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While last week's episode was jam-packed with activity, "The Old Ship of Zion" took its time as we only followed three essential arcs. Above, Michael Kenneth Williams as Chalky White.

(HBO)

THIS WEEK:Written by Cristine Chambers and Howard Korder, the episode was directed by 'Empire' vet and producer Tim Van Patten. Like most 'Empire' fans, whenever I see Van Patten's name, I know we're in for a great ride and boy, "The Old Ship of Zion" was a keeper.

While last week's episode was jam-packed with activity, "The Old Ship of Zion" took its time as we only followed three essential arcs. Key events included Nucky’s shipment from Florida arrives with Sally Wheet in tow; Agent Knox is finally able to secure his weak link; Willie decides to go back to college with Uncle Nuck getting him a job with Mayor Ed Bader and, finally, Chalky draws a line in the sand when it comes to Dr. Valentin Narcisse.

'Boardwalk Empire' Recap / Season 4, Episode 8 / 'The Old Ship of Zion'

NUCKY'S CARGO ARRIVES

After his huge fight with dad Eli Thompson last week, we see Will Thompson is now staying at the Albatross Hotel in the room formerly occupied by the late Eddie Kessler. After Eddie's singing finches wake him up, he goes downstairs to make some coffee. The newspaper headline cites a deadly tornado outbreak that left 45 dead in Alabama and Mississippi. (1)

(1) Confirmed in the book "A History of Alabama's Deadliest Tornadoes: Disaster in Dixie," its third chapter deals with the events on May 26 and 27, 1924 (roughly where we are). Read it HERE.

Nucky comes down and greets Will, who tells him that he's low on everything.

Nucky and Eli inspect the cargo from the Tampa convoy.

"Wasn't there a delivery?" Nucky asks.

"No one's come around," Will tells him. When Will asks if he could tag along for the day, Nucky says that Eli will be at work with him. Will declines.

"We're the same side here," Nucky tells him and says that he should've gone to him first about leaving school. "The question is moving forward. Because we all have to move forward. I want you to give some thought about how to turn this into an opportunity." Uncle Nuck tells him that he has to start thinking about those sort of things.

* * *

Later that day at the liquor warehouse, Nucky and Eli (Shea Whigham) endure Mickey Doyle's (Paul Sparks) blabbering on about his love life — or lack thereof. Having enough, Nucky tells him to go check outside. He notices that Doyle has Eddie's cane.

CATCH UP ON SEASON 4 'BOARDWALK EMPIRE' RECAPS

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Episode 1 / 'New York Sour'

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Episode 2 / 'Resignation'

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Episode 3 / 'Acres of Diamonds'

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Episode 4 / 'All In'

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Episode 5 / 'Erlkönig'

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Episode 6 / 'The North Star'

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Episode 7 / 'William Wilson'

"He [Eli] said I can have it," Doyle remarks.

When he leaves, the conversation turns to Will. Eli says that he's not upset, he's furious. Nucky says that kind of attitude is not going to help.

"When did you become the expert on my son?" Eli asks. Nucky says that he doesn't pretend to be but at the moment, he's stuck with his nephew at the Albatross and it's not an ideal situation.

"Just leave him be. He'll get bored," Nuck says. Just then, the booze convoy from Tampa arrives. "Let's see what the oranges look like." They inspect the crates of rum. All looks good when ... Nucky hears a familiar laugh. It's Sally Wheet (Patricia Arquette), who took the drive up from the Sunshine State to watch Nucky's shipment. When he walks outside, he's a tad confused as to why she didn't call him. He sees Doyle — dopey cane in hand — chatting her up hard. Nuck tells Doyle to tend to the trucks.

"Someone's in a mood," Sally says.

"Is there a problem?" Nuck asks. "... With the operation?" He says that he wasn't expecting her and would have made arrangements. Eventually, she tours the warehouse and after some awkward chit-chat, throws Nuck an orange and tells him to fix himself a rum swizzle.

Back at The Albatross, Will waits for Nucky with Mayor Edward Bader (Kevin O' Rourke). He asks Bader how he got started. He answers that he had his successful construction firm and that Nucky suggested he give something back to the city.

