Boardwalk Empire - Another Cinematic Masterpiece from HBO

No one else does Period Dramas like HBO does it. Period! HBO over a period of several decades has produced countless television movies and series in all possible genres but it’s the period dramas that have always outshined the rest. The authenticity that HBO brings to its Period dramas remains unsurpassed till date. High production value, great actors & directors, outstanding vision etc. all of this comes later. The key driving force that really enables HBO to go on producing such great shows one after the other, year after year, is its commitment to cinematic excellence and its loyal viewers, whom it never disappoints.

HBO’s award winning period drama, Boardwalk Empire is yet another feather in the cap for HBO. The show is based on a book titled Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City and is set in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era. The depiction of that time period is so authentic that not only did it get overwhelming positive popular response but a critical one as well. It is estimated that a whopping 18 million dollars were spent on the very first episode. This goes to show how committed HBO is to making the experience as original as possible, whatever the cost might be. And, of course it cannot be denied that having the Oscar winner Martin Scorsese, directing and the gifted Steve Buscemi in the lead role certainly made the series a lot more popular.

However the success of this show should not come as such a big surprise as it was more or less expected because it was created by none other than Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and producer Terence Winter of The Sopranos (another award winning HBO television series). Having such great names attached to this series made it quite an anticipated event in itself and it certainly did not disappoint.

As expected, the awards and accolades that were heaped upon the show clearly made it the most popular show of the year. It gathered an astounding 26 wins and 38 nominations in Emmy’s, Golden Globes, AFI, Screen Actors Guild Awards etc., including best director, best actor and best series.

Since its first episode aired in September 2009 the season has completed 2 seasons and has been renewed for a third, which should be good news for all the fans of this series out there.

In a time of big budget, special effects Hollywood productions; HBO’s continued support for such works of art goes a long way in revealing its true value system as a network whose priority has always been to produce such content that makes the art of motion picture reach its zenith.