| "Family Limitation" | |
|---|---|
| Boardwalk Empire episode | |
 Jimmy takes his revenge on Sheridan | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 6 |
| Directed by | Tim Van Patten |
| Written by | Howard Korder |
| Original air date | October 24, 2010 |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Family Limitation" is the sixth episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire , which premiered October 24, 2010. It was written by supervising producer Howard Korder and directed by executive producer Tim Van Patten.
Two of the D'Alessio brothers rob one of Nucky's bagmen on the Boardwalk in broad daylight. Because the thieves are perceived to be Italian, Nucky suspects Luciano is behind it. Margaret asks Mrs. McGarry, the chairwoman of the Temperance League, for advice on whether to accept Nucky's offer to move in with him. Though clearly uncomfortable with Nucky not offering her his hand in marriage first, Mrs. McGarry advises Margaret to do as she sees fit and gives her a Sanger pamphlet on birth control. Luciano, who is sleeping with Gillian, confides in her his frequent problem with impotence caused by recurring gonorrhea. He is informed by Rothstein via a surprise telephone call that Gillian is not Jimmy's wife, but rather his mother.
In Chicago, Jimmy advises Torrio against ordering a "retreat" from their interests in Sheridan's territory, since it will only make them look weak. He also spends more time with Capone and his family, inadvertently discovering that Al's son Sonny, whom he passes off as an "idiot", is actually deaf. After reconciling with Sheridan at his hotel, the hotel's coat checker (Capone's wife) hands Jimmy and Capone concealed guns, which they use to whack Sheridan and his men. Jimmy is effused with praise from Torrio for organizing the ambush, which angers Capone and leads him and Jimmy to trade insults over Jimmy's weak nerves and Capone lying about serving in the war. Capone later visits Jimmy and gifts him a package of steaks; the two men make up and Capone reveals his fear over how Sonny's disability will affect his future. Jimmy encourages Capone not to give up hope that modern medicine might find a way to help his son.
An emboldened Margaret moves into Nucky's home, and even quits her job at the dress shop after getting belittled by Lucy, mocking her as a brainless tart whom Nucky will eventually grow bored of. Nucky invites her to join him for a magic show later that evening, but when Mayor Hague asks him to dinner so that the two men can discuss politics and the road financing bill, he blows her off without a second thought. Margaret then learns from one of her neighbors, Annabelle, that it isn't unusual for a powerful man in Atlantic City to keep a "concubine" in his household.
Eli brings in Luciano and roughs him up; despite Luciano arguing that he knows nothing about the theft, Nucky sends him away with a warning not to mess with his people. Van Alden's superiors refuse to give him the resources to build a case against Nucky for lack of evidence, and reprimand him for being lax in his duties as a Bureau agent. That night, while going through Margaret's records, he finds a photograph of a 16-year-old Margaret in her immigration file. He then performs self-mortification with a leather strap from his suitcase to cure himself of his lust for her.
IGN gave the episode a score of 8.5 enjoying the relationship between Al and Jimmy: "Another highlight is the relationship between Al and Jimmy, as they rise up the ranks of the Torrio crime family. The two debate the difference between 'buddy' and 'accomplice' as Jimmy plans how to take out Sheridan. During this time, Jimmy, a war veteran, calls out Al on his bullshit war record, which in turn makes Al look like he is overcompensating for being nothing more than a thug in a nice suit. These exchanges prove that Al and Jimmy may have been friends once, but are on a path to being something much worse as their underworld careers advance." [1]
The A.V. Club gave it a B+ rating. [2]
"Family Limitation" slipped back to a 1.2 adults 18–49 rating after last week's 1.3 rating. The episode had a total of 2.812 million viewers. [3]
"Boardwalk Empire" is the pilot episode of the HBO crime drama of the same name. Written by series creator Terence Winter and directed by Martin Scorsese with a budget of $18 million, the episode introduces the character of Nucky Thompson, played by Steve Buscemi, as the corrupt treasurer of Atlantic City who is involved in gambling and bootlegging in 1920. The show used a large ensemble cast and a specially constructed boardwalk set to re-create the Prohibition and Jazz Era, and was based on Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City by Nelson Johnson. Filming for the pilot took place at various locations in and around New York City in June 2009. The episode first aired in the United States on September 19, 2010.