Nucky finally arrives, asks Will to check on the groceries, and once he's gone asks why Bader is there. Mr. Mayor breaks it down. It's an election year and if there are problems, he needs to hear them. He elaborates...

"I got a dead body [Alma Pastor] on the building site," Bader says. "And now this business with the deacon... I'm nowhere without the colored vote."

"That's between you and Chalky," Nucky tells him.

"I don't have that connection with him," Bader says.

"Then you need to make one," Nucky quips back.

Bader asserts himself some more. "If he can't keep his house in order, that's not good for either of us."

* * *

That night at The Onyx Club, Nucky sees Sally at the bar canoodling with Mickey Doyle and we just know he's going to bust it up. We she asks him to take her to Rendezvous Park, Nucky snaps Eddie's cane from Doyle's hand. (2)

Rendezvous Park in Atlantic City.

(2) According to National Amusement Park Historical Association, Rendezvous Park in Atlantic City was built at a cost of $2,000,000 in 1921 by the Boardwalk Company. It was centrally located along the Boardwalk on a five-acre lot between the Ambassador and Ritz-Carlton Hotels. ... The company's plan was to concentrate most of the resort's attractions in one location, to build a high-class resort that would also provide entertainment for people of all classes.The creative impulse and major financing was provided by S. Bernard November, a well-known financier from Baltimore." Read more HERE.

"Am I missing something, Nuck?" Doyle asks. "I was keeping it for safekeeping." Nucky says he'll keep the cane from now on but not before smacking Doyle hard in the face with its nickel tip and embarrassing the poor sap.

After Doyle leaves, Nucky admits to Sally, "He gets on my nerves..."

"He wasn't getting on mine," she darts back.

Up from Tampa, Sally Wheet pays Nucky Thompson a visit in Atlantic City.

After some flirty chit-chat, they eventually return to The Albatross where where he listens to them having sex while trying to sleep.

The next morning, Will meets Sally and her cleavage in the kitchen and is every bit the bumbling teenager. Later they eat their breakfast on the balcony when Nucky enters. She tells Nucky that she and Will have been taking and Will explains that he wants to learn how things work in the city.

"I'm not asking for any favors. I'll start at the bottom. I hope I can make good. I hope you can give me a chance to show you that I can be the person you want me to be," Will says.

"That YOU want to be," Nucky corrects. "The person YOU want to be. ... Let's see what we can do."

Later that day, Nucky sees off Sally, who is heading back down to Tampa with Petrucelli's whiskey (err, Mr. Pierce). "I didn't babysit your first shipment up north just because I have a good heart," Sally admits. "I kept those boys in line and we didn't spill a drop." She asks for $1500 and Nucky easily obliges.

* * *

Later, Will packs up his things and chats with Uncle Nucky about what he'll say to get back into school. He tells Will that he got him a job working in Ed Bader's office and will start at the bottom (I'm suspecting that this is a summer job). Nucky says that he wants Will to keep his eyes and ears open for him.

Before he leaves, Nucky hands Will his copy of the book "Ragged Dick" and says, "There's a lot you can learn from it." (*)

Gyp Rosetti reading "Ragged Dick."

(*) This is about the third time in the show's run that we've seen the book 'Ragged Dick.' Last season (in 'Two Imposters'), Gyp Rosetti picked up the tome when he descended upon Nucky's office at the Ritz and in season one ('Broadway Limited') Nucky compared Jimmy Darmody to Ragged Dick.

From that original recap: "When Nucky tells Jimmy to skip town, he says that Jimmy once reminded him of 'Ragged Dick.' The young shoe-shine boy was the subject of a rags-to-riches novel published in 1868 for kiddies by Horatio Alger, Jr. To read some "Ragged Dick" stories, click HERE.

STRIFE ON THE NORTHSIDE

Over on the Northside, we see Dunn Purnsley (Erik LaRay Harvey) walk up to a house on Baltic Avenue and before he enters, picks up what looks like a joint from the steps. He knocks and an old woman, Ms. Monroe, answers. He enters the home to see the Roaring Twenties equivalent of a crack den — but here, it's heroin.

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By now, it's obvious that Purnsley is paying Ms. Monroe for the use of her house as kind of a way station for Atlantic City junkies. He walks towards the back and notices a broken hypodermic needle on the floor. This irks him and when he sees Moses, one of his employees, barks, "You KNOW she likes it tidy..."

