets a new lawyer; Van Alden faces an uncertain future; Manny Horvitz takes exception to a debt payment.

With Margaret pondering the consequences of sin, Nucky prepares her for a worst-case scenario as Esther Randolph plays out her trump cards. Jimmy revisits his college days with Angela and Gillian; Mickey Doyle chafes at sharing his liquor profits; Eli refuses to cop a plea; and Nelson's past comes back to haunt him, tipping the scale in Nucky's favor.

Season Two Finale. With Nucky's trial looming, Jimmy looks to make amends. After weighing an offer from Esther Randolph, Margaret makes a decision that will change the course of her future--and Nucky's.

Season 3 premiere. While hosting a New Year's Eve party for 1922-23, Nucky makes a resolution that does not sit well with Gyp Rosetti, a touchy gangster with a thirst for bootleg whiskey. Margaret looks to build on the Thompson endowment at St. Theresa's Hospital, to her husband's displeasure. In the absence of Jimmy and the Commodore, Gillian builds a new business while monitoring Richard's mentoring of her 'son,' Tommy. In Chicago, Al Capone is rankled by Irish mobster Dean O'Banion, and Van Alden stumbles onto a confrontation that could change his career path.

Mixing business with pleasure (Billie Kent) in New York, Nucky bristles at the collection tactics of Gaston Means, a 'special investigator' with ties to Daugherty. At St. Theresa's, Margaret is troubled when her altruism is met with resistance by both a patient and an idealistic doctor. Gyp extends his stopover in Tabor Heights, a town halfway between Atlantic City and New York, with an eye towards establishing a strategic foothold. Chalky and his daughter Maybelle fail to agree on her future with Samuel; Eli gets a new boss and faces new realities at home; a major liquor shipment takes an unexpected detour.

Disturbed by a recent nightmare and Billie's absence, Nucky reluctantly joins Margaret to receive a high honor from the Church. Meanwhile, Gyp makes a deal with Nucky for a one-time liquor shipment, though the mobster's longtime intentions remain very much up in the air. Van Alden regrets trying to socialize with his co-workers; Margaret takes her women's-clinic pitch to a higher authority; Lucky and Meyer protect their investments; Richard sets the record straight with Mickey, and with Nucky.

After tracking down a liquor thief, Nucky and Owen end up spending a long night hiding out from the Feds with the precocious perp. In his boss' absence, and with Rothstein fuming over a late delivery, Mickey overrules Eli to make a routing call that will have far-reaching consequences for Nucky and Gyp. Margaret encounters a familiar face while promoting Dr. Mason's classes at the new woman's clinic at St. Theresa's. In New York, Lucky haggles with Joe Masseria over heroin splits, while in Chicago, Capone's feud with O'Banion heats up when one of his collectors gets roughed up on the South side.

After venting with Nucky about his liquor travails, Rothstein sends Gyp an unequivocal message in Tabor Heights. In Washington, Gaston Means sees opportunity in a Senate investigation of Harry Daugherty and the Justice Department. Billie gets a new co-star to revive her faltering show; Van Alden and Sigrid receive an unexpected visitor; Gillian worries about keeping her business afloat in Jimmy's absence; Margaret has awkward moments at the hospital and, later, at Madam Jeunet's.

After being detained in Washington by Daugherty's henchmen, Nucky approaches his onetime nemesis, Esther Randolph, and later entertains an intriguing proposition from Gaston Means. In Atlantic City, Margaret copes with Teddy's demons while Owen investigates a suspicious fire; Gillian feuds with Lucky and finds a surrogate for Jimmy; and Richard connects with a pugilistic vet named Paul Sagorsky and his daughter, Julia.

On Easter Sunday, Eli looks to get back in Nucky's good graces at a Thompson family reunion. While Richard and Tommy spend the day as guests of the Sagorskys, Gillian stays at home and makes a sacrifice to improve her future. In New York, after dinner and prayers, Gyp heads downtown in search of a blessing--from Joe Masseria.

Gillian makes her peace with Jimmy's death, though not with Nucky, as Gyp arrives to play ally. Working off his debt to O'Banion, Van Alden attends a meeting with Capone and Torrio; later, after a workplace meltdown, he considers Sigrid's case for staying put versus resuming a life on the lam. With help from Gaston Means, Nucky pays an unscheduled visit to Andrew Mellon, offering the Treasury Secretary a recommendation and a business proposal. Margaret makes a stand on birth control; Nucky and Owen shop for a birthday pony; Billie eyes a future on the silver screen, to Nucky's chagrin.

Reeling from Gyp's most recent attack, Nucky vows to eliminate his nemesis through a coalition of familiar partners. In Washington, the arrest of a high-profile bootlegger puts Daugherty and Jess Smith on the hot seat. Emily gets a scaled-down birthday party; Gillian blames an absent Harrow for Tommy's latest misadventure; Gyp decides to buy a town's silence; Broadway mourns a fallen star.

