Boardwalk Empire Season 2 Episode 8 ‘Two Boats and a Lifeguard’ Recap 11/13/11

Boardwalk Empire Season 2 Episode 9 'Two Boats and a Lifeguard' Recap 11/13/11

Tonight is the eighth episode of Boardwalk Empire called ‘Two Boats and A Lifeguard.’  Stay tuned as we cover the show with up-to-the-minute details of the show.   On last week’s episode Margaret travels to Brooklyn for a bittersweet reunion with the family she left behind in Ireland.  Things did not turn out as Margaret had hoped, she also has a surprising romantic liason.  Nucky’s brother Eli showed us once again what a snake he is and tried to orchestra the killing of his own brother.  The attempted assassination of Nucky failed thanks to Federal Agent.  If you missed last week’s episode you can read our official recap here!

Two Boats and a Lifeguard Synopsis: Nucky turns to Arnold Rothstein for political advice in the aftermath of a personal loss, but Eli remains unsure of his brother’s motives. Meanwhile, Angela makes a new acquaintance on the beach and learns more about her husband’s business methods; Owen mulls an opportunity to go home; and Jimmy’s power play makes life tough for Mickey Doyle.

If you want to read some spoilers and a sneak peek of what is happening tonight head over to Celeb Teen Laundry to see some exciting preview videos!

I am having a hard time believing what Margaret did last week.  She is a smart character and sleeping with Owen was not smart.   She was upset about her family, but it is an extreme action on her part.  I wonder what Nucky will do if he finds out?  Will he seek revenge?  I don’t think Owen is a good enemy for Nucky to have.  What do you think about the Margaret/Owen affair?

Official recap: The show opens tonight with Nucky in the elevator and the clerk remarks to him about the Dempsey/Carpenter fight and Nucky says it has not happened yet. Nucky is dreaming, he has been having trouble sleeping.

Nucky is getting his hand fixed where the assassin shot him. Nucky jokes that it looks like a stigmata. Nucky asks the doctor how the Commodore is doing and he is pissed because the doctor did not tell him that the Commodore had a stroke.

Nucky tells the doctor that he could take the license he has to sell medicinal alcohol which earns him $1000/month. As the doctor leaves he warns him not to forget who his friends are.

A clerk with the Assistant US Attorney comes to visit Eli he serves a subpoena to Eli to testify in an ongoing investigation. Eli gets mad and throws the clerk out. Eli’s dad gets really upset, has a heart attack and croaks

Jimmy’s phone rings and it is Al Capone and Jimmy wants to know why he is ducking him. He tells him he is busy. Jimmy wants to know why the assassin is in the morgue. Jimmy is not happy as Al Capone vouched for the assassin and Nucky is still alive. Jimmy’s wife and son walk in and hear everything.

Al Capone’s boss Johnny Torrio tells him no matter what he is doing with Jimmy to keep him out of it and watch his ass.

The doctor is checking Margaret’s daughter she has a little fever. The doctor tells Margaret there is a bug going around and there is nothing to worry about it.

 Margaret tells Katie to take the children and she goes to see Nucky. Margaret wants to know where he is going. Nucky tells her he is going to see his attorney and the federal prosecutor and Owen is going with him too.

The phone rings and June Eli’s wife called and Nucky’s father has died. Nucky tells Margaret he will eat something at the office – he could care less..

Van Alden is playing with his daughter when someone comes in. It is Ingrid, the baby’s nanny he has hired. Van Alden shows her around and tells her the salary and tells her the job is seven days a week. He finally breaks down and gives her one day off a month on Sunday. Van Alden has named his daughter Abigail. The maid asks him if he wishes to kiss his daughter goodbye and he breaks down and does it.

Lucky Luciano, Abe Rothstein and Myer Lanksy are at the horse stables meeting. They are asked by Rothstein what the word is from Philadelphia and they say business as usual. He asks what happened with Nucky Thompson. They tell tell him he has a beef with his brother but the man says ‘I would have though Jimmy Darmody’ – Lucky say no Jimmy ain’t got the balls – Arnold does not believe them.