When they walk into the kitchen, Moses tells him that they're running low on heroin. Purnsley orders him to cut it twice. Mose says he already did using corn starch and talcum powder. Purnsley sneers, "Cut four times..." and hands him two new bricks of dope. Mose hands him back a stack of cash (from the nearby table).

"That ain't no place to keep it..." Purnsley says.

Before he leaves, he hands Mose a flier of a play that Dr. Narcisse will be staging over on Arctic Avenue and says that he expects everyone to be there.

* * *

Later, at the Shiloh Baptist Church (Ohio Avenue and Arctic Avenue in Atlantic City), the congregation gathers for the funeral of the recently-slain Deacon Lemuel Cuffy (whom Purnsley knifed last week when Cuffy discovered he was peddling heroin).

As Daughter Maitland (Margot Bingham) performs the African-American gospel hymn "The Old Ship Of Zion," we see church members seemingly whisper about Chalky (Michael Kenneth Williams), who is entranced by her singing with wife Lenore (Natalie Wachen) definitely taking notice. His daughter Maybelle (Christina Jackson) asks if he's okay. Just then, Chalky notices Dr. Valentin Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright) staring at him as he comforts what seems to be the deacon's widow/mother.

Over at the barber shop, Purnsley gives orders to his men regarding the house on Baltic. He tells one of his men to sweep outside and to keep an eye on Mose because he may be skimming. Just then ... He sees Chalky sitting in the back waiting for him.

"Bossman..." Purnsley says, all to fake. Chalky chastises him for missing the deacon's funeral service and tells him that people are wondering why he was murdered.

Taking his neighborhood back, Chalky White draws a line in the sand.

"Nobody know nuthin'," Purnsely tells him.

"Somebody do," Chalky says back before telling an apprehensive Purnsley to come along with him.

Purnsley is visibly confused and wants to know what business they're attending to. "Tell you along the way," Challky answers.

Back at the heroin house, Chalky and company roll up, enter, and unleash hell inside. Purnsley quickly goes into the back room, shoots Moses and makes it look like he shot first. When he sees the dead man, Chalky is irate (and even more suspicious) that Purnsley killed him. "You mighty quick to end things..."

"He be quick to end me," Purnsley darts back. He points to the bag of heroin and cash. "Ain't that what we come for?"

Chalky rummages through Mose's pockets and finds the flier for "Ominira" across town. He wheels spin.

* * *

At The Onyx Club, Daughter Maitland performs as Chalky watches her from one of the suites above. Again, he's entranced by the sight and sound of her. Nucky enters and remarks that Daughter is working out well.

"It's not my style of music but you can't say it doesn't have an effect," Nuck tells him.

"That's the blues..." Chalky says.

Nucky inquires about things on the Northside. "I hear things and I have to ask."

"Then ask..." Chalky orders.

"I need to know your house is in order," Nucky tells him. Chalky admits that he's looking into the deacon's death. Nucky advises that he should make a donation to the church.

"We done with the lecture?" Chalky asks.

"I'm just talking to a friend," Nucky asserts. "Chalky, don't let your life get out of hand."

* * *

A small contingent of Northside residents watch Narcisse's production of "Ominira" and, to the dismay of the doctor, don't seem to understand the symbolism it tries to convey. As he addresses his audience in a post-show chat, a ruckus outside causes a disturbance. They exit to see Chalky and his men, standing on the other side of the street.

Chalky tells the neighborhood they need not to worry about the house on Baltic anymore. Someone asks what he has in his hands.

"The doctor could tell you ..." Chalky answers.

He takes the heroin, dumps it in the street and lights it ablaze. "This one is called 'Harlem by Torchlight,'" Chalky jokes.

As the dope burns, Narcisse and Chalky stare each other down hard.

Later, Narcisse shows up at Daughter Maitland's hotel room. She's in bed during the broad daylight. "To give in to melancholy... We have discussed this weakness. How you must fight it."

"I try," she tells him. He tells her to try harder. She apologizes.

He tells Daughter of the disturbance during his play and instructs to keep Chalky in her room when he visits later. "There'll be another visitor..."

How will Dr. Valentin Narcisse react to the death of Dunn Purnsley?

