Boardwalk Empire Season 2

Right now you can watch Boardwalk Empire Season 2 on and — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. The 1-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. With 1,283 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Steve Buscemi anchors it, but the writing does the real work. Start it whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Boardwalk Empire Season 2 arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. At its heart, Boardwalk Empire Season 2 understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. It's 1921 and after rigging the Atlantic City mayoral election, Nucky appears to be in control of the city. However, Nucky's grip soon begins to unravel as he is arrested for election fraud and members of both his inner circle and family begin to question their allegiances, while mobsters including Arnold Rothstein, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, and Al Capone wait in the wings, looking for the right opportunity to grab a bigger piece of Nucky's pie. Steve Buscemi and Michael Pitt lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2011. The plot mechanics of Boardwalk Empire Season 2 never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, Boardwalk Empire Season 2 will keep you hooked. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Steve Buscemi anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.