There’ve been a number of shows that deal with soldiers coming back from war but Boardwalk Empire is the only one that I can think of that addresses how veterans feel years afterwards and it does it in a way that’s not melodramatic. We see Richard Harrow is an extremely scarred man, both literally and figuratively, but he’s not throwing screaming fits all the time so the show can throw in our face that it’s addressing PTSD (choose any network drama that attempts this plotline and you’ll see a bunch of overly dramatic bullshit). I think it works a lot better this way because it shows us how war affects the everyday life of veterans, how war still colors their actions even when they don’t fully realize it. In last season’s finale Richard Harrow said to fellow veteran Jimmy Darmody, “We’re still there, aren’t we?” which was one of the most heartbreaking moments of the show.

“Ging Gang Goolie” is what many would deem a “slow” episode of Boardwalk Empire. No one gets whacked or even almost whacked. Our main antagonist, Gyp Rosetti, does not appear in this episode. A number of our common mobsters like Arnold Rothstein are quiet and Luciano only shows up in one scene. In other words, this was not an episode for those who were looking for mobster dealings.

Let’s talk about Gyp Rosetti’s penis. No, don’t leave, stick with me for a moment here. While Boardwalk Empire has shown nudity in the past it’s rare that we see a guy’s genitals on screen outside of a brief scene or two but in this episode we get to see that Gyp Rosetti’s got a big swingin’ dick. There’s a reason for this outside of giving Bobby Cannavale a chance to show that he’s rather well endowed.

Those of you who have been reading my reviews so far will no doubt be able to safely say that I really enjoy Boardwalk Empire. I find the show thoughtful, moving, surprising, humorous, and well crafted. However, up until tonight, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it be all that touching. I’ve been moved by the show, especially with the last two episodes of season two, but not touched- there’s a difference there. That changed tonight with two characters’ stories.