Enoch Malachi "Nucky" Thompson is a fictional character and the protagonist of the HBO TV series Boardwalk Empire, portrayed by Steve Buscemi. Nucky is loosely based on former Atlantic City, New Jersey political figure Enoch Lewis "Nucky" Johnson.
"The Ivory Tower" is the second episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, which originally aired September 26, 2010. The episode was written by series creator and executive producer Terence Winter and directed by executive producer Tim Van Patten.
"Broadway Limited" is the third episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, which premiered October 3, 2010. It was written by supervising producer Margaret Nagle and was directed by executive producer Tim Van Patten.
"Anastasia" is the fourth episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, which premiered October 10, 2010. It was written by co-executive producer Lawrence Konner and supervising producer Margaret Nagle and directed by Jeremy Podeswa. The episode received generally favorable reviews from television critics.
"Nights in Ballygran" is the fifth episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, which premiered October 17, 2010. It was written by co-executive producer Lawrence Konner and directed by Alan Taylor. "Nights in Ballygran" received positive reviews from critics.
"Hold Me in Paradise" is the eighth episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, which premiered on November 7, 2010. It was written by staff writer Meg Jackson and directed by Brian Kirk. Nucky attends the Republican National Convention in Chicago, while Eli fills in for him in Atlantic City.
"The Emerald City" is the tenth episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, which aired on HBO November 21, 2010. The episode was written by co-executive producer Lawrence Konner and directed by Simon Cellan Jones. The title is based on the fictional Emerald City from the Oz Books.
"A Return to Normalcy" is the 12th episode of the first season of HBO television series Boardwalk Empire and the season finale, which premiered on HBO December 5, 2010. The episode was written by series creator Terence Winter and directed by Tim Van Patten, both executive producers.
"A Dangerous Maid" is the third episode of the second season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire and 15th episode overall. First aired on October 9, 2011, it was written by Itamar Moses and directed by Susanna White.
"What Does the Bee Do?" is the fourth episode of the second season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, and 16th episode overall. First aired on October 16, 2011, it was written by executive story editor Steve Kornacki and directed by Ed Bianchi.
"Eldorado" is the series finale of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. It is the eighth episode of the fifth season, and the 56th episode of the series overall. The episode was written by series creator Terence Winter and executive producer Howard Korder, and was directed by executive producer Tim Van Patten. It aired on October 26, 2014. It portrays protagonist Nucky Thompson trying to tie up loose ends before retiring from the bootlegging business, as his past comes back to haunt him.
"Peg of Old" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 19th overall episode of the series and was written by co-executive producer Howard Korder, co-producer Steve Kornacki and Bathsheba Doran, and directed by Allen Coulter. It was released on HBO on November 6, 2011.
"Two Boats and a Lifeguard" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 20th overall episode of the series and was written by series creator Terence Winter, and directed by executive producer Tim Van Patten. It was released on HBO on November 13, 2011.
"The Pony" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 32nd overall episode of the series and was written by series creator Terence Winter and executive producer Howard Korder, and directed by executive producer Tim Van Patten. It was released on HBO on November 4, 2012.
"William Wilson" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 43rd overall episode of the series and was written by David Matthews and series creator Terence Winter, and directed by Jeremy Podeswa. It was released on HBO on October 20, 2013.
"White Horse Pike" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 46th overall episode of the series and was written by Dave Flebotte, and directed by Jake Paltrow. It was released on HBO on November 10, 2013.
"The Good Listener" is the second episode of the fifth season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 50th overall episode of the series and was written by series creator Terence Winter, and directed by producer Allen Coulter. It was released on HBO on September 14, 2014.
"King of Norway" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 53rd overall episode of the series and was written by Steve Kornacki, and directed by Ed Bianchi. It was released on HBO on October 5, 2014.
"Friendless Child" is the seventh episode of the fifth season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 55th overall episode of the series and was written by Riccardo DiLoreto, Christine Chambers, and executive producer Howard Korder, and directed by producer Allen Coulter. It was released on HBO on October 19, 2014.