Tax evasion, gambling, prostitution the prosecutor (Randolph) and the agent who shot the assassin and saved Nucky are reading Nucky the charges against of him. Nucky tells them he does not want a plea deal because he is innocent.

They asked if he knows who Johnny Torrio is, the shooter was staying in rooms rented by Lucky Luciano and Johnny. Ms. Randolph ask Nucky about Margaret and how they came to meet. She introduces Nucky to the man who saved his life and tells him he should thank him.

At the beach a female police officer comes up to Molly Fletcher who is new in town and tells her that her bathing suit is too short. She fines her $10 but she does not have the money so they tell her if she does not cover up they will put her in jail.

Angela, Jimmy’s wife pays the fine for her and is told to cover her up. We find out her name is not Molly but Louise. Louise is a novelist and Molly is a character in a book she is writing.

Jimmy is talking to his mother who is blaming him for Nucky still being alive. The butcher from Philadelphia comes in and they toast.

The butcher is upset because he paid Jimmy $5,000 for alcohol that he never received he tells Jimmy a man honors his commitment. The butcher implies that Jimmy is a coward who hides behind his father.

Nucky is sitting and listening to music and Margaret comes to comfort him. She gives him his condolences. She asks Nucky what is to become of them? He tells her that the prosecutor knows about her and his dealings. He asks if he will be going to jail and he responds I don’t know. She asks if she will go to jail and then he reassures him she will not. She asks him if it is worth it. He asks her if he should bow down to the greedy bastards just because they want what is his. She tells him at one point he has to be satisfied with what he has.

Margaret is upset because she knows Nucky is worried, but he reassures her they will get through it.

Time for Jimmy to face his wife after what she heard. She asks him why he married her and he tells her he loves her. She does not buy it! She says she married him because they have a child together and it is what society expected and because Jimmy kept pushing for it. He tells her it is not romantic, she tells him at least she is honest.

She tells Jimmy she never knows where he is. He tells her he is selling booze. All of a sudden she asks if he tried to have Nucky Thompson killed? He responds, yes, I did not want to but I did. She asks why he would do that, he tells her the original plan was to send him to jail. She does not understand because he use to love Nucky. Jimmy tells her, Nucky is not what he seems. She asks him if he did not want Nucky killed why did he go along with it. Jimmy tells her his mother made him… .

She thanks him for talking to her.

At the Atlantic City Armory they are getting a shipment of guns. Nucky comes in and asks for a favor ‘the feds are going to show up and tell them I was here but left’ – Nucky also learns there are 3000 surplus Tommy guns stored there.

Nucky is meeting with Rothstein and Johnny Torrio, they want to know how they can help. Nucky tells them that the man who shot him worked for Al Capone. Nucky asks Rothstein if he can vouch for Lucky Luciano and Lansky – Roth tells them ‘no.’ Johnny suggest he kills them but Nucky says he can not since he is under indictment. Arnold tells him to do nothing, he tells him to wait, plan and marshal his resources until the right opportunity comes up.

Van Alden is speaking to an agent and he is telling Van Alden when he joined the bureau he wanted to do what was right but he has since seen how hard it is.

Jimmy’s wife Angela and her friend Louise go to a party on the beach, the people at the party are artists and much more knowledgeable than Jimmy’s wife. Jimmy’s wife kisses Louise at the party.

Margaret, Nucky and her son are playing a board game while her daughter lies in he arms. Nucky is clearly preoccupied. Nucky asks Margaret’s son and daughter to start calling him Dad.

Nucky is at the funeral home and his father is in the coffin and Eli walks in. Eli asks what he is doing there and Nucky tells him he has the same rights as he. Nucky asks if he is disappointed it was not him in the coffin. Eli denies he had anything to do with it. Eli tells Nucky the Feds came for him at the house. Nucky asks why he did not wake their father there and Eli tells him the kids don’t need to see him that way. Nucky tells him when their Uncle died they waked him in the house and Eli had to kiss him and it scared the hell out of him. Nucky tells Eli he is there for his mother and Susan. Nucky asks Eli if heaven existed does he really think their son of a bitch father would be there. Eli asks if he was that bad and Nucky tells him he obviously has forgotten key events of their childhood.

