Any politician that strives to be successful must have the mentality of a gangster, and any gangster who wants the gold must be as corrupt as any crowned politician. In the new HBO TV series, Boardwalk Empire, the spotlight is on Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, who had a pen in one hand and a pistol in the other. The show will chronicle the life of this part politician, part gangster figure during the Prohibition-era, and will show his interaction with the other mafia all-stars in the game, including Al Capone. Maybe it might just be a mediocre filler for the imprint that the Sopranos left behind or maybe it will strike harder, faster and leave a deeper dent.

Let me showcase the rounds in the clip, aka the talent involved. The cast consists of A-list players, such as the always reliable Steve Buscemi in the lead role, Oscar-nominated Michael Shannon as Agent Van Alden, the underrated Steven Graham as Al Capone, and the versatile Kelly Macdonald as Margaret. The creator is Terence Winter, the same man who brought us the Sopranos. The silver bullet is Martin Scorsese taking the reigns as Executive Producer. Yes, the man that birthed such crime masterpieces as Goodfellas, Casino, and Mean Streets, is contributing his essential input. In addition, just to make sure the pilot episode ghosts any doubts audiences may have with the show, Scorsese has directed episode number one. Empty the clip and this TV show looks like it will snuff out any competition.

Boardwalk Empire Trailer

Boardwalk Empire seems like it will hit all the timeless thematic checkpoints for the gangster/crime genre, touching on greed, the freedom of rebellion and obsession over the pursuit of power made tangible through money. At best, this series looks like it will be a throwback to the slightly romanticized, but realistically gritty, gangster flicks. Better than it’s  best, it will be a gangster flick throwback that also delves deeper into the complex similarities of the “good” guys and the “bad” guys. Either way I’ll probably be satisfied.

So what’s going to hold you over before the premiere on September 19? The series is based on Nelson Johnson’s book of the same name. Pick up a copy of the book to keep yourself occupied; maybe read it in public and impress people. Check out the making of featurette with input from Terence Winter, Martin Scorsese, Steve Buscemi, and so on. Watch the latest, legitimate gangster biopic: Mesrine: Killer Instinct,  starring Vincent Cassel. Maybe throw a Prohibition-Era themed party, mix up some drinks from that era, and drink until you actually believe you’re in the 1920s. I think I might just do all of the above.