You're probably more familiar with Martin Scorsese from his work on films like Goodfellas, Casino, and The Aviator than you are from his television work. Then again, it's been over twenty years since Scorsese wandered into that genre (for an Amazing Stories episode, in case you're wondering), but that may soon change. After just one episode, HBO has renewed Boardwalk Empire for a full second season. It's reason to celebrate, my fellow film geeks...
HBO debuted Boardwalk Empire after months of buzz-building this past weekend, and the reviews were almost universally glowing. What Martin Scorsese-- and The Sopranos alum Terence Winter-- have managed to do with their $20m budget and cast of brilliant actors shouldn't be surprising, but HBO's faith in the series becoming a huge success might be: after just one episode, the network's already greenlit a second season. If you were made an instant fan of the series this past Sunday (and, really, how could you not be?), this is reason to celebrate.
Here's what they're saying over at Deadline Hollywood:
The ratings for the Sunday premiere of HBO's prohibition era extravaganza Boardwalk Empire were barely in this morning when the pay cable network announced a second-season pickup for the drama from Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter. The series starring Steve Buscemi debuted with 4.8 million viewers to become HBO’s most watched series premiere since the 2004 opener of Deadwood behind The Sopranos.
It's nice to learn that Jersey Shore now has a rival series, something that's able to come close to the absurdly-high ratings that that MTV series has been putting up lately. Perhaps we'll get a crossovet at some point, with Steve Buscemi's Nucky Johnson putting the moves on JWOWW, or Michael Pitt's Darmody putting a bullet into The Situation (or, better yet, Angelina). The ratings would be off the charts.
HBO spent an ass-ton of money bringing Boardwalk Empire to the small screen-- $20m went into that recreation of the Atlantic City boardwalk that we're all going to be seeing more of in the years ahead-- and they must be feeling very confident if they're already agreeing to continue to funnel money into the show after just one episode. Then again, this is Terence Winter and Martin Scorsese that we're talking about: what are the odds that Boardwalk Empire isn't going to be a masterpiece? Stay tuned for more on this series as it becomes available, my fellow film geeks.
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