‘Boardwalk Empire, season 4, episode 8 preview: A confrontation and a meeting

“Boardwalk Empire” season 4 continues to chug along like a well-oiled machine, and on Sunday night’s new edition, we will start to get the idea that the multiple factions and people at play are going to lead to a situation where almost no one is safe. Let’s just put it this way: We would be stunned if every single person that we see in the two sneak peek clips below is actually still alive by the time that the show comes to a close a little later in the fall.

Only on this show can we have a scene this dramatic take place in an old-timey barbershop, and actually have us buy into it and believe that there are crazy stakes and something critical that could happen during it. We do give some of the credit to Michael K. Williams, and there really should be some sort of unwritten rule that HBO hires this man to do at least one project for them every few years so that he stick around on the roster.

But away from our own thoughts about individual actors, this really is the breaking point for “Boardwalk Empire” this year to make the show into something that critics actually talk about again as one of the top 5 shows on TV. These final few episodes have to be stellar, and change up what we think would be the endgame for Nucky Thompson. It’s not particularly fair by any means, but so often we do choose to judge a show by what happens at the end of each season or even the end of the series. That is why season 4 of “Dexter,” for example, is treated so well, and also why season 3 of “Game of Thrones” may not be viewed as highly as it should be. (Had the Red Wedding been the last episode, that may have changed somewhat.)

What do you think about these “Boardwalk Empire” clips, and is there anything in particular that you’re looking forward to seeing on the show Sunday? Be sure to share your thoughts below!