Spoiler alert: Do not read on if you haven't seen Season 3, Episode 7 of "Boardwalk Empire," titled "Sunday Best."
We're all hoping that "Boardwalk Empire's" third season is building up to a climactic and hopefully awesome war between Nucky Thompson and Gyp Rosetti, but it's sure taking its sweet time to get there. "Sunday Best" was the second slow episode of "Boardwalk" in a row, but it wasn't without a few significant -- and in Gillian Darmody's case, totally bizarre -- developments.
The Thompson brothers finally reconciled at a family Easter celebration, as Nucky promoted Eli to manager of his liquor warehouse. After Eli betrayed him last season, it was nice to see Nucky welcome his brother back -- albeit reluctantly -- into his inner circle.
Bobby Cannavale gave a strong performance in this episode that brought some much-needed depth to his Gyp Rosetti character. For a half a season we've watched him mercilessly beat people, crack bad jokes and asphyxiate himself during sex, but as Rosetti pleaded with both God and Joe Masseria, we finally learned what's driving this guy: He's actually a small-time criminal who lives with his Mom and is scared of being left behind in an underground economy that's on the verge of passing him by. Rosetti's brazen attempt to take on Nucky and carve out a space for himself in the bootlegging trade is really driven by desperation, and learning that makes the character a lot more interesting.
In a truly twisted development, Gillian finally came to terms with her son Jimmy's death ... by drugging and drowning his lookalike in a bathtub. It was a move that proved both cathartic and cunning, as she used his death to assert her legal claim to the Commodore's mansion that she's set up her "Artemis Club" inside.
In other less consequential happenings, Richard Harrow continued to woo his lady friend Julia Sagorsky, and Margaret told her sister-in-law -- who she was meeting for the first time -- that Nucky is a cheating criminal who's sucking the life out of her. Happy "Boardwalk" Easter, everybody.
For more analysis of these developments, and to keep track of all the deals, deaths and deceptions, check out the slideshow below for HuffPost TV's "Boardwalk Empire" Gangster Rankings.
