(Beware: Spoilers Ahead! If you want to go into "Boardwalk Empire" Season 4 without knowing any details, then it's probably best not to read this article.)
It's been a while since we visited Atlantic City. At the end of Season 3, we witnessed Richard Harrow taking care of business by shooting up Gillian's brothel and killing all of Gyp Rossetti's men. While Gyp escaped the massacre, he was later assassinated by his own right-hand man while urinating on the beach. Closer to home, Margaret called an end to her and Nucky's relationship, and Season 3 ended with Nucky regaining control of the boardwalk, albeit with some limitations.
Until now, we've gotten some glimpses of what's to come in Season 4 with a trailer -- which showed Nucky saying he "didn't ask for trouble".
HuffPost TV found out more when we visited the "Boardwalk Empire" set in Brooklyn, NY.
Nucky, In Absentia
In Season 4, while Nucky has recovered his power and position in Atlantic City, he's had to physically transport himself away from the action. He no longer lives on the boardwalk; instead, he's shacked up at The Albatross Hotel (an actual place), where he runs the show from afar. He's trying to keep a low profile after everything quite literally blew up in his face. "Let's put it this way," says "Boardwalk Empire" director Tim Van Patten. " Nucky will be going through some dangerous complications, both in his personal and professional life."
A Whole Lot Of Chalky White
Michael Kenneth Williams fans, rejoice! There's going to be a lot of Chalky White in Season 4. This season is taking place in volatile 1924, when jazz really started to become popular, and as Nucky promised, he's given Chalky his own club. Called The Onyx Club, it's the successor to Babette's. It's also a sister club to The Cotton Club in Harlem. It features a lineup of black performers and black staff, but the clientele is white-only. A lot of the story this season centers on the north side vs. south side of the boardwalk, and without a doubt, racial issues come to the fore.
As For Richard Harrow And Van Alden...
The producers and publicity team were tight-lipped when we asked about the Richard Harrow and Van Alden developments in Season 4 -- so rest assured some big things are going to happen for them/to them/with them. We just don't know what, exactly. But if the powers-that-be are mum about two characters only, then something good must be coming.
Introducing Some New Faces
As previously mentioned on HuffPost TV, Patricia Arquette is joining the show as a speakeasy owner named Sally Wheet. We're going to be introduced to a whole new world of bootlegging down in Tampa. There is also a new face on the other side of the law: Brian Geraghty ("The Hurt Locker") will be playing Agent Loren Knox, an overzealous FBI agent who seeks to bring down Nucky and his organization. Ron Livingston ("Office Space") is joining "Boardwalk Empire" as rich businessman Roy Phillips, who develops a relationship with Gillian, and last but not least, Jeffrey Wright ("Angels In America") is appearing as booking agent (and "Doctor of Divinity") Valentin Narcisse for Chalky's new club. Or at least, we were told that he's "sort of" a booking agent. We're sure some underhanded things are going on there.
So get ready for quite a ride in Season 4 -- lots of new faces and new locales to explore!
Tune in for the the Season 4 premiere on Sunday, September 8 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. Season 3 of "Boardwalk Empire" was released on Blu-ray/DVD on August 20.
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