Nucky tells him their father can rot in spades and Eli tells him he has no capacity for forgiveness. Nucky tells him to grow up and take some responsibility at long last. Eli walks out and leaves Nucky.

After all Nucky’s tough act he breaks down over his father and sobs once Eli leaves.

Nucky sends Clifford a basket of peaches and thanks him for saving his life.

Nucky walks into the Commodore’s house to meet with Jimmy, his mother, the commodore and one of his cronies. Nucky tells them they could continue on in the manner they have been – at each other’s throats – but life is too short. He tells them his father passed. They offer him their condolences – Nucky says he does not want this anymore. He has a fine women, children to raise – he implies he will retire.

He tells them his father’s death and his brush with death have made him realize he should retire – he has enough money or will when he sells some land. He tells them they built the town and now they can have it back – Atlantic City and all that goes with it. He is stepping down and they can do what they want. He leaves.

Jimmy calls out to him and wishes him luck. Nucky wishes him luck back.

Van Alden walks into the apartment and hears the nanny singing to his daughter. He walks into his room and closes the door he opens up an envelope filled with money and hides it behind a mirror.

Nucky walks to the window and looks out his butler walks in and tells him Mr. White has arrived. In comes Chalky and Nucky offers him an drink. He toasts to the future with Chalky. Chalky is not sure he has one. Chalky tells Nucky his people have lost the faith. Nucky tells Chalky their people want justice, give it to them. Nucky tells him that Chalky has power and he should get all his people to go on strike and shut the city down. Nucky says in about 30 minutes it will not matter to him so Chalky can do it.

Nucky has a press conference that will change the face of Atlantic City – he has retired. Jimmy and all his cronies are celebrating wildly – they think they have won. Jimmy tells Richard that they did it. Jimmy tells Richard he thanks him and he will buy him whatever he wants. The Butcher comes in and meanwhile Eli wants to talk to Jimmy. Jimmy is giving a speech first and criticizes Nucky and how he did not keep his promises. He tells everyone he has a vision and it is a new day and to the victors go the spoils.

The butcher stares at Jimmy – they hate each other and Jim owes Butch money.

Nucky sees Margaret and Owen speaking and I think Nucky is suspicious. Owen comes in to have a drink with Nucky. Nucky tells Owen he (Nucky) is a lucky man, Owen agrees and they have a drink together. Nucky tells Owen there is something they need to discuss. Nucky asks Owen where he was on the day of his shooting. He tells Nucky that he ran into a friend and he lost track of time. Nucky asks if the friend was from Ireland. Owen tells him he has no idea what he is talking about. Nucky tells him he knows exactly what he is talking about. Nucky gets Owen to admit he is still with the ’cause’ = the IRA – Nucky asks Owen to set up a meeting with John McGarrigle in Belfast.

Back to the party where they are celebrating. Eli tells Jimmy he needs to talk to him. Eli tells Jimmy that his brother, Nucky is smarter than him and a lot more dangerous. Jimmy tells him to F off! Mickey Doyle asks Jimmy what is the plan. Jimmy tells him he has a contact in Chicago who has pure alcohol and they can cut it down.

Jimmy screams down at the butcher and calls him a Jew bastard – Mickey tells him not to mess with the butcher – and then Jimmy pushes Mickey over the railing in a tantrum.

Nucky is dreaming again and then he wakes and he sees Margaret on the chair and Margaret’s daughter is sick – her fever has spiked.

That is it for this week, great show!   I think Jimmy and his cronies are in for a big surprise underestimating Nucky.  My father taught me the biggest mistake in life is  “to underestimate your enemies.”  Exactly what Jimmy is doing!

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