Nucky reaches out to Gaston Means to keep Jess Smith quiet in Washington, and enlists Owen to neutralize Gyp's alliance with Joe Masseria in New York. Margaret considers alternate futures, at the hospital and at home; Van Alden's side business backfires; Gyp fumes when a shipment comes up short; Harrow coerces an apology for Julia; Chalky sees opportunity in the ashes of a boardwalk institution.

Gyp makes his move in Atlantic City, forcing Nucky and Eddie to seek refuge with Chalky. With the Artemis Club overrun by Rosetti thugs, Gillian contemplates a business future that includes an unwelcome partner. Luciano makes a deal he'll come to regret; Harrow loses his house privileges.

Season Three Finale. Desperate to weaken Gyp's alliance with Masseria and reclaim Atlantic City, Nucky cedes control of one of his prized assets to Rothstein. Harrow returns to Gillian's brothel for some unfinished business; Luciano is forced to take on a new heroin partner after being arrested in New York; Chalky and Capone put their enmity on hold while taking on Masseria's men; Margaret decides to end one relationship and considers resuming another.

Season Four Premiere. Having survived his epic battle with Gyp Rosetti, Nucky makes a peace offering to Joe Masseria while working the odds with Arnold Rothstein. Chalky prepares to open the Onyx Club on the Boardwalk, but the impulsive Dunn Purnsley clashes with a booking agent. A fresh-faced prohibition agent, Warren Knox, arrives in Atlantic City to learn the ropes from Agent Sawicki. Gillian seeks custody of Tommy while trying to find a good man to keep the Artemis Club afloat. Eli's college-age son Willie turns to Nucky for career advice. Al Capone enlists his brothers, Frank and Ralph, to help him expand his business in the Chicago suburb of Cicero. Richard Harrow returns to his violent ways.

Now working as a delivery man for Dean O'Banion, Van Alden is ordered to keep tabs on Al Capone, joining the ascendant mobster to help keep Cicero voters informed at a political rally. Harlem gangster Dr. Valentin Narcisse arrives in Atlantic City, clashing with Chalky and Nucky over the loss of an employee. In Washington, Agent Knox aligns himself with J. Edgar Hoover, director of the newly formed Bureau of Investigation. Harrow fails to finish a job in Milwaukee, while Eddie demands a promotion after 11 years of service. With a business opportunity on the horizon, Nucky departs for Florida.

Nucky has reservations about investing in a Tampa land deal engineered by transplanted bootlegger Bill McCoy. While there, he befriends local speakeasy owner, Sally Wheet. Valentin Narcisse books a sexy jazz singer, Daughter Maitland, to perform at the Onyx; later, he gauges Dunn Purnsley's allegiance to Chalky. Willie, Eli's son, turns to Mickey Doyle and his bootleg warehouse to elevate his social standing in college. Gillian agrees to pose as Roy Phillips' wife to impress a possible partner. Harrow tries to bury his past, though not before dealing with some unfinished business with Emma.

Nucky gets to know Arnold Rothstein over a card game, and sizes up an unexpected partner for his Tampa land deal. A newly promoted Eddie Kessler gets detoured after making a train-station delivery. When one of their collectors is incapacitated, Al and Frank Capone decide to finish his route, enlisting a reluctant Van Alden to tag along. Agent Knox fills Hoover in on the Thompson operation, vowing to exploit Nucky's weakest link. Chalky is intrigued by Daughter Maitland's presence. Dunn Purnsley goes to Harlem, and is courted by Valentin Narcisse. Willie and Clayton, his college roommate, carry a practical joke too far.

Nucky heads to Philadelphia to deal with the fallout from Willie's liquor fiasco. Eddie Kessler is detained by Agent Knox, who uses physical and psychological tactics to elicit information about Nucky's organization. A desperate Gillian turns to an unexpected source to score a fix, and is rebuffed in her attempt to reunite with Tommy. In Cicero, Van Alden is recruited by the Capones to pay an election-day visit to local factory workers opposed to the Capones' candidate of choice.

After a cautious reunion with Margaret in New York City, Nucky heads to Tampa to work out details of his land deal with Bill McCoy. While there, he reconnects with Sally Wheet. Richard Harrow returns to Atlantic City and makes a confession to an ailing Paul Sagorsky, who encourages him to get over the past and return to Julia and Tommy. Having lost J. Edgar Hoover's confidence, Agent Knox finds a new way to gain Eli's trust. Meyer Lansky decides to go it alone on the Tampa land deal when Lucky Luciano gets spooked by an investor, Vincenzo Petrucelli, who has ties to Joe Masseria in New York. Chalky takes his frustrations out on Daughter Maitland.

Eli confronts Nucky after Willie makes an unpopular decision. Margaret has a surprise encounter at her job on Wall Street. Joe Masseria orders Lucky Luciano to return to Tampa and deal with Vincenzo Petrucelli. Gillian goes cold turkey, with Roy Phillips' help. Still seething over his brother's death, Al Capone tries to get Johnny Torrio to turn on rival gangster Dean O'Banion. As Chalky White and Daughter Maitland's relationship deepens, Valentin Narcisse exerts his control over Dunn Purnsley and the Northside.