That night, Chalky and Daughter finish having sex and he preps to leave. She presses hard for him to stay but he's not taking any of the bait. He finally sits down and brings up the song "The Old Ship of Zion."

"They sang that at my daddy's grave," he says. "I knew when I heard it I was going to leave [Texas]," he says. He instructs her to sing it "with the old words." (3)

(3) "The Old Ship of Zion" is an extremely old gospel spiritual written by M.J. Cartwright and D.B. Towner that has adopted different versions and lyrics through the years. A wonderful discussion about the tune can be found HERE.

She starts to sing the tune and Chalky is brought to tears (probably something he wanted to do at the Shiloh Church but couldn't). Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.

"Who you expecting?" Chalky asks, angry.

"Bossman, it's me," Purnsley answers. Daughter gets up to get the door and leaves to fix them some food.

Chalky wants to know why he's there. "You was right. The doctor is pushing powder," Purnsley says. "He slipped that knife through the deacon, too."

"Where you get all that?" Chalky asks.

"Bossman, I'm just speakin' gospel..." Chalky takes it all in. Purnsley says he has a car waiting downstairs that will take them to Narcisse where they "can send him straight back to Libya."

"One thing you ain't mention, Buck ... How much he paying YOU?" Chalky asks before they embark on on brutal and violent fight. Chalky slices the side of Purnsley's face but it's not long before the tables are turned and he's being choked.

Gasping for air, Chalky struggles to breathe as Purnsley has his hands wrapped tight around his throat. Just then, Daughter sticks a knife deep into Purnsley's back as he stumbles to get it out (but can't) and drops to the floor. Daughter quickly attends to Chalky and tells him to breathe, reciting a Bible verse.

FINALLY, KNOX HAS HIS WEAKEST LINK

In Washington, Agent Knox/Tolliver briefs his agents. One fed tells an anecdotal story of Arnold Rothstein's notorious (and nonchalant) horse betting habits where, after losing almost $500,000 he went to Lindy's for their world famous cheesecake. Everyone laughs. Another remarks that the antics are "entertaining..." (4)

Now that Agent Knox has found Clayton, that weakest link just may be Eli Thompson.

"Is that how you see it, Ben?" Knox asks, irked. "What do you think your job is? I'm just curious? Because it doesn't seem to involve much police work."

The room shuts up. "Suddenly, no one has anything to say?"

"We didn't come here to get lectured by you, Jim," an agent snaps.

(4) Rothstein was known to frequent the historical New York deli. In fact, the play "Rainy Night at Lindy's," by Don Nigro, is based on the gangster and the establishment. This official synopsis, according to Samuel French: "A delicatessen in a foggy, rainswept city. In this lively and very funny long one act, set in November of 1928 at Lindy's Delicatessen in New York City, where Arnold Rothstein, the notorious gambler, the man who fixed the 1919 World Series, has his unofficial office. On the rainy night before he is to be murdered, Rothstein tries to straighten out his relationship with his girlfriend Inez and deal with the likes of Walter Winchell, Damon Runyon, Ring Lardner, and a gangster named Moe who will only eat female lobsters." I'd easily pay to see the play...

"I ask you to bring connections and all you bring are anecdotes," Knox says. "This operation costs time and money." He says he needs to bring together Atlantic City, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Florida."

"Where's the law for this?" one asks.

"We'll get the crooks, THEN we'll find the law..." Knox answers. He goes on to say that anyone who doesn't agree can go back to investigating land fraud.

One agent tells Knox that he might have something. "Of course, it could just be an ANECDOTE..." The agent tells Knox all about Will Thompson, his jailed roommate Clayton and the dead boy they may poisoned with spiked booze. He explains how Will magically walked out of the police station a free man after Nucky Thompson made a visit to the district attorney.

" I hope that amused you, Jim ..." the cocky agent sneers. "I'll get on those land fraud cases right away."

* * *

At a Philly jailhouse, Knox visits Clayton, brings him his favorite cigarettes (Chesterfields), and thus begins what may be the unraveling of Nucky's organization.

"Tell me all about William Thompson," Knox says.

* * *

Eli Thompson finds himself in a pickle when Knox pays him a visit in Atlantic City.

