Boardwalk Empire (TV Series) White Horse Pike (2013) User Reviews

Boardwalk Back to its best

[andrew-watters7 · 10/10 · 19 November 2013]

As a huge fan of the Boardwalk Empire I found it difficult not to agree with the arguments that this season was extremely slow at times and lacked that killer instinct. Like season 3 there were a number of episodes (In a row might I add) that felt like a train slamming on it's breaks just when it should be picking up real momentum. As I am a big big fan of the show I understand what exactly the creators are trying to achieve but I can also understand others that have been growing frustrated with the lack of action or head turning moments....until this episode. The last two episodes have really gone back to basics, the tension is increasing and not to mention Chalky Whites fisty cuffs with Dunn Purnsley......it was safe to say I was on the edge of my seat as if I was watching Manchester United in the Champions League Final. But this episode should silence all the doubters of the shows ability as it delivers on so many levels. It reminded me of last seasons episode "Two Impostors", in my opinion the best episode that Boardwalk Empire has delivered to date and any episode that is in the same league as Two Impostors is going to blow your hair back. Not only was "White Horse Pike" full of excitement from start to finish but it highlighted a really important fact for any TV show, you don't have to kill off a character to make a huge impact on the audience. The scene with Chalky and Daughter driving into the arms of death proves this. Many shows might have felt the need to kill them off there and then but Boardwalk showed that by not making the actors unemployed the audience really did not know what to expect. Chalky already escaped the hands of death already this season in a previous episode. How many times will the creators do this? The answer, as many times as necessary once it fits the story. Pulling the wool over the eyes of the audience and flooding them with shock is the great satisfaction that any show created receives. Boardwalk Empire it's safe to say has done this to me on several occasions and it is also safe to say that "White Horse Pike" had me grinning from ear to ear when the final credits rolled. This episode alone has reminded everyone what the creators have been doing the entire time, building...building...and building the stories until they all collide with one another at the season finally. If Boardwalk Empire pull off an amazing final episode of the season then all the critics will be silenced, as the king of TV will be proudly perched upon its throne once more.

The Scorsese references continue

[EamonTracyCritic · 10/10 · 5 May 2021]

I've noticed each season references Scorsese films like when Richard Harrow took out Rosetti's crew last season, paralleling Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. This season and this episode in particular has homages to Gangs of New York and it works beautifully. I love this series but Season 4 and 5 are just astounding.

What's even going on in this episode?

[interestingstuff · 23 February 2023]

After waiting for 10 episodes we finally get an action packed episode in this season but it's completely unwatchable because most of the episode takes place in the middle of the night and filmed in total darkness so it's impossible to even tell what's going on half the time.

You see shadows moving, shadows talking, shadows shooting at each other, shadows moving some more, then some more shadow action and bodies fall, laying around and you have no idea what's going on because the producers conveniently decided to film all action scenes in complete darkness because it's probably cheaper to do so but also impossible to even follow what's going on.

They should have just ended this show at the end of the third season. It's obvious they don't want to film anymore and they are just going through motions to fill episodes without having a care for whether those episodes are watchable at all.