Nucky's shipment from Florida arrives with some unexpected cargo. Eli is backed into a corner after Agent Knox uncovers some new dirt on the Thompsons. After talking things over with Nucky, Willie reconsiders his recent life choices. Chalky throws down the gauntlet toward Valentin Narcisse, upholding his leadership on the Northside.

Nucky refuses to back Chalky in his conflict with Narcisse. Julia considers her options after Gillian makes her custody case in court. In Cicero, Van Alden stands up to Capone and comes clean to O'Banion. Rothstein looks to trade an insurance benefit for a cash infusion.

Tipped off by Sally Wheet, Nucky enlists Eli and Agent Knox to check out extra cargo in Florida shipments. Margaret considers making a deal with Rothstein to improve her family's living conditions. Capone grows suspicious of Torrio; Nucky faces a dilemma; Eli makes peace with Willie.

Nucky takes inventory after being warned there's a skunk in his cellar. On the lam after a close call, Chalky and Daughter take refuge outside Wilmington with Chalky's mentor from years ago, Oscar Boneau. Gillian weighs selling her mansion and starting a new life with Roy Phillips.

Season Four Finale. Eli braces for the worst as Agent Knox sets in motion his plan to take down Nucky. Capone and Torrio reach an agreement in Cicero. Chalky looks to settle his scores. Richard Harrow steps forward to save Tommy, at Gillian's expense.

Season Five Premiere. Awash in memories from his pier-boy days growing up in 1884 Atlantic City, Nucky recalls first catching the eye of the Commodore. 1931 - Nucky joins Sally Wheet in Cuba, and with a U.S. Senator in tow, forges ties with Bacardi Rum with the hope of Prohibition's repeal in the U.S. While working on Wall Street, Margaret finds herself in the hot seat when her boss, facing an internal investigation, decides his own future. Down but never out, Chalky seizes an opportunity to extricate himself from a difficult situation. In New York, Lucky Luciano sets in motion a bold plan--a move that reverberates with Nucky all the way in Cuba.

Back from Cuba after a dangerous encounter, Nucky pays a visit to a now-retired Johnny Torrio, who agrees to broker a meeting with the new 'Boss of Bosses,' Salvatore Maranzano. In Chicago, Eli and Van Alden are tasked by Al Capone's new right hand man, Mike D'Angelo, to recoup money lost during a federal raid by Eliot Ness. Fresh out of law school, Willie has a job interview. Rebuffed by a group of would-be financiers, Nucky dines with Tonino Sandrelli before sending a message to Lansky and Luciano. In 1884, a young Nucky deals with the death of his sister, Susan, while his father has a standoff with the Commodore.

Chalky heads in a new direction after assessing his latest partnership. In New York, Margaret finds herself in a quandary as a result of her association with Arnold Rothstein. Nucky hosts a prospective "big fish" partner from Boston. Luciano and Siegel meet with Narcisse in Harlem, promising business as usual but encountering resistance. In 1884, young Nucky is privy to the passion of a hotel guest, and flirts with a young girl.

Facing a shared dilemma, Nucky and Margaret find common ground in Atlantic City. Luciano encounters an old adversary while meeting with Capone in Chicago. Sally Wheet makes a payment in Cuba amidst concerns of a grass-roots uprising. In 1884, young Nucky shows Eli how the other half lives, and takes another step up the Commodore's ladder.

Chalky returns to Atlantic City with vengeance on his mind. Concerned about the ongoing threat from Luciano, Nucky arranges a meeting with Maranzano in New York. In Chicago, Eli's reunion with June takes an unexpected turn after a dinner party hosted by Van Alden and Sigrid. Capone looks to relocate his operation out of Chicago; Margaret completes a deal with Carolyn Rothstein; Nucky gets some bad news from Cuba. In 1897, young Nucky looks to win over Mabel's father while asking for expanded responsibilities as deputy sheriff.

In Harlem, Chalky encounters Narcisse in hopes of setting Daughter Maitland free. Federal Agents enlist Eli and Van Alden to help take down the Capone Organization. Pained by a recent loss, Nucky turns to the bottle, and the company of a pair of barflies. In 1897, a young Nucky vents his frustration to Mabel after endorsing Jim Neary, and roots out a young thief with Eli's help.

Nucky, at war with Luciano, looks to hold onto his assets in Atlantic City. Willie and Eli become involved in Nucky's war. Maranzano meets his fate. Nucky reads Gillian's letter from the hospital. In 1897, Mabel and Nucky argue about a young runaway from Trenton, while Nucky does a discreet favor for the Commodore.

Series Finale. After a shakeup, Nucky looks to relocate to Manhattan from Atlantic City. Margaret impresses Nucky and a grain-company stockholder; Luciano tends to unfinished business while establishing a mob commission; Capone grapples with tax-evasion charges; Nucky visits Gillian at the hospital. In 1897, Nucky copes with a family crisis while making a deal with the Commodore that will settle his future.