In Atlantic City at a local coffee shop, Eli makes payment notes in his notebook when he gets a visit by Agent Knox and his partner. No longer in prohi mode and with a bravado Eli hasn't seen before, Knox tells Eli that he's an agent with the Bureau of Investigation.

Knox asks Eli about Will and how he's doing. He also conveys the story on how they spiked Henry's Gaines' booze ad how Uncle Nucky got Will out of trouble.

"None of that happened," Eli said.

"You know it did," Knox says. "I'm sorry you have to hear it from us. ...Always worried about your boy. Isn't that what you said? You have a right to be..." Knox says.

Eli attempts to stab him with a fork when the agents calm him down. "Eddie Kessler had nothing to lose. You do. Make the smart call," Knox says. They tell Eli that they want Nucky and the men he conspires with. As a result, Will stays in the free and clear.

Later that night, Eli returns home to see Will and the family singing together. (5)

(5) They're singing the 1924 novelty song "Does The Spearmint Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?" Everyhit.com tells us that it was written by Ernest Hare and Billy Jones. It was updated in 1959 as "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight?)" by Lonnie Donegan.

Will apologizes to Eli and says that he didn't show respect. "I hope you can forgive me." Eli says nothing and embraces him and tells the family, "Don't stop the fun on my account..."

Nucky whispers, "Didn't I say it was going to work itself out?"

We fade out.

Other stuff on my mind

• The title of the episode is named for the stirring hymn "The Old Ship of Zion" for which Chalky has a deep connection with. Opening up to Daughter, he explains that the tune brings him home and, to a certain extent, it just may remind him of where he is in his life as a result. After Daughter sang the tune for Chalky, we come to realize that she has some real feelings for the man, especially since she put a knife in the back of Narcisse's recently-turned Purnsley. What's the good doctor going to think about THAT?

• Oh, Erik LaRay Harvey, you were a great addition to the 'Empire' cast. You seethed with intensity and could deliver a menacing line (even with a smile) like no one else. Who wants to see Harvey in non-Purnsley mode? Click HERE.

Yup, we're going to miss you Dunn Purnsley. Rest in peace...

• Is it me or does Nucky tell someone every other episode, "If you would've come to me ..." as he does in this episode with Will regarding leaving Temple.

• After hearing her gorgeous voice week in and out, I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants a Margot Bingham album ASAP. Well, we're in luck. Here's the link to her discs "Live at the Hazlett" and "Two Thousand Mine."

• Kind of an awkward meeting when Sally Wheet first showed up. Nucky, up your game, dude...

• It certainly seemed there was subtext in that food market order, huh? Eddie still haunts from the grave.

• Another candy reference. A few weeks ago it was Abba-Zaba and this week it was Baby Ruth.

• "Chalky, don't let your life get out of hand..." Pretty uncharacteristic of Nucky to hand out free advice. Do you get the sense that he felt there was something else at play? Maybe next week he'll be saying to Chalky, "If you would've come to ME."

• There's been some mixed feelings about Patricia Arquette's portrayal as Sally Wheet in our discussion group. I happen to enjoy her sassiness and spunk very much but some don't. I was wondering how everyone felt this week.

• I haven't felt THAT bad for Mickey Doyle since Jimmy threw him off the balcony at Babette's. And yes, it's killing me to say ... I think I like him now (insert annoying cartoon giggle).

• The flier for "Ominira" was for May 24, 1924. Some forum members may have thought that each episode this season progressed the action a month which, as I've stated prior, is incorrect.

• Who knew ... Dr. Narcisse fancied himself a playwright.

• I couldn't hep but notice the symbolism of both Chalky and Narcisse standing on opposite sides of the street. Two leaders vying for their the devotion of their people through different methods. Chalky keeps them safe through his strength and alignment with Nucky and Narcisse empowers them through their minds. It was interesting to see them both in action.

• Working for Ed Bader sounds awfully similar to Jimmy Darmody's (almost job) of being an assistant to Patty Ryan, chief clerk of Atlantic City's fourth ward in the first episode. Will seems much more willing to take the job, unlike Darmody.

• What is Eli going to do? Does he go to Nucky?

• Last season, "Baby Peggy," the child star of the silent era, was mentioned on the show. Yesterday, my colleague Mark Voger published a Q&A with her at 95, one of the last living performers from that era.

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