With only five episodes left in the season, Boardwalk Empire has done a good job of developing the characters from their initial roles in the pilot to "Home," where we see everyone's problems manifest in one way or another.
Central to the episode is Jimmy and a new character Richard, who was a sniper during the war and has a frightening mask covering half his face. They meet at a hospital where Jimmy's leg pain is being treated, perhaps due to the various stresses he's been under. The two soon become friends or at least acquaintances, and Richard helps him by sniping the guy who cut Pearl.
Nucky sets his former house on fire, resembling his belongings burning earlier. His hapless worker is left without a house, a wad of cash, and instructions to find a better place to live. In a way, Nucky burns off his past and physical connection to a bad childhood. Will that actually help? His father is still alive and his presence is disconcerting to Nucky throughout the episode.
Margaret manages to open up Nucky, and he tells her exactly how bad his father was, including a wound he suffered from his father's hands. After being neglected last episode, Margaret seems to be rather happy with how things went. But Nucky is a guy who must run the city first and foremost, and Margaret can't match that right now.
The Italians are increasingly their opposition to Nucky, offering Chalky money to stray from Nucky. However, Chalky thinks it's a test from Nucky, so nothing comes of it. In another interesting blast from the past, Nucky gets into a conversation about an Italian who pays 50% return within 45 days. Charles Ponzi?
We finally learn what's going on with Angela, Jimmy's girlfriend. She's not sleeping with the photographer, but his wife. Well that puts things in perspective.
From a plot standpoint, "Home" doesn't really have much. Boardwalk Empire moves in small increments, and there really hasn't been a central story driving each episode. Hopefully Nucky's enemies will move soon and get things started.
Score: 9.0/10
